After Summer (8 page)

Beth stalked into the party a mile ahead of George, still feeling like a freak in her costume. She couldn’t
believe
it. She felt like smoke might start pouring out of her ears, which actually would complete the devil look nicely.

“Hey, where’s the fire?” George asked, jogging up behind Beth in his ridiculous angel getup. “Oh, I know,” he stage-whispered, before Beth could reply. “Right…HERE!” He wrapped his arms tight around her midsection, pressing her to him and kissing her neck.

“George,” Beth hissed, not finding one iota of humor in the situation. She felt like everyone was staring at them—at her—but, of course, since it was a Halloween party and people were in all varieties of King Kong masks and slutty
schoolteacher costumes and groping each other, no one really paid attention.

As she and George worked their way into the party—George keeping a hand on Beth’s waist the whole time—Beth tried to relax, tried to let go of her annoyance, but it was nearly impossible. The party was a mix of kids from Martin and other teenage Cape Cod vacationers. Party decorations were at a minimum. After all, who wanted to lug that stuff all the way across the state to the beach? Instead, everyone’s attention was on one another’s costumes, and they definitely made up for the lack of atmosphere. The party was all about circling and complimenting everyone’s ideas, while silently jockeying for votes when Best Costume awards were handed out at the end of the night. Beth mingled her way through the crowd, heaping praise upon all the original ideas. If only her costume hadn’t come out of a plastic package, maybe she would be in the running for this year’s prize. But no one was going to vote her costume anything but perhaps Least Original Hussy. She caught several people glancing at her in surprise. And some guys ogled her, which made George grip her hand even tighter.

So she tried to focus on having some long overdue social fun. She chatted up friends she hadn’t seen in a while, and tried to laugh it off when George kept sneaking up behind her and kissing her neck.

It was when she literally couldn’t hear the conversation
she was having—thanks to George’s tongue in her ear—that Beth decided that actually, she wasn’t having that much fun and she was sick of pretending otherwise.

“Okay,” she said, grinning to show that she wasn’t mad, because there was a definite edge in her voice. And she
was
mad, she just didn’t want the entire party to witness it. She was already getting way too much attention. She pulled George away from the conversation and glared at him. “You have to stop.”

George frowned at her.

“Stop what?” he actually asked. “You don’t like me kissing you anymore? Would you rather talk to that loser Pete Sanderson than to me?”

Beth stared at George and then back at Pete, who was the guy she’d been talking to when George had licked her ear.

“Pete Sanderson?” she echoed. “What are you talking about?”

“You just seemed really interested in talking to that guy all of a sudden,” George said mutinously.

“He was telling me that he’s on the swim team at his school,” Beth said. “Also, are you suggesting I like him or something? He has a girlfriend. Who’s standing right next to him.”

“I don’t know,” George sort of mumbled. “You said you don’t like your costume, but you seem to like people looking at you wearing it. Other guys.”

Beth shook her head at him.

“You’re crazy,” she told him. “And not in a funny way. Why don’t you go get us something to drink, okay?”

George stood there for a moment, like he was about to argue but thought better of it.

Beth felt relieved when he just nodded without another word, and headed toward the kitchen for drinks.

About an hour later, however, Beth’s attempt at good humor was completely gone. Not that it had ever really been there to begin with. George would not leave her alone. If he wasn’t caressing her skin, he was making suggestive comments into her ears. He was all over her, and it was so annoying Beth was trying to pretend he wasn’t there.

Which was already hard enough, given the fact that George really was impossible to ignore.

Until he leaned over and told her he was getting their coats.

Beth blinked at him.

“What are you talking about? The party just started. We’ve only been here, like, an hour.”

“I can’t take it,” George said. “You look way too hot.”

“Meaning what?” Beth shook her head at him. She refused to believe she was hearing this. “You want me to change into something else?”

“Not at all,” George said. He leaned into Beth until she was pressed against the wall.

It was a good thing they hadn’t actually been talking to anyone else, Beth thought sourly, because hello, now they were hooking up? Just…right there?

“George!” she shoved at his shoulder. He ignored her and nuzzled her neck.

“I think we should go back to the hotel and make use of that king-sized bed,” George whispered. “I can’t wait to get you out of this thing.”

And that was when Beth lost it.

“Get off me!” she snapped at him, not loud enough to cause a scene or anything, but definitely loud enough to get George’s attention.

The worst part was, he honestly looked confused.

“What’s the matter?” he asked.

