Dangerous Games (4 page)

No, my mother wasn’t referring to a cast member on 
Jersey Shore
, she was talking about the “subject that shall never be discussed” so it never was and merely called “The Situation”. Not exactly the most inventive phrase when one considered my mother was an actress but what the hell, it was all water under the bridge now anyway.

“I’m fine. And I hope you’re happy and this guy isn’t just taking you for a ride. I’ll meet him soon enough.” I cleared my throat again. “Listen, I gotta go but we’ll talk soon, okay?”

“You 
do
 plan to spend summer in L.A., don’t you?” Although she phrased it as a question, it was more of a statement.

“Yeah, Mom, I do. Two more weeks of school and then I’m flying back to L.A.”

Not that I’d bought a ticket yet because I really didn’t know if I wanted to go back to the land of the fake and plastic. I’d been running from that miserable place since I’d been plopped down in it at the age of eight. I looked for excuses to spend time in Boston around my mother’s family because my father’s side of the family was so far away and I felt at home back east.

“Okay, let me know when school’s over and I’ll get away so we can have some ‘face time’ together.”

Another euphemism a celebrity’s child got used to hearing. My parents spent so much time on film sets and rarely had ever taken me along, spending time with them was promptly labeled “Face time”.

“Yeah, that sounds great.”

We said our goodbyes and I stuck my overpriced phone in my overpriced Louis Vuitton handbag and made my way back upstairs to the dorms. School couldn’t end fast enough as far as I was concerned.

“M
s. Sandstrom, can I speak to you please?”

Professor Klitzmensch, who I lovingly referred to as Professor Bitchmensch, called after me as class ended.

We had received our papers back from our Abnormal Psychology assignment and Amaani had managed to score me an A minus so I was actually quite pleased.

Our professor, a fussy little woman with frizzy graying hair tucked in a bun, unflattering glasses and clothes always covered in cat hair, beckoned me over. I thought I looked normal enough in a pair of a designer indigo blue jeans and a white cashmere sweater. It was, technically, spring, here in Seattle, but to me it was still chilly and I’d worn sweaters year round while I’d been here.

I approached the professor and smiled though I didn’t have the megawatt charisma as my mother. It wasn’t that I wasn’t attractive but I had one of those garish personalities that people either loved or hated. Amaani had dealt with a lot in her life so my surly attitude never bothered her and as my roomie, she found herself five thousand dollars richer due to writing various papers for me throughout the two semesters.

“Listen, there is no point in beating around the bush. We both know what you did but since I can’t prove it, I am going to offer you an alternative. You can leave the school and at least all your credits will transfer to the new university you pick out,” she explained in that annoying nasally accent many in the Northwest happened to be cursed with.

I glared at her with anger and resignation. “You can’t make me leave this school!” I exclaimed.

“Actually, I can.” Professor Klitzmensch smiled, revealing off-white less-than-straight teeth. “I can prove you have cheated. No, you weren’t quite that obvious about it but I am offering you an out. You can go anywhere you want. This is a prestigious university and UCLA or Pepperdine would be happy to have you. To be honest, I think you would be happier at that 
type
 of university.”

The woman had had it out for me since her daughter had been humiliated during pledge week. I didn’t actually join a sorority but I knew most of the women who were members and it had been my idea her daughter was made an example of. One of the Greek fraternities had taken it too far. One of the hottest jocks in school invited Ruth Klitzmensch out for a date and then took her to a party where she drank too much and embarrassing photos of her dancing around naked managed make their way around the campus via Facebook and uConnect. It wasn’t a great situation. The poor woman had a nervous breakdown and took classes online though there was a rumor she planned to attend the Autumn semester.

Professor Klitzmensch had obviously found out I’d been involved and this was her revenge.

I crossed my arms against my breasts. “Fine. I’ll leave.”

The professor smiled. “Good. I will inform the Dean. Please let us know where you decide to set up camp next.”

I rolled my eyes after I turned away from the bitch Professor and walked out of her classroom.

Amaani waited for me outside. “What the hell was that about?”

“Professor Bitchmensch has blamed me for the humiliation her daughter suffered during ‘Hazing Week’ and therefore has threatened to expose me of cheating if I don’t leave the university.”

“Shit,” my roommate cursed before a shaky hand tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “It was so cool having you as a roomie and I am not going to lie. I kind of got used to that money you were giving me. I don’t know what I am going to do next semester.”

I turned towards her and smiled. “How would you like to attend Boston University?”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“You’re a straight-A student, Amaani, and if I can get it worked out then I can get us both transferred there. We can still be roomies off campus and I can help you out. You don’t think I am going to start studying just because I will be going to another school? I hate it here on the west coast anyway. Boston is so cool and I have a lot of family back there.”

