Chelsea held the eyelash curler up to her right eye and gently pressed down turning the ends of her long lashes up. She wondered if she was overdressed. Jamie had got a text from their old high school friend Mikey G; he heard the Riley sisters were back in town and decided to throw a party. Chelsea was wearing a skinny pair of blue jeans and a thin white shirt over a black bra; her long hair was down and she applied a little bit of mascara and eyeliner and left it at that.
She couldn’t help but wonder what a party at Mikey G’s house would look like to her now. Chelsea had been to album release parties, after parties, and house parties at James Franco’s house where models, rappers, and actors had drunk champagne like it was water. She was a little worried that a party at Mikey G’s was going to look sad in comparison.
They were all going and all included Blue. Chelsea had no idea what she was going to do. When she was with Blue she wasn’t able to resist him; she didn’t even want to. It was only when he was in another room that she remembered their parents were dating and her record deal and the other millions of reasons why nothing should be happening between them.
He was so hot, though. Somewhere between high school and now, Blue DeMarco had grown up. He was arrogant and cocky. Chelsea could still feel his touch on her back, the way his hands had slid around her skin and under her bathing suit. There had been no awkward pauses, no hesitations, just his hands going wherever they wanted on her skin.
She had wondered if he still had his anger streak. Blue had been quick to fight in high school. He was always taking words out of context and talking with his fists; it had frightened Chelsea, but secretly it always excited her, as well. On the surface Blue seemed icy and cold, like he didn’t care about anything, but underneath he was a roiling sea of emotions that were always threatening to storm. Was he still like that? Did Chelsea want him to be?
Blue drove them all in his car. He had left it here when he had gone to war, but it still worked. Chelsea settled into the passenger seat and realized that it was still set the way she liked it. It had been over five years since she had been in this car, but once she sat down it felt like no time at all had passed.
“You remember our car in high school?” she asked her sister with a sigh.
“We had that beat up station wagon with a missing backseat,” Jamie chimed in from the back.
Next to her Blue smiled for just a second, but Chelsea caught it and she couldn’t help but smile back at him.
“What is it?” Blue asked.
“It just feels nice to be like this, the three of us in a car driving off to some party. It feels like old times,” Chelsea said.
Mikey G’s house was the same as ever. His parents had retired to Florida the year before and given the house to him. It was a small ranch with a pool in the back and they had spent many nights jumping from the roof right into it.
The three of them showed up at eleven, but the house was already jumping. Cars lined the street and there were couples making out in the tall grass of the front yard. Blue reached the door first and opened it to reveal the rager inside. Chelsea didn’t know why she had been worried. If there was one thing Mikey G knew how to do, it was throw a party.
“Oh, look, I see someone I know,” Jamie said once they were inside. “Keep an eye on her for me, will you, Blue?”
“Shut up,” Chelsea said to her sister. But Jamie had already turned away with a wave and gone in search of someone else to talk to.
“Let’s get a drink,” Blue said and Chelsea nodded and followed him into the kitchen.
She felt like a teenager again, her hands shaking a little and she couldn’t look Blue in the eye. Get it together, Chelsea, she chided herself. She wasn’t just another awkward teenager anymore. She was a grown woman with a record contract and a fan base and, besides, what did she have to be nervous about? She had already slept with Blue. Maybe I should sleep with him again, she thought.
It was an appealing idea. Blue was pumping the keg and Chelsea could see the muscles on his arm as he pushed down and just a glimpse of his dark tattoo. Maybe she could sleep with him one more time. Just one more time.
“What are you thinking about?” Blue asked interrupting Chelsea’s train of thought.
“What? Nothing,” she said reaching for the cup of beer he was holding and taking a long swig. She could see friends she had known in high school, but they all looked older a little more sophisticated even while they were drinking out of red solo cups.
“So, you’re a pop star now?” Blue asked.
They were standing by the back door and he pushed it open leading her into the cool night. They were standing on a small patio, leaning on opposite railings; they were very close to each other, Chelsea could have reached out and touched him without moving much at all.
“Not a star yet,” she answered with a shrug.
“But that’s the plan?”
“Yeah. The album drops in three months and hopefully it sells well and then it’s touring, and promotional shows and photo shoots in exotic locals.”
“So I’ll get to say I hooked up with Chelsea Riley before she was famous?” Blue asked.
“It’s not a lie,” Chelsea answered. Something about the night’s air had given her courage. She didn’t need to be shy or awkward in front of Blue; she had known him almost her entire life and she didn’t seem to be able to stay away from him.
He moved his leg so it was touching hers and Chelsea couldn’t help but lean into him. In one fluid motion he stood up straight and then put both of his hands on either side of the railing with Chelsea in between them. She looked up into his dark eyes and brought her hands up to his chest, feeling the strength held there. He cupped her chin in his hand and tilted it up and then they were kissing, his warm lips pressed against hers and she was sliding her tongue over his and Chelsea wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer.
“Blue!” Came a loud call from inside the house.
Chelsea pulled away just as the back door swung open and a large man came barreling out and tackled Blue, picking him up and throwing him down on the ground.
“Ha ha! Got you!” the man said, standing up as Blue coughed and pulled himself into a sitting position.
“Hey, Paul,” Chelsea said crossing her arms over her chest and looking at her old friend.
“What up, Chelsea,” Paul said. He bounded up the stairs and hugged Chelsea so tightly he pulled her up off the ground.
Behind her Blue was standing up and flexing his muscles cursing his friend under his breath.
“Blue DeMarco, back in town,” Paul said, leaning against the railing. “We were worried about you over there, man. My mom was watching the news every day for news about your battalion and your base. She was worried sick. She was so happy the day you were done.”
“I remember the cake she sent me,” Blue said. “Double chocolate fudge, best damn cake I ever had.”
“So what are you doing back? Going to work for your dad?” Paul asked.
“No,” Blue said, shaking his head. “I’m just back in town for a visit, and then I’m headed to college on the GI bill.”
“Very impressive,” Paul said, and then “shots?” he asked, looking from Chelsea to Blue and back again.