“Are you kidding?” she demanded. “You’ve been all over me tonight, and here’s a newsflash—it’s not sexy. At all. I want to go home.”

“That’s what I just suggested—”

“Not the hotel, George,” Beth snapped at him. “I can’t believe you. This was supposed to be a romantic weekend. And you decide that means I should dress up like some ho. Then you paw at me all night, and now you think I want to go have sex with you? Who
are
you? What
happened
to you?”

Without meaning to, Beth felt tears well up in her eyes, and she started to cry. She could feel the tears trickle down her cheeks and was horrified, but that just made it worse.

“Bethy—”

But she was too upset. Where had her boyfriend gone? She didn’t think she could bear it. And here she was, half-naked and crying at some party. She couldn’t wait to get away from him.

“I want to go home to Martin,” she told him through her tears. “Right now.”

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

My dear Kels,

I’m sorry to hear that things are not at their best with Tim. He sounded like such the right guy for you last summer. But, at the risk of sounding like a cheesy eighties ballad, you need to go with what your heart is telling you. Or something like that.

Of course, I’m one to talk. My heart’s all mixed up, and I don’t even have a real boyfriend, unlike you and the other cousins. You remember that infuriating guy Dex, right? Well, he infuriated me so much I ended up making him out with him.

I know, I know. You told me so. But that STILL doesn’t mean I like him! So there.

It was Friday, which meant we had our AP American History class, and he and I totally got into a political debate smack-down—I definitely think I won—and then when our teacher said my comments were “incisive,” Dex looked at me with pure hatred in his eyes. So I gave him that look right back.

That night, we had an Oktoberfest (my school is too “progressive” for Halloween) dance in the main building. I got all decked out in my black strapless dress (you know, the one Ella made me buy) and went with my roommate.

Everyone
was having a good time! I haven’t danced like that since we all went nuts that time at Ahoy in Maine (I know you remember). After the dancing, I was really hot, so I got a soda and went outside for a few minutes, because it felt good to be out in the cold. There were the usual couples making out, and smokers just hoping none of the teachers saw them, and I was having this gorgeous, serene moment when suddenly Dex was right there. He walked outside like he had been following me or something and stood right in front of me.

Then he said: “Why do you hate me?” Just like that.

And I said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Because hi, what was I supposed to say?

“You do.” He was all arrogant about it, too.

“Well, I feel like
you
hated me first,” I replied, all maturelike.

“Maybe I did,” he shot back.

And then the next thing I knew, we were kissing…like REALLY kissing. And, Kels, it felt…nice. More than nice. But then I got freaked out and told him I had to go, and ran away, and have been trying to think of ways to avoid him ever since.

I should let you go because I know you’re expecting Ella any second, but I just wanted to share…

Have fun with Ella; it will be good to get some sister time.

Love,

Jamie

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Jamie,

Yes, Ella is literally due to arrive any second, but I have four very mature words to pass along first:

I TOLD YOU SO!!

James, I saw this epic romance brewing from a mile away. You guys are totally going to get it on, get married, and then have lots of smart, competitive babies.

(Don’t kill me.)

See you at Thanksgiving,

K

Kelsi wasn’t sure she’d missed her sister while away at college. But when Ella came up for the long Veteran’s Day weekend in November, Kelsi realized that she had. A lot.

After sending her e-mail to Jamie, she got to the Northampton bus depot early with a bouquet of flowers, and waited for Ella to arrive. Predictably, Ella missed the 4:00 p.m., leaving Kelsi with nothing to do but hang in the Greyhound station, buy vending-machine food with the change in the bottom of her purse, and read the magazines discarded by passing travelers.

But when Ella arrived on the 6:45 p.m., it was like no time had passed at all. Ella had barely stepped off the bus before Kelsi toppled her with a big hug. And while Ella seemed momentarily embarrassed by this very public display of affection (and the fact that her tank top was way too flimsy to survive such an aggressive bear hug) she didn’t
fight it because it clearly felt just as good for her to see her sister.

Ella’s late arrival had put quite a crimp in Kelsi’s preplanned tour guide agenda, which she snarkily told her sister on their way back to campus. Kelsi knew the Museum of Art was already closed, but if they hustled, she could make up for it. So, Kelsi dragged her sister across the campus, touring the libraries, tracing Kelsi’s daily paths to class, the boathouses on Paradise Pond, and the famous botanical gardens. The collegiate feel of Smith obviously impressed Ella. It was easy to get swept away in the academic-ness of it all. The glass Campus Center, lit up against the darkening sky, was almost breathtaking. Especially without any boys to distract you.

