Mixed Bags Page 9

“How?”

  So DJ told her the whole skanky, sordid story. Ironically, it didn’t seem quite as bad when she said it all out loud. In fact, she almost expected Kriti to laugh. But she didn’t.

  “Taylor is wicked mean,” said Kriti.

  DJ nodded. “I’ll say.”

  “I was thinking about calling my parents and asking to come home,” admitted Kriti.

  “Me too.”

  “Really?” Kriti frowned. “But isn’t the Carter House sort of like your home? I mean isn’t Mrs. Carter your grandmother?”

  “No and yes. She’s my grandmother, but the Carter House doesn’t really feel like home.”

  “Where is your home?”

  DJ realized that Kriti didn’t really know much about her, so she told her the shortened version of her mother’s death and how it hadn’t worked out so great with her dad and his new wife and twin girls. “Still, I was just thinking I might be willing to go back and play nanny now. It would be better than being tortured by Taylor.”

  “I’m curious, DJ.” Kriti frowned. “What does your grandmother think of these things? Underage drinking…smoking…lying…meanness…and other forms of wayward behavior.”

  DJ tried not to cringe at the “wayward behavior” thing. Kriti sounded as if she were quoting her parents. “Well, as you know, my grandmother has rules.”

  “I know about the rules. I signed the contract, DJ.”

  “So you’re asking if she enforces her rules.”

  “Exactly.”

  DJ shrugged. “The truth is, I don’t know.”

  Kriti slowly nodded. “I thought as much.”

  “Does that worry you?”

  Kriti seemed to consider this. “It does make me feel a little insecure, but I do know that all I need to do is call my parents and they will rescue me.”

  “Do you feel like you need to be rescued?”

  “I wasn’t sure,” she confessed. “I was prepared to come back to the group and discover that everyone was inebriated. In that case, I would call my parents. I know they would not allow me to ride with a drunk driver.”

  “Do you drive?”

  She shook her head. “No.”

  “Well, I do. And I don’t plan to let Eliza drive home. And I suspect Conner will drive for Harry.”

  “Conner didn’t imbibe?”

  “No. He took a little sample of beer and didn’t like it. He and I were only drinking soda.”

  Kriti almost smiled now. “That is a relief.”

  Now DJ put an arm around Kriti’s shoulders. “I’m sorry, Kriti. I should’ve stood up for you. But I was falling for the old peer-pressure thing.”

  Now Kriti did smile. “Thank you, DJ. I appreciate that.”

  DJ sighed and looked up at the sky. Her best guess was that it was about three o’clock and probably too soon to talk everyone into going home. Besides that, it was an absolutely gorgeous day, not nearly as hot as yesterday. “So, what do we do now?”

  Kriti shrugged. “I’m not sure that I want to go back yet.”

  “Me either.” Then DJ remembered something. “Do you know how to play volleyball?”

  Kriti brightened. “I was on the team in middle school.”

  “There was a game going on somewhere up there,” DJ said as she pointed.

  “I don’t think they were playing when I walked by, but I noticed the net.”

  “Should we go see if they take walk-ons?”

  Kriti grinned. “Sounds fun.”

  So they walked back up to where two teams were playing. One team, a little short-handed, only had three players—two guys and a girl. The other team had four, and three of them were fairly athletic-looking guys. Kriti and DJ just stood and watched for a couple of minutes, but it looked like the small team was getting soundly beaten.

  “Need any more players?” called out DJ.

  “Sure,” said a dark-haired girl on the team of three. She had just missed a low shot and was brushing sand off her hands. “Maybe we won’t have to work so hard.”

  A guy on the team of four yelled, “We get the tall chick.”

  “No way,” said the dark-haired girl. “You guys are already creaming us.”

  “How about if you take both of us in a package deal?” suggested DJ. “It’ll be uneven whichever way you cut it, and it looks like your team is already behind.”

  “Yeah,” said one of the jocks on the team of four. “We’re doing just fine the way we are. You losers can take both the chicks.”

