Teardrops of Roses [Completed]

Chapter 32: Definition of a Party

C h a p t e r     T h i r t y    T w o 

The streets along Cassies street were lined packed with a mix-mash of cars, some already overspilling onto the curbs the next street over.  The house outside was shaking with music and through the dark windows I spied streams of disco lights signaling to me that this was an actual "party-party" rather than a simple get together.

Weren't we all meant to be feeling down about Annie? I gulped and turned to Max hesitantly, while he gave an encouraging smile. 

He pushes me forward gently past the fountain sporting a new look with cigarette buds and empty drink cups and tells me not to worry. Most of the crowd was still at the ball and he was planning for us to leave before everyone else came over. Hearing this, however, I reserved doubt in my mind. If this was a tame party, what type of zoo would be unleashed by the time the real numbers came in? Crap.

We enter through the door and already I see that the house was trashed with streamers, balloons and confetti strewn across the living room. The noise level was insane with the amount of people dancing and screaming over the top of the music. And along with smoke machine, in true Cassie fashion there was even a little bubble machine off to the side. I cringed at the thought of the residue it would leave behind on the furniture, but I suppose it was only a cleaning bill away when you lived in this part of the neighborhood.

Making our way through the giant house we enter into the living room just as a bunch of guys with neon sticks looped in through various parts of their bodies and streamers tailing behind their necks, came bolting past us with nerf guns shooting at each other. One whizzes past almost slicing my ear off before it rebounded the corner of a picture frame on the wall and then bouncing perfectly into a flower vase. 

My hands began to get clammy. There was no chance in hell Cassie got approval for this party. Her parents were both high achieving lawyers who barely tolerates even the slightest wind from a fart, and seeing as Cassie, their first born, has been an insubordinate unruly party girl for years, they'd long gave up their hopes and instead put effort into their youngest son who they sheltered away.

I guess Cassie had this party planned out for a while now, pre-anticipating that her family would be off somewhere else without her. It was kind of sad really, adding to fuel to fire behind her defiant way, and All that Father Andrew's news had done was allow for the party to start earlier because lets be real. This party was not just done on a whim. 

Oh boy, and as hips and arms bumped into me, I felt stupid for not realizing sooner that the party would be anything but this. Really, what kind of teenage gathering didn't involve loud music, dancing, silly games and oh... booze? Especially when the best night of their high school lives (which the ball promised to be), got cut short dramatically.

God, what did I expect... 

"Max," James nods after coming arounds the corner with two suspicious drinks in his hands, passing it to him. "So glad you can make it fam, we're just getting started."
He spots me behind him, observing my surroundings cautiously, head turning like a meerkat in a rat's city.  "Oh here Rose, you take this. I'll go get another for myself." He says, thrusting the other cup into my hands and was already gone before I could decline. 

I wasn't planning on drinking and really, I was still uncomfortable at the idea of being where alcohol and the smell of bad decisions was involved. 

Also, what if Cassie spotted me? She'd kick me out. I was kinda hoping she would, then maybe Max would have to drop me off home even more earlier. The pregame was already enough to remind me why I didn't do these sort of things. 

Granted I couldn't even see her or any of the other golden girls anywhere and my mind suddenly wanders to Mandy and Luke who Max had said had already arrived. Did they get any troubles for staying here too? Mandy's relationship with the girls wasn't in too much of a better position than mine either. 

Max chuckles as I sniff the drink in my hands and wrinkle my nose. As if reading my mind, he goes "come on, let's go find Mandy and Luke." 
I find a random surface to put the drink on and leave it there for someone else claim.