The Wrong Side Of The Tracks (Leighton) (14 page)

As she pulled the study door shut she heard the cordless phone in the kitchen's shrill ringing.  Alex rushed to the kitchen to pick it up before h
er Grandma came back down stairs to answer it. 

"Hello,"
she answered breathlessly

"Alex?"

"Yeah, who's this?"  It definitely wasn't Kenzie's raspy voice on the other end, it sounded vaguely familiar but she couldn’t put her finger on it.

"U
gh, Camryn."  She hadn't spoken to her since the day after LVL when she invited her to the diner.             

"Oh, hi."

"Are you still mad at me or something?  You haven’t talked to me in like two weeks."

Alex
snorted; Camryn Rollins was the least of her worries.  Since LVL she had gotten arrested, grounded, met her dead Aunt's baby-daddy, and found out her Mom was a lying whore.  How cute of Camryn to think that she was affected by her petty high-school drama. 

"No, I just have had a lot going on
, family stuff.  How did you know I was here?"

"I called your house phone since yours is off, and your brother gave me this number."

"Oh."

"So,
what’s up?  How's your new man?"

Alex
giggled; she did miss Cam a little.  Not that she didn't love Kenzie; she just needed space from Kenzie's family.  She was in a love-hate relationship with her brother, her Mom was Sandra's best-friend, and her Uncle was Sandra's baby-daddy.  It was just too much to deal with right now.  Talking to Cam reminded her of the good ole days when the biggest ordeal in her life was which one of them was going to go out with goofy Nate.  They chatted for a few more minutes about all the high-school drama Alex had been missing out on, then they decided to hang out.

"Why don't you come over here tonight?"

Alex could picture Cam wrinkling her nose like she was grossed out, "To your Grandma's?"  She knew she could sneak out and go to Cam's without any problems, but she had ulterior motives.  She had to get into the safe in the cellar, and Cam would be the perfect partner-in-crime.  They use to go on missions all the time, sneaking beer, hacking people's Facebook accounts, following Cam's Dad when they thought he was cheating on her Mom; finding the safe and breaking into it was right up their alley.

"I don't know Alex, she do
esn't even have cable."

"No, but she's old and she goes to bed at like seven.  Who said we're staying here all night?"

"Oh, okay.  I gotcha.  I'll go get some clothes together and I'll have my Mom bring me over."

Alex hung up the phone and leaned against t
he counter.  Had she made a big mistake inviting Camryn over?  If her Mom found out she was going to her Grandma's so she could hang out with her friends and not be grounded, she'd never let her come back.  And Camryn was shady, what if she tried to burn her again?  It was too late though; she couldn't call her back and tell her not to come.

She sat down at the kitchen table and pulled her books out of her school-bag.  She might as well try to do some homework to kill time until she came over.  In health cl
ass the guidance counselor had come in and talked to them about teen depression and suicide.  They were supposed to make a list of things that would make them happy.  Then one-by-one they were supposed to tackle each item on the list and theoretically after they fixed each thing on the list they would be happy.  Alex glanced over the list she had made in class.  She was scared they'd have to turn it in so she listed a bunch of typical problems like 'get better grades' and 'not fight with my parents'.  At the time the list idea seemed corny, but now it kind of made sense.  Her real 'Happy List' would have taken up front and back.  She wasn't going to be happy again until she got some answers.  She couldn't move on until she knew why Donavon’s and her DNA didn't match or what happened to Sandra's baby, her cousin.  Karter and her didn't stand a chance of making it until she resolved all her baggage, and she was falling for him harder every time she seen him. 

"Who was on the telephone?"

Alex jumped a little, her Grandma stood behind her in a nightgown.

"Umm, Camryn."

"From Leighton-Prep?  I didn't know you two were still close."

"We weren't.  But we're trying to work things out.  I just want to try and put all this stuff behind me and get back into the swing of
things." Alex lied.  Her Grandma obviously wasn't going to be any help to her with her questions.  Either she was really clueless or a really good liar.  Either way, with her parents still giving her the silent treatment, her Grandma was the only family she had on her side. And she needed her to stay on her side.  

Alex's Grandma nodded approvingly as she chased her medication with a glass of water, "I think that's a good idea Alex.  You're just a kid,
and you need to start doing kid stuff again."

"Do yo
u mind if Cam comes over tonight, just like a little sleepover?"

"I think that's a great idea."

"Thanks Gram," Alex smiled back at her.  No wonder Sandra got herself into so many crazy situations.  Her Grandma was such a pushover.  She nervously wiped down the marble countertop with a sponge, hoping her Grandma would retreat back upstairs before Cam showed up.  Then she would realize she was already on her way when Alex asked if she could come over.

"Well, I'm going to head back upstairs.  If I doze off and
you girls need anything don't be scared to wake me up.  There's a casserole in the fridge for dinner, just heat it up when you're ready for dinner."

Alex hugged her tight, "Good night Gram.  Thank you for putting up with me.  I promise after tonight every
thing is going to be better."  She was banking on the box in the cellar, there had to be something in it that would help her figure out what happened to her family fifteen years ago.

Minutes after her Grandma made her way back upstairs, someone knocked on
the front door.  Alex inhaled deeply and swung the heavy oak door open.  Cam rushed into her arms almost knocking her over, giggling hysterically.

"I missed you bestie!" she shrieked.

Alex couldn't help but laugh. She really had missed Cam a little.  She helped her carry her bags into the kitchen and dropped them on the table. 

"Look!  I brought refreshments!"  Cam held up a six pack of wine coolers, flashing a goofy-happy grin.  Alex had to look away to hide her eye-roll
. She'd been drinking rum with Kenzie, a couple wine coolers wasn't going to do anything for her.  She faked some excitement as she took the bottle Cam offered her.

