Wishes Washed Away
twelve.
I emerge out of the Restons' swimming pool, water dripping down my hips and thighs. Brendon's mouth drops open as he lowers his shades. His friend sitting on the lawn chair next to him has dark hair and a pair of green sunglasses, matching his shorts. His faux hawk gives off a homosexual vibe.
While I reapply sunscreen and listen to Keltie ramble about the Pussycat Dolls and what they're up to, Brennie waltzes over to us. "I take that back," he says, biting his lip. "You know, what I said about the swim suit. I, um...it's cute." His palm tree swim trunks are hideous; we should've gone shopping for him too. Brendon's cheeks turn crimson as he pushes his shades up. "Anyway, I'm gonna..."
I wave my hand, watching the cabana boy scuttle over with strawberry daiquiris. Keltie and I murmur quiet "thank you"s as he sets them on our tiny table, each of us grabbing and taking a long sip. Today, the heat almost burns holes in the ground, the sun baking the pale to a crisp. Thank goodness I'm tan; sunburn would clash with my clothes.
"So, anyway...hear anything from Edward Norton?" Keltie asks, nibbling on her strawberry. "Star magazine claims you two broke up the worst way possible." Her voice lowers. "Over email correspondence."
I laugh, watching the old rich women burn and receive skin cancer. The old SPF 15 does nothing for you anymore because of that god-awful global warming. Before anyone goes out, they'd better slather on a good SPF 30. Oh, and that SPF 50/60 stuff? They're lies. Sunscreen is made out of natural materials from the ocean; it can only have so much UV blockage. "Oh, please, dear. That's old news; we broke up before I came out here. I love him dearly, but...well, he's not willing to settle down." I take a swig of my daiquiri. "No worries, dear. Those magazines are all liars."
"Well, you and Brendon over there have been getting pretty smug." She elbows me. "So, are you two together?" She winks. Keltie's just eating up all the new celebrity gossip. In reality, she's just reading everything Perez Hilton has to say, white drips included. "C'mon, Maggie. Your secret's safe with me."
I scoff, pointing a thumb towards Brendon. "Him? Oh, please. Keltie, I just dated Edward Norton; he's not even on my list of people to pity." I pull my hair back into a ponytail and adjust my Gucci sunglasses. "Don't you think I can do so much better than him?"
"Honey, I don't doubt that, but...I don't know; you two seem so close, you know?" She's sucking up the dregs of her drink, and then shakes the empty cup at the cute, tan cabana boy. His glowing green eyes lock on mine, and I give him a wink. He grins, messing with his blond hair. A surfer, for sure. Too bad this is Vegas and not SoCal; the boy is so out of place. "Oh, please. If you chase after him," Keltie grins as the cabana boy daintily takes her cup, "Brendon will beat him up."
I scrutinize the boy's muscles. "Brennie would be out cold in seconds."
Keltie drains the second daiquiri, and once the boy comes by, she asks for something stronger: Tremblement de Terre. "Bren can have super strength when it really matters. He may look weak, but he's really not." She touches my arm. "Don't you just love the Restons' hedges? I love the one shaped as Cinderella; her dress is just gorgeous." The alcohol is really getting to her; the rambling doesn't stop.
I stand up and head towards the pool again. "I agree, but I have one just like it. Keep it in the back of my closet and wear it when I need to feel like a princess." I dive down, touch the floor of the pool, and shoot back up. After smoothing my hair out, Keltie jumps in too. "The weather's a killer today." She nods, fixing her royal blue bikini.
Brendon's friend shuffles over to the pool and dips his hand in. "Keltie, I can tell you're having fun and all..." He motions to the buffet tables near the mansion. "But drinking only daiquiris will only give you so much energy." He gives her a concerned look, and Brendon saunters over to the pool side.
"Ryan, I'm not drunk, if that's what you're attempting to say. I'm just fine--" I push her into shallow water before she starts drowning.
"C'mon, Keltie. Let's get out of the water; you want to be dry before going home." The cabana boy helps Keltie out, and Ryan glares, arms crossed against his chest. "Thanks," I say, flashing him a smile. Brendon glowers at him.
Once Keltie falls asleep in the lawn chair, we grab a couple things to eat. Brennie stacks his plate up so high it resembles a mini empire state building, while Ryan and I fill our plates modestly. "What are you trying to prove?" Ryan asks, almost laughing as Brendon stumbles to an empty table. "Eating more than the cabana boy doesn't make you sexier."
Brendon pouts as he nibbles on some corn. "Shut it, Ross." He looks over at me. "Enjoying the eye candy?"
I push up my sunglasses and wave to some men staring at me. "What eye candy?" I squeeze the water out of my hair. "Are you jealous? And if you are, who are you jealous of?" I whip out my phone:
Borrowing your pink sundress and your black heels. Wore the cute mini skirt, polo, and leggings from your closet yesterday. Thanks, babe.
-R
I squeeze my phone. I'm setting fire to half my wardrobe and throwing Raquel in with it.
Brendon glances over my shoulder and furrows his brow. "She borrowed your clothes?" More than borrowed. Soiled.
