Every Little Piece (8 page)

A soft voice interrupted our groans. “I’ll make sure he gets home safely.”

I knew Haley couldn’t stay mad at me. Not tonight. We’d go home to my house or to Raker’s bluff and screw the night away. I laughed. But it wasn’t Haley’s face I saw bend over us. It was Carly’s. She touched Jamie’s back and repeated her words.

“I’ll make sure he doesn’t drive. I’m heading out anyway.”

I couldn’t have planned this better. She was still willing to talk to me, and I could interrogate her. I believed that was the official word. Jamie climbed off me and rubbed his jaw.

Carly led him back to the house. “Go get some ice for your face. I promise I won’t let him drive.”

Jamie narrowed his eyes. “Fine, but be careful. He doesn’t like others to drive.” He made his way back up the stairs and into the house.

Great, now everyone would know I’d left with Carly. But I didn’t care. Haley would understand. Maybe. I sat up and tried to dazzle Carly with my smile. She wasn’t going to let me just drive away. But I needed to be alone.

She stated her case right away. “Don’t even think about driving, Seth.”

I stood and swayed a bit then gained my balance. “I think you’re jumping to conclusions, counselor.”

She held out her hands. “Keys.”

I laughed. “You don’t know me very well, do you?”

She lowered her hand. “Thought I’d try. You’ve been drinking and you can’t drive home. Let me drive you and we can get your car tomorrow morning.”

I tapped my chin. “Hmm. I’ll think about it. If you answer some questions first.” I left the implication hanging for her to assume I’d give her my keys if she cooperated.

She pursed her lips, then said, “Okay. Let’s walk to my car. Ask away.”

She completely fell for my plan. It was so easy I almost felt guilty. And a nice walk to the car should clear my head before I drove and left her in the dust. “Okay. How do you know for sure that our parents are doing the nasty?”

She grimaced. “Do you have to call it that? It’s so crude.”

“What do you want me to say? That they’re making love?” I asked.

“No! Definitely not.” She ran her fingers through her hair.

“You know, if you weren’t such a bitch, you’d have the boys falling all over you.”

She stopped, her hand on her hip. “Is that supposed to be a compliment?”

I grinned. “Yes.”

“Fine. I’ll take it. Thank you. But there are reasons I am the way I am and it’s none of your business.” She kept walking. “Do you want me to answer the question or not?”

I steered around a car. “Answer away.”

She sighed, then smiled. “It’s kind of nice to be able to tell someone about this. I can’t talk to anyone because if my dad found out, he’d kill me. I’ve known for a while my dad’s a cheat. Your mom isn’t the first or the second.”

I cringed. Great. The asshole convinced Mom he loved her, and because she was lonely, she fell for him. Made me hate my dad even more.

“Sorry, that’s probably not what you want to hear.”

“You think?”

“I’ve been working for my dad since I turned thirteen,” she continued. “I file his papers, photocopy, clean, anything and everything. The first time I was shocked but when I told my mom, he completely flipped out. He smacked me around and convinced my mom that I lied.”

I stopped walking and leaned against the car. Shit. I felt terrible.

“I haven’t said a word since. I’m the silent watcher. I see the women come and go. And maybe each time he truly is in love. But he won’t leave my mom because he doesn’t want to tarnish his image.”

“How do you know about my mom?” My certainty that Carly was wrong about this was fading, and I struggled to grasp onto my last threads of hope.

“A few months ago, I worked late. Finishing stuff up so I could have my Saturday free. For some reason, he’d been keeping his latest fling more secret than usual. Probably because he knew she had a son who went to school with me. I don’t know. I’m guessing.”

“That doesn’t prove anything.”

“Are you sure you want to know?” She touched my arm. “I can stop here and you can think that I’m lying. I won’t blame you.”

“No, go on.” My voice was hoarse.

“When I went back to the office that night, I found them in the copy room.” She shuddered.

