Priceless

I left the house gritting my teeth, as I walked behind Erin. I couldn’t believe my father could actually go that low. I was very willing to stay away from boys, as he and my mom had ordered me, and Erin had pretty much informed me that every guy she knew thought I was unattainable anyway so they didn’t dare approach, and that made it easier for me. But now, I couldn’t understand why dad set me up on a date with one of his business friend’s son. I had an idea though, that he probably just wanted to use me to get what he wanted—probably a big business deal or what. And he just had to tell me that right before I left with Erin, he just had to add more burden to what I was already carrying.

When we finally reached Erin’s car, I threw my duffel bag into the backseat and slumped into the passenger’s seat, trying to close my side of the door as calmly as possible. Erin strapped herself up and began driving, as I silently pouted and looked outside the car window. I was so upset, I wanted to go to a place where I could just keep yelling until I lost my voice. I was so pissed at every single thing in the house that I wanted to run away and never ever come back.

“I didn’t tell Mom and Dad that you’ll sleep over,” Erin said softly, her voice breaking into my far from peaceful thoughts. “I was, uh...I told them I’ll stay at your place tonight.”

I quickly turned my head to her, ignoring the pain I’d felt in my neck from that sudden action, as I suddenly got nervous. “What? What if my parents call them and ask if I’m there?” I asked, my voice higher than usual. “God, Erin—”

“Chill, they won’t,” she said, raising one hand to me. “They’ll just call me. And you know that I’ll fucking lie all I could to make you happy.”

The way she said that made me melt inside and feel guilty at the same time. That was basically what I made Erin do: lie and cover up for me to my parents. “I’m sorry,” I murmured, my voice breaking. I was a minute away from breaking down, and knowing Erin, she probably noticed that already.

“No, don’t say sorry,” she said soothingly. I kept my head down, trying to hold back the tears. I didn’t need to get emotional at that moment. I had to suck it up. “Listen, Jess’ family has this rest house in Tucson, and they’ll be there this whole weekend along with Garrett and the boys. They invited us to go with them. So that’s where we’ll go tonight. That’s where we’ll stay. Is that okay with you?”

I would never forget that moment when I looked up to her and felt myself being enveloped with a friend’s love. I was met with a worried look on her face, one that I had seen so many times, even when I’d just scraped my knee or got a small wound on my finger. All the times I had been upset, she was always there, saying something or doing something that would suddenly make me feel better. I was beyond thankful for that—I was beyond thankful for her. I felt a smile reach my lips and I knew that it was genuine. “Thank you, Erin,” I told her, happiness reigning in my voice. “Really. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” And it was true.

She was already looking at the road but I saw her worried look disappear and it was replaced by a smile. “Yeah, well, it’s the same thing with you,” she said and then licked her lips. “You’re like, my little sanity, you know.”

I felt all my worries slipping away that instant as I laughed, “That explains so much.”

“Shut up,” she said, laughing as well. And then she turned on the radio, and we got lost singing Journey and a whole lot of songs after that. It felt good to actually just have a karaoke moment like that with your best friend, and for a solid hour and thirty minutes, nothing was in my head except song lyrics.

Erin parked her car beside a white van, and I figured it must have been the one the other guys used. I could hear the waves crashing against the shore, but it was calming and peaceful, and it gave me a feeling that I wanted to re-evaluate myself and my life. But the moment Erin and I entered the house and was greeted by numerous faces of drunken boys, I decided to just loosen up.

“I’m a free bitch!” Kennedy yelled at Pat’s face, and then put his bottle to his lips. Pat just laughed and playfully shoved Kennedy’s shoulders.

“Alright, let’s hide Kenny’s phone,” Jared said, as he shoved a phone into his pocket, which I supposed was Kennedy’s. “And everyone who has Gabi’s number, keep your phones at least ten feet away from Kennedy. He’s been known to do drunk dialling and say really messed-up things.”

“Don’t mind them,” a voice said into my ear, that of John’s. I turned and saw him hanging so closely behind me, a smile on his face and two bottles in one hand. He handed one to me. “Here, have a drink.”

“Thanks.” I shot him a smile as I took it from him, and then he turned to Erin and gave her the other one silently. Erin smiled mischievously, and I assumed their constant teasing would be starting any minute now. I decided to casually slip out, and was welcomed into a Brian hug. His hug was distinctive, and it just kinda gave me the feeling that I was welcome. He was really friendly.