Give me slut.
Flash.
Give me cheapskate.
Flash.
Give me "more than $20,000 worth of clothes".
Flash.
While I reapply sunscreen and listen to Keltie ramble about the Pussycat Dolls and what they're up to, Brennie waltzes over to us. "I take that back," he says, biting his lip. "You know, what I said about the swim suit. I, um...it's cute." His palm tree swim trunks are hideous; we should've gone shopping for him too. Brendon's cheeks turn crimson as he pushes his shades up. "Anyway, I'm gonna..."
I wave my hand, watching the cabana boy scuttle over with strawberry daiquiris. Keltie and I murmur quiet "thank you"s as he sets them on our tiny table, each of us grabbing and taking a long sip. Today, the heat almost burns holes in the ground, the sun baking the pale to a crisp. Thank goodness I'm tan; sunburn would clash with my clothes.
"So, anyway...hear anything from Edward Norton?" Keltie asks, nibbling on her strawberry. "Star magazine claims you two broke up the worst way possible." Her voice lowers. "Over email correspondence."
I laugh, watching the old rich women burn and receive skin cancer. The old SPF 15 does nothing for you anymore because of that god-awful global warming. Before anyone goes out, they'd better slather on a good SPF 30. Oh, and that SPF 50/60 stuff? They're lies. Sunscreen is made out of natural materials from the ocean; it can only have so much UV blockage. "Oh, please, dear. That's old news; we broke up before I came out here. I love him dearly, but...well, he's not willing to settle down." I take a swig of my daiquiri. "No worries, dear. Those magazines are all liars."
"Well, you and Brendon over there have been getting pretty smug." She elbows me. "So, are you two together?" She winks. Keltie's just eating up all the new celebrity gossip. In reality, she's just reading everything Perez Hilton has to say, white drips included. "C'mon, Maggie. Your secret's safe with me."
I scoff, pointing a thumb towards Brendon. "Him? Oh, please. Keltie, I just dated Edward Norton; he's not even on my list of people to pity." I pull my hair back into a ponytail and adjust my Gucci sunglasses. "Don't you think I can do so much better than him?"
"Honey, I don't doubt that, but...I don't know; you two seem so close, you know?" She's sucking up the dregs of her drink, and then shakes the empty cup at the cute, tan cabana boy. His glowing green eyes lock on mine, and I give him a wink. He grins, messing with his blond hair. A surfer, for sure. Too bad this is Vegas and not SoCal; the boy is so out of place. "Oh, please. If you chase after him," Keltie grins as the cabana boy daintily takes her cup, "Brendon will beat him up."
I scrutinize the boy's muscles. "Brennie would be out cold in seconds."
Keltie drains the second daiquiri, and once the boy comes by, she asks for something stronger: Tremblement de Terre. "Bren can have super strength when it really matters. He may look weak, but he's really not." She touches my arm. "Don't you just love the Restons' hedges? I love the one shaped as Cinderella; her dress is just gorgeous." The alcohol is really getting to her; the rambling doesn't stop.
I stand up and head towards the pool again. "I agree, but I have one just like it. Keep it in the back of my closet and wear it when I need to feel like a princess." I dive down, touch the floor of the pool, and shoot back up. After smoothing my hair out, Keltie jumps in too. "The weather's a killer today." She nods, fixing her royal blue bikini.
Brendon's friend shuffles over to the pool and dips his hand in. "Keltie, I can tell you're having fun and all..." He motions to the buffet tables near the mansion. "But drinking only daiquiris will only give you so much energy." He gives her a concerned look, and Brendon saunters over to the pool side.
"Ryan, I'm not drunk, if that's what you're attempting to say. I'm just fine--" I push her into shallow water before she starts drowning.
"C'mon, Keltie. Let's get out of the water; you want to be dry before going home." The cabana boy helps Keltie out, and Ryan glares, arms crossed against his chest. "Thanks," I say, flashing him a smile. Brendon glowers at him.
Once Keltie falls asleep in the lawn chair, we grab a couple things to eat. Brennie stacks his plate up so high it resembles a mini empire state building, while Ryan and I fill our plates modestly. "What are you trying to prove?" Ryan asks, almost laughing as Brendon stumbles to an empty table. "Eating more than the cabana boy doesn't make you sexier."
Brendon pouts as he nibbles on some corn. "Shut it, Ross." He looks over at me. "Enjoying the eye candy?"
I push up my sunglasses and wave to some men staring at me. "What eye candy?" I squeeze the water out of my hair. "Are you jealous? And if you are, who are you jealous of?" I whip out my phone:
Borrowing your pink sundress and your black heels. Wore the cute mini skirt, polo, and leggings from your closet yesterday. Thanks, babe.
-R
I squeeze my phone. I'm setting fire to half my wardrobe and throwing Raquel in with it.
Brendon glances over my shoulder and furrows his brow. "She borrowed your clothes?" More than borrowed. Soiled.
Give me slut.
Flash.
Give me cheapskate.
Flash.
Give me "more than $20,000 worth of clothes".
Flash.