“You can’t run away from your problems, Keats, because eventually they’ll come and find you.”
“Sure you can, and you should. I'm happy here. My problems aren’t here. Life is perfect.”
“Would you be happy if I wasn't here?”
“Not as happy.”
“Damian told me why you didn't want to come home. About your friends.”
“I feel like I made a deal with the devil. I grew up on movie sets. I've always scripted versions of my life. Like how I thought it should happen. What I wanted to happen. I even wrote scenes where you told me you loved me. When you told me you loved me, it was nothing like the script. We were supposed to be on the beach in the moonlight. I always looked perfect and glamorous. In real life, I was crying when you said it. Life has not been following my scripts.”
“Life is messy. Like that quote we like.” He points to the necklace I had made for him last Christmas. The corded necklace has a charm of the Chinese symbol for chaos. “Life is divine chaos. It’s messy, and it’s supposed to be that way.”
I nuzzle my face into the side of his neck. “This doesn't feel like chaos.”
“But it is. Particles are colliding all around us.” He grins at me. “What about when our lips collide?”
I grin back. “I like when our lips collide. I liked when we collided.”
“Me too. Wanna collide again before breakfast?”
“Oh, I’m all for more chaos.”
“I love you, Keats.”
I reach under the covers. “I love your chaos.”
Breakfast is delivered too quickly for me to enjoy his chaos again.
I’m munching on a wonderfully flakey croissant when he says, “Damian told me about the girl too. How you think you ruined her life. You didn't. Life is all about karma. She did something not only mean but dangerous to your friend. She got bad karma back. She deserved it.”
“But what about Cush? Did he deserve it? He's a nice guy. He was really sweet to me.”
“You didn't do it to be mean.”
“No, but he still blamed me for it.”
“You weren’t even there, Keats. It wasn’t your fault. And karma is all about your intentions. Are they good or bad? If they are bad, you'll get bad back. Besides, you can't run away from karma. You need to be with your family. You need to finish school. We’re going back home as planned. You can see your friends at school and hang out with me every spare minute you have.”
“I guess I do have to go back for my birthday. Mom and Kym planned that big party.”
“What big party?”
“Oh, I guess I wasn’t talking to you then. They decided I should have a big bash for my seventeenth birthday. They’re renting out a club. Inviting most of my school. Pretty much everyone we know. I’m actually really excited for it.”
He rolls his eyes. “Sounds fun.”
“Hey, you're the one that wants me to get back to reality.”
“Let’s forget about reality for the rest of today.”
We spend the entire day in bed. We nap, kiss, make love. He recites more poetry, and we talk about our futures. And then we decide that since our near future involves traveling to the beach, and we haven’t made any hotel reservations, that we should probably do so.
“I’m gonna go get my laptop out of the car and see if I can find an internet connection somewhere around here.”
“Okay. I'm gonna call my mom. I've texted her, but I haven't talked to her all week—plus, she kinda thinks we’re still at the house. Then I’m gonna shower and get ready for dinner.”
I can’t wait. We’re having a candlelit dinner on our private deck that overlooks the lake.
I call Mom. When she answers, I say, “Hey!”
“Wow. You already sound more mature. I feel like I haven't talked to you in years.”
“It’s only been a week, Mom.”
I hear Tommy talking in the background.
“Tommy says to tell you we all miss you. So how are things?” she asks in an odd, high voice.
“You seem really happy, Mom. Are you pregnant?”
She laughs. “No, I'm not. So you and Brook have been together in France for a while. So has he told you he loves you? Have you slept with him?”
“Mom.”
“Keatyn, I can tell by your voice the answer to both of those questions is yes.”
“Last night was the first time. How do you even know that?”
“Well you called me instead of texting me, so I know something’s going on. Plus, I can hear it in your voice.”
“Hmm. Weird.”
“Oh, honey, was it bad? Is that why you’re calling? That’s not unusual, you know. First times aren’t always that great.”
“I was drunk at a party my first time,” Kym says loudly from somewhere in the room. “It literally lasted six seconds. I counted. I mean most guys could ride a bull longer.”
I hear a whole bunch of people laughing.
“Ohmigawd, Mom, do you have me on speaker?”
She doesn’t reply. Instead, James says, “Well, my first time . . .”
“Stop! Please! My ears are bleeding! And it wasn’t my first time anyway. It’s all good.”