Being Pure

Chapter One: Born Again

Emma starts to pull me into the mass of people dancing. People are bumping into us on either side, knocking me into other people. The song is different now, but this one still has that horrible pounding that the other one had. Before I know it, Emma is swaying her hips to the beat and becoming part of the crowd. So I do the same, running my hands through my hair. Pretty soon, I'm part of the crowd too.

~

"Never have I ever had sex in a car."

Several people around the circle take a quick swig of their drink but mine doesn't touch my lips. There's a round of applause and some high fives for the people who drank, but then we move onto the next person in the circle.

"Never have I ever dyed my hair."

This time I do take a drink. In seventh grade I had dyed my hair red. It didn't last though. By eighth grade I was back to being a mouse-brown brunette. Emma, sitting next to me, laughs as she remembers the same thing.

"That's right! You were a ginger for six months!" She screeches, leaning against me for support. Her cup is almost empty.

I smile as a girl named Hannah takes her turn.

"Never have I ever smoked."

Three people take a drink. Considering there's about fifteen of us in this circle, that's not too bad. I've always thought smoking was dirty. Same for other drugs. Not that I have a problem with drinking but drugs never interested me much.

We go a few more rounds before it's my turn. I always hate it when it's my turn to think of something. I'm always worried that I won't be able to come up with anything or that it will be stupid.

"Never have I ever skinny dipped," I say. No one seems to notice that I've been thinking about my turn for a while. Some people drink, but no one says anything. Then it's Emma's turn.

"Never have I ever had sex on campus," she says. I should've thought of that. That would've been a good thing to say.

Only one person takes a drink. People shout out, wanting to know with who and when. I don't see the big deal. I never really understood this part. Why do so many people care about the drama that goes on with other people? I guess it is just part of being a college student in 2015.

We go around the circle one more time before everyone gets bored and goes to get more beer. I don't have another turn, but I did have to drink for most of the rounds. I guess I've done more than I thought I did.

"Hey, have you seen Adam?" Emma and I are back downstairs. We're sitting on the floor with our backs against the wall since all the couches are taken. A couple to our left is making out and it's getting kind of gross. They're practically eating each other. A shiver runs down my spine.

"Nope," says Emma, popping the p. Then she jumps up from the floor and extends her hand. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" I let her pull me to my feet. Her hands are a little sticky from the floor. Someone must have spilled a drink.

"We're gonna find Adam, obviously!" She smiles and starts to drag me around the room, looking for Adam as we walk. I can barely hear her over the music. We're currently passing one of the very large speakers that's blaring Problem by Arianna Grande. Emma's still clutching to one of my hands so I use the other to plug one of my ears.

As we walk from room to room, people dancing push us around. I bang my knee on the side of a table at one point but we keep moving. Checking my phone, I see that it's almost one in the morning. Now I really need to find Adam 'cause he's my ride and I have a test at eight.