Bradford Bank

3

As we entered and walked down the stairs, party lights strobed the basement walls. A pool and table were full of people playing, with other people standing and talking.
"Don't except drink from anyone but us okay?"
Ferris whispered and wrapped his arm around my back.
"I'm going to explain some stuff to you very quickly. The guy in the black hoodie at the card table is someone to never piss off, don't even talk to him. Mason Hayse is apart of that mess, steer clear in public. But again, only drinks from us and if you need to leave we'll leave."
"I actually had plans tonight, so I'm going to dip."
I went to walk out but Gentry stopped me.
"You have to stay, dads got a tracker on our phones I haven't figured out how to disable. I can't have you leave phoneless, I'm sorry."
I sighed, following all of them to the pool table to watch. Ferris stayed behind me the entire time, while my twin and Jensen stayed at my sides. They finally left me to sit at a bar stool near the pool table to people watch while they played pool. When Enzo walked down the stairs in all black, I was in awe. He looked so different from when I left, more mysterious. More dangerous. He walked straight to the black hoodie man and handed him a roll of cash.
"What's going on over there?"
I leaned forward and asked Ferris as he walked by, and his eyes trailed away from the table and to the transaction.
"Some deal they made, as long as you pay him back you're safe."
"So why invite him here if he's dangerous?"
Ferris shrugged and went back to playing pool. I trained my eyes else where, remembering what Ferris had told me.
"Well that's a face I haven't seen in a long time."
Enzo's signature smirk pulled at his lips as he wrapped me in a hug, I hesitated but ultimately hugged him, I had missed him since the day I left.
"How're you Peach?"
"I'm good, you?"
"Good, when'd you move back?"
"Yesterday actually."
He nodded and I watched Mason walk over.
"Excuse me."
I left before Mason could even see me and stood next to my twin.
"All good?"
"Yeah, why aren't you friends with Enzo anymore?"
Gentry missed his shot then turned to me.
"He's gotten into some bad stuff, we don't need to tie ourselves to that."
"But you can tie yourself to Jensen who has obviously a bad person here making deals."
Gentry sighed and rubbed his face in frustration.
"It's different, Im not going to explain why. You don't need to know about any of it. Just go get a beer and relax."
He waved me off so I walked to the drink table, opening a beer. I watched them become distracted with their game, so I slid my phone under the napkins on the table and slipped up the stairs and out of the house. Making my trek to Jaz's party. Once I hopped the fence, the string of lights hanging from the tree illuminated the jacuzzi and the faces of my friends.
"There she is! What're you wearing?"
"I got dragged to a card night, I snuck away."
Jaz jumped out of the jacuzzi and pulled me to her room.
"Where's DJ?"
"Bathroom, here put this on."
I went to change but remembered my arm.
"Ya know, I don't think I'm going to swim tonight. I have to go to the country club in the morning and I..."
"You afraid of alittle water?"
Jaz snickered and threw the bathing suit back into my arms the redid her bun. I decided to change and just crossed my arms, setting my entire palm over the handprint. We went back to the jacuzzi, getting in. DJ came back soon after and his eyes got wide when he saw me.
"What's up sweet pea, didn't think you'd come."
"Of course, took alittle bit but I got out."
DJ sat next to me and I finally could see the damage. The whole inner corner of his eye was purple, but his eyes flickered to my arm. Only the very top showed in the water, I turned away and shrank down to cover it.
"Let's play never have I ever!"
Penny shrieked and help one hand above the water, all of us following along.
"Alright, never have I ever had a one night stand."
DJ, Jaz, and Fisher put their fingers down. Penny glared to her boyfriend but I just laughed nervously.
"You two are no fun, never have I ever been black out drunk."
Jaz said proudly. Everyone but Jaz put a finger down and she gawked at me.
"Whoa I take back what I said Lo, you obviously can party."
I smiled, but a party is not where it happened.
"Never have I ever done drugs."
I smirked and watched both the guys put fingers down.
