Fallen Crest High

chapter SEVENTEEN





It was five in the morning and I was drunk. Becky had passed out next to me on the pontoon while Adam took his pepgirl home long ago. I lifted my red cup and tried to sip from it, but there wasn't anything in it. I tipped it over and not a drop fell out.

When had that happened?

"I was told Tanya was down here."

A leggy blonde stepped onto the pontoon and bent down to get a better look under the canopy. Becky snored and rolled over.

I squinted against the moonlight at this new stranger. She had long hair, slightly curled, that hung almost to her waist and she wore a classy v-neck sleeveless shirt over tight jeans. The high heels caught my attention. Their silver color matched her top perfectly.

I sighed. This girl was sober. I could tell. I was usually sober. Not tonight.

"So…is she here?" she asked further.

"Huh?"

"Tanya. Is she here? Was she here?" She rubbed at her arms as if she were cold.

I lifted my glass to her. "You could drink some beer and get warm."

"No thanks." She eyed my glass as her lip curled up. I was sure it was in disgust. "I don't drink."

"I don't either, but Logan didn't care about that tonight."

"Logan?" She tilted her head to the side. "Are you the new sister?"

"I'm not."

And I wasn't. I didn't think I'd ever consider myself in that role.

"Oh. Sorry. You said Logan before."

I narrowed my eyes at this girl again. She didn't say his name in the usual hopeful manner of most others. She said it as if she knew him, and knew him well. Still, I held my tongue. He'd already done enough damage for me to add more to it.

"A guy took her home."

She sighed and looked away. "I can't believe her. Another guy."

I frowned. "His name's Adam. He's a good guy."

"Doesn't matter at this point," she snapped and started to leave.

"You said Logan."

She stopped.

"Did you mean Logan Kade?"

"You said Logan's name before."

I nodded. "Do you know him?"

"Well enough." She yawned and glanced up at the house. "I should get going."

"How well?" I started to stand and climbed down from the pontoon.

She stopped a foot away on the dock and studied me. "Why?"

I shrugged.

"Look." She gave me a forced polite smile. "A lot of girls want to know Logan and a lot of girls have known Logan. If you're looking for a hookup, he's the guy for you, but if you're looking for a rich boyfriend—I'd look elsewhere. Logan's not that type, for anyone."

"You sound like you know him pretty well."

"I do." And she rolled her eyes. "I know him a little too well. We dated for two years, broke up a year ago."

"Really?" I surged forward a step, but held myself back. I didn't want to appear too eager. "What happened?"

"What else?" She laughed, but it sounded hollow. "He liked my friends and I…and I liked his brother."

My eyes went wide at that. Mason? "Did you date Mason too?"

She snorted and shook her head. "God, no. Like Mason Kade would ever be nice to any girl who wasn't his precious Marissa?"

Marissa?

"I can't believe I said any of this. I'm sorry. Thanks for telling me about Tanya and this Adam guy. You don't have his number, do you?"

I pulled out my phone and called him. She waited and hugged herself. When a breeze picked up and wafted over the lake to us, it swept her hair in the air and wrapped around her and I was glad I'd kept my hair pulled back in a low ponytail. Then I heard Adam's voicemail and ended the call.

"Sorry. It went to voicemessage and he would've picked up for me."

She studied me again. "You're good friends with this guy?"

"Not good like that." I grinned at her. Then I gestured towards the pontoon. "He's got a soft spot for Becky, she's his neighbor. He looks at her like a kid sister."

"Ah. I get it. Tanya likes those types."

"Tate?" Logan stood at the end of the dock. "What are you doing here?"

She gave him an exaggerated bright smile and said sarcastically, "I was hoping to see you, Logan."

He frowned and scratched at his head. "But you live in Forrest."

"Yes," she snapped at him. "I drove two hours on the slight hope you'd be at Ethan's house. In fact, I had no idea you'd be here. I got in my car and drove, just drove. My gut brought me here."

He looked at me. "You know Samantha?"

She snorted and gave me a withering look. "Yep, we're best friends. I gave her the whole scoop on you so if you haven't bagged her yet, she'll know how to make it good for you in bed."

He gave her a cocky grin.

She upped the withering glare to a hateful one at him before she looked back. "I thought you said you didn't know him."

I shrugged. "Who doesn't know Logan Kade?"

"Right." She shook her head. "Why did I come back here? That's right, my whorish cousin. That's why."

"I thought you said she was your best friend."

"One of and she's also a cousin." She swung her purse onto her arm and turned around with a hand poised on her hip. "Logan, do you know this Adam guy?"

He glanced over. "Quinn?"

I nodded.

"Sam knows him better."

"Logan!"

He rolled his eyes. "Fine. He's the quarterback for the Academy."

"Where does he live?"

I raised a hand. "He wouldn't take her to his house."

She kept her back turned to me. "Logan, where does he live? Tanya's not home."

Logan looked at me.

I sighed. "He lives on 8th and Saxton Ave. I don't know his house number, but it's got a red mailbox on it."

"Logan," she urged again.

"Oh my god," he groaned. "Sam, what does he drive?"

"A car. I don't know."

"Logan."

He spoke for her again. "You've been in his car, Sam. I've seen you. What kind of car is it?"

"Sam?" Becky stumbled out from under the canopy, rubbing at her eyes. "What's going on?"

"Hey." I rounded on her as a different thought occurred to me. "Adam drove you, didn't he?"

