party

IT WASN'T what I imagined it to be. there was little to no dancing, and there wasn't any punch. Instead, there was a large, metal, barrel like looking container sitting in the middle of the room. Most people were standing around it, like it was the center of the party. There was music playing, but... why? People stood and talked- others made out on the couch or in the corner. I suddenly felt awkward and stupid.

I wasn't invited. I kept thinking to myself. I tried to remember Gigi's "Natural Selection" theory, but that didn't make me feel much better about being here. Still, as if my legs had been taken complete control of me, I walked to the far right of the large and over bearing house, standing underneath a beautiful crystal ceiling hanging. All of my brain was telling me to go back home while you can. I as starting to move my legs, when I heard a familiar voice.

            "Hey, New Girl!" 

It was Jaimie walking towards me. I didn't have a way out now. Jaimie had on a half-buttoned shirt and knee length jeans.

            "Laurie." I found myself mumbling.

            "What?" He yelled over the music,

             "My name is Laurie!" 

He nodded and shook my hand.

              "Good to formally meet you, Laurie. And kind of you to show up! Would you like a drink? Some food, maybe? You look starved- Hey..." He stopped, staring at me.

I looked back at him, unsure while gazing into his dark eyes.

               "Do I know you from anywhere?"

I nodded. "Yeah, you're in my English-"

               "No, no." He said and put his hand on his chin. "You just look so familiar. Like, not from English, but..." He stared again, and I felt so uneasy. I wasn't sure if I should say anything, and I thought it would be weird if I remembered. But, hey, I'm no elephant, but a memory is a memory, right? And even if it was eleven years ago, we were still friends. It counts for something. I was gathering my words when a tan blond interrupts our conversation.

                "Jaimie. Hey." She said in a smooth and slow voice. She wrapped her hand in his, and glared at me.

                "Oh, hey Melinda." Jaimie pulled at his hand a bit, but her grip was tight. "This is Laurie." 

She shifted her posture, and her tone of voice. "We've met."

We have. I recognized the small face, curvy body- it's the girl that wouldn't move for me to get to my locker. I didn't know how to act around her. Polite, bitchy, indifferent... Or maybe I can just run away and ask the principal for a new locker so I would never have to face her again.

               "Hey." I ended up saying.

               "How do you know each other?" Jaimie asked, looking at me.

               "Our lockers are next to each other. Right, was it- Laurie?"

Her voice turned back to that smooth and slow tonality. I instantly hated her more, for the wat she grabbed Jaimie's hand, or how she put on that fake Megan Foxx voice when she wants to impress. 

I said,  "Yeah. Right next to each other."

               "Great!" Jaimie said. "Can I offer you two a drink?"

I told him no, and that I had to meet a friend, and as I did, I saw Melinda turn to whisper in Jaimie's ear, in that seductive way, without her hand and her lips brushing his ear.

I never saw them together in school I didn't even know they were going out, and if they were, there was no way I was going to try to be friends with Jaimie. I can't hand out with people who hang out with people like... her.

I walked aimlessly around his house, searching for Gigi's flaming red hair, until I finally found her talking to a guy with blond hair at a table with big plastic red cups.

            "Gigi!" I called out. I guessed I wasn't loud enough, because she continued to talk.

I shouted louder. "Gigi!"

She whipped her hair around to face me, and she smiled.

           "I knew you couldn't resist, Laur!" She linked her arms in mine, and faced the blond, who was starting to walk away. Her face became expressionless.

          "Whatever. He was boring anyway. I mean, who wants to listen to some guy talk about how his Uncle Ned used to manage a McDonalds in Georgia?"

Off in the next room, I could see him start talking to some other jocks.

Gigi seemed to at ease in her surroundings. I was so uncomfortable, and apparently, it showed.

             "Loosen up, Laur. It's like... this is your first real party or something."