"It was weed okay, not real drugs!"
Fisher exclaimed after Penny slapped his arm lightly.
"Never have I never done it in the woods."
DJ said glaring at Penny and Fisher. They both put a finger down, and when Jaz's disappeared I gasped.
"Dude really?!"
"The beach too."
She laughed out and I laughed with her.
"Fine never have I ever moved out of bankside."
"Low blow Fisher."
I chuckled out, and he smiled.
"Never have I ever skinny dipped."
Penny nudged Fisher and laughed as Fisher's last finger went down.
"So what cards were the Keith's playing?"
"Jensen has a pool and card table in his basement. So I got dragged along to meet people, but I left my phone and snuck out when they were playing."
Jaz nodded and grabbed a beer from the cooler they had zip tied to the jacuzzi. She passed them around and we all drank, talking about everything getting tipsy.
"Alright I should probably walk home, Gentry is bound to know I'm missing and be pissed."
I went to get out but fell lightly, DJ putting his hand on my back to catch me.
"Let me walk you back at least to the main road."
I nodded, going inside slowly to change. Stumbling a bit but getting myself changed.
"What kinda beer did you give me? I'm no light weight."
"Idk it's a 10% though, and we've gone through the cooler so like 4 each."
I cursed to myself as I tied my converse and stood. I walked slowly down the stairs and met DJ at the fence.
"I'll see y'all tomorrow."
DJ said and helped me over the fence.
"I really didn't mean to get like this."
I whispered and he wrapped his arm around my shoulders.
"It's all good, I didn't realize she grabbed her dads cooler."
"Why aren't you messed up?"
"I only had two, Jaz drank my others."
I nodded as he guided me up the road, a couple cars passed then a charger stopped ahead of us.
"Who's that?"
I sobered up as DJ stepped in front of me. Enzo stepped out with Mason stepping out of the passenger side.
"Hey peaches, your brother is looking for you. We can take you back."
"No I'll walk it's all good, DJ was just walking me back."
I pushed passed DJ and he followed, but as I tried to walk passed his car he stepped in front of me.
"Let me text G at least, just to let him know you're okay. They're driving around trying to figure out where you went."
I looked back at DJ and he nodded.
"That's fine, text him but I'm going to keep walking."
Enzo grabbed his phone and texted quickly, then stepped out of my way. I got uneasy with him blocking me, old Enzo would've walked me home or just left me alone if I asked. Not hold me back.
"What happened to him?"
"I don't know, after you left he started hanging out with the Bradford high class. Then got into it with Mason the last month or so. He changed, that's why we all stopped hanging with him."
I nodded and Gentry was outside the gate so I thanked DJ and said goodbye, not wanting a repeat.
"What. The. Fuck. Lo."
I shrugged, taking my phone from his hand and walking through the gate. I walked as Gentry rambled on about worrying and safety, ignoring most of it. Until he stopped talking suddenly, looking back at him. His eyes were trained somewhere and as I looked onto the porch, our father was sitting on the bench.
"We were just walking back from the card game."
Gentry said walking to my side before putting his hand on the small of my back.
"Act upset."
He said under his breath, so I pushed him off me and went to storm up the stairs but  dad stepped in front of the door.
"What's going on you two?"
I stayed silent, I'm the worst liar.
"She's pissed we watched over her all night like hawks, that she could only get so far and then one of the girls spilled a drink over her head for god knows why."
Gentry sighed out convincingly, walking up behind me.
"Penelope, why'd she do it?"
"She thought Ferris was flirting with me and she has a crush on him or something. I was honestly too shocked to listen fully to her."
I grumbled and dad opened the door allowing us inside.
"Penelope go shower, Gentry come talk."
Dad left the entry and walked to his study, I looked to Gentry and he just smiled lightly. I ascended the stairs, getting in the shower like my father asked and washed the chlorine off me. He had to of smelled it, there's no way. He wouldn't have asked Gentry to the study, right? He would've just let us sleep and talk in the morning. Right?