Spring Breakdown Read online

  Taylor laughed even louder. “Maybe that’s the problem. You girls need to get skimpy uniforms like those professional volleyball girls wore in the Olympics. You’d probably really bring in the fans then.”

  “I don’t think those are the kind of fans we’re going for.” DJ reached for the hairdryer and went to work. She was nearly finished when Rhiannon knocked on their door.

  “Conner’s here,” she told DJ quietly.

  “Big date?” asked Taylor with mild interest.

  “We’ll be eating some big food.” DJ peered closely at Rhiannon now. “Are you okay?”

  Rhiannon shrugged and glanced away.

  “What’s going on?” Taylor asked with genuine interest.

  “Yeah,” added DJ. “What’s up?”

  “My life.” Rhiannon sank down onto DJ’s bed now. “Or maybe it’s down. I’m not even sure.”

  “Wanna talk?” asked DJ.

  “But Conner’s waiting for you.”

  DJ glanced at the clock by her bed. “Yeah, I should probably go. But it seems like you need to talk…”

  “Rhiannon can talk to me if she wants,” offered Taylor.

  DJ tossed Taylor a grateful look and then squeezed Rhiannon’s shoulder. “That’s a great idea. And then maybe we can talk some more when I get back, okay?”

  Rhiannon nodded and almost seemed to be blinking back tears.

  “There’s really not much to talk about,” Rhiannon said to Taylor as DJ grabbed her bag and hurriedly touched up her lip gloss. “You probably already heard about my mom.”

  As DJ was going out the door, she heard Taylor saying how she understood, “…probably more than you can even imagine.”

  Although she knew it was her own choice, DJ felt a tiny stab of envy, or maybe it was regret, at being left out. But DJ also knew that what Taylor had just said was true. Between Taylor’s alcoholic dad and her own stint in rehab, she’d been through a lot. Also, she had changed a lot—not just in regard to drinking, but as a Christian too. Hopefully she’d have something helpful to say to Rhiannon. And instead of feeling jealous, DJ decided just to pray for both Rhiannon and Taylor.

  “You seem pretty quiet tonight,” Conner said after they’d ordered their food at the Hammerhead.

  “Sorry.” She pushed back a strand of loose hair and smiled.

  “Anything wrong?”

  She considered telling him about Rhiannon, but wasn’t sure if Rhiannon would want her to. “Just friends, you know,” she said as she stuck a straw into her soda.

  “Friends?” His smile looked amused.

  “Yeah…Rhiannon and Taylor were having a little conversation…I had to leave.”

  “A catfight?” he said in a way that sounded almost hopeful, like she was about to impart some juicy details.

  “No.” She shook her head.

  “Sorry.” He held up his hand defensively. “It’s just that I remember a time, not too long ago, when Taylor and Rhiannon were sworn enemies.”

  “What?”

  “You know, back when Taylor stole Bradford from her.”

  DJ waved her hand dismissively. “That was a long time ago.”

  “Like six months, maybe.”

  “Yes, but another lifetime.” DJ looked evenly at him. “The truth is Taylor was being really nice to Rhiannon. They were talking about something important…and I had to leave.”

  “To be with me?” He looked slightly hurt now.

  She forced a goofy grin. “Yes, to be with you. And just for the record, that’s where I wanted to be.” She nodded toward the kitchen. “Plus, there’s food involved. Pretty much a win-win, if you ask me.”

  “That sounds more like my DJ.”

  DJ couldn’t put her finger on exactly why it was, but something about that “my” word put her on edge. It wasn’t like Conner owned her. And she knew that wasn’t what he really meant. Even so, it bugged her.

  “I heard that you girls are heading down to Florida for spring break,” Conner said after their food was delivered.

  “How’d you hear that?”

  “Harry told me.”

  “Wonder who told Harry?”

  “One guess.”

  DJ considered this. “Well, a month ago, I would’ve said Eliza, but—”

  “Bingo.”

  “Why would Eliza tell Harry about that?”

  “Why do you think?” Conner had a sly look now.

  “Do you think she’s still trying to get him back?”

  “Don’t you?”

