by Nella Tyler
I started to agree when I saw the woman step through the thick layer of greenery that surrounded us. She was wearing a burgundy gown and her long blonde hair touched her waist. She was probably six inches taller than me and her tits were big, high, and perky – just the kind of girl that intimidates the hell out of me. Drake saw me look up at her and he looked over, too. I could only see half of his face, but I swear he cringed.
“Hello, Drake.”
“Sabrina. Hi.”
“I’m sorry to disturb you two, I was just walking by and heard your voice. I was hoping you’d be here tonight.” I couldn’t help but wonder if she was hoping he’d be here alone. She was looking at him like he was a piece of chocolate. I swear her mouth was watering.
“Um…it’s okay. We were just getting some air. This is Summer. Summer, this is Sabrina.”
“Hello, Summer, I’ve heard a lot about you.”
I looked at Drake who looked as confused as me and slightly paranoid. “You have?”
She smiled a brilliant white, perfectly straight-toothed smile. “Yes. Lance and I had lunch today.”
“Sabrina…” Drake’s voice had dropped. The tone was low and warning.
“Oh, stop it, Drake. I’m not going to tell anyone about your little friend’s…situation. Lance didn’t even want to tell me. But, I could see that he was upset about something and I got it out of him. He’s worried about you.”
I suddenly felt like I was caught in that nightmare where they all pointed and laughed. I was frozen to my spot, though. I didn’t want to hear any more of this, but I didn’t want to get up and walk past this bitch who so badly wanted to see me upset. “He has no reason to be, and who I choose to spend time with isn’t his or your business.”
She made a “Tsk-tsk” noise and shook her head. She made eye contact with me then and I saw that she had milk-chocolate-colored eyes with the strangest patches of blue. I wondered if they were contacts, I’d never seen anything like it.
“You know why it is my business, Drake. I’m supposed to be selling you to a Fortune 500 company. I have a meeting with the CEO of Catalyst the day before Laguna. I can’t go in to something like that blind. I need to know everything. I need to know if your picture is going to pop up on some tabloid with your new friend and details about her background.” I stood up. I’d heard enough. Drake reached out and grabbed my wrist and stood up next to me.
“There’s nothing in her background that would worry me,” he said. Although that was nice of him to say, he really had no idea. I’d never been charged with anything, but there were a few times I came close. Who knew what story anyone might be willing to tell for the right price?
I cleared my throat. “If we’re going to talk about me, then maybe I can have a chance to speak in my own defense.”
“You don’t have to defend yourself to anyone, Summer.” Drake was glaring at the blonde. She was looking at me with and excited look. She wanted to hear about my life, I’m guessing because she knew that it would make her feel superior.
“You’re right,” I said to Drake, “But I’d like to say this, anyways.” Turning back to the woman, I said, “I don’t know who you are, but I don’t have anything to hide. My name is Summer French. I’m eighteen years old. I grew up on Long Island in New York with my grandfather, who was a professional surfer. My mother was a prostitute who used a lot of heroin. She had no idea which John knocked her up and the only reason she didn’t abort me was because she stayed so wasted that she caught the pregnancy too late. My grandfather ended up with a drug-addicted infant, and he raised me as well as he could until he died. I was fourteen then and they tried to put me in a foster home. I ran away, and for the past five years, I’ve been living on the streets. I’m homeless, but on a positive note, I haven’t killed anyone and I’ve never been in jail, so you can rest easy that there aren’t any public records that might pop up. I don’t know who this “Catalyst” is, but if it’s important to Drake, you can be sure I’m not going to get in his way.”
Sabrina was still holding onto the shocked look that crossed her face when I admitted my mother was a prostitute. It’s not something I’m proud of, but it’s also nothing for me to be ashamed of. I’m not, nor have I ever been a prostitute or a heroin addict. I had no control over her issues. Drake slid his hand down and linked his fingers through mine. His muscles were tense and when he began to talk, it was in a low, controlled voice. “Listen to me, Sabrina, and listen well. I pay you to do a job, but that job does not extend to my personal life. You deal with Catalyst and I’ll do what I need to do for me. Lately, that’s been spending time with Summer. I don’t have any plans to change that, either, so if it’s an issue for you, that’s too fucking bad. We both know you don’t need this job, anyways. It was just your way of keeping tabs on me.”
Her look went from shocked to haughty in an instant. “Keep tabs on you? Are you kidding? You are still so full of yourself-”
“I get the feeling I really don’t want to be around for this part of the conversation,” I said. I pulled my hand away from Drake’s.
“Summer, wait, I’ll go with you.”
“No, you finish here. I’ll wait for you inside.” I looked at Sabrina. She was looking at me with those strange eyes. I couldn’t really tell what she was thinking about me, but I’m pretty sure she wants to be more than Drake’s “employee.” I got the feeling she had been more than that at one time and she was not happy with the job change.
“I don’t have anything else to say to her,” he said. He grabbed my hand again and we both pushed past her. As we walked away I looked over my shoulder. The look on her face was pure evil and I got the feeling that Drake was about to lose his chance with this Catalyst, whoever they are. He led me in through the French doors and straight onto the dance floor. I was still holding my shoes in my hand. He stopped and took them from me, stuffed them into the pockets of his jacket, and took me in his arms. He was right – just like making love. I followed the slow and seductive movements of his body with my own and within seconds, I was lost completely in him…and Sabrina was forgotten.
*******
After we danced, we fixed a small plate for ourselves and found a nice, quiet table in the corner. We could see the rest of the ballroom from that vantage point and suddenly, I felt like all eyes were on me. I told myself it was my imagination as I picked at a crab cake and tried not to make eye-contact with any of them.
“I was impressed with how you stood up for yourself out there with Sabrina. I’m sorry she put you in a place where you felt like you had to do that.”
“What’s Catalyst? It’s the same thing Lance was talking about the other day at the beach.”
Drake sighed. “It’s a brand of clothing. The make beach clothes and surf equipment. I’m hoping to get them to sponsor me so that I don’t have to depend on my father’s money any longer.”
“I don’t have much experience – or any – with fathers. But this man coming towards us looks an awful lot like he could be yours. And, he doesn’t look happy at all.”
When Drake looked up, I saw a visible change in everything about him. His facial expression, his posture, and his demeanor were suddenly guarded and even slightly intimidated. He pushed back his chair and stood up. Putting out his right hand, he said, “Father.” His father shook his hand, but his eyes kept going back to me.
“This is Summer French. Summer, this is my dad, Neil Spencer.”
“I’m pleased to meet you,” I told him. He gave my hand a quick, but firm handshake.
“Drake, I need to speak with you, alone.” He was finished with me, and it was obvious that I was supposed to excuse myself. Drake looked at me with an apology in his eyes. I tried to give him a smile so he wouldn’t worry.
“Excuse me,” I said, more for his father’s benefit than Drake’s, “I’m going to use the ladies room.”
Drake squeezed my hand underneath the table. His father sat down as I stood up, never making eye-contact with me aga
in. I escaped to the ladies room, or I thought I did, anyways. I went into the stall and seconds later, I heard two women’s voices. One of them I recognized as Sabrina’s. The other sounded familiar, maybe Drake’s sister.
“Homeless…as in she lives on the streets?”
“As in a cave. Lance told me about the cave, but I didn’t believe him. After listening to how proud she was of her street status, I don’t doubt it now.”
There was stunned silence. “You’re fucking kidding me!”
“I wish I were. Your brother is setting himself up.” Damn it! It was Drake’s sister. I drew my legs up so they couldn’t see I was there. I really wanted to throw up now. “I don’t think he realizes how competitive this sponsorship is. Being with the wrong person at this stage in his life can kill it for him. Besides…homeless? Imagine what kind of nasty diseases she has.”
My blood was boiling as Chrissy laughed and said, “Maybe my father is paying her to be with him. I’m actually surprised he hasn’t thought of something like that. He wants Drake to stop surfing and come to work with him.”
“Right, but that’s not what Drake wants. That’s why this sponsorship was so important to him.”
“And, why is it so important to you, Sabrina?” The other woman didn’t answer and Chrissy continued, “You’ve been in love with my brother since high school. He told everyone you broke up with him, but that’s not true, is it?”
She snorted. “No, it wasn’t true, but if you tell anyone…”
“I won’t.”
“He said he needed something ‘different.’ I thought after he went on tour and fucked a few dozen ‘different’ women, he’d get that out of his system. Apparently, it’s only gotten worse.”
“Sabrina, you have lots of other choices. I’ve always wanted to see you two together, but I hate to see you suffer over it. He’s just still so immature, even rebellious. He doesn’t know what he wants.”
“I don’t want other choices, and I know what I want. I want Drake. We’re perfect for each other. I understand him and he understands me. He’s just sowing his oats and I’m okay with that, for the most part. I just don’t want him ending up with some nasty disease.”
I’d heard enough. I let my feet drop and my heels slammed into the polished tile. I couldn’t see them, but I was betting they jumped about a foot high. I unlocked the door and just stood there to let them take me in for a second before I laid into them.
“What a miserable couple of bitches you are. You both claim to care about Drake, yet you’re in here plotting and scheming over his life. What is wrong with you?”
Chrissy at least had the decency to look embarrassed. Sabrina just looked amused. “What’s wrong with us asks the girl who is in thousands of dollars of hair, make-up, and clothing that Drake paid for? Is this what you do? You play the poor little homeless imp and men shower you with gifts before you move on?”
I took her in slowly from head to toe with my eyes. By the time I made it back up to her face, she at least looked slightly nervous. I thought about going street crazy on her for a fraction of a second, but I wanted to walk out of here with at least a shred of my dignity intact. “You can tell Drake whatever you like. It doesn’t matter because I’m not going to hang around and be the reason he doesn’t succeed. At least, when I lay my head down in my cave at night, I can do it knowing that I did what was best for someone I care about. I’m not sure what you bitches use when you lay down on your designer sheets and I have to say, I don’t give a fuck.” I stepped towards the sink and they both took a giant step back like they thought I was coming at them with a knife. I just wanted to wash my hands. I didn’t want to give them another reason to call me nasty.
Chapter Sixteen
DRAKE
My father went on for half an hour about what I would do after the Laguna competition. I realized when he finally left the table that Summer had never come back. She was probably with my sister. God, I hoped Chrissy and the rest of the snobs at that table behaved themselves.
“Have you seen Summer?” I asked Chrissy when I got to her table. My mother was sitting and talking to Chrissy and Searcy.
“Not recently,” Chrissy said.
“Surely, she’s here somewhere. She wouldn’t just leave, would she?” Mother asked.
I looked back at Chrissy. Something in her face told me she knew more than she was letting on. “Not unless someone said something to make her feel like she didn’t belong here. You don’t know anything about that, do you, Sis?”
“Me? No, of course not. Why would you think that?”
Mother turned those piercing blue eyes on me and said, “Yes, Drake, why would you think that? Was there something in particular you were worried about someone using against her?” I’m sure if Sabrina told Chrissy about Summer, Chrissy had already filled Mother in.
“There is nothing she has to be ashamed of, Mom. Chrissy was asking her a lot of questions earlier, and she was pretty uncomfortable.” I gave my sister a look and she tried to give me an innocent one in return, but there was something there and I was suddenly worried. I kept my eyes on Chrissy as I said, “I just want to make sure that she’s okay.”
“I was simply asking her about herself. Why would that make her uncomfortable?” Chrissy asked with an eye roll. “Maybe she does have something to hide.”
I glared at my sister. It was obvious to me now that someone told her about Summer. She was taunting me. “No, she doesn’t. Excuse me.” I felt their eyes on my back as I made my way over to where Lance was sitting. I hadn’t spoken to him tonight, but it seemed like he’d done a lot of talking about me and Summer.
“Lance! I need to talk to you.”
“Sure, dude! Have a seat.” He sounded like he’d had one too many drinks already. He’s kind of an ass when he’s drunk.
“Alone.”
He reached up and touched the side of his still bruised mouth. “I don’t think so.”
I tried reasoning first, “Come on, Lance. This is me. We’ve been friends forever. I need you, man.”
“For what, Spence? Did you need me to go looking for the street urchin? She could be in any dumpster by now.” I reached down for him, and he pushed his chair back and stood up. The only thing that kept me from once again knocking him on his ass was my father’s face looking at me from just slightly behind him.
“What’s this about?” Lance startled at the sound of my father’s voice. He turned towards him and at the same time we both said,
“Just a disagreement.” My father somehow had the ability to restore us to the age of twelve on a whim. Lance is as intimidated by the old man as I am.
“Not here,” he had a tone of finality in his voice, asalways. What he says goes. “Where is your girlfriend?”
Confused about why my father was asking about Summer, I hesitated long enough for Lance to snort and say, “Probably in the bat cave by now.” Everyone at the table laughed. My father wasn’t amused. I just turned around and left. I heard my father call my name, but I didn’t stop. I will definitely hear about it sooner rather than later, but just then, I didn’t give a fuck.
The car we had arrived in was still waiting out front. I wasn’t happy to see that, but relieved that I got her the hotel room or I could just imagine her walking all the way back to La Jolla. I had the driver take me back to the Indigo. This was not at all how I imagined this night. I knocked several times on the door of Summer’s room. I couldn’t hear so much as a sound from inside and if she hadn’t been wearing a dress and four inch heels I wouldn’t have put it past her to walk all the way back to La Jolla. As it were, I knew that she was smarter than that.
“Summer, I know you’re in there. I have a key card, but I’d rather you open up for me so I don’t have to use it.”
She pulled open the door. She was dressed back in her shorts and tank top and she had her pretty hair braided to one side. “I’m going home,” she said.
“Okay, I’ll have the car take you. But can we talk f
irst?”
“There’s nothing to talk about. Thank you for everything you did for me today. But I think we proved tonight that I don’t fit into your world, Drake.”
“Fine, then I’ll live in yours. Please don’t walk away from me, Summer.”
She took my hand and led me over to the couch. I took that as a good sign. We sat down and I found out quickly that I was wrong. “Since the day I met you, Drake, I’ve let myself imagine things and want things that I will probably never have. Being homeless isn’t so bad once you accept your lot. But when you start pining for what everyone else has-”
“You can have what everyone else has. I can give it to you,” I interrupted.
She smiled gently at me and continued, “I don’t want you or anyone else to give it to me. When and if I get it, I want it to be on my own merits, so when I have to stand up to bitches like the ones I did tonight, I have a foundation to stand on.”
“What bitches? Who did you have to stand up to? What happened?”
“It doesn’t matter. The point is that they weren’t really saying anything that wasn’t true. I am homeless, I do live in a cave, and I did let you spend way too much money getting me ready for this gala tonight. I got caught up in the fairytale. Now, we both need to get back to reality.”
“I don’t want reality. I want you.”
She stood up. “I’m going home, Drake. Please don’t follow me. I really appreciate everything you’ve done, but I’m going to take it from here. You go win your tournament and your sponsorship and have a great life. You deserve it.”
I had never had to do more than give a girl a smoldering look my entire life to have her eating out of my hand. I never asked one to stay that wanted to leave. I knew I could replace any girl in a heartbeat.
Something about Summer was different from the beginning, however, and I had no idea what it was. What I did know is that if I thought it would do any good, I’d be willing to beg her to stay. Like I said before, she’s not into the drama. When she says something, she means it. Panic was setting in, though, so I said, “Please don’t do this, Summer. We can figure this out if you want to be with me.”
