Lost in Las Vegas (2 page)

“It figures.” Eliza snickered.

“I’m going to wear green,” said Rhiannon quickly, like she was trying to keep this from escalating.

“What do you mean ‘it figures’?” demanded Taylor.

“Everyone else will look Christmassy in red, green, or white, and the vamp will show up wearing black.” Eliza laughed.

“Speaking of winter break,” said Grandmother loudly. “What exactly are your plans, ladies?” She opened her date book and picked up her silver pen. “I’d like to make note of it now, if you don’t mind.”

“I’ll be in France for Christmas,” Eliza announced proudly.

“So you’ll be flying directly to France from Connecticut?” inquired Grandmother.

“Actually, I’ll spend the first week or so in Kentucky,” admitted Eliza. “Visiting with friends and family. Then my older siblings and I will travel together just before Christmas. My mother said the rooms aren’t completely renovated yet. Her designer, a well-known Parisian, promises to have it completed before Christmas Eve.”

“La – TI – da,” said Casey.

Grandmother frowned at Casey. “So, how about you, Miss Atwood? When will you be departing for California?”

“The same day that school is out.”

Grandmother made note of this.

“And I’ll be leaving the day after school is out,” said Rhiannon.

Grandmother’s brows lifted with curiosity. “To go where, dear?”

“To an aunt who lives in Maine.”

Grandmother smiled. “That’s nice. I didn’t know you had an aunt, Rhiannon.”

“I didn’t either. She’s actually a great-aunt and . . .” Rhiannon paused as if unsure. “My mother may be joining me up there.”

“Really?” Grandmother looked a bit skeptical, and everyone else got quiet. They all knew that Rhiannon’s mother was in drug rehab — the lockdown kind.

“Yes. If my aunt signs something, they’ll release her for the holidays.”

“Very interesting.” Grandmother looked at Kriti now. “I assume you’ll be in New York?”

Kriti nodded happily. “Yes. We have some relatives coming from India to visit. My mother is very excited.”

“Well, I’m sure you’ll have a delightful Christmas.” Grandmother frowned with realization. “I suppose you don’t call it Christmas, do you, Kriti?”

Kriti looked slightly embarrassed. “It’s a different sort of holiday, Mrs. Carter. We celebrate things like love, affection, sharing, and the renewing of family bonds.”

“That sounds lovely.” Grandmother looked at Taylor now. “And what will you be doing during the holidays, dear?”

Taylor sighed. “My mother has invited me to tour with her.”

Grandmother’s eyes lit up. She was a huge fan of Eva Perez. “Where will she be touring? Europe still?”

“I wish. No, she’ll be in the Southwest by then. And it looks like we’ll be spending Christmas in Las Vegas.”

Eliza snickered. “Charming.”

Taylor tossed her a warning glance. “Hey, Las Vegas has its perks.”

“Most important is that you’re with family, Taylor.” Grandmother smiled. “Isn’t that what Christmas is all about?”

Taylor shrugged. “I guess.”

Grandmother looked at DJ. “Now, you’re still certain you don’t want to join your father and his family for Christmas, Desiree?”

“No, Grandmother.” DJ tried not to show frustration. But she and Grandmother had already been over this. The last place DJ wanted to be during Christmas break was with her father’s happy little stepfamily. It was bad enough that this would be her first Christmas without her mother. But to be stuck playing the live-in babysitter to the toddler twins was unimaginable.

“Well, I’m sure that we’ll have a delightful time right here at home.” Grandmother smiled at DJ. “Perhaps we’ll have the general over.”

DJ got sympathetic glances from Rhiannon and Casey and maybe even Kriti. Not that she wanted their pity. Eliza just smiled smugly. And Taylor, well, she was a hard one to read.

But later that day after DJ and Rhiannon got back from church, Taylor asked DJ if she was happy about her “holiday plans.”

DJ groaned as she flopped onto her bed. “Holiday plans? Like I planned any of this?”

Taylor laughed. “Yeah, I guess not.”

