Santa Ana by Addison J. Chapple

Author:Addison J. Chapple
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Level 4 Press, Inc.
Published: 2022-09-22T10:55:36+00:00

Fifteen

Let’s Party

Should we dive in deeper to Tristan and his father’s estranged relationship? Nah. Go binge Succession. Complicated people have complicated children. Lucky for therapists, they don’t cancel each other out. Tristan’s father wasn’t a complete monster. Deep down Tristan knows that. There’s no law requiring him to provide such exceptional care in his waning years. Mickey Melendez is like most people. Being cruel is much easier than being vulnerable, and there is nothing more vulnerable than raising a human. Becoming an adult doesn’t mean we forgive all our parents’ faults but it means we start to recognize them objectively. This visit has slightly lifted a weight from Tristan’s shoulders that he assumed was permanent.

Oh, and in case the thought of children floating to their death is distracting, they’re fine. They drifted halfway to Palm Springs and touched down in a Big Lots parking lot.

Back at the high school, the party is slowly getting started. Brea and Harry are standing on opposite sides of the crowded gym. Harry keeps checking her out and she keeps checking to make sure he’s getting a good look. If his eyes aren’t on her they’re glued to his phone. Is it his family? Work? She’s only slightly interested in what her small-screen competition might be.

Brea’s holding court with her old crew like nothing’s changed over the last two and a half decades. She’s too self-obsessed to notice their collective disinterest. She does them a favor when she leaves to grace Harry with her company.

“Hey, babe.” She glides into her place at his side.

“Hey, babe.” He doesn’t look up. He’s too busy sending an angry text message. Can’t anyone just do their job? He finishes typing Take care of it! with his thumbs. He contemplates adding an emoji.

Brea bristles at his side and makes to leave. “Okay. Nice talking to you.”

He almost drops his phone trying to quickly jam it back into his pocket. “Sorry. Work.”

“I left my phone in the car. Fuck everyone. Am I right?”

He wishes he’d thought of that. “You’ve always been smarter than me.”

Harry rests his hand on the small of her back. Her muscles tense but quickly recognize his touch and settle in. They stand there like the old days, quietly surveying the crowd. Most people have freshened up between the afternoon welcome events and the big party. Some have cleaned up better than others. Brea and Harry tug at their costumes in unison. Seeing their peers in suits and little black dresses, work pants and capris, they can’t help but feel a tad silly. No one else has chosen to show their school spirit as proudly as these two. It’s a brief lapse of confidence, but both would murder you before ever admitting to feeling self-conscious.

“Fucking losers.” Harry offers Brea his flask. She takes it and drinks more enthusiastically than he remembers. He smiles once she comes up for air. “All right. Someone’s ready to party.”

“Fucking sheep. All of them. Why am I even here?”

“Totally. How sad. Everyone is the fucking same.

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