  “Thanks a lot,” yelled the dark-haired girl as she waved DJ and Kriti to her side of the net. “I’m Leah,” she told them, quickly introducing everyone around.

  They repositioned themselves and soon started playing again. And it wasn’t long before DJ could tell that the team of four was regretting this small rearrangement. All the players seemed surprised at how well both DJ and Kriti played. In fact, DJ was surprised that, for a half-pint, Kriti was a real fireball. After a few minutes, the tables turned, and the underdog team made a comeback, winning the last two games out of three. To show their appreciation, Leah insisted that DJ and Kriti stay for a soda. “Are you from around here?” she asked.

  DJ explained that they had both recently moved to Crescent Cove and would be attending high school there in town.

  “That’s cool,” said Leah. “Except that we’ll be rivals. We go to JFK High, and Crescent is one of the schools in our conference.”

  “One of our most competitive schools,” said a guy named Luke.

  “Usually, we’re in the playoffs together,” said Leah.

  “Then maybe we’ll see you at some games,” said DJ.

  “Volleyball?” asked the girl with a slight frown.

  “Yeah,” said DJ. “If I make the cut.”

  Leah laughed. “You’ll make the cut.”

  “How about you, Kriti?” asked DJ.

  Kriti sort of shrugged. “I’m pretty short.”

  “But you are totally quick,” said Leah.

  “You should try out,” said DJ. “It’d be fun.”

  Kriti nodded. “I’ll think about it.”

  “Hey, you girls coming?” called one of the guys. “We’re picking new teams, and we want both DJ and Kriti in the lineup this time.”

  So they agreed to play some more. DJ felt only a teeny bit bad for having abandoned their so-called friends up the beach. She figured they wouldn’t be missed much. But then, just as they were midway through their third game, and having a total blast, she noticed that standing among the growing group of spectators was Conner. And then, not long after that, he was joined by Taylor, Harry, and Eliza. DJ totally ignored them, playing hard and playing well. She felt a little bad when she spiked the ball straight into Kriti, but then Kriti made a noble effort to set it up. Still, DJ’s team won. They all hugged and gave high fives, and DJ told the kids that she wished she was going to their high school.

  “Really?” said Leah. “That’s so sweet.”

  “Why don’t you transfer?” said Luke.

  DJ kind of laughed. “You know, if I thought that were even slightly possible, I think I would make an attempt.”

  “Then look into it,” said Leah.

  DJ nodded. “Looks like our friends are here. I guess we better go.”

  “Thanks for playing,” called Leah. “And for leading our team to victory!”

  DJ waved at Leah then braced herself as she and Kriti slowly went over to join the others. During the volleyball game, she had almost forgotten about her embarrassing episode with Taylor. Almost.

  11

  “EeW!” Said TaYLor as she literally turned up her nose at DJ. “Someone needs a shower.”

  They were packing up the picnic things now, and DJ had not spoken a word to Taylor. She was trying to ignore her. But that last comment was just too much. “Someone needs to learn manners,” said DJ, standing up and facing Taylor now.

  “I suppose you think you can teach me.” Taylor looked at DJ as if she were a pile of stinking g
arbage. “And what is that brownish gunk all over your shirt? It looks like you’ve been rolling in something. No wonder you smell.”

  DJ looked down at her white peasant shirt, the shirt that had looked so fresh and pretty when they’d left the house. It now had brownish streaks here and there. She’d been so absorbed in the volleyball game that she hadn’t noticed. Suddenly she remembered the bronzing lotion that Eliza had shared with her this morning. Obviously, it was not sweat proof. DJ locked eyes with Taylor, and for a brief insane moment she considered actually slapping her right across her pretty face. Instead, she just gave her a piece of her mind.

  “You are the meanest, rudest girl I have ever met. No wonder your mother couldn’t wait to get rid of you.” Then DJ turned away, stormed straight toward the ocean and walked right in. Fine, if she needed a shower, she might as well take a bath. The water was cold, but she just kept wading until the waves were at her waist. And then she began to swim. She was surprised at how quickly she adjusted to the stinging cold. It actually felt good, and it distracted her from what was back on the beach. And it felt good to swim too. She considered swimming and swimming and never turning back. But then she realized that someone, probably Kriti, would get worried and call the coast guard to pick her up. And that would be even more humiliation.

