"This is the fucking party of the year!"

Conrad, one of my closest friends, laughed from the bow of the yacht, making the people around him cheer in agreement.

I knew I made the right decision to throw a party here. I had to convince my mom that I'd behave, but the final decision came down to my grandfather.

And we all knew I was his favorite.

"Hell yeah!" Gavin roared from beside me.

"I thought you wouldn't make it," I said, swirling my glass of liquor as I leaned back on my chair.

"It's the fourth of July."

"Yes," Aurora piped in, "and it wasn't even a week ago when you sneaked out your father's jet so we could fly to Amalfi."

She giggled in that delicate little way of hers before sipping her champagne, with her golden blonde hair looking like a halo in the night. Aurora reminded me of those actresses back in the fifties, elegant and pristine.

She hated the comparison, but she never disagreed.

Gavin sighed. "I wish we never left."

I chuckled and looked at him.

He used to have a wild afro when we were kids. Now, he kept it buzzed short and neat. He had that bad boy look going for him, which was funny because the reckless one in our group was Conrad.

Gavin was as well-mannered as a church boy – who swore occasionally.

"What did they threaten you with this time?" I asked.

"Boarding school in Scotland."

Classic. "They'll never pull you out from Sky," I assured him.

"Mate, that's your mother." He chuckled. "Generations of your family went there. It's practically a rite of passage."

Yeah, that was exactly why my mom's threats about sending me off to a different school away from my 'misguided' friends didn't work on me.

"Hi, Anders."

A cute brunette with bouncy curls came up to our little private deck. I recognized her, she was in our year. I guessed it was Conrad who invited her. He invited most of the people here tonight.

Aurora had the faintest of snorts, but I ignored her.

I smiled at the newcomer. "Hey..."

Shit, what's her name?

"Charlotte," Gavin whispered.

"Charlotte," I finished.

"Nice yacht," she remarked, taking a step towards me.

I chuckled. "Thanks, I'll be sure to tell my grandfather that."

I doubted I'd remember, though. Small talks like these weren't worth a spot in my mind. Besides, my grandfather didn't care whether people liked his yacht or not. To him, what mattered was that he liked it.

Charlotte tilted her head. "Didn't he win your car in a Sotheby's auction?"

"He did."

It was a beautiful 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spider in navy blue with brown leather interior. He paid thirteen million dollars for the convertible. It was supposed to be part of his vintage cars collection. So why did he give it to me?

Because I asked for it.

"What's its name?" Charlotte asked.

"Her name is The Great," I corrected, winking at her.

She blinked, before forcing out a laugh.

Gavin chortled. "Cheesy, isn't it?"

"What is?" she asked.

"The name."

She frowned. "How so?"

"Because of..." Aurora trailed off, one of her hands wandering on my shoulders as she looked up at me. "Alexander... The Great."

Charlotte laughed in delight, appearing to finally get it. "That's witty!"

Aurora and Gavin stared at her with hints of leer in their eyes, clearly judging her intellectual capacity. Me? I couldn't care less.

"Aren't you cute?" Aurora said.

"Thank you," Charlotte replied, smiling sweetly at her.

I leaned closer to Gavin and whispered, "I'm bored."

"I'll see if I can get Conrad to spice things up," Gavin declared, downing his glass before taking off. "Be right back."

"I need to powder my nose."

Aurora grabbed her purse and went inside, and I knew it wasn't the kind of shit she put on her nose. Rather, inside it.

I was seriously tempted to follow her, too bored already to last the night without taking anything. But right then, my phone rang. When I checked the caller ID, it was my dear sister video calling me.

Damn, it was as though she had a sixth sense.

"I need to take this," I told Charlotte, as I stepped away. She nodded. When I was far enough from the noise, I hit answer. "What do I owe the pleasure?"

The best part about talking to Maxine was that I didn't have to pretend with her. I could drop the manners, the pretense, and the fake smiles.

I could just be my blasé self.

"Don't use that tone with me, Alex," she scolded, her copper hair framing her face that made her look like a lion who was about to bite me.

I hated it when people called me that. It was too common.

"Anders," I corrected. I knew she wouldn't listen but I still did it, anyway.

"I like Alex better," she said, shrugging. "He's my sweet little brother. This Anders has too much teenage angst."

"You just can't accept the fact that he's cooler than you were when you were his age," Todd, her husband, said from somewhere in the background.

"I was popular!" she protested.

He chuckled, his tousled blonde hair peeking on the side of the screen. "I didn't say you weren't."

"Where's my cute nephew?" I asked, because they always argued like this and if I didn't stop them, they'd last the entire night bantering.

"Sleeping," my sister answered.

"Why'd you call then?"

