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TATE
I watched Wren and her friend Eva in the pool, carefree and relaxed as they sipped whatever pink cocktails they were drinking. Laughing and splashing each other. It only took about three seconds after I climbed out of the pool for everyone else in the backyard to join them, fully-clothed. Phones and keys, purses and wallets were strewn across the yard.
I was contemplating sliding back into the water at the exact moment Rachel returned. Dried, dressed in jeans and her hair up. She never looked that casual unless she was sick, so it could only mean one thing.
Music cut out, Rachel climbed on to the table and announced, “The party is over. Get the fuck out.”
Everyone stopped and shared confused glances for a moment before she shouted it again and they all scrambled to get out of the pool. Everyone except Wren and Eva who were giggling into their cocktail glasses.
“Shit. Good luck with that bro,” Jet said and shook my hand as he grabbed his stuff to leave.
Donovan bounced on his feet for a few moments, glancing over his shoulder at the door Rachel had stormed back through. Fucking whipped. “You deal with that, because I don’t want to look at her, or I’ll do something we will both regret.”
Donovan waited until the party cleared before heading inside, searching for Rachel. It was moments like these I was glad he was head-over-heels in love with her because it meant I didn’t have to put up with her shit. Though I did wish he had have picked someone better to fall for. Someone who appreciated him and deserved his devotion. Rachel didn’t do anything unless it benefited her. She was so self-absorbed that she didn’t see what was right in front of her.
Given the chance, Donovan would idolize her. Dote on her. But Rachel would never see that.
Once Donovan had disappeared into the house, I grabbed a trash bag and began cleaning up all the cans and bottles lying around. The yard was a mess.
“Want some help?” Wren asked. She stood before me, still in her clothes, dripping wet, and fresh cocktail in her hand.
“No, it’s fine.” I shook my head and continued picking up the garbage.
“I feel like I ruined your party.”
I smirked. “You didn’t ruin my party.”
Wren smiled, a look of relief on her face.
“You ruined Rachel’s party.”
Her eyes widened and she winced. “She’s going to hate me so much more now.”
“She doesn’t hate you,” I said even though I knew it probably wasn’t true. Rachel didn’t like anyone who couldn’t further her career. Which was ironic, because her career was simply being popular, and you don’t become popular by being a bitch.
Wren let out a bitter laugh. “She called me a whale in front of everyone. If that’s not hatred, then I pity the person she truly hates.”
“Rachel’s just... Rachel.”
“Yeah because that makes it better.” Wren downed her drink, turned and walked away, presumably to find Eva. Maybe I should have tried to fix things for Wren, but really, I didn’t need to beg forgiveness on Rachel’s part. She wouldn’t want it and it would be an empty apology regardless.
I finished clearing the yard of rubbish and even managed to pick up a few hundred dollars that seemed to have fallen from purses or money clips. I’d slide that into Wren’s cookie jar when she wasn’t pissed at me. God knew she needed the money more than I did.
Donovan came back outside with his hands held up in the surrender gesture. “She’s absolutely mental, man. You’re on your own. I’m out.” He waved his hands and shook his head slowly before turning to leave.
“Shit.” I kicked at the ground, loosened my shoulders and bounced on my feet as though I was in the ring preparing for a fight. I guess technically I was. If Donovan bailed, then it must be pretty bad inside. I needed a way to tame the beast, something that would make her forget the pool incident and her embarrassment. Why? Because PR’s a bitch.
I entered the house, wondering where Rachel was. In my room? Her room? The gym? It didn’t take long to figure out though. The shattering of glass in the hall and the loud screech was a dead giveaway. I rushed toward her to find her pulling a framed picture off the wall and throwing it on the ground.
‘Rachel!” I called but she ignored me, moving onto a bust next. I cringed when it shattered on the ground, breaking into a million clay pieces. Skirting over the debris from all Wren’s destroyed artwork, I lunged for Rachel, wrapped my arms around her waist, and hoisted her over my shoulders.
I’d worry about how I was going to tell Wren Rachel destroyed her art in the morning. Right then, I needed to get her to stop kicking and screaming and punching my back. I carried her to her room and threw her on her bed. Her eyes flashed and she grinned at me. “Wanna get rough, baby?”
Suppressing the urge to roll my eyes, I ground out, “No. I want you to cool the crazy down and stop destroying shit.”
Rachel sat up and bared her teeth. “She made me look like an idiot.”
“So, you destroy her stuff? Her parents’ house?”
“You,” she growled and stomped toward me until we were chest to chest, “you made me look like a fool.” She turned away and walked to the dresser, knocking the mirror off the top onto the floor. “You pulled her to the surface of the water.” She swiped her arm across the nightstand knocking the lamp off. “Do you know how bad that looked? Why? Why would you save her? You’re my fiancé!”
“Because I didn’t know if she’d sink,” I said, swallowing the lump in my throat from making fun of Wren’s fuller figure. I regretted it the moment the words escaped my lips, but there wasn’t much I could do, except maybe tear Rachel down a peg or two as well.
She threw her head back and laughed at Wren’s expense, causing the pit in my stomach to grow with guilt.
“Besides, I knew you’d float,” I said with all the seriousness I could muster as I tried not to look at her overly-inflated chest. Those things would never sink.
She preened and gave me a flirty smile, completely missing the insult.
“Just calm down and go to bed.”
I left Rachel in a slightly better mood after that and went in search of the broom and more trash bags. It was going to be a long night of cleaning up her mess, and the leftover bottles and cans inside from the party.
I hated house parties.