Amaani thought for exactly a couple minutes before she smiled at me. “Well, if you can manage it but what about my scholarship?”

“I’ll pay your tuition until you get your scholarship paperwork worked out. I have a trust fund, remember? It has over one hundred thousand dollars in it and that’s the account I have access to. I can easily pay for you. I just have to work fast. Meet me in our dorm room at six this evening. I have to make some calls and then I will let you know.”

“Okay,” she responded.

As soon as she disappeared around the corner, I grabbed my Ulysse Nardin and began to make the necessary phone calls.

B
y five that evening, everything was worked out, and I was more than happy—more like elated. I’d already purchased my ticket to the destination I always intended to return. Not to Los Angeles but to Boston Logan International Airport. I’d also purchased a ticket for Amaani to Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport. I wanted her to be able to see her family before she started at Boston University.

Normal people couldn’t accomplish what I could but the difference happened to be that I was very wealthy and all it took was a tearful phone call to my father about how I was being bullied at the University of Washington and he immediately made the phone calls. Next thing I knew it, both my roomie and I were transfer students to Boston University and like that, we would start that Autumn on September fourth.

Amaani couldn’t believe it but the look on her face when I handed her the round trip ticket to Amsterdam made me actually feel like a decent human being.

“Evie, how can I repay you?”

“Don’t stand me up on the first day of school,” I replied humorously.

“That isn’t funny. You know I wouldn’t do that.”

She embraced me and reluctantly let go. “Thank you for everything.”

“No problem at all.” I stood and started to walk out of the room. “I haven’t told my mother yet so that is a phone call I won’t put you through. I’ll go outside to make it.”

The door to our room clicked shut and my heart began to beat double time. She wouldn’t be happy at all. She hated the east coast and she didn’t want me to ever stay long term in Boston but it wasn’t really her decision. Partly because I planned to spend the summer there too and that might just make her come undone.

I called her number and her phone was picked up but the voice was masculine and French-accented. “’Allo?”

“Hey, is my mother there? It’s Evie, her daughter,” I replied awkwardly.

“Oh, it is nice to finally speak to you, Elvira! I can’t wait to meet you. Unfortunately, Athena is in the middle of a difficult scene that has taken up half the night. Those bastards won’t let her leave until they finish it properly. Fucking assholes!” he exclaimed before he cursed in a string of French.

I laughed out loud. “I like you already. First lesson in the movie industry: it isn’t that different from the modeling industry. If you remember that then you will do just fine as my mother’s husband.”

“
Je m’excuse
—I didn’t mean to be so rude. I should have introduced myself but it is a bit awkward over the phone. Etienne Fournier at your service although it is much more charming when I do it in person,” he responded. “Athena has told me a lot about you although I can’t say it has all been good.”

“I don’t take offense. I put my mother through hell so she has every reason to talk about me in less than flattering terms. She’s going to hate me even more when I tell her I am not spending the summer in L.A.”

“Well, where will you go?” his tone had changed from joking to ultra serious. “Are you thinking about taking a trip to Europe or something?”

“No, nothing like that,” I responded. I wished I had a cigarette but then I realized I’d quit and he couldn’t argue with me about my decision since he wasn’t my mother’s husband yet. “I’m gonna spend the summer in Boston and I’ve already bought my ticket. Maybe you shouldn’t tell her right after she finishes her scene. Allow her a little downtime because she is going to blow a gasket when she realizes I’m not going back to L.A.”

“Not to be nosy but what happened to her back there in Boston? She hates the place—I wanted to visit but she outright refused. You’d think it was the birthplace of the anti-Christ or something.”

I opened my mouth but that truly was knowledge my mother should share with him instead of me; I had no wish to discuss my family with a stranger. “It’s a long story but all you need to know is she doesn’t it like it there and rarely visits if she can help it. She won’t be pleased about me going there either but I’m not ready for L.A., not yet at least. If she insists on a visit, I can take the train down to New York or something. Just tell her this was my decision and I will call her as soon as I get situated. My plane leaves tomorrow morning so I am going to bed early and will contact her soon.”

Etienne was quiet for a moment. “Okay, I will tell her. Take care of yourself and I will talk her down before she calls you. The last thing you need is an overly dramatic mother yelling in your ear after eight hours of travel.”

“Thank you. We have yet to meet but I already like you.”

“Oh you flatter me, Evie. Have a good flight and good night.”

“Thank you. Good night.”

Our phone call ended and I pressed my phone to my chest. There were so many people in Boston I wanted to call but at the same time, I wanted it to be a surprise. I couldn’t wait to get out of this cold, miserable place.

M
y flight to Boston from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport went off without a hitch and I arrived in the city I’d called home for the first eight years of my life enthused and giddy despite the exhaustion that hadn’t set in though I knew it would eventually.