beverly hills - asher adams

02

"Okay, you're totally checking him out!" Allie whispered in Layla's ear with a knowing look. Allie could always tell when Layla had a crush.

The girls sat on the edge of The Bakers' pool. Jordan decided to throw a pool party for his close friends and Spencer. Probably to make him feel comfortable around them.

Allie swished her manicured feet in the cool chlorine scented pool. "You can't lie to me, Lay."

Layla rolled her eyes. "I am not checking him out. He waved and I waved back. What's the problem in that?"

"Oh, there's no problem, except that you clearly waved then stared at his abs until I got you to stop." Allie giggled.

"Oh my god, shut up." Layla put her face in her hands.

"Are you blushing!?" Allie teased while laughing like a maniac. She loved making her friends embarrassed. "Awe. Little Layla's got a crush."

Movement by Spencer in the corner of Allie's eyes made Allie smirk. "Don't look now, but he's coming our way. And 'I have to pee' so have fun!"

Allie hopped up faster than Layla could stop her. She sped walked by a soaking wet Spencer and winked.

"She's single."

Allie didn't wait for Spencer to answer and sped walked into the Bakers' Mansion. It wasn't bigger than her home, of course, but it was pretty big. Their house was a hell of a lot homey, though.

Laura and Billy Baker tended to make their son and daughter's friends feel like they had loving parents at their house. It didn't matter if they were their kids or not.

That's what Allie loved about the Bakers. They, unlike her parents, loved each other and their children.

Allie was almost 100 percent sure her parents were still together because of the publicity. Because like mother like daughter, who doesn't love fame?

Allie approached Mrs. Baker, who was cutting strawberries with the maid. "Is Olivia in her room?" She asked with a charming smile.

Laura Baker gave a surprised nod. Allie hadn't talked to Olivia in months. The whole Rehab fiasco had Olivia separated from the others.

It's not like Allie and Layla didn't try to get her to be their friend after she came back to school. Because they tried so hard. It was more like Olivia was distancing herself for some reason. 

The reason was unknown for Allie, but she figured if Layla was about to have a hot new guy as her boyfriend, nows a good time as any to make amends.

"Yeah, first room on the right. But you already know that." Laura replied to the bikini-clad girl.

Allie was already on her way up the many stairs, giving the blonde woman a thumbs up for her to know she agreed.

Soft indie music played from the inside of Olivia's bedroom. Allie stood outside of the door and knocked.

"Don't be naked, I'm coming in."

Olivia was sitting in her floor with homework in literal piles around her. Allie raised an eyebrow. "Damn, we were assigned that much homework this week?"

Olivia spits out a pen that was in her mouth. "Yeah. Having a pool party with all of this work is a stupid idea."

"It's fun though." Allie waited for Olivia to laugh, but instead got glared at.

"Can you get out and put on some clothes." Olivia rolled her eyes.

Allie looked down at her black lace bikini. "I thought it made me look sexy. That's what Asher said, at least."

"I don't want to know about you and what your boyfriend thinks is hot, Alexa."

Allie took a seat on Olivia's bed and ignored the harsh look she was getting. "What happened to call me Allie?"

"We used to be friends."

"Okay. That's harsh. And totally not my fault. I miss my friend. You were the one who walked away."

"I went to rehab."

Allie tried not to roll her eyes. When is this girl not pulling that card!? This was all in the past. Why can't she see that?

"All I'm saying is we're here. And you should come and swim. Then, maybe after you could come and get a mani with Layla, Hadley and I."

Olivia pushed her curls out of her face and gave Allie a weak smile. "Thanks, but no thanks. As you said, there's a lot of homework, which I suggest you start."

"What's the fun in that." Allie winked at her old friend and stood up. "When you get your boring ass out of library books, I'll be waiting."

Allie walked out of Olivia's room, turned the corner and literally bumped into Jordan.

Strawberries and a napkin fell to the ground as their bodies collided.

"Oh my god. That's my fault. I wasn't watching where I was going. Which is sad because it's not the first time today I've bumped into someone." Allie chirped with a charming smile as she helped Jordan clean up the mess.

"Don't sweat it. These were for Olivia, anyway." Jordan shrugged. He looked down the hall, then back at Allie. "Were you talking to her?"

Allie handed Jordan the napkin and brushed off her bare knees. "I tried to get her to come out. She didn't want to."

Jordan scoffed. "There's no use trying with her. She barely comes out for dinner."

"That's concerning, yeah?"

"Oh, yeah, definitely."

"Maybe it's just the rehab place. Kenny Geraldton in Grade 12 went to that place last year and came back as a lead singer in a gospel band." Allie cracked a grin. "I've actually gone to a concert and he can actually sing."

Jordan hummed at Allie's joke. Her grin faltered a bit. "Okay, that joke was funny. What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," Jordan replied.

"When girls say 'Nothing' they always mean something." Allie had her head held up high so she could keep eye contact with Jordan. He was either really tall or her 5'3 frame was too short. "What's up?"

"Well, um, I just overheard my father saying that no one on the team has half Spencers' potential. So that totally brought down my spirits."

Allie clucked her tongue. "You didn't realize that? Why would your father recruit someone from across town who lives in a junky neighborhood if he already had a winning team?"

Jordan looked appalled at Allie's honesty. She placed her hand on Jordan's arm because she couldn't reach his shoulder and sighed.

"Look, it hurts knowing there's someone better than you. I know it, you know it, we all know it. So you gotta do what you gotta do to make the situation better for yourself. What are you going to do to change that?"

"Are you trying to be a therapist or something?" Jordan said as a small smile reached his lips.

"Is it working?"

"A little."

"Then, yeah, sure, why not?"

"I can always count on you to make me feel better, Allie. Thanks for that." Jordan sounded like he actually meant it. Which made Allie grin.

"Well I have a crappy life so why not make others feel better than me, am I right?"

Jordan's smile faded and a concerned look replaced it. "No, that's not right. Do you wanna talk about it?"

"I have a therapist. Dr. Halwyn would be jealous if I confided in someone else." Allie's mischievous grin was back.

"Now, I'm going to go steal some strawberries and pester Layla and Spencer." Allie bounced down the hallway and rounded the corner and almost walked face first into the wall.