Unfortunately, Ella was far less impressed by the Smith dorms.

“This is, like, worse than prison,” she said, taking in the small room.

Kelsi shrugged her shoulders. “It’s cozy!” she said, though it didn’t help matters that Taryn had left her half of the room in complete shambles. Kelsi had done her best to throw Taryn’s clothes under her bed to make space for Ella’s AeroBed. It was a challenge, and the mattress rocked on the lumpy pile underneath it.

“I mean, do you have any privacy?”

“Not really. I’m just lucky that Taryn and I get along so well. Plus, she goes out a lot. You know. With different guys. So I’m here by myself a lot of nights. It’s perfect for studying.”

“Um, what about Tim?” Ella asked. “Isn’t
he
over all the time?”

“I guess so,” Kelsi mumbled, even though she hadn’t had him over since the Halloween disaster. It was weird, but for some reason, Kelsi didn’t feel like she could open up to Ella about Tim. She felt close to her sister, who
was
an expert on love, but Kelsi was afraid that Ella would judge her.

Kelsi quickly suggested dinner, and the girls headed down to partake of the best of Smith cafeteria dining.

“This is gross,” Ella said, poking at an unidentified fried substance baking under an orange heat lamp.

“Yeah,” said Kelsi, grabbing Ella by the arm and pulling her toward the leafy greens of the salad bar. “This is going to be your best bet.”

“No wonder I didn’t see your Freshman Fifteen,” Ella teased, rubbing her hand along Kelsi’s middle.

The girls ate and laughed, and Kelsi deflected any Tim questions, and then they returned to Kelsi’s dorm.

Kelsi flopped on the bed. She was exhausted. But apparently, organic spinach had done Ella some good. She seemed to have caught her second wind and was ogling a pair of Taryn’s jeans that were dangling out of her dresser.

“So are we going out or what?” Ella asked, shaking back
her blonde ringlets. “I need to go out and have some wild times so I can have stories for Ryan when I get back home.”

“Oh, right—I totally meant to ask you,” Kelsi said, turning to her sister. “What’s going on with this Ryan guy? How are things?” Kelsi was secretly mourning that her sister had parted ways with sweet, attentive Jeremy, but she knew better than to bring that up with prickly Ella.

“Good, but of course his main goal in life is to try to get into my pants,” Ella replied in her usual blunt manner, and then laughed. “My whole plan is to keep him waiting, to hold out, until I know he’s serious about me. I mean, that’s the only way to test a guy, right? They’ll sleep with just about anyone otherwise.” She nodded wisely and Kelsi felt her heart sink as she thought of Tim.

There was a knock on the door, and Kelsi wondered if Tim had decided to show up after all. He’d gone on a road trip with a frat buddy for the long weekend.

She hurried over, opened the door, and felt her heart leap.

Bennett was standing there.

On impulse, she slipped into the hallway and shut the door on Ella’s curious stare.

“Um, hi,” she stammered. She wished her unpainted toes weren’t poking out from beneath the frayed cuffs of her jeans. Bennett, of course, looked effortlessly hip in his dark coat, faded cords, and scarf.

“Hi,” he said and smiled.

“Taryn’s not here,” Kelsi said. “I thought you guys were going to see your grandparents.”

“Yeah. We leave tomorrow,” Bennett said, studying her.

“Oh.” Kelsi felt that zing of connection again, and she didn’t know quite what to do about it, so she looked down, and wished again that she wasn’t barefoot. The dorms at Smith were old and she could feel the November chill through the soles of her feet, even inside.

“I came to give you this,” Bennett said.

When Kelsi looked up, he was handing her a CD. On the cover was a sketch in pencil with a dash of color. It took Kelsi a minute to realize it was a drawing of her.

She stared at it, too shocked to say anything.

“After we hung out that night I kept thinking about how alike our taste in stuff was,” Bennett said, his eyes intent on hers. “So I decided to risk it and make the inevitable mixed CD. You’ll either hate it and think I’m lame, or love it and dig some awesome bands.”

“I don’t know what to say,” Kelsi said, which was true. She blinked as if that might clear her head. She felt dizzy, and worried there was too much color in her face suddenly.

“Well,” Bennett said, and there was a laugh—not a mocking laugh, more like a fond laugh—in his voice. “You
could
say, ‘Hey, Bennett, if you’re not too busy, would you
want to come in and chill a little? Especially because you haven’t ever seen your own sister’s room?’”

