Chapter Three:
It's so hot outside that makes the air feel stuffed and hard to breath. That's the first thing that hit me as soon as I stepped a foot on the small private airport.
"I feel like shit." Hannah groaned and waved her hand in front of her face, faking a hand fan.
"I can't believe you're wearing a short tight dress and heels." Taylor scolded her.
"Better this than dressing like a retarded old lady." Hannah spat back. This wasn't good. I could smell a fight coming.
"Shorts, top and flats is not a bad combo." Taylor tried to defend herself. Fashion wasn't her thing, but she was the smartest of us.
"Yeah, whatever." Hannah rolled her eyes.
Standing outside on the hot sun is definitely a killer, even though it's close to sunset.
I hear a 'ping' signal and dig my phone from my purse. As I open the email two black escalades park near us. The doors of the one that is closest to us open and the most amazing men step outside. Roberto and Julio are two of my grandfather's most trusted men - drivers and security guards when needed. They are part of our lives since our first day on this earth. They drove us to school, parties, the mall and dealt with our teen-spoiled shit. For middle aged men it seems they hadn't aged a day since the last time I had seen them.
"Rob! Julio!" Taylor shouted at the top of her lungs, ran to the men and hugged them both tight.
"Nerd!" Julio greeted her and ruffled her hair.
"You still dress the same." Hannah complained and rolled her eyes, but eventually ran to them and gave them a hug too.
Both men had a weird taste in dressing - colorful shirts, suit pants and fancy shiny shoes. Robert kept his black hair short while Julio was bald. And their golden chains were the top of the top. Hannah would call fashion Police.
"Is this miss naughty pants?" Rob asked while staring at me. "Are you going to be a pain in my ass for the whole summer?" he mocked me with a smirk on his face. And he had every right to do so.
"I'm afraid I do." I smirked back at him and gave him a hug.
"Let's load the trunk with your luggage and head to the mansion. Everyone is waiting for you!" Julio cheered and got to work.
Taylor and Hannah got in the car with their phones attached to their hands. Mom stepped into the other car, while yelling at the young boy how to do his job well. Poor guy.
I step in the car and finally open my emails and read them since I couldn't on the plane. I had two party invitations from people from our school and surprisingly a baby shower party invitation from I girl I hated in my guts. Apparently she got pregnant at a party four months ago from a classmate. Both of them were so drunk and high that they ended up having sex in the middle of the living room. At least that's what I saw on the pictures Anthony Johnson - the host took and uploaded on Facebook.
"Trisha is pregnant?!" Hannah screamed at the top of her lungs in complete disbelief.
"What?" Taylor asked her a little irritated.
"Pete Hudson texted me Trisha is four months pregnant. You guys! She was suck a slut sleeping around with everybody who had a dick. I'm gonna be surprised if she knows who the baby daddy is!"
As I read further the details into the email, it turns out she and that guy Tom were dating secretly, as they called their baby 'the secret from their secret love'. This is too much.
"I received an invitation." I mumbled and showed my sisters the email. Suddenly Taylor's eyes got so big from the shock that she froze for a couple of seconds.
"Wait! Isn't that guy you went on a date with him last week?" Hannah asked Taylor completely shocked with both raised eyebrows.
"I had no idea."
"I don't think he had any idea." I said and closed the email. "When I last spoke with him, he told me about his plans about studying abroad. He never mentioned dating Trisha or having a baby. I don't think he had any idea about the whole pregnancy thing." I explained and looked at Taylor with pity. "Plus he really likes you, Tay. He told me that himself."
"Yeah, but he got the scank pregnant." Hannah yelled.
"Don't call her names. She's pregnant!" I scolded my sister. "Anthony's party was wild, people got drunk and high!"
"That's not an excuse!"
"I am not defending him."
"Then what, Tiffany?" Hannah yelled in my face. Thank God Taylor was sitting in the middle, preventing a fight between Hannah and I.
"It's not our business to talk about it. We're not the people who'll judge her."I said with my most calm voice.
"Then why the hell she invited you?" Hannah yelled even more.
"I don't know." I defended myself.
"Stop it! Both of you!" Taylor out screamed us. "We shouldn't worry about that. Our only worry should be to survive our summer in this town."
I guess Taylor had her own skeletons in her closet she didn't want to review. I had one... Have one... And his name is Jake. I wonder what's the name of Taylor's.
The view from the car window is still the same as I remember, bussy people, bussy town. The air still smells the same as I remember. It still smells like home. I tried to deny that for so long it turned out to be completely pointless. I love this place, despite the pain I've been through. Despite the lies, the manipulations, the humiliation... Hannah's philosophy has always been 'No matter what they do to you, no matter what they say to you, don't cry. Just put your best smile on your face, wear your hottest clothes, do your make up and hair, show them the middle finger they deserve and tell them to go to hell.'
And I took her advice to heart. I put on my clothes, shoes, make up and made a life in Los Angeles. Hannah's advice to be strong no matter what pulled me through the depression after the car crash. If I survived that shit, I can survive after Jake. A life after Jake.
"We're getting close to the gates." Roberto's words pulled me back to the reality.
My heart starts to shake uncontrollably, my insides feel like they're electified by thousands of volts. This is it, I tell myself, if he's here then I'll do my best and act like his lies didn't affect me at all... And probably pretend I don't know him. It's not like he gives a flying fuck about me.
As we approach closer and closer to the house, I lose my breath. It's like I'm going to the battlefield.
From the darkened window of the car I see the small group of young people. I see my brother, I see his friends, I see my brother's girlfriend Isabelle. I see them all laughing and smiling so carelessly. And I see him, the guy who turned my life upside down. Jake Stetler. His messy chocolate brown hair is still the same, that square jaw that made me want to kiss it and bite it is covered in the shortest beard. And those firm lips that felt soft like silk...
Then the car stopped and so as my heart and breath and I felt completely horrified.
"Tiffany, are you okay?" Taylor asked with concern. She looked through the window and saw them all outside. "Do you know these people?" I start to hyperventilate and probably my eyes shouted 'fear'. What was I suppose to say?
"No." the lie Left my lips with a heartbeat. "I see Derek, but I don't know the others."
"Shit!" Julio cursed and pulled his phone from the pocket of his colorful shirt, then texted someone and put it back in the pocket. "Listen, we'll unload your stuff and bring them to your room. Tiffany?" I blinked and looked at him. "You're pale. Just go inside and don't talk to anyone."
"Come on, guys. Let's hurry!" Hannah said and opened the door of the car.
The familiar 'bing' of Hannah's phone brought her attention to it. She gasped then laughed. Taylor's and mine phones made the same noise. Now I have an excuse to avoid any eye contact with these people and not look specifically at him.
"Are you kidding me?!" Hannah shouted. "The pictures from last night's party are a blast. I look so hot."
"Speaking of which, you threw up in the car." Taylor reminded her and stepped out of the car as well.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath, count to three and release it. I step out of the car with my eyes glued to my phone.
"I don't know about you guys, but Brandon and I are going to Hawaii in two weeks, so I'm ditching you." I say and walk after my sisters.
I can feel multiple pairs of eyes on me, but I ignore them. I can feel his hazel eyes on me and with my peripheral vision I see him staring at me with warmth. Or is it fake? I can't tell. But he's different. He's taller, even more muscular.
When I step inside the house through the back door I release a breath, I didn't know I was holding. This is it. I passed the hard first step of my plan, no matter how chocking are the memories of him and I.