  “Not really. I mean, she’s been acting like Lane Harris is all that. I figured Harry was history. Plus, he’s still flirting with Taylor like he thinks he’s got a chance.”

  “Meaning he doesn’t?”

  “He might. But Taylor is trying to stick to her program…you know…and Harry is, well, not exactly predictable.”

  Conner’s brow creased. “Yeah, I know. I thought he was really trying to give up his party boy ways and then just last weekend, he goes out and gets wasted.”

  “Really?”

  Conner lowered his voice. “Well, he doesn’t want everyone to know, particularly Taylor, but he was visiting Princeton, checking it out for next year since that’s where everyone in his family usually goes. And he told me that he went to a frat party…and I’m sure you can imagine what happened.”

  “Maybe.” She frowned. “But I’d rather not.”

  “I actually feel kind of sorry for poor Harry.”

  “Poor Harry?”

  “Oh, you know, he means well…but he’s kind of easily pulled in.”

  “Oh…”

  “Speaking of college,” he said suddenly, “Coach Davis told me that I might be getting scouted during our playoffs at spring break.”

  “Seriously?”

  Conner nodded as he took a big bite of his fish.

  “Very cool.”

  “Yeah.” Conner chewed quickly. “Coach has a buddy at Wesleyan.”

  “Isn’t that where your dad wants you to go?”

  He nodded again.

  “So your dad must be pretty jazzed.”

  “He is. And I guess I am too.”

  “So you’ve decided you want to go there for sure?”

  He shrugged now. “It’s not exactly Harvard or Yale, but it wouldn’t be too bad. And they’re definitely into soccer.” He peered at her. “How about you?”

  “Me?” She picked up a fry. “You mean as in Wesleyan for me too?”

  “Why not?” He grinned. “Then we could be together.”

  “I suppose I could apply there, although it might be too late to get in next year. Grandmother actually made me send an application to Yale.” DJ laughed loudly. “Like that’s going to happen. But at least it made her happy.”

  “Yale?” Conner looked understandably confused.

  “I know, it’s a bit incongruous, but that’s where her father went.”

  “Oh.” He seemed surprised. “So are you into that whole Ivy League thing?”

  “I don’t really know.” DJ sprinkled more vinegar on her fish and chips. She wasn’t about to tell Conner that her friend Caleb Bennett was going to Yale next year and seemed quite happy about it. But then Caleb was twenty and he’d already done two years of junior college. He had firm goals and a much better idea of what he wanted to do with his life than she did. At this point DJ wasn’t even sure she wanted to go to a big college, and Yale seemed like another world to her.

  “Bradford is probably going to Yale,” Conner told her as he squirted ketchup onto his fries. “He’s got about ten generations who’ve gone there ahead of him, so it’s pretty much a shoo-in.”

  “Rhiannon is applying to NYU as a backup, but she really hopes to get accepted to the Fashion Institute of Technology.”

  “Can you believe that in less than three months we’ll all have graduated?”

  DJ had to laugh. “I don’t think we all seem old enough to be out on our own just yet.”

  “According to what Harry
said about that party, a lot of college kids aren’t old enough either.” Conner looked concerned now. “So are you really going down to Florida too?” he asked. “With the rest of the Carter House girls?”

  She picked up a fry. “Well, yeah. I mean, it was originally just going to be Grandmother and me and suddenly it was like everyone was going. Maybe not everyone—Kriti, Casey, and Rhiannon still aren’t one hundred percent sure.”

  He shook his head in a dismal way. “I don’t know, DJ…a bunch of you girls down there in Florida during spring break…Sounds like trouble to me.”

  She sat up straighter. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  He shrugged. “You know.”

  “I know what?”

  “Girls like Eliza and Taylor—”

  “Taylor has changed,” she shot back at him. “She’s not a party maniac anymore. As for Eliza…well, she could easily fall apart. But that’s her problem.”

  “Unless she drags others with her.”

  “I don’t expect Eliza to be dragging me anywhere with her.” DJ could hear the edge in her voice now.

  “Sorry.” He suddenly looked truly contrite. “I didn’t mean to suggest you would.” Now he smiled. “I guess I’m just going to miss you, DJ. I’d hoped that you might be sticking around for spring break.”

