The Siren by KATHERINE JOHN (general ebook reader .txt) 📕

but what the hell. I was having fun tonight. We followed Tawny toward the half of the restaurant that had been cleared for the band, where the makeup and wardrobe girls danced with a handful of crew guys and locals. The overhead lights were dark, replaced with rotating colored ones that made for a festive lo-fi scene, and on the far side of the dance floor I immediately spotted Rick, leaning casually against an open window in conversation with Cole.

I didn’t like the way I perked up at the sight of him. He smiled and raised his beer to me, but not wanting to give Cole any more ammunition, I pretended not to see and angled my back toward them. Cole was probably telling Rick how I’d gotten blackout drunk and thrown myself at him. Rick was probably laughing at my expense. Suddenly self-conscious, I no longer felt much like dancing, so I made my excuses and threaded my way toward a side exit leading down to the beach.

I wouldn’t make a fool of myself over a man again. I was better off alone.

Stella

Steel drums. Laughter. The burn of tequila in my throat. I preferred gin, but Tawny was funny! I liked this song. You put the lime in the coconut. It was the right thing to do. The coconut needed the lime and the lime needed the coconut. And they both needed the rum. The rum! I hadn’t fully appreciated rum before. A travesty, really. Travesty tragedy thespian lesbian tongue twister mama’s mister. I missed doing plays. The stage was where the real art was. And Taylor was nicer than I’d given her credit for. Cole was an asshole to her at the table. What had he said? I couldn’t remember, but it wasn’t nice. He wasn’t a nice person, I remembered that much. Why had he asked me here? Madison could have him. That bitch. It was her who sold that picture of me in the puddle, I knew it was. I saw that atrocious lime-green raincoat—you couldn’t miss it. I wanted to dance. The balmy breeze on my skin, the music, and the waves…This was the islands! Steel drums! I should dance. Felicity could read my mind, she was pulling me toward the dance floor. She would be so much better in Madison’s role. Red and purple and green lights spinning. I needed to take off my shoes they were in my way, that must be why my limbs felt so slow. This beat was slippery. I moved across the dance floor, and suddenly my drink was on the floor. But no one seemed to mind. It was almost empty anyway. I would clean it up but my head was too heavy. I stumbled, but the wall caught me. The floor was uneven. Was it dark in here, or was it me?

Where was the bathroom? Cole was in the hallway, smiling. He caught me when I tripped. It was the shoes, I explained. You should really replace Madison. I know you’re fucking her, but Felicity is so much better, Taylor agrees. Don’t you want the movie to be good then you should fire Madison and hire Felicity. He was laughing, but it wasn’t a nice laugh. He was saying something about my drink and helping me sit down against the wall. A flash, dots of green. I just wanted to take my shoes off. Oh hell there was Madison had she been there all along? She was an evil doll with empty eyes but my head was so heavy. Sleep. Cole said I needed to sleep right here. His teeth looked like a wolf’s.

June 27, 2019

Taylor

I sat on a bench outside the entrance to Coco’s, facing the sea and nursing my dark mood. The waxing moon was high and the tide was low, the shore only a stone’s throw away. The sea gurgled as it raked broken bits of shells back and forth along the beach, oddly in sync with the music wafting through the open windows of the restaurant. I gazed across the moonlit water toward the shimmering lights of Saint Ann, considering whether anyone would notice if I cut out early and snuck back to my bungalow. Behind me, a screen door slammed.

“Hey.”

I turned to see Rick, his muscular form backlit as he approached. Great.

“Hi.” I gave him a perfunctory smile as he sat next to me, but he saw straight through me.

“Everything cool?”

“Yeah. I just needed a break,” I fibbed.

He gave me the side-eye. “Okay.”

“It’s Cole, if you must know.” I sighed. “He said some shit to me that…wasn’t very nice.”

“Wanna tell me about it?”

I shook my head. “I don’t want to give him any more of my time tonight. Was he saying nasty things about me behind my back?”

“I thought you didn’t want to give him any more of your time tonight.”

I groaned and crossed my arms.

“No, he wasn’t,” he said. I could feel his eyes on me. “But even if he was, who cares? He’s an asshole—you said it yourself.”

“Fine.” I met his steady gaze and felt the corners of my mouth involuntarily turn up. I couldn’t help it. I felt good when I was around him. “No more Cole tonight.”

He raised his beer in salute. I grabbed it and took a slug, and he laughed.

“So,” I said.

“So.”

I looked down at his cargo shorts. “Nice pants.”

He noticed my matching pair. “Same. Pockets, right?”

“So useful,” I agreed.

He stood and kicked off his flip-flops. “Wanna see something cool?” I knew I shouldn’t, but I’d started to feel my mood lighten since he sat next to me, and he was only being friendly, right? I nodded. “This way.” He moved down the pathway toward the ocean, and I slipped out of my sandals and followed him.

The breeze was stronger on the beach, away from the shelter of the trees and buildings. I wrapped my arms around myself to stay warm, looking up at the countless glinting stars as we shuffled through the