Across the Pond

Chapter 5

Remi and I couldn't be more different, and to be honest, I wouldn't have it any other way. That's why our friendship works. When I'm too lazy to go out, Remi forces me off the couch. When she's too loud, I tell her to take it down a notch. And even though we only see each other in the summers, she's been a closer, more loyal friend to me than anyone else back home in Long Island has.

"Ahhhhhh," she shrieks the second that I open the door. She pulls me in for the tightest hug, and I'm so happy that she's here. Even if she wasn't coming from her parent's anniversary dinner, Remi would still be dressed up. She's wearing a floral dress with 4-inch wedges, and her red hair is pin straight. And...sparkles. The girl loves anything and everything that sparkles. A sequined clutch, a shiny dress, you name it, she probably owns it.

"I missed you so much!" I tell her.

"I missed you more," she says as we both pull away.

We walk out into the backyard, where mom and Grandma Ruby are drinking tea and noshing on dessert.

Remi's eyes widen as she looks ahead at the dining table. "Is that Grandma Ruby's infamous s'mores brownie?"

"Sure is," I tell her, and she practically sprints to an empty chair - but not before tightly hugging Grandma Ruby and mom hello first.

Remi grabs a plate and helps herself to a heaping slice of the brownie. "This looks fabulous."

We spend the next few minutes talking with mom and Grandma Ruby before they decide to call it a night. They both plant a kiss to my forehead and bring the dishes into the house.

"Sooooo," Remi begins.

"Sooooo," I mimic her. While we don't have that much catching up to do because we talk constantly, it doesn't stop us from filling each other in on what's been going on. Remi's got her sights set on Tulane for college, and it makes me sad to think that we both want to be in different states. Boston College has always been my number one.

"Have you seen the boyfriend yet?"

"The boyfriend?" I dip my chin down and ask, even though I know who she's referring to. Remi likes to tease me because she knows that dating Nico would be my dream come true.

"He's lookin' hot as hell this summer, B, I'm just warning you."

"Ugh," I roll my eyes and state.

"Ugh?"

"That was a good ugh. Like ugh, why is he so perfect? Anything else that I should know?"

"Um," she uses the fork to play around with the brownie on her plate, "to be honest with you, I'm not too sure. I haven't seen him around that much." Remi knows everything about everyone, so I can't help but look surprised. "Why are you looking at me like that?" she chuckles.

"Because you're usually my go-to for the local news around here."

"I promise, B, I know zero. The last time that I saw Nico was a few weeks ago, and it wasn't on purpose. We were having dinner at the same restaurant, but he was with Brooks and I was with Courtney."

"Hm, weird." Nico and Remi aren't close, but they definitely bump into each other a lot. I wouldn't say that they run in the same social circles necessarily. Nico's Mr. Popular and Remi's somewhere...in the middle...but they've definitely been invited to the same parties. "You know, he's been pretty MIA with me."

"What! But you guys talk all the time, don't you?"

"Not lately. And if we do, it's pretty short. I haven't lent it too much thought because I know that he leaves for Columbia in the fall."

"Yeah, I'm sure he's been super busy with college stuff."

"Unless...," I begin.

"Unless what?"

"Unless you think there's more to it than that. You don't think that something's going on, do you?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know," I shrug. "Something that I should be concerned about it."

"No way," Remi says confidently. "Whenever I do run into Nico, he seems happy."

I nod a few times, even though I'm skeptical. "If you say so."

"I'm sure he'll be at Trish Eckhart's party this weekend."

"I am not going to that."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, keep telling yourself that. It's summer, B. And frankly, this might be the last summer we're altogether."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean college changes things. It changes people."

"Rem..."

"I'm serious, Bella. Take a look around because nothing lasts forever." The thought alone freaks me out, but Remi's right.

"So what are you suggesting?"

"Trish Eckhart's party. This Saturday night."

I sigh deeply. "Fine. You win...happy?"

"Not quite," she smirks.

"What now?" I drop my shoulders and whine.

"You've gotta let me do your makeup." She puts her palms together and bats her eyelashes when I give her a stern look. "Pretty please, pretty please, pretty please."

"Oh my God, okay, fine. But only if you stop nagging me."

"Yay," she straightens her posture and smiles. The last time Remi did my makeup, I spent an hour trying to take it off.

"And light on the lipstick this time."

"Hell no. Bella, you're going to be making out with so many guys, that shit's going to need to be laid on thick."

"Remi!" I gasp. "Are you kidding? I'm not making out with so many guys."

"C'mon, Bella, it's summer. Let loose. Be free," she says, doing a little dance with her shoulders.

"Rem...," I say again.

"B..."

"Fine. But there's only one guy I'm going to be making out with."

She claps her hands together. "Yas, girl. Manifest that shit."