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CHAPTER ONE

Celia

I looked into the mirror as I applied another layer of mascara, careful to let it dry The music was loud in the attached bedroo to the pop song playing over the speakers Brinley was takingwith her for a e and had so that Brin was all over I ran a hand through my curly red bob and tilted my head The curls were crazy, but I decided to accept them and try to love them The beach messed it up, anyway

I took the plum stain that Brin told lossed my full lips before Brin poked her head into the rooh ponytail and she pulled off the perfect winged liner tonight, highlighting her bright green eyes She was gorgeous, and I grinned as I slipped the gloss into the clutch I was bringing along

“How big is this party?” I asked as I slipped my feet into the black ballet flats

“Big It’s at one of the apart to be some alumni there and current students It should be fun” Brin took her red lipstick and lined her lips expertly with it before she took me in

“You look so pretty, Celia I love your hair cut”

“It ht have been a bad idea to do it before I came here The ocean isn’t kind to me” I replied as she slipped on some black heels

Brinley earing a vintage polka dot dress that clung to her curves I knew that she’d uy there and maybe even leave with him since she was a flirt I was the one that was on the shy side and

“People buy a product to get that beach look, Celia You have it naturally” Brin winked ather car, but I could take it home if needed I kneay around an automatic and that hat her sleek BMW was We walked downstairs to the open living roolanced up from her laptop

“Going to the party?” Melinda asked with a warm smile on her beautiful face Brinley looked just like her and I grinned back

“We are I’ll keep Brinley in line,” I teased as Melinda chuckled

“Re to be there, too He called today to tell ht” My heart sank as I stared at the floor Remy was Brin’s older brother, and I’d had a crush on him for years now

“We’ll both have to keep hiht not see him until tomorrow, Mom”

“I want to see all of you toirls”

Brinley told her that ould and led e to her car Their house was ht bedroo roo view Brinley’s father was a successful doctor and her ,else She also volunteered for soreat causes and despite Brin’s comments about her brother, he was headed in the saht he was so perfect

We pulled out of the driveway and she sped to the lared at her “Slon,” I told her as Brinley laughed

“I’ht and I leaned ain and I took in the scenery as we headed to the party My on that was nice before she died in a wreck just after graduation, but sloanted to stay here and have soe was in San Francisco and we both one I’d stayed with Brin and her family on and off for years because Mom travelled a lot for her art career once I started middle school When rade ended, she kind of detached herself and started going on a lot of trips

Melinda took me in and she had been like a second mother to me for most of my life

I stared out of theas she pulled into a huge co around before she parked I followed her as she stepped out of the car and strode to a building in front of us It was clear from the music where the party was, and I wondered if all the students lived here It was so loud There were people in front of the apartazed up the steps as someone called Brinley’s nareeting the fah the door and chatted her way through the crowd to the kitchen, looking at the bottles on the counter as well as the cans packed in ice in coolers against the wall