The words hung in the air between us. So much hurt, so much blame. One action with ripple effects across so many lives. I didn’t need to ask any more questions. She’d been too honest. I’d always been good at knowing when someone was bullshitting or not. I knew there was more to the story earlier when Dad said he was leaving. Now I knew. It wasn’t Dad cheating. It was Mom. Rage built. They were all to blame. Each one played their role.

“Now,” Carly stated. “Hand them over.”

I grinned at her. “Whatcha talking about?”

“Seth.” Her voice grew stern. “Hand over the keys.”

I pulled them out of my pocket and dangled them in front of her. “You mean these?”

She grabbed at them, and I pulled them away at the last second. She tried again and again. When she stopped, she was breathing heavier, her cheeks flushed, and fear wavered in her eyes.

I patted her cheek. “You’re so sweet. I meant what I said earlier. You’re a beautiful person who’s gotten a raw deal in life. You go back up those stairs and stop letting your dad control who you are. Be who you want to be. The Carly I saw tonight.”

“Please,” she whispered, “don’t drive. You’re drunk.”

“I’m okay. I’m barely feeling it anymore. The fresh air and the raw truth works wonders.”

She tried for the keys again. I stepped out of the way and laughed. “But thanks anyway.” With one last shove, I pushed her toward the party. She stumbled and skidded across the gravel. I felt bad for a second, then sprinted toward my car. I was fine to drive. I’d had a few drinks, but the truth sobered me up pretty quick. I needed to be alone. I’d come back in a little bit and they’d see. I wasn’t drunk.

The loud music grated on my nerves when I re-entered the party with Kama. A group huddled around the radio, singing at the top of their voices, all off-key. Couples slobbered all over each other on the couches, chairs, and in the corners. A game of quarters seemed popular at the kitchen table. Coins were rolling all over the floor, but I didn’t see Seth. He never came back.

“Hey!” Brin pulled me to the side. “What happened?”

“What do you mean?”

She twisted her hands, and her eyes were shifty. A sure sign she was holding something back.

“What?”

She shrugged. “What what?”

I grabbed her arm. “What’re you holding back? Come on. We tell each other everything.”

“Well, you see, Seth left.” She smiled but it still wasn’t real. More like she was hoping I’d buy her expanded version.

I crossed my arms and tapped my foot. I wasn’t that stupid.

She mumbled and played with the sleeves of her shirt.

“Say it again. Without mumbling,” I demanded. The room raged around me, but the noise faded, and I focused on Brin. “Please.”

“Fine. Seth left with Carly.”

Shock reeled my system and stunned me into silence. Carly had been gunning for Seth since forever. Even though I glared at her whenever possible and made it obvious Seth was mine. Even though Brin and Kama had told her more than once that he was taken. Even though the entire school knew we’d been together for years. She’d probably been waiting the whole year, watching for a weakness in our relationship. She’d found one. Tonight. And swooped in for the kill.

I forgot about being angry with Seth, and rage burned up inside that she’d leave with him.

“I don’t think it’s like that,” Brin said. “Jamie tried to stop him or leave with him but he refused.”

“Oh, I know exactly what it’s like.” My words left a bitter sting in the air. “She waited until my boyfriend was drunk and then took advantage of the situation. She’ll probably have him drive out to Raker’s point and seduce him.” I didn’t share the fact that our current fight was about sex, or the lack of sex. But then I realized that part didn’t matter all.

Brin and I came to the same conclusion. “He’s drunk,” we said together.

“Did Carly drive?” I asked. I scanned the party hoping that Brin was mistaken and they were really making out in a dark corner. But I didn’t see them.

“I don’t know.”

But I knew. Seth loved to drive. When he was mad or drunk it was impossible to wrangle the wheel from him. If he was both mad and drunk it could be lethal. I raced upstairs weaving in between the drunk couples. One girl was crying at the top, black mascara streaming down her cheeks. They all shot me dirty looks, but I didn’t care. What mattered was finding Seth. I prayed to God he was in a bedroom. I wanted him alive. I opened every door and peered inside. I called his name. I got a bunch of angry shouts to shut the door. Someone was puking in the bathroom. I whipped open the door, but it wasn’t Seth or Carly. I stumbled back down the stairs.