“I’ll be fine,” DJ assured her. “I’ll catch up on sleep and reading.”

“Maybe Conner will be around to keep you entertained,” Taylor said in a sexy-sounding, teasing tone.

“Conner is going with his family to Montana for two weeks.”

“Bummer.”

“Tell me about it.”

“I know!” Taylor exclaimed. “You’ll come out to Las Vegas and visit me for Christmas.”

DJ just laughed. “Oh, yeah, like that’s going to happen.”

“Why not?” Taylor looked slightly hurt.

“Seriously, Christmas in Las Vegas?”

“Why not?”

“Well, besides the fact that it sounds totally crazy, I know that my grandmother would never — in a million years — agree to something like that.” The truth was that DJ was secretly relieved for this excuse. The only thing she could imagine being worse than spending Christmas with Grandmother in Connecticut, or even her father’s stepfamily in California, would be to spend Christmas in Las Vegas with Taylor Mitchell.

2

“WHY DON’T YOU JUST GO
to the dance with Conner?” demanded Casey as DJ drove them home from school on Tuesday.

“I agree with Casey,” said Taylor. “Why don’t you just get it over with and say you’ll go?”

“I agree too,” chimed in Rhiannon. “
Just go
, DJ.”

“You know you want to,” urged Casey.

“Yes, I’ve admitted that,” said DJ. “But I just don’t want to risk hurting Haley again. She’s been through so much already.”

“That wasn’t your fault,” pointed out Rhiannon.

DJ knew that she hadn’t been the one to push Haley into her “fake” suicide attempt — an attention-getting plan that nearly killed her. But DJ cared about Haley. She didn’t want to take any chances.

“But you said that when Haley was in the hospital, she told you that she was fine with you and Conner getting back — ”

“Sure, she said that. But who knows how she really felt? Or even how she feels now?”

“Where exactly is she now?” ventured Taylor.

“I’m not supposed to say.”

“We know it’s some kind of loony bin,” said Taylor. “Why not just be honest and tell us?”

“It’s
not
a loony bin.” DJ scowled at Taylor as she stopped for the light. “If you must know, it’s a therapeutic clinic in New Jersey.”

“Tomatoes, to-MAH-toes. Same thing, Deej.”

“Whatever. The point is I don’t want to hurt her.”

“I
know
what you’re worried about . . .” Taylor was using that sly tone she sometimes put on to get DJ going. “You think Haley’s thugs are going to beat you up again, don’t you?”

“I do not.” Okay, that was a little worrisome. DJ had done what she could to befriend Bethany and Amy while Haley was still in the hospital. And while Amy showed some signs of understanding, Bethany (a very large and athletic girl) was another story. Bethany was fiercely loyal to Haley. So much so that DJ sometimes secretly wondered if Bethany had feelings beyond just friendship for Haley. Okay, that was ridiculous. But Bethany was scary.

“Why don’t you just call Haley?” suggested Casey. “Ask her how she feels about it?”

“That seems a little harsh,” pointed out DJ. “I mean, she’s being treated for attempting suicide, and I’m calling up to see if it’s okay if I go to the Winter Ball with the guy she OD’d for? Maybe I should ask her about my dress too, and, if I go for a white gown, is it okay to wear white shoes after Labor Day?”

“Yeah, that does seem a little harsh,” agreed Rhiannon.

“So, really, you guys can give it up, okay?” said DJ. “I think Conner already has.”

“I just feel sad that you’re the only one in Carter House who’s not going,” said Rhiannon.

“Well, don’t.” DJ turned onto their street, eager to end this conversation. The truth was DJ felt a little sad about it. In fact, it seemed a little unfair. But it also seemed like the mature thing to do. As far as Crescent Cove High and the world at large were concerned, she and Conner were still just friends. And that’s how she planned to keep it until she knew that Haley could handle it.

“So, do you think Rhiannon and I could borrow your car?” asked Casey. “We still have a few things to pick up for the dance.”

