Storms 01 - Family Storms

you home seasick. My mother called, and I told her you were on the island. She tried your phone next and then called me back, and I told her you left it on the boat. Remember to say that,” she added, and sipped her drink.
    Everyone continued to stare at me.
    “I want to talk to you,” I said.
    “So talk. We don’t keep secrets from each other, remember?”
    Everyone laughed.
    I started to cry. “I want to talk to you,” I insisted.
    She groaned, finished her drink, and stood. “Will youall excuse me? Babysitting duties call,” she said, and came to the stateroom.
    I closed the door.
    “What?”
    “What did you give me to drink?”
    “I don’t know. Something Ricky’s father had on the boat.”
    “I don’t know what happened to me. I think … was I raped?”
    “Raped? You were initiated, Sasha. Don’t think of it as being raped.”
    “But I think everyone was there.”
    She smiled. “No one was there but Ricky.”
    “I … it was like a rape.”
    “I told you. Don’t think of it as a rape.”
    “What should I think of it as?”
    She thought a moment and smiled. “Think of it the way you would think of a toothache. Now it’s over,” she said, and walked out.

30
Lies
    I kept to myself for the remainder of the trip. No one tried to get me into any conversations, anyway. It made me feel like yesterday’s news. Even Ricky was aloof and indifferent. He never asked me how I felt. When we docked in Marina Del Ray, Kiera called to me to hurry along. She was anticipating another call from her mother any minute.
    “I’ll call her first and let her know we’re on the way home once we’re started,” she said. That seemed to be the only thing that mattered to her now.
    As I stepped off the boat, I saw the way the others were looking at me. None of the girls said good-bye or “See you later.” They all simply stared at me. When I looked back at them, they were huddled and whispering.
    “Is everyone angry at me?” I asked Kiera after we got into a taxi she had waiting.
    “Don’t ask, don’t tell,” she replied, and laughed.
    “What does that mean?”
    “It means what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, Sasha.Don’t go blabbing about our trip. I’ll describe some of the things on Catalina that you missed,” she added. “Just in case my mother gives you the third degree or something.”
    She then narrated her version of our story, even elaborating on what we all had for lunch.
    “Did you really do all that?” I asked.
    “Of course,” she said. “Why would I lie to you?”
    “It’s not that. I can’t believe I slept through it all.”
    “Don’t mention being seasick. You can say you were a little woozy but you got over it,” she instructed. Then she put her earphones in and turned on her iPod and sang along. I couldn’t remember when she had looked and acted so happy.
    After the taxi dropped us off, I turned to her and said, “So now I’m a full-fledged member of the VA club, huh?”
    She paused at the front door and looked at me with the most curious expression on her face. “Pardon me?”
    “The club,” I said.
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Sasha,” she said, and opened the door.
    I hurried in after her to pursue and understand, but before I could say anything else, both Mr. and Mrs. March came strolling out of the entertainment center, laughing. They paused when they saw us.
    “Hey,” Mr. March called. “How was your day, girls?”
    “Miserable,” Kiera said, and charged up the stairway.
    I stood looking after her with just as shocked a face as they had. She didn’t look back. She pounded her way up as if she were trying to stamp out bugs on the steps.
    “What happened?” Mrs. March asked me as sheapproached. “When I called, she said you were all at a restaurant and were having a great time.”
    I shook my head. What was I supposed to be saying? Had Kiera forgotten to prepare me?
    “Did something bad happen on the boat?” Mr. March asked, stepping up beside Mrs. March. “No accidents, I hope.”
    “No,” I said.
    “Well, then, what is it?” he asked.
    “I don’t know,” I said. “I’ll go talk to her.”
    “What the hell …” He looked at Mrs. March, who just shook her head.
    I moved quickly to get away from them, fearful that I would say the wrong thing. Kiera had her door closed, so I knocked. She didn’t open it or respond.
    “Kiera? What’s going on? Your parents are confused, and so am I.” I looked back to be sure