by Jaymin Eve
My parents were diplomats. I pretty much knew nothing else about their job, because that knowledge required a clearance level just below God. Or maybe it was above God? Seemed that way at times. Suffice it to say, security was high on their list of priorities. While their jobs sounded cool and provided us with all the material things, it did require them to be away from me a lot, hence the need for Gracie.
Brad had his thinking face on, my bag swinging lightly against his back as he walked. His brow furrowed. “I just wish we knew more about their jobs. Like, they’re legit crazy about security. Extraaa strict. I mean, my parents work for the government, too, but they’ve never been on my case like yours.”
This was true. His parents were pretty relaxed. And while they were gone a lot, it was nothing compared to my parents. Brad was their only child and they indulged him to ridiculous levels. Which meant he was the epitome of a rich playboy: fast car, fast girls, lots of freedom. Under the playboy exterior, though, there was a reliable, loyal, caring friend. So, I forgave the rest. He was definitely the brother I had never had, and without him and Gracie, I would have been a hell of a lot lonelier growing up.
“The extra strict is probably something to do with Mom’s upbringing,” I guessed. “Apparently her parents had a lot of rules, which definitely influenced her way of raising me.”
My mom, Konami Lewis, was second-generation Japanese. It was from her that I got the brown skin tone and long, straight black hair. In most other ways, I looked like my dad, Samson Lewis. He was a blue-eyed, Texas-born Southerner. His family was from old oil money, and they were very proud of their son the diplomat. They loved my mom, so the cultural differences never mattered to them.
Mom’s family wasn’t as proud, because we didn’t uphold a lot of Japanese culture in our house anymore, but on the nights Mom was home, we always ate the best food. Homemade sushi, tempura, and edamame. With vegetables only – we were not into the meat thing.
When we reached the parking lot, a familiar black Mercedes was idling in the same spot it always was, dark tint hiding Gracie and Bruce, who I knew were inside.
“So, I’ll pick you up at nine tonight?” Brad said as he handed me my bag back. Before I could protest, he ruffled up my long hair again and strode off toward his Aston Martin. I grumbled while waiting for Bruce to hurry around to open my door. I could have gotten it myself, of course, but he liked to do his job properly. So, I waited.
Bruce and Gracie were two of the five permanent staff my parents employed. I’d known them most of my life and it was a comfort to have some stability. When he reached my side, I smiled, and he gave me a nod in return, always polite. At sixty years old, he was nearing retirement age, and I was afraid that one day soon his kind brown eyes, grizzled face, and wiry salt and pepper hair, would be gone from my life.
“Thanks, Bruce,” I said as I slid inside. He closed the door after me and I settled back into my seat.
If Brad was your typical rich playboy … I wasn’t much better. Spoiled would be an apt description. It was my thing. When I was younger, I’d been into school and grades, but then I discovered friends, and I ditched those “nerdy” things to focus on that part of my life. It took me a long time to realize I was just playing a part. Pretending.
Except for Brad. I never had to pretend with him. He knew about my secret anime obsession, not to mention that I was still waiting on an owl to tell me I was a wizard.
I was coming to realize, though, that it was more than just college choices that confused me. It was the very essence of what made up Maya Lewis.
“How was school?” Gracie asked this same question every day. It was our tradition.
After dropping my bag down, I turned in the leather seat to face her. She had her light blond hair up in a tight ponytail, which made her look younger than her forty-three years. Her hazel eyes were very brown today, only a hint of green, and she wore not a slick of makeup.
“It was hectic,” I said truthfully. “The teachers are piling on the work, and college applications are due or overdue. It’s insane.”
She patted my arm, tilting her head to the side as she gave me a sympathetic smile. “Don’t push yourself so hard that you burn out. Just keep going the way you are.”
The urge to hug her was strong. I had no idea what I would have done without Gracie’s calming presence in my life. Like most kids, I adored and forgave my parents for their flaws. But Gracie was there every day. I was eternally grateful for that, even if she was getting paid to do it.
Her words resonated with me and I made a sudden decision. “Brad wants me to go to a party tonight. I wasn’t planning on it because I have so much work to do … but maybe I should try to relax before jumping into my assignments.”
She nodded, her brow tightening minutely. “Sure, I can cover with your parents.”
Technically, I wasn’t allowed out at night, especially not to parties, but Gracie didn’t agree with keeping me completely locked up. She said she trusted me, and that as long as I never broke that trust by drinking or doing drugs, among other things, she would allow me small freedoms.
For the most part, I never really broke her rules. A few drinks here and there, but I never lost control.
“Especially if Brad is there to keep an eye on you,” she added, turning back to the front and sinking into her seat.
“He’s going to pick me up and drop me back off, so he’ll definitely be keeping an eye on me.”
He’d disappear through the middle of the party, off hooking up with half the cheer squad, most of whom were my friends, but then he’d find me again before we went home. He never left me behind. He was a great friend … and a really shitty boyfriend. Luckily, I’d never had any romantic interest in Brad, because that would have gotten awkward really fast.