I didn't say anything. Come to think of it, it was. The only parties I have ever had or been to were innocent birthday parties, end of the school year parties... always single-sexed, soda and chips, and definitely no kegs. 

Gigi knew this by my silence, of course, and her eyes widened  and following was a sigh.

              "Laurie, I have a lot to teach you." She said.

               "No, really, Gigi. I don't anticipate going to another party. Ever. It's really not my thing. I'd drather just get this one over with."

A familiar voice said, "Over with?" 

Jaimie appeared behind me, a red plastic cup in his hand. "To tell you the truth, Laurie... that kind of hurts my feelings."

             "Hey Jaimie." Gigi said flatly. 

He nodded to her, and offered me the cup to which I shook my head no.

            "Ginger-Ale." He referred to the cup. "I promise." He said as I stared at it skeptically.

              "Oh just take the mother f*****g cup." Gigi spat.

I took it, leaving Jaimie with a satisfied look on his face. He just looked at me for a moment, while I awkwardly took a sip of the bubbly Ginger-Ale.

            "I have to go meet Brandi." Gigi said suddenly. "I'll catch up with you two later!"

             "Gigi, no-" 

              "Have fun!" She yelled.

She did it on purpose. She left me with Jaimie on purpose.

             "So," I started. I honestly had no idea of how a conversation at a party went. "You live here."

You live here?? You're such an idiot. Quick, recover yourself!, I thought.

             "Because," I pointed toward the door. "I live in the middle house."

             "Oh! Welcome to the neighborhood, neighbor! You... you know Rachel?"

              "She's my aunt. I live with her now." My voice got a bit higher; I hope he wouldn't ask why. He didn't.  Instead, he nodded, still looking at me intensely. He then made a strange face, squinting his eyes as if the remember something.

              "Wait," He said, pointing at me. "I do know you. Rachel's niece. That's right! You used to come here when you were littler, didn't you?

I smiled, thank God he remembered.

               "Yeah!" He continued. "We were buds, I think, but.. you probably don't even remember that."

               "I do, actually."

The strongest memory I have of him was when he picked up two cherry tomatoes in Minni Mae's garden the day after she waved them in our faces. He really wanted the fame, I guess. He ate his, and kept telling me to eat mine, eat mine... So I did, and... it was sour so I spit it out at his face. 

As if reading my very thoughts, Jaimie said, "You spit a tomato in my face."

We both laughed.

              "Jaimie!" The jock that was talking to Gigi yelled over the crowd. Jaimie spun his head around to look at him, and he smiled and waved.

              "You should probably..." I started, pointing at the jock.  I didn't finish.

Jaimie nodded, and glanced quickly back at him. "Yeah, probably. Listen, Laurie- It was nice seeing you again. I'll see you at school" 

And with that, he turned his heel, and left me standing by myself, Ginger-Ale in hand.

I didn't stay for the whole party, I told Gigi my Aunt was strict and she wanted me home by 10:30. But I did stay in time to witness Dave Bernson, (quarter back of our football team, apparently,) punch the lights out of Vick Newton, the line backer, over a girl named NIna. She shrieked and screamed over their fighting to stop, but I knew she loved the attention underneath it all.

I didn't like being the middle of everything, no matter  how many times I tell myself that it would be good if I see what's really going on at my new school, I didn't know  I would regret it this much. I headed back into the cul-de-sac, making my way home.

Reviews

[Rhea752]

NO MORE CHAPTERS!!!! she screamed incredulously. keep writing i wants to read more!!!!

[Hannah Olivia]

I got totally stuck after this chapter, and assumed it a lost cause!! xD

[Rhea752]

dang. i like this book. oh well, i can understand because it's happened to me before. and you've gotten farther into this book than i ever have. great job on the book :D

[Hannah Olivia]

thank you! if you enjoyed this one, you'll probably like 'In the Clouds'... It's a little less dark, but similar enough! I actually finished that one, but is currently under construction after chapter 7 (: