Chapter 8: The ugliest of them all

Awkwardness is not a fun thing. Especially when you’re experiencing that awkwardness with one of your boyfriend’s best friend’s and your boyfriend has no idea that you and that boy almost, let’s just say, kissed on your bed after rolling around on eachother. Innocently, of course.

“Have you seen my math notebook?” I asked Zoe, pushing aside my father’s work papers on the kitchen table.

“No. Maybe you left it at school.” She shrugged, popping a cherry into her mouth and spitting the pit out in her bowl a moment later.  “Ick. And I didn’t. I remember specifically that I brought it home.” I squinted as she dropped the green stem of the cherry on top of the pit, licking her teeth clean of dark red juice. I scurried to the dining room, spotting a navy blue notebook on the table. I ran over and flipped open the front page. Damn. It’s Zoe’s. I scanned her math work. Wrong, wrong, wrong. I looked over the problems, rolling my eyes. Zoe was good at math. I didn’t understand what was wrong with her. A sketched out heart caught my eye on the corner of the page. Matt Morin. I read, and my jaw dropped.

“What?!” I spat, and stomped into the kitchen. I smacked the notebook down beside her and she glanced down calmly. Her eyes widened and she looked up quickly, her lips pressed together tightly.

“Alyssa.” She took her voice of reason, sliding the notebook off the table and into her lap.

“Don’t. Is this why you’ve been so bitchy lately?” I grimaced. It was like a slap in the face. Of course she liked Matt. Of course the one thing she didn’t have that I did, she wanted. Of course she had to be the bratty little sister I’d always known. I’d grown up with her, how did I not know it from the second she met him?

“I haven’t been bitchy.” She replied simply, standing up.

“I don’t give a s**t.” I rolled my eyes, turning around. I walked slowly through the hallway and into our bedroom.

“Girls, are you ready to go?” My father yelled from the stairs.

“Yeah.” I called back, and walked to the back door. Zoe stood, her face red as a beet, staring at the floor. My heart slammed against my collarbone and I swung open the door, letting Zoe step out before me. I then followed her and Dad was behind me. He closed the door with a slam. It was Scottie’s big Halloween party, but it might as well just be his fall party, because no one wore costumes. Zoe and Sammy were invited, sadly, and I was dreading the whole experience. Mostly because of Zoe, but also because of Ray. I’d done a pretty good job avoiding him since... the incident, but he was going to be there. And so was I. Yay.

 

When we arrived, Zoe and I walked up Scottie’s driveway and to his front door, keeping a safe distance between us. I didn’t want to touch her. She was grotesque. A stupid s**t who got all the guys. I hated her. Zoe wore a strapless white dress, and it made her look like a fairy. A fallen angel, with it’s ripped seams. She wore a black choker with a bow made of velvet and black strappy sandals. I, always being different, was wearing a simple black Beatles t-shirt and denim short shorts with black gladiators. Zoe didn’t have to, and yet she tried so hard to look nice. What she didn’t know was that she could be the most beautiful girl on earth butt-naked with not an ounce of makeup on, but I’d never tell her. I’d just let her go on, dressing herself up, when no one saw the difference. I rang the doorbell. A blonde girl with a ponytail who I recognized from school opened the door. She had a mouth full of braces, and she smiled fondly at me.

“Hi, I’m Alana! The party’s mostly outside.” She grinned, gesturing toward Scottie’s screen door to the backyard.

“Thanks!” Zoe smiled, and scurried out. I walked slowly behind. As soon as Zoe opened the door, the whole scene of the party slammed into me. There was yelling, laughing and whooping. It was intense. When I got outside, I stepped onto the stone patio, and made my way over to my group of friends, who were all greeting Zoe.

“Alyssa!” They all cheered, and Zoe spun around, shooting me a challenging glare.

“Hey!” I smirked.

“Since we’re all here now, let’s go get some drinks.” Sammy suggested. She was snuggling Ethan’s arm, and she looked super s****y in a magenta tube top and black short shorts.

“Yeah.” Zoe shot at me, sticking to Scottie’s side. Matt reached over and took my hand, smiling over at me. We made our way to the bar, where a professional, yes, intimidating, bartender was preparing drinks. We all named our drinks, and Scottie ordered the man to prepare them. I figured a little alcohol couldn’t hurt, so I got a mango wine cooler, which is basically white wine, seven-up and mango juice. Zoe ordered a margarita, to which I asked Scottie:  “Doesn’t that have tequila in it? And isn’t tequila banned everywhere but, like, Mexico?” I wasn’t trying to sound like a party pooper, but he looked at me like I was one.