“You haven’t?” Kelsi asked, glancing up in surprise.

“Nope,” Bennett said, shaking his head as his eyes sparkled. “Sad, huh? Taryn and I are both so busy being busy we barely have time for sibling-support visits.”

“Speaking of which,” Kelsi said, pushing open her door to let Bennett in. “My sister Ella’s visiting for the weekend.”

The minute the words were out of her mouth, and the minute she and Bennett walked in to see Ella draped across the bed in her thigh-hugging jeans and pink tube top, her lips pouty with gloss, Kelsi regretted her decision. What was she thinking, letting a perfectly nice guy into her sister’s path of destruction?

And then she reminded herself that she shouldn’t care if Bennett fell for Ella, as most boys seemed to. After all, it wasn’t like she was interested in Bennett.

Right?

But Bennett only gave the preening Ella a friendly smile, shook her hand as Kelsi haltingly introduced them, and set to fiddling with Kelsi’s CD player, putting in the mix and hitting play. As the music filled the room, Kelsi plopped down beside Ella, who was watching Bennett with curiosity—but not necessarily I-want-to-make-out interest. And Bennett sat on Taryn’s bed, across from the girls.

“So. My sister’s room. And Kelsi’s room,” he mused aloud, looking at the brightly colored walls. “Not bad.” Then his eyes fell on Kelsi, and he smiled. “Very pleasant, in fact.”

“Thanks,” Kelsi murmured, wishing she wasn’t blushing, while she felt Ella’s eyes on her.

“So, you girls off for a night on the town?” Bennett asked.

“We sure are,” Ella trilled, standing and taking in her reflection in the closet mirror. “Hopefully we won’t have to fend off too many suitors. Guys love to play the whole sister card, pretending to want to hear all about how close we are as sisters, all the while just wanting to take us both home. Slimeballs.”

Kelsi audibly gulped. Ella was just being Ella, but to an outsider, she could be really shocking.

“Um, speaking as a straight male, can I interject?” Bennett asked, raising his hand, with that same bemused, intelligent smile on his face.

“Sure,” Ella said coolly, rolling her eyes.

“For the record,” Bennett said, clearing his throat and readjusting his glasses in a totally adorable way. “Not
all
guys want to get to know girls only to sleep with them. That’s not the end goal for everyone. Sure, I’d imagine it’s an awesome bonus, but when I’m interested in a girl, I’m interested
in, well,
her.
Her imagination, her laugh…” He trailed off, and Kelsi could have sworn he was looking at her.

And then it hit her, what Bennett had said:
I’d imagine it’s an awesome bonus.
Meaning…what?

“Wait,” Ella said, clearly on the same wavelength as Kelsi. She whirled around to Bennett. “Are you saying you’re…a virgin?”

Kelsi tensed up at the word, but Bennett, looking chill, only shrugged. “Uh-huh. Not that I haven’t wanted to—duh—but I guess I’m an idealist. I want it to be…right. And so far there just hasn’t been, well, the right opportunity. Or the right girl.” He was looking down as he spoke, but Kelsi could feel a deep connection to him. Her heart was pounding.

“I know what you mean.” The words were out before she could stop them. “I’m—I’m one, too. I mean, I haven’t ever, you know, done it with a boy. And even though I have a boyfriend, I…”

“Just don’t feel ready,” Bennett offered, his eyes understanding. “That’s totally cool.”

Kelsi nodded, feeling her throat close with emotion. So there
were
guys out there who understood. Guys who were in the same place as her, and who wouldn’t feel the need to prove otherwise in front of their buddies. She wanted to leap up and fling her arms around Bennett, but held back.

“Anyway, I should go,” Bennett said, getting to his feet. “Tell Taryn to call me, ’kay? Our mom’s harassing me about Thanksgiving plans.” Then, with a lingering smile, he was gone.

“So,” Ella said, turning to Kelsi the minute the door closed. “Call me crazy, but if that guy plans to lose his virginity any time soon, I think I know who his prime candidate would be.”

“Shut up,” Kelsi said, jumping up and heading for her closet. But inexplicably, Ella’s words made her heart jump and she felt herself smiling.

Ella, meanwhile, stared out into the courtyard through the small window. “He kind of reminded me of Jeremy,” she added, looking melancholy. But then she gave her head a little shake, as if brushing the thought away. “Let’s go party.”