Lovely Girls(73)

Okay, it’s all set. I think this is where Callie said she was meeting Daphne, but they’re not here. Wait. Alex turned and looked down the beach. Is that a fire? She turned back toward the camera. Someone’s having a bonfire just down the beach next to the lifeguard tower. I’m going to try to get a little closer to see if it’s them. I don’t think they’ll be able to see me if I stay up in the dunes where the grass is tall.

Alex scrambled up the dunes behind the beach, and as she did, the camera pointed downward, filming a blurred shaky image of sand and vegetation. Alex suddenly appeared back on screen. She hunched down.

I hear voices. I think it’s them.

She turned the camera to point it at the beach. The picture was focused on a small group gathered there. Alex zoomed in on the group. There were three teenage girls standing around a small bonfire drinking from red plastic cups, their faces lit by the fire and the reflection of the moon on the ocean. Daphne Hudson. Shae Thacker. Callie Nord. All three girls wore long-sleeved T-shirts and cutoff denim shorts, and they all had their hair tied back in ponytails.

I have a clear picture, but I can’t hear them. I think I’m going to need to get closer. But if I get too close, they’ll see me. Maybe if I can climb up on the lifeguard tower.

Alex turned her camera toward a lifeguard tower a short distance from where the girls had built the bonfire. It was a large fiberglass structure on a steel base. It had a cabin with open windows on three sides.

Now the only question is, How do I get up there without them seeing me?

Alex waited. The sound of her breath, rapid and shallow, was picked up by the microphone.

“I’m going to do a handstand!” Shae yelled loudly.

Daphne and Callie both turned toward Shae, their backs to the lifeguard tower.

Okay, I’m going now.

The picture turned shaky and unfocused while Alex moved quickly toward the lifeguard tower and scaled the steel ladder on the side. Her breath was loud and jagged. The laughter of the three girls by the bonfire could be heard off camera. Alex’s face appeared in the picture again, and then the camera focused back on the three girls. This time, the picture was closer, and the girls’ voices could be heard clearly. Shae attempted—and failed—to complete a handstand.

“You’re way too drunk to handstand,” Daphne said.

“Seriously, Shae. You’re going to fall into the fire,” Callie said.

“It’s the wind. It keeps blowing me over.” Shae laughed and made another attempt at a handstand. This time she held it for a few seconds before falling over. Shae clambered back to her feet and held her hands triumphantly up over her head.

“I can handstand,” she yelled.

“You are such a dork,” Daphne said. “Do we have more vodka?”

“I think so.” Shae bent down to rummage through a bag, from which she retrieved a glass liquor bottle. “You want some OJ too?”

“Nah, I’ll just guzzle it straight, like our moms. Of course I want OJ.”

“My mom doesn’t guzzle vodka,” Shae said.

“What do you think a martini is?” Callie asked.

“I don’t know. What is it?” Shae replied.

“It’s like straight vodka with a little vermouth in it,” Daphne said. “I had one once. It was so gross. But I looked amazing holding the glass.”

“That’s what I love about you, D. You’re so modest,” Callie said sarcastically.

“I know, I’m awesome,” Daphne said. “That’s why you want to be just like me.”

“Who said I want to be like you?” Callie asked. She folded her arms over her chest.

“You always copy me. I had a French-themed sweet sixteen party, and then you had a Parisian-themed party. I got a Louis Vuitton cross-body for Christmas, and then you asked for the identical one for your birthday. I decide to go into prelaw at UF, and suddenly you start talking about wanting to go to law school.”

“You knew I wanted that cross-body when you asked your mom for it!” Callie said angrily. “And the French-themed party was my idea first. You stole that. Like you steal everything.”

“Then why am I always first-court singles, and you’re always second court?” Daphne asked.

“You’re not always first court,” Callie said. “Alex has first court now. And you didn’t even fight her for it. You just quit.”

“Whatever. I was done with the team,” Daphne said. “And Seth was always all over me. I mean, it was getting pathetic. I thought we were just hooking up, and he thought we were, like, going to get married and have lots of babies. It was really kind of sad.”

“Trust me, he did not want to marry you,” Callie snapped. “You were just an easy lay for him. Convenient and disposable.”

“Really? Then why was he always telling me he loved me?”

“It doesn’t count if he only said it while he was fucking you.”

“Did it ever occur to you that I was the one fucking him?”

“Why him?” Callie asked. She braced her hands on her waist, her elbows sharply angled. “You could have gone after any other guy. Why did you target Seth?”

“Because I wanted to,” Daphne said. She stepped closer to Callie. “Because I could.”