My phone starts to ring and it's Lauren calling, so I answer and walk past Ellie straight through the foyer and out to the porch.
"What's up babe?" I find the porch swing and sit myself down, resting my cup on the ground.
"Where are you?"
"I told you I'm at this thing my mom dragged me to."
"Come meet me at Gia's, everyone's here and Kieran brought what you asked for."
I lean back against the swing, watching my breath come out in icy puffs and then disappear into the night. Kieran knows how to come through. I wrestle with my keys in one pocket and then the thought of my mother turning into a North Korean dictator.
"I'll try and come by later, Paul will tear me a new one if I leave now."
"Babe, they'll understand, come on," Lauren whines on the line.
"I'll see you in about an hour, okay?" I rock the swing gently.
"Fine," she cuts and the call ends.
"Shit," I rake a hand through my hair and shove my phone back into my pocket.
"Jude!"
Mom stands in the doorway, Mrs. Hemscott on her left arm with extensions falling out and one shoe on.
"Give me some help and come inside!" She tries to smile but its become contorted.
I laugh, "Nah, I'm not going anywhere near that."
"Jude, I'm going to say this once - get inside now. Or I'll take your car keys," she adds a smile at the end.
I groan and slump off the swing, swiping my cup along the way. I chug it and crumple the plastic, throwing it out into oblivion as I catch Mrs. Hemscott's other arm and together, we tow her back inside. She reeks of a mixture of things but we haul her to the living room sofa and set her down.
"How long have you been with her?" I look Mrs. Hemscott up and down, but snicker at Mom.
"Five years! He's been screwing that bitch for five years!" Mrs. Hemscott suddenly grabs my collar and throws me to her side.
Her palms squirm around my cheeks and I'm shoved into the couch cushions, wide-eyed with the crazy broad who I swear is starting to twitch.
"Do you know what I could've done with five years?! Do you know how many pool boys I could've had?!" Mrs. Hemscott's left eye jerks with every syllable.
"Mom, for the love of God, get this woman off of me!"
Mom and two other neighbors manage to peel the flailing mess from my body and I storm back to the kitchen. Ellie is rummaging through the closet and I've become a bit woozy, but I unscrew the rum and grab another cup.
"Everyone's so full of shit here," I grumble and toss back what I've poured.
"Glad you were able to make it then," Ellie seethes and walks past me with a bag of chips.
"What the fuck's that supposed to mean?" I call after her. A couple of other guests turn with bewildered expressions. Ellie shakes her head and walks back into the kitchen where I'm gripping the counter for balance. Who the fuck does she think she is.
"Keep your voice down!" She slams the chips down.
"Don't tell me what the fuck to do," I hiss.
I roll my eyes and make way to grab the rum, but Ellie intercepts me and swipes the handle off the counter.
"Give me-"
YOU ARE READING
Trace
Teen Fiction"Jude." "Yea?" "Look at me." I sigh and turn back to Ellie, hands shoved in my pockets as the tingling grows more intense. She stares eerily into my face, her skin blanching as her lower lip begins to quiver. "What's wrong," I swallow. "Why are you...
Chapter 11
Start from the beginning