“We got our hands on some. Hopefully little Zoe can handle it.” He ruffled her hair. The rest of them ordered beers, wine coolers, margaritas and cocktails.

“I can.” She assured him, as she took a dainty sip of her glass. She smiled afterwards, challenging me with her gaze.

“I love this song.” I told Matt, reaching over to take his hand. I pulled him over near the pool, where people were dancing. Global warming was all funky, haha, so it still felt like summer at the beginning of fall. Long story short, people were swimming fully clothed. They looked quite troubled, trying to stay afloat. I danced close to him, occasionally taking a sip of my wine cooler.

“You look good tonight.” Matt remarked, leaning over to kiss me as I pressed against him. My stomach twisted but I shot Zoe a smile before his lips met mine. When the song ended, Matt pulled me back over to the bar, where he bought me another wine cooler.

“We’re doing shooters later. It’ll be fun.” He smiled, handing me my drink. I smiled back, and went over to where Zoe was. Zoe was looking a little sleepy, sitting in Scottie’s lap on his patio steps, with a different colour margarita then before.

“She’s on her third.” Scottie mouthed, kissing her head.

“This f*****g drink... is my life.” Zoe slurred, chugging the remains of hers down. My jaw dropped, and the boys laughed hysterically, as she pressed against Scottie.

“Oh yeah, drink your drink. You’re so mature.” I spat. Zoe pouted, glaring up at me.

“Hey, guess what, Matt? Ray and Alyssa swapped spit.” She giggled, burying her face in Scottie’s chest. Everyone turned toward me, their mouths gaping.

“What?!” Matt exclaimed.

“She’s drunk, Matt.” I protested, stepping toward him. He pushed me away.

“We didn’t kiss, man.” Ray defended me.

“Get out of my face, Ray!” Matt swung around, sending a fist into Ray’s nose. Ray fell back and I dove down to help him.

“Are you okay?” I whispered, lifting his head up from the concrete. He nodded, standing up. He held his hands up in surrender and walked away. I glanced at Matt, who was rubbing his knuckles.

“Oh, and I know a little secret too. Little Zoe happens to be in love with Matt.” I yelled. Zoe turned, her eyes sparkling with tears.

“Alyssa!” She spat, standing up.

“Back down.” I ordered her, and walked away.

“S**t...” I heard Ethan slur as I made my way away from them all.

 

The rest of the night, I stayed with Andrea. We walked around, and I’d chug a different kind of alcohol. It didn’t matter which kind. And then Zoe would do the same. And we’d go back and forth until one of us would give up. It was a game. Whoever could drink more was... somehow better. They won. And it didn’t occur to me while I was getting drunker and drunker that no one was winning. We were both just acting like w****s, dancing with any guy that came our way. I didn’t understand what we were becoming.

The bartender slid another shot along the table, one to me and one to Zoe. Our classmates cheered behind us, laughing as we swallowed the alcohol down like it was no big deal. But a few weeks ago it would’ve been a big deal. We would’ve been sick to our stomachs just thinking about it. And now it was us. Zoe slid back off her stool, sending the shot crashing onto the cement.  “I’m cutting you two off.” The bartender remarked, and I stood up from my stool, swaying slowly from side to side.

“Hey, Zoe, give me a kiss!” Pete remarked, lifting her by her wrist to her feet. He leaned in and she ducked back, her eyelids opening and closing slowly.

“Oh right, you really want Matty over here...” Scottie gestured, pushing Matt against her. She fell against him and Matt shoved her off.

“That’s twisted.” He remarked, and she fell onto the hard ground, tears in her eyes. Suddenly a hand reached down to grab her. Then two strongs arms swooped her up. Soon one of those arms was wrapped around me, and I was being shooed into the house, and back out in front. Then I was in a car... who’s car? I was panicking.

“Let me out!” I screamed, banging on the seat.

“Alyssa! Stop!” Ray ordered. Zoe lay unconscious in the passenger seat beside him, her dress stained with vodka.

“Ray? Ray?” I yelled, tears streaming down my face.

“I’m here, Alyssa. Calm down.” He cooed.

“It hurts... Ray. My head is pounding. Help me.” I pleaded, curling up on the seat in a tight fetal position.

“We’re almost there.” He explained, and soon we had stopped. He got out of the car, and helped me stand up. I wobbled as he lifted Zoe out of the car. I held his hand, smiling up at him.

“You’re pretty.” I whispered, stroking his cheek slowly. He smacked my hand away, and my vision went blurry.

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[J.A.N]

Whoa.
Whoa.
Whoa.

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