Evelyn's Pendant

6.

I knew I made the right decision by joining the Dissidents; I'm having the time of my life. I dance with Rose and Hazel and Asher eventually came to join us, with some persuasion by a more confident me. Soon enough, I'm caught in the middle of a huge grind-fest that Alexa and Cody joined as well. They all love me, I can already tell. I don't give a shit and I guess I'm a good time when I get a few drinks into me. I think I'm at drink number five?

As the beat drops in the song playing loudly in the house, I start to lower my hips to the ground and everyone cheers me on. The once unseeable floor has now made an appearance as the crowd backs up a step to watch me and give me space. I decide to give them a show; I sway my hips side to side as they hover above the alcohol-damped hardwood floor with my hands resting on my knees. I slowly make my way up, and as I do, I make sure I let my bottom glide along Asher's legs. He grabs hold of my hips, but I turn around fast and back up and start laughing as I continue to dance to the music with my hands running through my hair in an attempt to tease him. He seems to enjoy it by keeping his eyes on mine and smirking, showing a slight dimple under his left eye.

"College is awesome!" I yell at the top of my lungs as I throw my hands in the air. Everyone else does the same and cheers along and closes up the space between us again. Some people dance clumsily, either because they're starting to get wasted along with me, or they just can't dance.

I feel my phone vibrate in my back pocket somehow. "Who is texting me?" I say out loud.

I push myself out of the crowd and retrieve my phone out of my pocket, almost dropping it. I look and see it's a text from a number that I don't have saved as a contact on my phone.

Hey Lillian, it's Theo. Here's my number in case you need it. It reads.

I smile and respond: Hey hottie.

Smooth, Lillian.

Hazel comes over to me, her curly hair sticking to her sweaty face and neck. "Hey, everything alright?" she says while breathing heavily.

"Yeah, just responding to a text. I'll be right back over there!" I say to her.

She takes my empty cup. "Well, let me go get you another refill while you finish up your text!"

I thank her and look at what Theo replied to me: Lol. Are you drunk?

No! What makes you say that?! I reply.

I know you are. That was what you called me in the bar before stepping in your own puke. He responds.

That's just lovely.

As I put my phone back in my pocket, I start feeling a little dizzy and gross; it's a weird and unfamiliar feeling. It can't just be from the alcohol. It feels like somethings wrong.

"Here you go!" Hazel comes back to me with another full cup and hands it to me. "How are you feeling, by the way? Isn't it amazing?"

"Is what amazing? The drinks? Sure." I reply to the four Hazels I see in front of me.

She pulls me back into the big cluster of people. I try to join them in dancing, but surprisingly, my hips don't sway to the music the same and I'm off-beat. I try to ignore it and just blame it on the alcohol.

Only a minute passes and I can't stand the feeling anymore, as It's only getting worse.

"Hazel, I feel strange!" I slur.

"I know, it's strange but isn't it amazing?" she says while grinding against some unfamiliar guy.

"Yeah, Ombre, just have fun with it!" Rose chimes in. "You're fine!"