Traffic was heavy, but we made it home in decent time. Our mansion was in a gated community on S Lee Street, just a few blocks from the school. It took a minute for the huge front gates to open, and then Bruce drove up the round drive, pulling up at the door to let us out. This was the only house I’d ever lived in: three stories, cream and tan exterior, with brickwork, climbing ivy, and two pillars framing the front entrance.
My room was on the second floor, and I went straight up to ditch my uniform and change into something more comfortable. It had started getting cold last week – the middle of November – so I settled on some jeans, a white, fitted, knit pullover, and my fluffy socks. The dark purple streaks in the end of my hair were very prominent against the white of my top, and I was glad I’d talked my mom into letting me get it done.
My cell rang as I started down the stairs, heading for the kitchen. Whipping it out, I slid my finger across. “Hey, dude. I’m in for tonight.”
Deep laughter came back at me. “I didn’t even need to pull out my persuasive tone of voice,” Brad said.
I scoffed. “You know your tone doesn’t work on me. I’ve seen you naked and covered in paint.”
“I was three,” he said with a huff. “You can’t keep using our childhood against me.”
I shrugged, even though he couldn’t see me. “Perks of a friendship with me. A lifetime reminder of every mortifying moment you’ve had.”
It sounded like he was counting to ten – there was a lot of breathing – before finally, he said, “I’ll be there later. P.S. you’re a shit friend.” I laughed and we hung up at the same time.
Downstairs, I moved through the wide hallway and into our kitchen. The large room was designed for catering, because on occasion my parents hosted events here for the people they worked with. In secret. Only not always so secret because they all liked to eat hors d’oeuvres together. Francis, our chef, was already at work on dinner, but he’d popped a plate with my favorite afterschool snack on the bench.
“Thanks, Frannie,” I said, snatching up the sandwich.
“Out of here.” He waved me away. “I have dinner to prepare.”
I gave him a wink, because he was a cranky bastard, but he
always made me my snack, so I was pretty sure he kind of liked me. Or at least tolerated me. Which for him was a big deal.
I bypassed the formal lounge – no food allowed in there – which was cool with me; I preferred the rumpus room. Gigantic flat screen, a bunch of squishy couches, a mini-fridge for my drinks and snacks, three different gaming consoles and more games than I could count.
What else could a girl need?
As a double bonus, it led into the outdoors games room, which had our pool table, ping pong, and all the pinball machines. The games room opened up to the pool, so ninety percent of the time this is where I hung out with my friends.
As I ate, I tried not to think about all the schoolwork waiting for me upstairs. It felt like a waste. I couldn’t for the life of me decide on a career path I was interested in. I should just pick a college, hopefully get accepted, and then worry about the rest later. That would get my parents off my case. I just … kept waiting for a sign to point me in the right direction.
At some point in my deep contemplation I must have dozed off, because when I opened my eyes again, it was dark. Shit! I jumped up, my eyes flicking across to my watch. 7:15 P.M.
Double shit! I had two hours to get ready for tonight, and considering I hadn’t even showered yet, that was barely going to be enough time. Just my hair took forty minutes to dry and style. I rushed past Gracie as I took the stairs two at a time. “Slow down,” she called after me. “You’re going to break your neck.”
“Why didn’t you wake me?” I shouted back, almost up the stairs.
Her laughter followed me. “I tried. You were so out of it, I figured you needed the rest.”
“Ugh.” I threw my hands in the air and she laughed again.
Running into my room, I was already stripping and flinging clothes around as I crossed to the bathroom. Quickest shower in history, shaved my legs and all the other hairy essentials. I might meet my soul mate tonight. Always had to be prepared for that.
Once I was out, I battled with the hair dryer. Having hair almost to my waist was a real pain at times, but I couldn’t imagine cutting it. My childhood goal had been to be Rapunzel when I grew up, and I’d given it my best shot. I no longer wanted her life, though, thanks to Brad who had almost scalped me when we were ten by trying to use my hair to climb over a fence.
When my hair was dry, hanging in thick lengths over my shoulders, I used a bit of product to keep it smooth and shiny. Then it was makeup time. The winged eyeliner took me the longest, but after all the years of practice, I had a very firm hand. Within fifteen minutes, my almond-shaped eyes were lined, mascaraed, shadowed, and … I was ready to go.
I expected Brad to be waiting for me when I got downstairs, but apparently he was late, too. I really shouldn’t be surprised; he spent almost as long on his hair as I did. Gracie strolled out of her office, a small room off the formal living area where she did all of the coordination of schedules and other bits and pieces for the entire family. “Have you got everything?” she asked, looking over my outfit.
I was wearing a black skirt with black knee-high socks. I’d put my boots on when I stepped outside. I was short, so I loved to wear the highest heels I could. Tonight, the ones I’d chosen were only four inches … so I’d be almost average height. My top was a dark gray shirt dress, with long sleeves to combat the cold.
It was casual but dance-ready. My bag was small. I could only fit in my phone, cash, some cards, and lip gloss.
“I’ve got everything,” I told her.
She smiled, rubbing her hand across her eyes. She hadn’t taken any time off this year at all – she needed a holiday. Maybe this year she’d go to her parents’ place for Christmas, back to California. “Text me periodically,” she finally said. “Home by one, and don’t drink anything except what you poured.” She turned to go into her office, before pausing and looking back. “You look beautiful,” she added, and then pointed her finger at me. “Be careful. Stay close to Brad.”
