answer. She whispered in my ear, “What are you doing?! You can’t ride home with him. He’s bad news, Alyssa.”
I jerked from her grip, “You’re the one that said you were leaving. I can handle myself!” I turned my attention back to Collin, “So, how about that ride?” I stared down at him. I knew he was trouble, but I couldn’t resist the urge to flirt with him. January’s warning only added fuel to the fire. When somebody told me not to do something, it only made me want to do it that much more.
“I’ll give you a ride home, Boyd.” Dan grinned, exuding sliminess. I ignored him, my eyes still on the tattooed rebel standing in front of me.
Collin’s lips curled into a smile. His eyes wandered down my body. Just as he started to speak, January moved to block my view, cutting him off mid-sentence. “It’s fine,” she huffed, “we’ll stay.”
I smiled like a child who’d just been given a second serving of ice cream, “Great!”
Hap made his way over to us, lugging the now empty cooler behind him, “Ya’ll ready?”
“We’re staying!” I threw my hands up in celebration just as someone turned up the stereo inside, blasting the music to the outside lawn.
“Ooookay.” Hap’s annoyed tone barely distracted me as I brushed by him taking the final gulp of my watered-down drink and tossing the cup on the ground.
I’m not sure how good my coordination was at the point, but I knew one thing… When Luke Bryan told you to “shake it,’ by God, you shook it. I made my way up on top of the picnic table that was littered with half empty cups and bottles, and proceeded to move my hips, in what I assumed was a seductive rhythm.
“Alright!” Dan shouted as he and a few other creepers settled in around the table for the show. All eyes were on me, and for once they weren’t waiting for me to have a nervous breakdown. I could hear my conscience trying to speak up, telling me this is not a good idea . I needed more alcohol to gag the nagging voice. I knelt down in front of Collin and pulled the beer bottle from his grasp and tipped it to my lips, guzzling down all that was left. I gave him a wink as I returned the empty bottle to his hand and stood to continue my dance routine.
I saw the disapproving stare coming from January. Hap was nose to nose with Dan. I assumed he was letting him know that throwing dollar bills at me was not acceptable behavior.
“Get down!” January yelled as she tried to pull me from my platform. When I jerked my hand from hers, I may have exerted a little much force, because the last thing I remember is trying to regain my footing and then total darkness.
I woke up the next morning thankful to be in my bed. Hap and Jan must have hauled me up here after I passed out. Thank god, my parents hadn’t woken up. As soon as I opened my eyes, I felt the urge to vomit. I quickly made my way down the hall to the bathroom. Luckily, my parents had both gone to church. Heaven forbid Mary Boyd miss a Sunday service. I was happy to be alone. I couldn’t bear the thought of listening to my mother lecture me about the consequences of underage drinking and being responsible.
When I finished purging my system of unwanted alcohol and the memories of the bad decisions I’m made the night before, I took a shower. I felt like a new woman afterward. One of the perks of being eighteen was the ability to recover quickly from a hangover. The only thing left that I needed to complete my cure all was one of Danner’s greasy cheeseburgers. January must have been reading my mind, because I heard the sound of my phone alerting me that I had a text message.
Diner in 15?
I responded… YES!
The anticipation of sinking my teeth into that burger made me rush out the door and neglect taking the little pill that had been clouding my mind and judgment for the past two days. Jan and Hap also managed to get my car home
I jerked from her grip, “You’re the one that said you were leaving. I can handle myself!” I turned my attention back to Collin, “So, how about that ride?” I stared down at him. I knew he was trouble, but I couldn’t resist the urge to flirt with him. January’s warning only added fuel to the fire. When somebody told me not to do something, it only made me want to do it that much more.
“I’ll give you a ride home, Boyd.” Dan grinned, exuding sliminess. I ignored him, my eyes still on the tattooed rebel standing in front of me.
Collin’s lips curled into a smile. His eyes wandered down my body. Just as he started to speak, January moved to block my view, cutting him off mid-sentence. “It’s fine,” she huffed, “we’ll stay.”
I smiled like a child who’d just been given a second serving of ice cream, “Great!”
Hap made his way over to us, lugging the now empty cooler behind him, “Ya’ll ready?”
“We’re staying!” I threw my hands up in celebration just as someone turned up the stereo inside, blasting the music to the outside lawn.
“Ooookay.” Hap’s annoyed tone barely distracted me as I brushed by him taking the final gulp of my watered-down drink and tossing the cup on the ground.
I’m not sure how good my coordination was at the point, but I knew one thing… When Luke Bryan told you to “shake it,’ by God, you shook it. I made my way up on top of the picnic table that was littered with half empty cups and bottles, and proceeded to move my hips, in what I assumed was a seductive rhythm.
“Alright!” Dan shouted as he and a few other creepers settled in around the table for the show. All eyes were on me, and for once they weren’t waiting for me to have a nervous breakdown. I could hear my conscience trying to speak up, telling me this is not a good idea . I needed more alcohol to gag the nagging voice. I knelt down in front of Collin and pulled the beer bottle from his grasp and tipped it to my lips, guzzling down all that was left. I gave him a wink as I returned the empty bottle to his hand and stood to continue my dance routine.
I saw the disapproving stare coming from January. Hap was nose to nose with Dan. I assumed he was letting him know that throwing dollar bills at me was not acceptable behavior.
“Get down!” January yelled as she tried to pull me from my platform. When I jerked my hand from hers, I may have exerted a little much force, because the last thing I remember is trying to regain my footing and then total darkness.
I woke up the next morning thankful to be in my bed. Hap and Jan must have hauled me up here after I passed out. Thank god, my parents hadn’t woken up. As soon as I opened my eyes, I felt the urge to vomit. I quickly made my way down the hall to the bathroom. Luckily, my parents had both gone to church. Heaven forbid Mary Boyd miss a Sunday service. I was happy to be alone. I couldn’t bear the thought of listening to my mother lecture me about the consequences of underage drinking and being responsible.
When I finished purging my system of unwanted alcohol and the memories of the bad decisions I’m made the night before, I took a shower. I felt like a new woman afterward. One of the perks of being eighteen was the ability to recover quickly from a hangover. The only thing left that I needed to complete my cure all was one of Danner’s greasy cheeseburgers. January must have been reading my mind, because I heard the sound of my phone alerting me that I had a text message.
Diner in 15?
I responded… YES!
The anticipation of sinking my teeth into that burger made me rush out the door and neglect taking the little pill that had been clouding my mind and judgment for the past two days. Jan and Hap also managed to get my car home
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