Alex led her through the den and out on the back deck, and they sat down on the porch swing.

"Besties back in action!" chirped Cam as she clanked bottles with her.

Alex laughed, “
You’re corny, but cheers.”  Alex couldn’t believe she had been so nervous before she got here.  What was she scared of?  This was Cam, her best friend since elementary school.  They’d laughed together, cried together, gotten into trouble together, danced together, and now they’re fought over a boy together.  They should have buried the hatchet weeks ago.

Cam took a long sip of her wine cooler then asked, “
So what are we doing tonight?”

“
Well I was thinking we could probably find a party or something later.  But before we go out I have a mission for us.”

“
Oh, I miss our missions!  Where are we going?”

“
Into the basement.”

Cam wrinkled her house, “
Eww.  Why?”

“
I need to find a fire-proof box.  It used to be my Grandpa’s.”

“
Why do we need to find your Grandpa’s box?”

“
I don’t need the box; I need what’s inside it.”

Cam batted her mascara heavy lashes and whispered, “
Is it money?”

“
Nope.  Secrets,” teased Alex.

A strange expression crossed over Cam
’s flushed face as she twisted open another wine cooler. “Well they better be some damn good secrets, if that’s how I’m going to be spending my Friday night.”

Alex ignored her sarcasm and changed the subject, “
Whoa party-animal, save a few for me.”

Cam smirked, “
Sorry.  Honestly I was drunk before I got here.  My mom made some daiquiris.”

“
Must be nice to be Camryn Rollins!”  Alex batted her lashes and wrinkled her nose like Cam always did and mocked her, ‘Hi I’m Cam, after school I’m going to have some daiquiris with my Mom, and then get drove wherever I want to go.’

Cam pinched her arm through her
Boho denim jacket, “Knock it off!  My Mom just wants me to be happy!”  Then she lowered her voice and added, “You make me sound like a spoiled brat, trust me my life isn’t perfect.”

Alex rolled her eyes and laughed.  Cam was an only child, and her parents had catered to her since she had met her.  Anything she wanted, they made sure she got.  If she wanted ice cream at two in the morning, they would get dressed and go out an
d find her some ice cream. 

Cam jumped to her feet and stumbled a little, “
All right let’s go find this mysterious box, so we can get the hell out of here!”  Alex stood much more gracefully than her and headed back inside.  Cam really wasn’t going to be much help to her, she was already slurring her words and swaying from side to side as they walked down the hallway.  Alex handed her a flashlight and headed down the stairs into the basement.

When you s
aw her Grandma’s mini mansion you would expect a fancy renovated basement with a bar and big screen TV.  It was the exact opposite though.  They called it the cellar, because the only thing in it was a dusty wine rack, and shelves and boxes full of old tools and car parts.  There was one chair in the middle of the cracked cement floor where her Grandpa used to sit and smoke cigars.  There were no lights or windows, so the only way they could see was from their flashlights.

Cam flailed her arms as she made her way down the stairs batting away cobwebs.  “
This is so gross!” she shrieked.

Alex sucked her breath in, trying to calm
down and fight her irritation.  She inhaled so much damp dust she had to stop and cough.  She pointed her flashlight around the cellar looking for the box.  It had to be on the shelves that lined the back wall.

“
Come on, let’s just find the box and get outta here.  You check those shelves and I’ll check these ones.”

Cam shuffled over to the shelves and started rummaging through stuff as she whined, “
I feel like I’m in a torture chamber on a scary movie.”

Alex ignored her as she scanned the shelves unsuccessfully.  On a hunch she started clearing away the rows of antique liquor bottles.  Stashed against the wall behind a dusty Jack Daniels bottle, she caught a glimpse of the old red metal box.

“
Cam,” she hissed motioning for her to join her.  “Come hold this chair so I can climb up here, I found it.”

“
Thank God,” she grumbled as she held the back of the old rickety chair so Alex could reach the box.  She pulled it down from the shelf and began brushing off the layers of damp dust.

“
Is it safe to assume you don’t have the key?” Camryn asked.

Alex smiled, “
Actually I might.”  She pulled the key out of her back pocket that she swiped before she left her Grandpa’s study.  She pushed it into the keyhole and it was a perfect fit.  She paused for a moment to try to prepare for what was inside, but Camryn was in no mood for the dramatization. “Come on...open it already.  I want to get out of this torture chamber.”

Alex pulled the lid open and shone her
flashlight over the contents.  Her heart sunk into her stomach.  She wasn’t sure what to expect, but she was sure this wasn’t it.  Inside the dusty box was a bunch of letters on old lined paper with a rubber band around them, and a few old stale cigars with a book of matches.  She didn’t have time to be disappointed because Cam had already mumbled something about a waste of time and started stumbling up the dark stairs.  Alex grabbed the bundle of letters and slammed the box shut, and rushed to follow her up the stairs in case she fell.

Camryn collapsed on the sofa in the den and Alex sunk down beside her.  She carefully removed the
rubber band from the letters, and took the first one off the pile.  Cam moved close to her and began reading over her should out loud, “When I feel your breath on my skin I lose all control?  Eww, are these love letters from your Grandma? Gross!”

Alex scanned the page and flipped it over.  She shook her head, “
No.  It’s signed by my Mom.”

“
Why did your Grandpa keep your parents’ love letters?  That’s creepy.”

“
No, it is right up his alley.  He was probably blackmailing one or both of them.”  Alex let her guard down and decided to spill a little information to Camryn.  Before she got there she promised herself she wasn’t going to give her any ammunition in case she turned on her again, but she needed to vent a little.  And she felt like she owed her, after all she did spend her Friday night going on a “mission” to find corny love letters between her parents.  Besides, she was so bombed in the morning she probably wouldn’t remember anyways,