I didn’t complain about her rules. It was nice to have someone who worried about me but still let me have a little freedom. It was the best of both worlds. I grabbed my coat from the hall closet, pulled my boots on, and then stepped out onto the porch to wait for Brad. It was cold; the wind whipped around me, and even though what I was wearing was not exactly suitable for winter weather, there was no way I was changing. It’d be warm once I was inside the party.
A car was slowly making its way up the drive. I knew it was Brad because he’d installed these stupid blue-toned bulbs in his lower light. Plus, my parents were gone for a conference for three days and wouldn’t be back until Monday or Tuesday, depending on travel time.
They had this entire world and life I could never be part of, which always meant there was a huge space between us. It used to hurt a lot, made me feel like they didn’t want to be around me, didn’t trust me with their secrets. Now I understood that it was their job and they were legally unable to share the details with me, but just because I understood didn’t mean I liked it.
“Hey, Maiz,” Brad said through the open window as he pulled up. “You look smokin'. Seriously. But you’re gonna freeze your tiny ass off.”
I wrinkled my nose at him while hurrying down the steps to get out of said freezing winds. It hadn’t snowed yet, at least; that would definitely have ruined my suede boots. Brad had the window back up by the time I slid into the passenger seat, his heater sending delicious bursts of warm air across my half-frozen body.
“This party is inside, right?” My teeth chattered slightly. I seriously didn’t think it was this cold in November last year. Mother Nature was kicking in her cold snap early.
“Yep, Owens has an entire basement decked out. His dad just finished the renos and this is the christening.”
I nodded, settling back into my seat. I wasn’t a huge fan of Mitchell Owens – a soccer star at our school who thought he was top shit. He was blond, ripped, and had biceps for days, because he basically lived at the gym. His ultra-confidence didn’t bother me as much as the vibe he gave me. I had a decent douche-radar, as I liked to call it. If there was a guy around who made me even slightly uncomfortable, I made sure to never be alone in a room with him. It was one thing my mom taught me, something she learned after being raped at a party when she was fifteen.
Her parents never allowed her out at night, so she’d snuck out one time and the worst had happened. It shaped her entire world for years, basically until she met my father and learned to trust men again. She finally found the happiness she deserved.
“I’m surprised you don’t have a date tonight,” I said to Brad, needing to think about something less stressful.
He shrugged, focusing on the traffic we were slowly moving through. “Honestly, the girl drama has been a bit much lately. I’m thinking a nice, relaxing night with my best friend and a few drinks is the ticket.”
I laughed. “Yeah, okay.” This wasn’t the first time he’d started with those intentions, but by the time “a few drinks” happened, he always managed to get snared by one of the scantily-clad chicks there.
Brad flashed me his trademark crooked grin, the one he pulled out to get him out of trouble at school, and into trouble with women. “Scout’s honor.”
My laugh turned into a snort. “You’re no Scout, my friend. Not even close.”
He didn’t argue, because as usual, I was right.
Chapter 2
It took us about twenty minutes to make it through traffic and reach the very nice development that Mitchell’s house was in. Cars were everywhere on the sidewalks, down the street, and across the road. Brad didn’t even bother looking for a spot, he just drove right down the main driveway, which was off the side of the house, and parked behind Mitchell’s car.
“Owens told me that it was cool for me to bring my baby closer to safety,” he explained as he switched the engine off.
I nodded, because I seriously didn’t care what the reason was. I was just happy I didn’t have to trek for m
iles in the cold. It also meant I could leave my coat in the car – I could brave the cold for a few minutes.
As soon as I stepped out, I wasted no time heading for the house. “Come on, the new entrance is this way,” Brad told me, leading me past the path I thought we would take.
I’d been heading for the front porch, but apparently that was not the way in now. We walked around the side of the house and there were people scattered everywhere, smoking and drinking. Brad waved and greeted most of them as we continued toward a set of open double doors that lay almost flush with the ground. Basement entrance, I would assume.
Loud music could be heard before we were even close. We took the stairs down to the ground level, and … I could admit it, it was impressive. The area was huge; an entire floor had been cleared out and redesigned in a similar setup to a club: couches, tables, a designated dance floor – even a bar, which was packed with people. I recognized a ton of kids from school, but there were also a lot I didn’t know.
“Big party,” I shouted over the music.
Brad pushed a hand through his hair, ruffling it up a little. “Yeah, I kind of expected he would go all out now that his party space was ready, but this is pretty insane.”
It was hard to hear him – I never quite understood why the music had to be so loud at parties. But after a few drinks I wouldn’t care. I’d just be dancing and dancing until my legs gave out.
Brad wrapped an arm around me, semi-protecting me from the crowds. “Let’s get a drink,” he said, leaning down close to my ear.
I nodded, letting him steer me toward the bar. Despite it being thirty people deep, we managed to get near the front quickly. I was surprised to see three people behind the bar wearing black and white and taking orders. I mean, my parents hired staff when they had their little parties, but I’d never seen it at a school thing.
