I was home from college, spending the summer in Virginia Beach, where my family lived. My long-time friend, Ryan, had invited me out to the party.
His family was outrageously wealthy. His father owned a commercial real estate firm, which he intended to pass down to Ryan, the chosen scion of prestige. They owned a huge yacht, which got us access to this fancy party, and I was happy to be the token middle-class guy.
Multicolored rope lights dangled from boat to boat, giving a fancy EDM rave feel to the event. Conversation and laughter faded in and out of earshot from all directions as we walked down the long dock. The first boat we boarded was a foot luxury catamaran. As we stepped onto the outer deck and went down the stairs, we were greeted by early s club music and a boisterous conversation.
There was a center console table and a dozen young people sitting around it playing cards. In a testament to our youth, everyone was drinking cheap beer, despite the presence of expensive champagne and wine in the refrigerator. The vibes were great and there was tons of laughter. They gave me a hand of cards and I joined the next game. A young girl named Grace sat down beside me.
She had long, brown, slightly curly hair. She was tall, athletic-looking, and had strikingly beautiful eyes. She also had an infectious laugh that always occasionally resorted to this piggy snort. I assumed she was also visiting home from college.