“Where’s Kama?” I asked Brin. Panic rushed through me, and my adrenaline spiked. My hands were shaking.

“Downstairs shooting pool with Justine, I think.”

I pressed my lips together more determined than ever. This wasn’t my fault. We’d had a fight, and it wasn’t even that big.

“I’ll go grab Kama. Are you okay to drive?”

I nodded. “Yeah, I’ve barely had any.”

She gave me a hard stare. “This conversation isn’t over though. I want to know what happened out there with Seth. You two are the one sure thing in my life. It offers me hope that someday I’ll find the right guy.”

“I promise. We’ll talk. Later.”

She headed to the basement stairs, and I stumbled through the living room to the front door. Kama wouldn’t have a problem with me driving the Beast. It was a clunker and the exhaust sounded like a freight train. She couldn’t stand it so handed over the keys whenever possible. I’d go crazy sitting in the passenger seat anyway. I needed to keep busy. I needed to feel productive.

I stepped outside and a rush of warm air blew my hair into my eyes. I swiped it back behind my ears. It smelled like rain. I usually loved this kind of night, but I was worried about the driving conditions for the next thirty minutes. I easily picked out the Beast among all the Jettas, Civics, and minivans borrowed from parents. I half-walked half-sprinted to the car.

“Hey, wait up!”

“We’re coming!”

We all arrived at the car, breathless. Kama stood in front of me. “You promise you’re okay to drive?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

She narrowed her eyes as if she didn’t believe me.

I put up both hands. “Since the one beer when we first arrived, I’ve had a few sips. But why don’t you both stay here and enjoy the party. You don’t need to get involved in my drama.”

Kama waved her hand. “The party’s kinda boring. And you know me,” she winked, “I love drama.”

“Brin? You want to stay?” I asked.

Kama made a kissing sound. “Sure you want to leave Carter behind?”

Hesitation flashed across her face. “No way. We’re in this together. We’ll find Seth, kick Carly’s butt, then get ready for our little run through town.”

I’d forgotten all about our lost bet. Right now, the wager we’d made over a game of pool seemed like last week. It seemed inconsequential in the bigger scheme of things. After we found Seth, we’d force them to streak down Main Street with us. Maybe Seth and I could even sneak off later, somewhere private to talk.

The Beast started up with a roar as the first raindrops splattered the windshield.

“I checked the weather. This is just a passing shower.” Kama tapped her smart phone.

I gripped the wheel and focused on the road. Signs flashed by, and I knew exactly where to go. It was where everyone goes to make out. Seth and I had visited there and steamed up a couple windows over the past few years. Another reminder of all the times I’d led him on and never put out. I couldn’t wait to talk to Brin later. She’d tell me truth. If I was just a big tease for not wanting to go all the way.

I wound through the towns to the shore, pushing the speed limit. A driving force in my chest feared for Seth’s life. He was mad, and reckless when it came to driving. I wanted to see his car up on the bluff even if it was rocking back and forth. I needed this for my own state of mind. The rain beat the windshield in driving sheets. The car lights barely penetrated the sudden darkness, so I slowed down.

“So much for weather predictions and passing showers,” Kama stated.

I pulled into the empty parking lot and slammed on the brakes. It had been originally built as a lookout point but over the years it had turned into more of a make-out spot. Fog surrounded us like a thick wool blanket. Visibility was at zero. Never mind trying to spot a car twenty feet away.

“I’ll be right back.” I opened the door and made a run for it. The gravel dug through my thin-soled sneakers and rain pelted my face. I sprinted the length of the lot, praying for the sight of his mom’s minivan. But there was no one here. “Dammit. Where are you?”

I raced back to the car and climbed in. Water dripped everywhere. It ran in streams down my arms and back.

Brin squealed. “You’re soaked!”

“No kidding.” I slammed my hand against the wheel. “Where to now? Think. Where would Seth go?”