  So she turned back. She was surprised at how far she’d gone. She couldn’t even see the beach from out there. Still, she knew she was a good swimmer and there was nothing to be alarmed about. She could swim for hours if necessary. And so what if she worried her so-called friends (excluding Kriti who she felt might have the potential to be a real friend).

  She was getting a little tired when she saw something splashing in the water ahead of her. And for one horrifying moment she considered the possibility of sharks. Then she realized it was a person.

  “DJ!” yelled a guy’s voice. “Are you okay?”

  She peered at the wet head bobbing in the waves and finally realized it was Conner. She swam a little faster, and finally she was face-to-face with him. “I’m perfectly fine,” she said, although her teeth were chattering now.

  “We thought you’d drowned.”

  She rolled her eyes. “They probably just wished I’d drowned.”

  “Maybe Taylor did,” admitted Conner.

  “Well, good, I hope that it really upsets her when she sees that I’m alive.” They were swimming back now. “Why did you come out here, Conner?” she asked, noticing that his swimming stroke wasn’t as strong as hers.

  “I was worried.”

  “I’m a good swimmer,” said DJ.

  “Yeah, I can see that.”

  “Are you okay?” She frowned at him.

  “Yeah, I’m fine.”

  “Because I’ve had lifesaving classes. I could rescue you if I had to.”

  He kind of laughed. “Good to know.”

  “But I might have to knock you over the head. I heard that if a victim gets freaked, and they’re bigger than you, you have to knock them out to get them safely back.”

  He chuckled. “I don’t think you’ll have to knock me out, DJ.”

  “What if I want to?”

  Now Conner really laughed. “Why?”

  “Maybe I just have the need to punch someone today.” She made a growling sound. “Taylor is driving me nuts. It’s like she’s determined to torture me. That whole thing about the bag…it took every ounce of self-control not to let her have it.”

  “She’s just jealous.”

  “Jealous?” Now DJ laughed. But it was a sarcastic laugh. Still it slowed down her swimming. But it seemed that Conner was slowing down too.

  “Taylor is jealous of you, DJ. Isn’t it obvious?”

  “No. She beat me in tennis. She humiliated me in front of everyone by switching our bags. She insults me and says I stink, and you think—”

  “I think she wouldn’t give you this grief if she wasn’t jealous.”

  “Yeah, well, whatever.” She continued swimming in silence now. It seemed unlikely that the stunningly beautiful Taylor—poor little rich girl, daughter of Eva Perez—would be jealous of someone like DJ. But, whatever.

  Then she noticed that Conner had paused, he seemed to be just treading water, bobbing up and down in the waves.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked as she looked back at him. His face looked serious, and for a moment she thought he really was drowning. She moved back toward him. “Are you okay? Did you get a cramp? We’re not that far from the shore.”

  Just then he reached out, grabbed one of her arms, and pulled her toward him. She briefly wondered if she might actually need to hit him over the head right now. Maybe this boy did need rescuing. But then he pulled her so close that her face was just inches from his. He was looking straight into her eyes with a very intense stare. “DJ!” he said in a firm voice.

  “What?” she barely whispered.

  “Taylor is jealous of you because she knows that I really like you.”

  “You do?” She noticed that his eyes were the exact same color as the ocean.

  He nodded. “But I don’t think you feel the same way.”

  “You don’t?”

  “No, you keep running away from me.”

  “I’m not running away. I’m getting pushed away.”

  He pulled her closer now, wrapping his arms around her as they both continued to tread water, rocking gently in the waves. “I’m not the one who’s pushing you away.”

  “No…” It felt slightly difficult to breathe just now, but DJ didn’t think it was because she was tired.

  “So, how do you feel?”

  She smiled now. “I like you.”