  She softened. “The truth is I’d rather stick around town. But I doubt my grandmother would allow it. She plans to shut Carter House down for the week.”

  “What about your soccer?”

  “Our finals are the week after spring break.”

  “Oh…”

  She reached over and put her hand on his. “I think it’s sweet that you’re going to miss me, Conner. That’s kind of how I felt when you were gone during Christmas.”

  He pointed his finger at her. “But you went off to Vegas.”

  “Like that was so much fun, but thanks for reminding me.” She rolled her eyes. “And besides, from what I’ve heard, Palm Beach is mostly inhabited by old rich people—not exactly the wild party crowd.”

  “Well, maybe things won’t go nuts,” he said. “Especially with Taylor still on the wagon.”

  “That’s what I’m hoping.”

  “As long as she stays on the wagon.”

  DJ stifled the urge to defend her roommate. After all, time would tell. But so far DJ had no reason to question Taylor’s resolve to remain clean and sober. Hopefully nothing, not even spring break in Florida, would change that.

  3

  “How’s Rhiannon doing?” DJ asked Taylor when she entered the room that evening. “Did you guys have a good talk?”

  Taylor looked up from her homework. “Pretty good…but she still seemed bummed.”

  “Do you think I should talk to her?” DJ tossed her bag onto a chair.

  “I don’t know. I mean, it might help…but it might be better just to give her some space too.”

  “Was it mostly about her mom?”

  “Her mom, her life, her roommate—”

  “Well, of course.” Realization hit DJ. “Poor Rhiannon’s been pretty much thrown to the lions.”

  “You mean the lioness.” Taylor held up her hands like claws and hissed. Then she laughed. “And to think I used to have the B-word title around here.”

  “I wonder if Eliza isn’t more of the problem than we know.”

  “She’s definitely a part of the problem.” Taylor nodded as she set her economics book aside. “But it’s a lot of things. Even Bradford seems to be wearing on her these days.”

  “Bradford?”

  “Yeah. He’s acting like she’s no fun, like she’s too serious, and like he wants to have fun during his senior year.”

  “Fun?” DJ frowned. “Like what kind of fun?”

  “What do you think?” Taylor laughed. “Harry comes back from Princeton telling his buddies about all the so-called fun he had on campus and suddenly poor little Bradford feels like he’s missing out.”

  “I just don’t get how some people define fun.”

  “Oh, I get it,” Taylor said slowly. “I get it more than I’d like to remember. But I just don’t want to go back there. The truth is it’s not fun. Not really.”

  “I’m so glad you can see that now.”

  “But I’d be lying if I didn’t say partying has a certain allure…or that I sometimes get tempted.”

  DJ sat down across from Taylor, studying her. “Okay, so tell me, what exactly is so tempting and alluring about getting stink-faced drunk?”

  “It’s not the stink-faced part, that’s for sure. But there is something about that whole just letting go kind of thing. You know, forgetting that you have problems and just getting lost in the moment.”

  “But why can’t you do that without alcohol?”

  “Sometimes I can.”

  “How do you do it?”

  “Through music or Pilates or a good book. There are ways. But I’m still a beginner, DJ. You’re probably better at this kind of thing than I am.”

  DJ thought about it. “Yeah. I lose myself in things like sports or being with friends or good food. And sometimes dancing kind of takes me away.”

  “Dancing.” Taylor stood up and acted like she was ready to get down. “That’s actually a good idea. I’ll have to put that on my list.”

  “And God,” added DJ. “I’d have to put that at the top of my list.”

  Taylor nodded. “Yeah, me too.”

  “Anyway, back to Rhiannon. Did you tell her our idea about helping her to go to Florida?”

  “Actually I did.” Taylor sat back down.

  “And?”

  “And she turned me down. Flat. She made it crystal clear that she was not into charity. She said she’d rather spend spring break at her great-aunt’s house than be a freeloader.”

  “Oh.”

  Taylor shrugged. “Seemed like there wasn’t much more I could say.”

