Lighting a Match in the Rain

Chapter Nine

I got dressed up that night in a fitted royal blue dress that reached my mid-thigh and had a square neckline with spaghetti straps. Comfortable, but appropriate for the occasion and not too revealing. Slipping on two-inch block heels and my phone, I made my way down the stairs and out the door, passing my sister and both my parents without a single question or response other than "have fun."

It was easy I guess that I didn't have to sneak out for things like this. Even with the amount of crime that had been going on recently, my parents were so laid back that they didn't care at all if I still wanted to go out. They never questioned me where I was going, or if I would be drinking. They never even reminded me that I was underage and that the action would actually be illegal.

Sometimes I wish that they were stricter and had ground rules for me and Macey. The two of us were practically free to do whatever we wanted. It was shocking to me that neither Macey nor me had gone haywire like Reed and Ricky yet. I knew my parents loved us. But I couldn't help but wonder if it would feel like they cared more if they had basic rules in the house.

The party was only twenty minutes away and when I arrived at ten thirty, it was already in full blast. I parked on the side of the street and made my way inside, texting the group chat that I was here. Julian had talked Kinsley and Dante into going too. Without waiting for them to reply, I pushed my way through the crowd of sweating teenagers and found the kitchen, where it was a little less crowded and filled with drinks. There were some bottles and cans on the counter unopened, but I beelined for the cooler. Opening it and pulling one out, I went to open it before I was interrupted.

"Those are good, but the punch is better," a familiar voice said.

I turned around and found Reed standing a few feet away with Ricky by his side. Ricky had a gorgeous brunette on his arm. "What's in the punch?" I asked him, ignoring his friend who was looking at me instead of the girl attached to him.

"Something stronger," he said vaguely. Black jeans and a black T-shirt clung tightly to his skin. I guess it was only appropriate for a so-called bad boy to wear only black at a public party.

"Don't have to tell me twice." I dropped the drink back in the cooler, closing it once more, and then stepped aside to the punch on the table. Grabbing an empty cup, I filled it to the top rim. Tonight was a night of destressing and forgetting about the boy behind my shoulder. Unfortunately though, as I took a big drink and turned around, he kept talking to me.

"What brings you here tonight?" What kind of question was that? I glanced at his best friend who was staring at my legs. I guess that was another shared common interest between them.

"Your brother," I answered honestly, though I knew he'd take my answer with a different meaning. And I let him do so, hoping it would either strike a nerve or disgust him. Hopefully both. Something flashed in his eyes and his lips flipped to a scowl. Success.

His best friend laughed. Ricky wore his usual dark brown leather jacket with a pair of ripped blue jeans. He kept his hair buzzed which made him remind me of Sid from Toy Story, but his eyes were such a dark blue that they didn't even look blue in most lighting. "And the fact that I'm an alcoholic," I added, turning my attention back to Reed. "Because that's what I am, right?" I reminded him of his accusations. I was far from being an alcoholic, but if Reed wanted to think that I was, then I honestly didn't care.

With that, I walked away from them, taking another big gulp of my drink. I found Julian in the living room, where the furniture was pushed to the walls and the party was thriving. He had a can in his hand and a girl on his other arm. "Hey!" he grinned brightly, spotting me amongst the close bodies around us. "Wanna dance?"