  Then he pulled her close, and the next thing she knew his lips were pressing into hers. And there was a warm sensation, a wonderful salty, warm sensation that started at her lips then rushed all the way through her to her toes. They kissed several times, and suddenly they were both breathless and struggling to stay above water.

  “We better get back to shore,” he said as he pulled her by one hand and began swimming again.

  She nodded. And they both swam without speaking until their feet finally touched the sandy bottom. Then they stood and looked at each other. Conner was smiling in a pleased yet slightly surprised way. DJ figured her face probably looked very similar. Then he pulled her toward him for another kiss, and just as their lips touched a big wave came from behind and rolled them over. They both came up sputtering and laughing. Then, holding hands, they waded back to the beach.

  They paused at the water’s edge where Conner sweetly pushed the hair away from her face. “You might want to do something about your blouse,” he said shyly, not even looking down.

  That’s when she noticed that the soggy white peasant blouse was now clinging to her like Saran wrap. Consequently, her bra and everything else seemed to be shining through. She fluffed out the fabric as best she could, hoping the sunshine would dry it quickly. At least the brown streaks were gone now.

  “Ready to go back and face the frightening mob?” asked Conner as he took her hand again.

  She nodded. “I am.”

  And so the two of them, hand in hand, marched back to where the others were all sitting on the sand, obviously waiting.

  “So DJ didn’t drown after all,” said Taylor in what seemed a disappointed voice.

  “I rescued her,” said Conner.

  DJ gave him a playful punch in the arm. “I didn’t need rescuing.”

  “Actually, I thought she was going to have to rescue me,” he admitted. “We even discussed the possibility of knocking me out so she could haul me back in to shore.”

  “You were doing just fine,” she told him, smiling up into his face.

  “Can we go now?” demanded Taylor. “It’s almost seven o’clock and some of us have a life.”

  “And, as you can see, your designated drivers have arrived,” said Conner. He held out his hand for Harry’s keys.

  Harry shook his head. “Oh, I’m okay now, bu
ddy. I’ll drive.”

  “We had an agreement,” said Conner in a stern tone.

  DJ reached out for Eliza’s keys now. “I can drive for you too.”

  Eliza frowned as if unconvinced, but at least she handed over her keys. “Well, I think I’d be fine, but if you insist.”

  “She insists,” said Kriti. “And if you don’t let her drive, I’m not riding with you.”

  “Fine, fine,” said Eliza in a tired voice. “Let’s just get this show on the road. I’m tired, and I think I’m getting a sunburn.” She patted her flushed face.

  “Oh, that’s just the alcohol,” said Harry as he reluctantly handed the keys to Conner. “My old man always gets flushed like that when he’s had too much.”

  Eliza groaned as she examined her face in the mirror in her compact. “Ugh, I look terrible.”

  “Who cares?” said DJ lightly.

  Taylor laughed her mean laugh. “Obviously, not you.”

  Conner turned and looked at DJ with warm eyes. “I think DJ looks beautiful.”

  “Oh, man,” said Taylor. “Get me outta here.”

  Harry was reaching for Eliza now. “Why don’t you ride with me, gorgeous?”

  She smiled at him. “Don’t mind if I do.”

  “We’ll let Conner play chauffeur while we occupy the backseat.”

  She giggled.

  “I’ll ride with you guys too,” said Taylor quickly.

  Now Conner frowned. “I have an idea. “Why don’t the girls all ride together, and I’ll drive Harry.”

  There was some argument because it seemed the group had been discussing the possibility of going to town together and taking in a movie. But Conner convinced everyone that he and DJ both needed to get home to change out of their wet clothes. “We can meet up again later.” Then as they were about to get in their separate cars, Conner paused to bend down and kiss DJ right in front of everyone. It was only on the cheek, but it was nice. Very nice.

  “Take care,” he told her as he let go of her hand.

  She felt her face getting warm as she nodded. “See ya.”

  The other girls were already in Eliza’s car, and she could feel them watching. They were quiet as she started the engine, but as soon as she began to drive, Eliza turned and looked at her. “What’s up with you and Conner?”