We Go Down (Bremmy 2)

Chapterish 10

| POCONOS |

ARRIVAL TIME

We turn onto the last road. I say road but it's really more of narrow dirt lane, rutted and uneven, concealed by a canopy of pine trees. I decide it's a good thing Brooks knows exactly where he's driving because it is pitch black. The truck's fixed yellow spotlights are the only things guiding us down this dark rabbit hole.

The forest swallows us whole and spits us back out in a patchy clearing. We come upon the cabin –though that word doesn't seem right anymore. Its towering silhouette is stark against the cobalt sky. I can just make out the railing of a wide deck jettisoning off the side of the house and into the darkness of the pine trees.

"Shit." I mouth.

"What?" Brooks looks over at me, concerned.

"Just bigger than I remember," I say, laughing in my head at the joke there.

"Let's hope that's a good thing," Brooks teases.

"Shut up." I nudge his shoulder with my elbow.

Brooks parks the truck behind Nate's SUV and in the absence of its whistling engine I can hear the raucous inside. I can hear loud music and shouts of laughter. Light seeps from every orifice of the house, separating on the dark lawn like rays of sunshine. I am itching to get out of my skin and into the mansion cabin. Mabin. Too easy?

The boys grab our bags and Lauren sticks to me like glue. I realize she's probably nervous about not knowing more than half the people inside. By the looks (and sounds) of it, we are definitely last to arrive. As we cross the snowplowed driveway, I realize something. I'm nervous too.

I don't know Travis's cousins or their girlfriends, but that doesn't bother me. What bothers me is I haven't seen half these people since last MDW, since I was a drunken, obliterated mess. Since my lips tasted like cherry vodka and Alex –ALEX. Haven't seen or talked to him really, not since the morning after. I don't expect it to be awkward; well maybe meeting his new girlfriend will be a bit weird. Hey bae, seen your boy toy naked. NBD.

I reach the door first and I can already hear Trix's lyrical laugh on the other side. My heart leaps in my chest like it can feel the people waiting through the barrier. I don't care if I haven't seen these people in months. Nerves are for losers.

Lauren pushes the door open and I walk through her perfume again into a brightly lit, wooden-paneled room.

"Holy shit," I gasp.

"We redid it a few years back. You like?" Brooks asks, brows furrowed. Our bags slip from his shoulders as he walks in the door behind me, snatching my waist.

"I love." I stress the word, grinning.

The entire foyer *lobby* is paneled with cedar, each rough plank stacked horizontally on the next. A green pellet stove burns under the floating stairs that lead through an open doorway to the landing upstairs. I inch closer and its warmth floods me, submerging me in its pine-scented waters. Brooks leans against the back wall behind the stairs. It's made entirely of stone piled from floor to ceiling.

Where's my jaw? Oh it's on the floor.

"This place is A-MAZ-ING!" Lauren shrieks. "Like, oh my god. This is not a cabin."

"My thoughts exactly," I agree.

"Come on," Brooks says, closing his hand over mine. He pulls me towards the stairs. "Got some friends I'd like you to meet."

"Hope they like me," I quip.

It's hot as shit upstairs. The heat from the stove rises up through the stairs and into the great room. I pull my sweatshirt over my head again and toss it on a whicker chair in the corner. I run through a quick mental checklist in my head. Fluff up hair. Check. Boob scoop. Check. Lick my dry lips. Check.

Ready.

"What are y'all doing in my house?" Brooks says, rounding the corner into a room full of rowdy people.

"AHH! EMMAY!" Trix screams when she sees me.

"Finally!"

"Welcome to the party," Travis says, standing behind the couch where Trix is sitting.

"Hi guys," I laugh.

"I missed you, Em!" Meg throws an arm around my neck to pull me in for a hug.

"You too, Meg."

Trix almost jumps on me. I swear you'd think we didn't just see each other two weeks ago for New Years. I smell watermelon and booze on her. Maybe watermelon booze.

"Babycakes. GET READY." Trix shouts close to my ear. Her cheeks are rosy red. Almost like her hair. "Wait. Here," she says, thrusting her own red cup into my hand. "Catch up. Let's go."

I oblige, taking the cup and raising it to my lips. So not watermelon then.

"Girl means business," Meg says.

"Trust me, I know. This bitch got me shit-faced on New Years." I roll my eyes to scold at Trix. They move past her to the guys in the kitchen. To Brooks. "And look how that ended up."

"You're welcome." Trix pouts, whipping her hair. I can tell she's trying not to laugh and failing. Meg shakes her head, laughing.

"Meg, this is Lauren. Lauren, Meg." I make introductions like an adult.

"Hey. Nice to meet you," Meg says, shaking Lauren's hand.

"You too!" Lauren smiles.

"C'mon. Meet everyone else." Meg steers me into the kitchen on the other side of the room.

I see Johnny and Sara first, hugging them before moving farther into the crowd. I hug Nate and then Travis, who introduces me to his cousin Vin and the wreath of pot smoke circling his head. I meet Jack and his girlfriend Cam next, making a mental note of loving her pink nail color and gold earring cuff. Love her bag and booties too. Basically I want her wardrobe. Her and Lauren are going to hit it off.

"Hey guys," Alex says, walking up to Brooks and me.

"Hey Alex."

I'm not sure a hug is on the table, especially considering Brooks is standing right beside me, but Alex swoops in happy to hug me as always. Bold move. I catch a whiff of the musky cologne on his black V neck.

"Hey man," Brooks says, cheery, clapping Alex on the shoulder.

OK. This is good. No bad blood.

"So glad you both came. Oh, this is Whit," Alex says, a girl appearing next to us.

"Hey! Nice to meet you two," she coos.

"Hi," I mumble into a mouthful of her hair. Brooks's own hello echoes mine.

Hugger. I hate her.

Don't hate her hair product though. Or her hair. I take a step back when she lets me go and decide I like everything about her. I mean she is overly friendly, but it matches her overly above-average looks. Long dark brown hair. Deep olive skin. Large almond eyes. And she's wearing a faded baseball T-shirt with baggy jeans. I can see why Alex likes her.

"Thanks so much for having us," Whit says, clinging lightly to Alex's arm, beaming up at him with a smile so beautiful and in your face like it's not even trying to be. She reminds me of Trix. Plain likeable. I hate that I don't hate her.

"You're welcome." I find myself answering like it's my house she's in. Brooks smirks.

"What took you guys so long? Travis said you were right behind us." Alex asks.

"We were but had to make a few stops," Brooks answers.

"Gas. S'mores. Diner." I list our stops on my fingers.

"Hey, which rooms are left?" Brody asks from the stairs' landing. Bags in hand.

"We saved yours, don't worry." Travis calls over his shoulder. He looks at Brooks and then at me. "Yours too. Honeymoon suite."

"Ha-ha," I mock laugh.