Page 16 of Prince of the Palisades

Instinctively, I open my messages. Sitting at the top of my inbox is my thread with Kofi. It’s where I’d always go after a shitty headline. A fight with my ex. Whenever the feeling in my chest got too hot.

But we’re not like that anymore.

He didn’t even look at me when the video was released. Just packed his bags and left while I was showering, after my call with Papa. No explanations. Now, he won’t answer any calls. The remains of our friendship are nothing more than a series of unanswered blue message bubbles.

“Asshole.”

I almost drop my phone when someone collapses next to me.

Pink Boy.Reiss.

He wipes his phone screen across his chest. “Nobody appreciates the sacred art of short filmmaking anymore.” He glares in the direction of the pool.

The lights at the bottom of the water give everyone a fluorescent blue hue. Someone yells, “Marco!” The other swimmers squeal, “Polo!”

While he’s not looking, Icasuallyskim my eyes over his body. Water spots darken his pale green shorts. His frond-print button-up is also damp. The fire’s glow highlights his round jaw. He absently licks his lips.

“Luckily, they didn’t damage the equipment.” He holds up his iPhone. It’s not the latest model like every other student around campus carries. But there’s no cracks either. The blackcase says, in capitalized white letters,I Like Filmmaking and Maybe 3 People.

A surprised snort escapes my nose.

Reiss smiles.

This close, I notice the little details I missed the first time. His long fingers drumming on his knee. Tiny wrinkles in his forehead, like he’s always thinking about something. The helix piercings in both his ears with twin hoop earrings. How his eyes are a rich, dark brown like a forest cast in shadow.

He clears his throat. I’ve been staring too long, too hard. I try to think of something nonchalant to say.

“Nice…shorts.”Okay, not that. Now he probably thinks I was checking out his crotch. I straighten my shoulders. “Nicenight. Great party.”

Wonderful. Years of conversational training and that’s the best I have.

Reiss doesn’t seem to care. “I shouldn’t even be here,” he says. “My best friend dragged me. This ishiscrowd. Only cause his family’s loaded.” He makes a face at that last comment. “Not that he’s not dope on his own. He totally is. I’d fight a hippo for him and—”

“Sorry, you’d do what?”

A blush spreads over his cheeks. “Fight a hippo? Wow. I really said that.”

“You did,” I confirm.

“Anyway, Karan’s awesome,” he says. “I tag along to these things so my parents don’t think I’m lonely. Or tragic. Or desperate.”

“Are you?”

“Sorry, you’re a stranger and that’s confidential information. Can’t show off my emo to just anyone.”

My lips have this need to grin. So, he’s kind of funny. A little interesting too.

“You should be careful,” he warns.

I furrow my brow. “Why?”

“No one told you?” He leans in, whispering, “I’m a scholarship kid. Instant social outcast status.”

Fine. He’sreallyfunny. “Who said you were cool enough for social outcast status?”

“Ouch!” His laugh is scratchy, low. He eases back into his former relaxed position. “You got jokes.”

I shrug, convinced my proximity to the fire pit is the reason for how hot my skin is.

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