“Bailey!” he exclaimed. “I’ve missed you!” Brian and I pretty much bonded that night we met, and he had already programmed in his mind that I was a different person in public places, and he’d joked that he would pretend to hit on me when he saw me walking down the street so he would be in front page news the next day after that. He was actually quite entertaining, and he was such a charmer, that I had already become much comfortable with him. But among all of them, it was really Josh who was crazy. I don’t think I would have known the meaning of boredom had I spent each minute of my life with him.

“I’m so happy to be here,” I said, sipping my drink. “I’m so happy to get away from home for a while.” I looked around for a while, spotting Garrett and Trey setting up the karaoke, Jess bringing food into the living room and Trey’s girlfriend, Tasha, helping her, John O and Erin on a corner talking, Pat, Kennedy and Jared still on a triangle, and Stephen, John, and Josh laughing as they sat on the couch. Everyone had beers in their hands and practically everyone was drunk, or at least another bottle away from it.

“Mind elaborating whatever happened?” asked Brian, as he began walking to the couch opposite the one the three boys were on, and motioned for me to follow him. I did, and as we settled onto the couch, I decided to just tell him what happened.

“My parents are killing me,” I started with that, and the moment I said it, I started feeling upset again. “I’m like their puppet, and they just do whatever they want even if it concerns me.” I took a swig of my drink and swallowed hard before I continued. “My mother fucking used my name for her new clothing line. Without even asking me, and without even telling me. If I didn’t check that magazine our helpers had left in the living room, I wouldn’t have known what she did. It just fucking pisses me off, because she knows I hate publicity.” I took another swig, feeling frustrated all over again.

Brian looked at me, nodding, his eyes seemingly studying me. “So, did you tell her about it?” he asked curiously, and I had an idea that he didn’t know what else to say.

But I nodded anyway, and decided to just continue pouring my heart out to him. “I burst into her office and confronted her about it, and she just told me that most girls my age would be happy if that happened to them. And after I was done ranting to her, she just told me that I would model for that line next week in Paris, and she didn’t ask me to do it, Brian. She told me to do it. I just can’t—she’s like, driving me crazy, and then after that she basically let me know that the conversation was over.” I couldn’t control myself and I couldn’t help the anger that was filling my voice. “And then my dad told me that he had arranged a date for me—with the son of his business friend, and I know that he’s actually gonna use me to get a big deal out of the guy. I fucking hate it!”

I wasn’t aware that my ranting had taken Stephen’s, Josh’s, and John’s attentions. As I put my bottle to my mouth, I met their gazes, and I felt embarrassed. They were just looking at me in surprise, but I didn’t know if they were silently judging me. Brian’s silence only added to the shame I was feeling.

“I’m...I’m sorry,” I started shamefully, trying to avert my eyes from any of them. “I just...it’s just really hard, going through things like this everyday. I’m just so frustrated at the moment. I didn’t mean to kill the mood or something.” I truly felt awful that I had caused the three boys’ laughter to subside.

“You didn’t kill the mood,” John said quickly, standing up from his seat and moving next to me. He put his bottle-free hand on my back in an attempt to comfort me, I supposed. “We were just...we were quite surprised. I mean, you’re old enough, you should be able to decide for yourself at this point of your life.”

I scoffed, though I appreciated John’s opinion. “I think my life is an extension of theirs,” I said glumly. It was the truth. I never had a hold of my life—well, I did, every time I was with Erin and these boys, but it was always secretly. My parents mostly decided for me. And I hated every single thing about it.

“You know what,” Josh started, and I looked up at him to see that he was already standing up, seemingly having a great idea. Which was, considering it was Josh, was probably a crazy one. “You deserve to have a really good and crazy time right now. I mean when you go back, you probably would be a, a...um, another person again whose throat is in someone else’s hand, so you gotta enjoy now!” Next thing I knew, he was right in front of me, taking my bottle and setting it down the table along with his. He grabbed both my hands and pulled me up to my feet, “Come on. We’re gonna climb up on the roof and stargaze!”

I didn’t get the chance to say something, although I’d wondered what was “good and crazy” about climbing a roof—Josh was already dragging me somewhere and I couldn’t do anything but follow him. I heard Jared ask where we were going, and it was Brian who answered him. Kennedy called out to Josh, “Don’t take off your clothes!” and then after than Stephen laughed and began recalling the story of how Josh had gone skinny-dipping in the beach and got...”rashes”...or whatever those spots were, in his private part. I was quite overwhelmed by everything that was happening around me, that I didn’t notice we were already out of the house.

