back and
forth bumping and grinding against each other. I spot Adam
immediately and look away as Katie slides up against him. He’s the
pole and she’s the exotic dancer. Watching them makes me
nauseous.
Squeezing Wren’s hand, I shove my way through
the mass of people. I’m pretty sure the entire school is here.
Someone accidentally slaps my face and I push hard, knocking people
out of the way. Another person touches my shoulder. I look back at
Wren and raise my eyebrows.
She shakes her head indicating that it wasn’t
her. She dips her head to the left. I turn my head and we come to a
stop. Blake. Ugh. I don’t really want to deal with right now. He
lifts his chin, wearing a cocky grin. “What’s up, Ells?”
“Hey Blake!” I shout over the music. “Where’s
your girlfriend?” I wish she was here. Then he wouldn’t be talking
to me.
He leans in close to my face. “You wanna go
somewhere private?” His strong beer breath wafts up my nostrils. I
twist my head and suck in clear air. I have to get out of this. I
need to get away from him. Wearing a fake smile, I place a finger
on his lips and mouth, “Maybe later.”
A smirk of satisfaction curls on his lips and
he nods. Wren and I slip back into the crowd. Too bad I don’t
intend on living up to my end of the bargain.
Minutes pass and Wren and I have circled the
interior of the house three times. My eyes focus on the cups people
are holding. Where is everyone getting the beer from? Wren pulls
her hand away when we’re in front of the wide staircase. “Wait
here,” I tell her.
She nods lightly and takes a seat on the
step.
I come to a halt in to kitchen accidentally
bumping into someone and watch as their beer spills on their shoes.
I shrug. “Sorry.”
They don’t seem too happy or forgiving.
Loud chanting rings out and drowns out the
sound of the crappy rap song that’s booming from the stereo. I know
what that chanting means. Keg stands. I sigh in frustration as Josh
Turner; the captain of the football team lifts another muscular
player up and grips his shins. Then the counting begins.
I’m not the type to bail on a party, but this
one is a bust. They’re going to drain that keg in an hour. Pushing
my way back through the crowd, I stop in front of the stairs. Wren
isn’t there. Where did she go?
Climbing half-way up the staircase. I search
for her in the crowd. There are too many people. I don’t see her
anywhere. My attention averts to the upstairs. Maybe there’s some
alcohol stashed somewhere up there. It can’t hurt to look.
Taking two steps at a time, I dash up the
stairs and begin looking. I open the first door to my right and
switch the light on. Nope a bathroom. I slide to my left and open
another door. I flip the light on. Violet walls and a frilly hot
pink bedspread. Porcelain dolls on the dressers and toy box in the
corner, with toys heaping over the sides. No again. I come to a
third door and whip it open. Flicking the light on, a devious smirk
takes over my face. No alcohol. I found something better. Adam’s
bedroom.
The walls are painted a deep, cool dark blue
that accent the cherry wood trim. The room is so neat and tidy.
Noticing how organized it is makes me feel like I’m living on an
episode of Hoarders.
Posters of bands similar to the ones I have
hanging in my room adorn the walls. We may have nothing else in
common, but at least we have the same taste in music. Just below
the band posters are paintings. Hand-painted paintings. They remind
of some I’d seen in Cleveland hanging in the window of a fancy art
gallery with a price tag of fifty thousand dollars. I’m so absorbed
in my surroundings I tune out all the noise coming from downstairs.
Brushing my fingers against the glass casing of one of the
paintings I’m stunned by its beauty. The paint splatters in red and
blue when mixed together are similar to the sky setting at
dusk.
A creak from the door startles me. I jump and
spin around. Adam glares at me,
forth bumping and grinding against each other. I spot Adam
immediately and look away as Katie slides up against him. He’s the
pole and she’s the exotic dancer. Watching them makes me
nauseous.
Squeezing Wren’s hand, I shove my way through
the mass of people. I’m pretty sure the entire school is here.
Someone accidentally slaps my face and I push hard, knocking people
out of the way. Another person touches my shoulder. I look back at
Wren and raise my eyebrows.
She shakes her head indicating that it wasn’t
her. She dips her head to the left. I turn my head and we come to a
stop. Blake. Ugh. I don’t really want to deal with right now. He
lifts his chin, wearing a cocky grin. “What’s up, Ells?”
“Hey Blake!” I shout over the music. “Where’s
your girlfriend?” I wish she was here. Then he wouldn’t be talking
to me.
He leans in close to my face. “You wanna go
somewhere private?” His strong beer breath wafts up my nostrils. I
twist my head and suck in clear air. I have to get out of this. I
need to get away from him. Wearing a fake smile, I place a finger
on his lips and mouth, “Maybe later.”
A smirk of satisfaction curls on his lips and
he nods. Wren and I slip back into the crowd. Too bad I don’t
intend on living up to my end of the bargain.
Minutes pass and Wren and I have circled the
interior of the house three times. My eyes focus on the cups people
are holding. Where is everyone getting the beer from? Wren pulls
her hand away when we’re in front of the wide staircase. “Wait
here,” I tell her.
She nods lightly and takes a seat on the
step.
I come to a halt in to kitchen accidentally
bumping into someone and watch as their beer spills on their shoes.
I shrug. “Sorry.”
They don’t seem too happy or forgiving.
Loud chanting rings out and drowns out the
sound of the crappy rap song that’s booming from the stereo. I know
what that chanting means. Keg stands. I sigh in frustration as Josh
Turner; the captain of the football team lifts another muscular
player up and grips his shins. Then the counting begins.
I’m not the type to bail on a party, but this
one is a bust. They’re going to drain that keg in an hour. Pushing
my way back through the crowd, I stop in front of the stairs. Wren
isn’t there. Where did she go?
Climbing half-way up the staircase. I search
for her in the crowd. There are too many people. I don’t see her
anywhere. My attention averts to the upstairs. Maybe there’s some
alcohol stashed somewhere up there. It can’t hurt to look.
Taking two steps at a time, I dash up the
stairs and begin looking. I open the first door to my right and
switch the light on. Nope a bathroom. I slide to my left and open
another door. I flip the light on. Violet walls and a frilly hot
pink bedspread. Porcelain dolls on the dressers and toy box in the
corner, with toys heaping over the sides. No again. I come to a
third door and whip it open. Flicking the light on, a devious smirk
takes over my face. No alcohol. I found something better. Adam’s
bedroom.
The walls are painted a deep, cool dark blue
that accent the cherry wood trim. The room is so neat and tidy.
Noticing how organized it is makes me feel like I’m living on an
episode of Hoarders.
Posters of bands similar to the ones I have
hanging in my room adorn the walls. We may have nothing else in
common, but at least we have the same taste in music. Just below
the band posters are paintings. Hand-painted paintings. They remind
of some I’d seen in Cleveland hanging in the window of a fancy art
gallery with a price tag of fifty thousand dollars. I’m so absorbed
in my surroundings I tune out all the noise coming from downstairs.
Brushing my fingers against the glass casing of one of the
paintings I’m stunned by its beauty. The paint splatters in red and
blue when mixed together are similar to the sky setting at
dusk.
A creak from the door startles me. I jump and
spin around. Adam glares at me,
Similar Books