"Yeah…" She yawned widely.

And that meant—I whirled back around. "He's still here. He wouldn't leave her so they're probably inside."

Tate stepped around me and folded her arms over her chest. She bent forward and peered into Becky's eyes. "He wouldn't leave you?"

She shook her head, confused. "Who are you?"

Her eyes flashed in annoyance. "Doesn't matter. I've heard what I need to. Thanks." And she brushed past all of us. As she swept past Logan, he stepped to the side so her shoulder wouldn't hit him and whistled under his breath as he watched her trudge up the hill. She flicked him off behind her back, but he only laughed.

"Hey." Becky stepped beside me and held onto my arm. She struggled to stay on her feet. "Could I get a ride home?"

"What about Adam?"

She grinned, but immediately covered her mouth with her hand and jerked to the side. After a couple minutes and after she had stopped vomiting, she stood back up. "He took off long ago."

"You said—"

"She was not being nice." Becky shrugged, but clasped onto my arm again.

I couldn't stop the smile from my face, but looked where Logan still stood. "Could we both get a ride home?"

He chuckled. "Yeah. Mason sent me down. He and Nate are waiting in the front, but we better hurry. If Tate finds out we lied, she'll be after our asses and I don't want to deal with that girl right now."

"You mean you're not up for an ex this morning?"

He groaned. "She told you that, huh?"

We both fell in step as I tried to help Becky stay upright. "And a bit more. Pretty sure she regrets it now."

"She could tell I like you and that threw her."

I looked at him sharply. "How do you know that?"

He shrugged. "I know her pretty well."

I wanted to know all about their relationship and what Mason had to do with it, but I held my tongue when we climbed into the back of his Escalade. Becky gave them both a sloppy grin and a slurred thank-you, but she crumbled into a heap on her chair as soon as she crawled up. I had to boost her butt over so Logan and I could get in too. When we pulled up to Becky's house, Nate came around the side and hoisted her over his shoulder. He followed me inside and we snuck her into her bedroom after I fumbled through her pockets for her keys.

When the four of us got to the mansion, it was nearing six in the morning. I wasn't tired at all. I was wide awake. The nagging questions of Tate/Logan's relationship and who Marissa was had me energized. I could've gone on a run.

And then I decided to do it.

As I went through the kitchen, a big black bag was in the foyer along with hiking bag. Mason dumped a rolled up sleeping pad beside it a second later. He had changed into ratty green khaki shorts and a sleeveless black shirt. It was tattered along the edges and had two gaping holes in the back.

"Where are you going?"

It took me a second to realize he'd asked my question. I frowned at him. "I'm going on a run. Where are you going?"

He checked his watch. "It's after six. You were up all night."

I kicked at his bag and heard pots and pans rattle against each other. "Where are you going?"

'Who's Marissa?'

He grimaced for a moment and then flipped his black sunglasses over his eyes. I could no longer read him. "We're going camping."

"Camping?"

"Something we do." And he turned to leave again.

I was a bit miffed as I stood there. He'd been all buddy-buddy and now—nothing. Camping. That's it. No other explanation, but then again I had to remind myself—who was I kidding? These guys weren't my stepbrothers and I highly doubted their father would really marry my mother.

Everything hardened inside again.

The truth was that my mother and I'd be out within three months. That was my guess. When that happened, it'd be like none of this happened. No Logan. No Mason. No Nate. Nothing. And I'd have to deal with Lydia and Jessica once again.

With that thought, I felt another burst of adrenalin surge through me and I could barely hold it in as I jumped through the door and started running.

None of it matter. I mattered. I was the only one. I had to take care of myself.

Those thoughts kept flashing through my head as my feet pounded the pavement. I ran and then I ran some more. Sweat was dripping off of me and leaving trails wherever I went and I went everywhere. I soared past Adam and Becky's house once, and then ran past it again.

Then I found a park and sprinted over the bridge. Ducks and geese scattered for me and the water felt good as I darted through a small part of a pond.

When my legs started to hurt, I headed back. And as soon as I approached the front lawn, my body crumbled. I fell to a heap on the lawn and stayed there until my heart and chest slowed down.

I was barely aware of the sounds of a car pulling out of the garage until it slowed beside me.

"Samantha?"

A black Rolls Royce had stopped beside me and my mom peered over James who was in the driver's seat. She was dressed in a pink dress with a hat perched on top of her head.

I frowned as I sat up. Was I delusional? My mom looked like she was dressed for a role in a Southern movie. "Where are you guys going?"

"It's Sunday, honey. We're going to church." She frowned a little. "Would you like to come? We could go to the later service."

I couldn't hold back my full body grimace. "No. I'm okay."

"Did you go running this morning?"

I heard the strain in her voice, but ignored it when I tried to stand. My legs were still wobbly. "No. I just look like I did."

"Samantha."

I groaned. "What? Of course I did."

"Well. Okay. Go inside and drink lots of water. And please eat something, Samantha. You know how I worry."

James said something to her and my mom called out again, "Oh, honey. The boys went camping. They'll be gone most of the week so if you'd like to have any friends over, go ahead. Maybe Jessica and Lydia? Or even Jeff? Are you two still together?"

James said something else under his breath to her and my mom giggled. "Okay, honey. We have to go. Love you."

She waved as he pulled out of the driveway. And then it was just me. I had the mansion all to myself. I trudged through the place and into my shower. After that, I curled under my sheets and rolled over.