It was Josh who climbed up first, and he managed to do it successfully even with Stephen, Brian, and John, yelling curse words at him along with, “You can’t fucking make it!” and “Keep your underwear on!” and a lot of other foolish statements. Next was Brian, and it was the same thing for him. But after a lot of laughing, he had done it.

And then it was my turn. This time the Gomez brothers were right on my back for support. John had literally asked me thrice if I could do it, before Stephen laughed and told him to shut up. I had climbed the Nickelsens’ roof before, but that was when I was really young, so I pretty much struggled at first. But then after a minute, I managed to make progress, and after two more minutes, I was almost at the top, being pulled up by Brian and Josh.

I sat on the concrete tiles as Brian laid down, while Josh cussed out at John who was now climbing up. I was so busy watching them, smiling in amusement at these boys, when suddenly, Brian’s voice broke into my thoughts.

“This is Josh’s way of comforting you,” he said, and I turned to him. His hands were grasped together, his head using them as a pillow. He looked at me and smiled. “He’s never good with words. But that fucker loves seeing people happy.”

“I like him,” I remarked honestly. “And I like the way he seems so carefree about everything.” I looked back at Josh who was now busy screaming at Stephen, with John just laughing by his side.

“He’s like the God of Trouble, ya know?” Brian said, a hint of laughter in his voice. “We love him. He’s like an escape from reality.”

I nodded. “I couldn’t agree more.”

“Now what do we do? We don’t have any drinks up in here,” Stephen said as he walked to where Brian and I were. Josh and John followed him, and all three boys laid down beside Brian. I did the same, feeling a little out of place.

“We just stargaze. That’s what I said we would do,” Josh answered. I didn’t look at any of them anymore, as I just did what we came here for—stargaze. But I still listened as John spoke.

“When I was a kid, I used to think the moon was following me, whenever we had road trips or such,” he said, and it made me shift my gaze to the half-full moon that made me feel calm. “Something random.”

“And when did you figure out that it doesn’t, like a year ago?” Stephen teased.

“Shut up, Stephen, you don’t even know that shit about rotation,” Brian snapped.

“You don’t even know the meaning of atrocious,” Stephen shot back.

“Oh, shut the fuck up,” Josh said, sounding aggravated. Or at least faking it. “We came here to stargaze, not to fucking argue.”

“You said you wanted Bailey to do something crazy,” John pointed out. “Where’s the crazy in this?”

“Crazy is when we climbed up this roof,” Josh answered. “Crazy is when the five of us are in here, when this roof could fall off anytime, considering it had been built a long time ago...”

That line just made me shot up and look at him, immediately in a panicky mode. “Oh fuck let’s get off of this now!” I practically screamed, deciding whether to just jump down or remain calm. I could’ve sworn I was going to have a heart attack. “Come on, fuck it!”

But the four boys just looked at me and laughed. “Would you chill,” Brian said in between laughs, “Haven’t we told you already never to take Josh seriously?”

I started to relax as I blushed from embarrassment and laid back on where I was a few moments ago before Josh disturbed the sense of serenity I was in. I let out a sigh, “Fuck you, Josh.”

“How about that, daddy’s little princess knows how to curse,” he teased in a baby voice, and I just rolled my eyes. And then I heard something slam onto something else, and Josh grunted. “Owww! Seriously, Stephen,” he said, his voice strained with pain.

Before anyone could say something, we heard someone call out from below. “Brian! Come down here this second, Dylan wants to talk to you!” The voice belonged to Jess.

“Tell her I’m not here,” Brian whispered to me, but even before I could laugh, Jess yelled again.

“I know you’re there! Just come down this instant.” Brian rolled his eyes as he sat up and began muttering to himself. “Mood-killer,” I heard him say, but he just stood up and began climbing down. As he was doing so, we heard the introduction to Journey, and this was when Josh sat up.

“I think I want to join them down there,” he said, fixing his hair a little. “You guys coming?” he asked, turning to the three of us who were still laying there.

John sat up. “I will,” he answered, and he and Josh stood up. Then they both turned to Stephen and I with questioning looks on their faces.

“I’m gonna stay for a while,” I answered, honestly wanting to just stay serene for a while. Not that I didn’t want to hang out with everybody inside the house, I just wanted a few minutes to myself. I wasn’t planning to stay there for 20 minutes or beyond that.

Josh nodded, and then he turned to Stephen. “How about you?” he asked.

Of course I knew he was gonna stand up and come with them. He wasn’t exactly that friendly to me, and though he probably didn’t hate me, I knew he didn’t want to be with me that much, especially if it was just the two of us. I was already expecting him to stand up and say nothing, and probably even be the first to go down.

“I’ll keep her company.”