“Sure . . .” DJ pulled into the driveway, suddenly feeling even more out of it. “You mean this afternoon?”

“If you don’t mind . . .”

“We’d ask you to come along too,” said Rhiannon apologetically, “but that might seem rude . . . considering you’re not going to the dance.”

“Hey, why don’t we all go,” suggested Taylor suddenly. “You two can hit your retro stores, and DJ can help me pick out some really hot shoes.”

“Okay,” said DJ, actually feeling eager. “I’ll just pretend like I’m going to the dance too.”

“Who knows,” said Casey, “maybe we’ll change your mind.”

“Or maybe just talk you into a new pair of shoes,” teased Taylor.

So off they headed to the mall. For a while DJ pretended she, like them, was getting ready for the dance. She even held up some dresses and imagined she was going.

“Oh, DJ,” said Taylor as DJ held up a garnet-red sequined number. “That is really hot.” She shook her head. “And most people say blondes can’t wear red.”

“Well, I’m just a dishwater blonde,” DJ reminded her.

“Why don’t you just go?” demanded Taylor. “If it makes you feel better, send Haley a note to explain it. Sheesh, she’s in therapy anyway. It might give her something to talk about during one of her group sessions.”

DJ couldn’t help but laugh. Still, it seemed mean.

“Seriously, DJ. You might be doing her a favor. Kind of a reality check. I mean, it’s about time Haley figured out that, even though she tried to kill herself, she can’t control other people. If a guy doesn’t like you, he just doesn’t like you. Get over it already.”

DJ considered this. As harsh as it sounded, it was probably true. “I don’t know . . .”

“Look, DJ,” said Taylor. “I know you’re trying to be nice — the goody-good girl. But have you considered the possibility that you’re just being codependent?”

“Huh?”

“You actually have some codependent traits.”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, your desire to keep everyone happy and — ”

“I do
not
try to keep everyone happy.”

Taylor laughed. “That’s right. You usually try to make me miserable.”

“I do not.”

“See,” said Taylor, like that proved her point.

DJ felt confused.

“All I’m saying is that you and Conner go tiptoeing around, pretending you’re not dating so that you can protect Haley’s delicate feelings while she’s in the loony bin. And you think you’re helping her? What happens when she’s back in the real world and you and Conner, say, want to go to the prom? Do you blame yourselves if Haley gets hurt and goes and jumps off a bridge? Will you forever be responsible for Haley and the choices she makes?”

“That does sound a little creepy . . . when you put it like that.”

“It sounds unhealthy and codependent to me.”

“So?”

“So, stop it!”

DJ pulled out her phone and hit Conner’s speed dial. “Conner,” she said in a firm voice, “do you still want to take me to the Winter Ball?”

“Of course.”

So she quickly replayed what Taylor had just said, and Conner actually laughed. “Well, I can’t believe that the roommate from hell tells you what I’ve been saying to you for weeks, but you listen to her and not to me.”

“Sorry,” said DJ. “Sometimes God works in mysterious ways.”

Taylor frowned at her with arms folded across her chest and toe tapping.

“Anyway, if you’re okay, I’m okay,” said DJ. “But I plan to write Haley a little note to let her know what’s up. I think it’ll just be kind of like an I’m-thinking-of-you sort of email, and then I’ll casually mention that we’re going to the dance next weekend. Does that sound okay?”

“I don’t think you even need to do that much, DJ.”

“I just want to.”

“Yeah, that’s one of the things I like about you.”

She smiled. “Okay, then . . . sounds like it’s a date.”

“You bet!”

“By the way, my dress is red.”

“Right. Does that mean I need a red tux?”

DJ laughed and whispered to Taylor, “Conner just asked me if he needs to get a red tux.”

Taylor snatched the phone. “Not red, you idiot.” Then she told him specifically what he needed and where to get it before she handed the phone back to DJ.

“Sorry about that,” DJ told Conner.

“No, it’s actually helpful. But I probably should’ve been taking notes.”

“I’m sure Taylor can write it down for you.”