Yorkdare Bay: The Elites

Kelley’s father, Charles Alexander, was a hard man. He was cold and distant, or rather, that’s how Kelley perceived him. He was a man more interested in his money than he was his children. His sister, Marley, would say different. Their father doted on her and she really was Daddy’s little princess.

Despite all that, Kelley was a top student, played football and slept at home every night. They lived in the upper north side in Yorkdare Bay. Their house was situated on the incline of a sloping hill, almost looking down at the rest of the upper middle class of the town. A castle on the hill with Charles Alexander as their King.

Kelley was quiet and reserved when he was at home, avoiding the stern looks from his father and keeping away from his mother. At school he put on a smile, played the role he was assigned as the popular jock, the easy-going life of the party. Kelley wasn’t a talker and he hated the egotistical boasting of his group of friends and the fact that he pretended to be one of them.

They were known as the Elites, the extremely wealthy kids, the ones you didn’t even look at sideways because they had a group of lawyers salivating to ruin someone’s life. They were on the precipice of adulthood, the beginning of their glorious lives and nothing could stop them. Kelley hated everything it represented.

It was just past ten pm and Kelley drove his Escalade through the drive-thru slowly after ordering. He paid for his food and drove down to the beachfront with its small, quaint shops and pulled into the beach parking lot to eat.

He looked out over the beach, closing his eyes at the crashing sound of the waves and inhaled deeply. The lights from the beachfront hotels, Charles’s hotels, restaurants and clubs shining their lights out over the water.

The burger in his hand froze halfway to his mouth as his gaze caught the man and woman rounding the corner of the exclusive hotel, where the private entrance to the suites were. He shifted in his seat as the man turned towards him and he held his breath.

He watched them with a sickening feeling rising in his stomach, the food suddenly making him feel queasy. He clenched his jaw and watched them kiss each other, the man’s hands cupping her breast and his other hand slipping underneath her dress.

Her dress was tight and red and she widened her legs to give him better access. She was young, maybe even too young and Kelley swallowed hard. They broke apart and the man stood watching as she drove away. Kelley had no idea who she was but his hand tightened on his steering wheel as his father climbed into his own car and drove in the other direction.

Twenty minutes later, Kelley threw the half-full bag of food in the trash can and drove home. He lay in bed that night and stared at his ceiling. There were so many things wrong with the image running a loop in his head, so much so that he gripped his pillow against his face and screamed.

The next morning, Kelley sat his backpack down next to the chair and sat down at the kitchen table. “Morning.”

“I’m making omelets.” Laura Alexander was soft-spoken, beautiful and weak. Kelley didn’t get much from her, not even her eyes.

“When did Dad get back?”

Laura turned from the oven and looked at Kelley thoughtfully. “He got in about an hour after you got home. His flight was cancelled.”

Kelley didn’t say anything as his mother placed his omelet down in front of him. He ate in silence as she watched him eat from her chair, seated across from him, with only a cup of coffee in front of her. He wondered briefly if she knew.

“You’re not eating?”

“I’ll have one later.” The look in her eye told him that she most probably wouldn’t be having an omelet later. She was always watching what she ate, his father preferred his women on the skinny side.

“Mom, are you happy?” Kelley placed the knife and fork down gently on his now empty plate and folded his arms on the table.

“What kind of question is that? Of course I’m happy.” Her smile was too bright and it didn’t reach her eyes. Kelley had never really thought of his mother’s happiness before, not until the previous night.

“Ugh, this day couldn’t have started off worse! I need an extra-large coffee to go. Bryan’s picking me up in ten minutes.”

Kelley turned his head to the side as his sister, Marley, plopped herself down on the empty chair. He loved his sister, because well, she was his sister but they had absolutely nothing in common. She was a spoilt little princess and their father never said no to her.

“Of course, sweetheart. Let me get that for you.” Laura stood up from the table and Kelley noticed for the first time ever that she was slightly pale, her eyes just a little bloodshot.

“You can’t say ‘morning’ before demanding coffee?” Marley gave Kelley a look and rolled her eyes.

“Morning.” The word was dragged out and she rolled her eyes again.

A hooter sounded from the driveway and Marley jumped out of her seat and grabbed the travel mug of coffee from Laura’s hand, almost knocking her over in the process. The front door slammed a few minutes later and Laura sighed audibly.

“Thanks for breakfast, Mom.” Kelley placed his plate in the sink and this time Laura’s smile reached her eyes.

“You’re a good son, Kelley.”

Kelley picked his backpack up from the floor and slung it over his shoulder. “Are you coming to the game tonight?”

“Your father has a dinner meeting in town and I have to accompany him. I’m so sorry.”

Kelley shrugged as he looked her in the eye. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

Kelley placed a quick kiss on her cheek and left the house. The drive to school took only fifteen minutes and he straightened his tie of the standard school uniform they all wore before exiting his Escalade. The parking lot was filling up with students and new cars gleamed in the parking lot.

“Kelley!”

He put a smile on his face and turned around to the sound of her voice. Norah Kensington was preppy in a way that only a cheerleader could be. Her father was business partners with his father and the two of them dating had been an obvious move between the two men.

She had long, straight blonde hair and like most girls in school were rake thin. The girls had their own group, the Queens, and they were known for making the other girls’ lives hell if they so much as looked at the Elites.

Their game that night would either see them go through to the finals or fall out until next season. The year was almost done and then they’d be seniors. Kelley’s one wish was a football scholarship to college and as far away from Yorkdare Bay as he could get with Norah right along with him.

“Tonight’s party is at Lewis’s cabin and we’re sleeping over.” The smile on her face suggested they wouldn’t get much sleep and Kelley grinned as he placed his arm around her shoulders.

“Yeah …”

Norah smiled victoriously as they headed to the assembly hall and sat down in their respective class groups. The principal droned on about that night’s game, school spirit and the current seniors that would be leaving in a few short weeks.

They were released forty minutes later, quietly making their way to class. Kelley played for the varsity team and next year he’d have to decide what to do with his future. His coach had already told him that he was being watched by scouts and that he would definitely get a football scholarship.

The day passed swiftly and after school he finished his homework in the library like he did every single day and headed to the locker rooms to change. He rarely went home after school, if he could avoid it, and instead stayed at school for practice and returning home in time for dinner. It was usually a stiff affair, his father demanding he wear a tie and jacket just to eat at the table.