Heartbreaker

S I X

"I don't know about this," I say as we stop on the front step of Drew Stoller's house.

I would not want to be his neighbor right now. The music was so loud that I could feel the bass out here. I cross my arms over one another as the wind picks up. Only Eden was smart enough to bring a jacket.

"We don't have to stay for long," Eden says, "But we should go in. We're already here."

"And we got ready," Jaeda adds. "Don't be nervous, Josie. Everything will be fine."

I don't say anything else and they both turn on their heels and open the front door. The thick steamy heat washes over me as we step inside. There was what felt like hundreds of people here. When in reality I'm sure there was about fifty or sixty. But when everyone is cramped up in a small little house like this, it feels suffocating.

I already know it's not my vibe. But I didn't want to be the one to cancel on plans when we're already here.

I pull Jaeda's black crop further down my stomach. If my brother or my dad saw what I was wearing tonight, I think they actually would go into cardiac arrest. If I didn't pull the shirt down it went to my upper abdomen, and the black jeans showed off even more of my stomach than I would have liked. It was all Jaeda's idea. Not mine.

I feel so out of my comfort zone right now.

"Stop adjusting your shirt," She catches me for the millionth time. "You look great."

"I'm just not used to it," I say with a sigh.

"Confidence J."

She was right, I need to show I have confidence while wearing something like this. If I didn't feel pretty on the inside I needed to pretend I felt like it on the outside.

"Drinks," Jaeda says and pulls cans out of her bag. "My sister got them for us. Don't tell my mom."

"How are we getting home?" I ask.

"We can't call my brother," Eden says while shaking her head. "I told him we were sleeping at your house Josie."

"I told my family I was sleeping at yours," I say. Maybe we should've thought of a better plan. "I hope they don't talk about it."

Jaeda hands me a can that I could already tell was going to be way too sweet. I've seen this before, it was some kind of hard lemonade from the gas station.

"Can your sister come get us?" Eden asks, facing Jaeda as she opens her can. She takes a sip and shrugs.

"Maybe."

"Well we should probably figure this out before we get too drunk," Eden says. "Right?"

"Yeah. Unless you wanna walk home with no jackets," I say. It wasn't that far of a walk. But still three girls walking home alone after drinking? Not a good idea.

"I brought a jacket," Eden mumbles.

"At least one of us used our brain tonight." Jaeda pulls out her phone. Sometimes Jaeda and I pass our singular brain cell back and forth. "I'll text her."

These are the times I wish my sisters were around. I couldn't tell my dad this stuff, and I definitely couldn't tell Jake. He would just tell my dad anyway, he was shit at keeping a secret.

"Maybe Josie could ask Paul," Jaeda teases. My eyes snap back to her as she smirks.

"Yeah drunk teenager giving us a ride home, that sounds like a really good idea," Eden rolls her eyes.

"If we find him early enough maybe he will," Jaeda defends her statement.

"I wouldn't want to force him to stay sober for us, it's not his responsibility to look after us," I explain. Eden nods. "Besides, I can't ask a stranger to take us home."