"I was just checking up on you."

I smirked. "You mean checking what kind of trouble I'm up to tonight."

"No!" she answered.

"Yes," her husband added.

"Todd!"

"Max."

"And Anders... is still here," I piped in, cutting their verbal foreplay. "Save the bedroom talk until after this call please."

Todd snorted, showing his face now. "If you think that was bedroom talk, I fear for your sex life, buddy."

"Stop giving him ideas!" Maxine shrieked.

"Too late," I said.

Todd laughed. "See? I doubt he's still a virgin."

My sister looked at her husband. "You were a virgin when I met you."

He pursed his lips. "Was I?"

She gasped. "I always assumed that I—Maggie was your first?!"

Right, that was my cue.

"All's good here," I assured her. "I don't plan on getting in trouble. You can tell Mom she has absolutely nothing to worry about."

"Good, because Mom hasn't forgiven you for almost getting expelled two months ago." My sister shook her head disapprovingly. "I swear, Sky International Academy has the most relaxed school rules in the world and you pushed them off the edge."

"I was bored," I replied simply.

"You're always bored."

"Not when he blew up the chemistry lab," Todd muttered.

I groaned, before defending myself, "We were just experimenting. They shouldn't leave those chemicals lying around where students can easily access them."

"I heard they were locked in a cabinet," Maxine pointed out.

"Like I said," I began, giving her a cheeky grin, "easy access."

"I can't win with you."

"Love you, too."

She smiled despite herself.

"WOOHOO!" Conrad's voice yelled from a distance. "YEAH, BABY!"

I could hear people's laughter and the sound of a jet ski revving away. My friend sounded like he was having the time of his life. And there was nothing more I wanted to do right now than join him.

"I have to go," I told my sister.

"Alright, take care. See you on Sunday!"

"See you."

"Keep out of trouble!"

I only rolled my eyes at her. "Bye, bro!" I added to her husband, who had been a big brother to me for as long as I could remember.

He nodded to me. "Have fun, bud."

I hung up and hurried to the other side of the boat. I saw everyone leaning on the railing, watching someone zoom around on the water.

"Drunk?" I asked Gavin, as I sidled up next to him.

"Probably high," he replied.

"Or both," Aurora added.

Typical.

I watched Conrad go faster and faster, his laughter filling the night. It was almost time for fireworks and we had the best view of the city skyline.

But I had a better idea.

"I'll get the other one," I decided, already walking to the tail of the yacht.

"Why isn't he slowing down?" Aurora asked.

"He's not turning," Gavin noted.

I stopped and looked out to the water, frowning as I watched Conrad struggle to control the jet ski. He had a serious look on his face, which was rare.

No, no, no. He was going too fast.

"Slow down!" I called out to him.

He frantically shook his head. "I can't! It's broken!"

Fuck, he was heading straight to the boat.

"TURN!"

"I FUCKING CAN'T!"

"You're going to crash!" Gavin screamed.

I leaned over the railing and yelled at the top of my lungs, "JUMP OFF! NOW!"

Conrad did what I said, and jumped off to the river.

I watched in slow motion as the jet ski crashed to the bow of the yacht. Everyone held onto the railings and braced the impact, just in time for the fireworks in the city to go off. The captain rushed to my side and checked the damage.

"Fuck."

My jaw clenched. "That bad?"

He shot me a grave look, and answered, "The worst." With a sense of urgency, he pulled away and addressed the crowd. "Get the life rafts! There's one on each side of the boat. Split up! I'll get the life vests."

People stared at him in shocked silence.

"MOVE!"

Finally, they did.

I turned to my friends. "I'll ride the jet ski and get Conrad. Get on one of the rafts. Stick together."

"Careful, man." Gavin patted my arm.

Aurora kissed my cheek. "Be safe."

"Thanks. You, too."

I ran as fast as I could and climbed onto the last jet ski. I rode it out to the water and rushed to Conrad. He swam afloat, staring dumbstruck at the damage he caused.

"Hop on!" I told him.

He blinked, and turned his head towards me. I helped him get on and drove away from the crash. As we waited for everyone else to get on the rafts and for the rescue to arrive, all I could do was watch my grandfather's yacht get swallowed by the river.

"I'm really sorry, Anders."

Shit just got real.

_____________

I was supposed to start updating next weekend but I couldn't help myself. Hope you enjoyed meeting Anders! :)

Disclaimer: While this is supposed to be a light story, I'd like to emphasize the difference of lifestyles between Anders and Meadow. Realize focused on the brighter side of the elite youth, Anders and his friends will let us glimpse on the darker side of it. Just a glimpse, though, because this is still a fluffy story after all. Lol