  DJ felt disappointed as she got out her laptop to finish her own homework. She’d really hoped that Rhiannon would come to Florida too. Partly for selfish reasons—because DJ knew that Rhiannon would help to keep the group balanced if things tried to get out of hand.

  The next morning, DJ went out of her way to be especially nice to Rhiannon. “Wow, you look stunning,” she told her as they went into the dining room for breakfast. “Is that an outfit you put together recently?”

  Rhiannon looked down at her fringed suede jacket, short denim skirt, leggings, and retro cowboy boots and just shrugged. “Not especially.”

  “Well, it looks awesome.” DJ nodded. “I wish you’d help me with my wardrobe.”

  “Are you feeling okay?” Rhiannon asked.

  DJ shrugged. “Well, besides fashion challenged, yeah, I guess.”

  “Since when do you care about how you look?” jabbed Eliza.

  DJ made a face as she sat down.

  “But you are right,” proclaimed Eliza. “Rhiannon has a very good sense of style, even if her style isn’t for everyone.”

  “Thanks,” muttered Rhiannon, “I think.”

  “No, I’m serious,” continued Eliza. “In fact, I thought I might commission an outfit from you.”

  “Huh?” Rhiannon looked shocked.

  “Are any of you going to the Rockabilly dance next week?” asked Eliza. “It’s the Friday before spring break.”

  “Rockabilly?” DJ frowned. This didn’t sound a bit like Eliza.

  “Lane Harris told me about it,” Eliza continued lightly. “It’s a benefit dance for the March of Dimes. His mom is on the committee.”

  “Are you going?” asked DJ.

  Eliza’s brows arched. “Well, it’s not official…yet. But Lane told me it was a Sadie Hawkins-style dance, which I take as a hint that he’d like me to ask him. So here’s what I’m thinking—we should all go, to support the charity, of course. But we should all hire Rhiannon to help us with our outfits.” She looked at Rhiannon. “I’m pretty sure you could swing a Rockabilly outfit with no problem.”

&
nbsp; “I actually like that look,” Rhiannon said slightly defensively.

  “And so do a lot of other people,” DJ added, equally defensively.

  “Me too,” Taylor agreed. “In fact, I think those boots are wicked cool, Rhiannon. Can you help me find a pair too? Not exactly like them, of course, but something retro and unique.”

  “Sure.” Rhiannon brightened now. “It would actually be fun.”

  “So, are we all in?” asked Eliza hopefully. “Will you girls talk your guys into taking you to the Rockabilly dance?”

  It was hard to tell whether or not there was total consensus. Not surprising, since Eliza was the one trying to get this ball rolling. But after some coaxing (from Eliza) Kriti halfheartedly agreed, and Taylor said she thought it sounded like fun. Casey, however, wasn’t showing much enthusiasm. So DJ decided, for Rhiannon’s sake, that she’d encourage Casey to get on board as well. DJ hoped that Casey would invite someone besides Garrison and, since they’d been sort of on-again-off-again, it seemed likely. Anyway, DJ felt hopeful for Rhiannon’s sake. With everyone needing wardrobe help, Rhiannon might be able to make enough money for her airfare to Palm Beach, and maybe she’d accept some friendly donations after that. Plus, working on clothes for her friends would keep her distracted from obsessing over her mom.

  By the end of the day, it seemed that everyone was agreed. All six Carter House girls, plus their guy friends, would be attending the Rockabilly charity dance. And Rhiannon was in charge of their outfits. So far, so good. Although, as they sat around the dinner table, DJ got the distinct impression this was not going to be smooth sailing.

  “Lane seemed quite pleased that I asked him to the dance,” Eliza announced. “And just as pleased that I’d encouraged you all to come as well.” She smiled happily at the group. “And just so you know that I’m actually a very benevolent person, I have offered to purchase all of our tickets.”

  Naturally, they all thanked her, and Grandmother commented on how generous this was of Eliza. “So, we know Eliza is going to the dance with Lane,” continued Grandmother. “Which is simply wonderful since Lane’s family are old friends of mine.” She beamed at Eliza. “I actually think your parents will be quite pleased to hear that you’re friends with that boy. But how about the rest of you? DJ, I assume you’ll be going with Conner?”