UNPROVEN Chapter Nineteen "How the Other Half Lives"

If you're loved by someone, you're never rejected, decide what to be and GO BE IT
-The Avett brothers

Recommend Reading Introduction to Unproven

DEFINITELY READ Prologue

Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

Ten minutes later they pulled into a driveway full of cars and when she opened the door she was assaulted by the smell of salt and the sound of loud pop music.

Grayson grabbed her hand and led her down a sandy path that wound around a beach house at least twice as big as her actual house. They passed a screened in patio where she had a brief glimpse of a pool, then they were on the powdery white sand that had made this part of California famous. It stretched to the left and right as far as the eye could see and the ocean sparkled in front of them in the midday Sun.

A volleyball game was in progress, and Grayson shouted an unintelligible whoop style greeting as they approached. He let go of her hand once they reached the site of it and did a series of fist bumps while she awkwardly stood to the side eying the girls that were eying her right back.

One of them, Dori Chandler, broke from the clique and approached her with a wide smile, her bleached blond hair swinging from side to side as she moved her head to the music. “And I’ll drink to that, yeahhhh," she sang before stopping in front of Ary with a grin. "Hi Aryanne, wow, I heard Grayson left with you the other night, must have been some night if you’re here!”

Ary smiled uncertainly. Dori was definitely one of them, but she’d never interacted with the girl so she couldn’t say if the friendliness was genuine or a prelude to ridicule.

“Relax chica, I’m not gonna give you shit,” Dori told her. “If you’re here then Grayson is obviously into you and will expect you to be accepted. And when he has an agenda he doesn’t appreciate people standing in his way.” She leaned in closer and lowered her voice, “Brooke, Lisa and Kara will probably give you a hard time, but trust me when I say that Grayson trumps them a hundredfold, even if they don’t realize it.” She smiled broadly once more, showing perfect teeth and a dimple on one cheek. “Good thing I do, good for me and you. Come on, let’s get you a drink.”

Ary let the girl lead her back across the sand and up the steps that led to the closed-in patio they’d passed. She found herself feeling an obscene amount of gratitude for Dori and only a vague sense of self-preservation kept her from expressing it.

As soon as they were on the enclosed deck Dori let go of her arm and headed for an enormous chrome fridge that stood behind a granite bar that stretched twenty feet in length. Pristine black leather stools were lined up in front of it and Ary took a minute to look around. Wuhh, she thought, holy crap. She was standing on an elaborate field-stone patio that surrounded a pristine Olympic-sized pool, and beyond that a hot tub that would fit more people than her bedroom would.

Dori came back with a glass full of a peach colored liquid and handed it to her with a straw. She smiled her thanks and took a sip, then continued her perusal of the evidence of money that surrounded her.

“Pretty fucking cool, huh?” Dori broke into her thoughts.

She turned to the girl and nodded, taking a longer sip of the fruity drink.

Dori held up her own drink in a salute and Ary followed suit. She watched as the girl’s throat convulsed, draining the cup in her hand, and looked at her own cup. The expectant look on Dori’s face was enough encouragement. She took the straw out and drained the contents in seconds.

“Another?” Dori asked and she nodded.

They repeated the process twice more, and suddenly the music drifting in from the beach registered in Ary’s brain and she began to dance. She started with just a head nod, but within minutes it was a full on body experience.

Forty-five minutes later Grayson pushed open the screen door, a smile on his face. He’d watched as Dori dragged Aryanne away and appreciated it, Chandler always had his back.

That was until he saw the spectacle in front of him.

“Oh yeah, you go girl!” Brooke cat-called, before erupting into gales of laughter.

“Love your new GF Grayson, she sure can dance!” Lisa called out as she spotted him. Brooke grabbed her arm, the two of them doubling over in hilarity.

Dori rushed over to him, anxiety on her attractive strong-featured face, “I’m sorry Grayson, I didn’t realize she was such a lightweight!"

He pushed her to the side and strode up to Aryanne, grabbing her in mid ‘fucked to oblivion’ twirl. The girl, his girl, fell into him, giggling uncontrollably. Shit. Shit. He wrapped his arms around her and walked her out of the side door, doing his best to ignore the bitch twins as they continued their commentary while shrieking with laughter. Aryanne stumbled and their hilarity rose to a fever pitch, borderlining on screeching. He clenched his fists and opted for carrying her to his car. When he reached it he deposited her in the passenger’s seat then headed around to his side, his temple beginning to throb.

Just before he reached his door he heard Kara’s braying laughter added to the melee and halted, trying to decide if running was the best way to handle this. He turned his head and watched Ary through the window, her eyes were half-closed as her head nodded out the beat to the music coming from the beach. No choice, they had to go. Fuck.

He gave his hood a solid punch then stared at the dent he’d created and gritted his teeth. Get a grip, he told himself. He pulled in a steadying breath and let it out slow. Not her fault. She’d told him that she’d never done this sort of thing, that the other night was her opening ceremony. The other night where he’d interrupted her first experience with alcohol by taking her back to her friend’s house and fucking her. Okay. He jumped into his seat and started the car, then glanced over at her and she met his eyes with a glazed stare. Shit. He turned up the radio and pulled out, speeding down the streets that took him back to the highway.

Generously created for me by @son-of-satire

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