Work of Art

Chapter 39

Nick stretched out her hand. "Pass me the bottle."

Jonah rolled his eyes, taking a quick swig before handing it over to the impatient girl. "Keep this up and you won't be able to walk by yourself into the Cullen's house," Jonah teased.

"Relax Jonah, I'm perfectly fine." The last few words came out a bit too elongated.

"Whatever you say sweetie," Jonah said as he swiped the bottle back, taking another long drink himself.

"Save some for the rest of us!" Maggie complained as she, too, took a turn.

Once Nora had the bottle back in her hands again, she took a quick sip and then screwed the lid on. She was met with disapproving gasps, but she just shrugged. "No open containers on the road."

Her statement was emphasized by Henry holding up his car keys and jingling them in an over-exaggerated way. He had begrudgingly volunteered to be the dd for the night, at least until they got to the Cullens. Alice's original invitation had been followed up with an offer to spend the night if they chose.

The shaking of the keys was all it took to get everyone onto their feet and heading out the door.

Nora, very indiscreetly, had the remainder of the bottle shoved up under her shirt as they walked outside.

Once in the car, before Henry could even put the car in drive, Maggie was snatching the aux and giggling to herself. The next thing everyone knew, the song "Gas Pedal" was blasting.

"Holy shit!" Jonah screamed, out of time with the music.

Windows down, Henry pulled into the road, music blaring into the street.

Even in as small of a town as Forks, lots of people could be seen out past the sunset gearing up for the night. And, from the looks of the direction of some of the traffic, the group of five friends was not the only car heading to the Cullen household. The group almost immediately recognized that it was Conner Newton's, Mike's older brother, car in front of them. In Forks, it was hard not to know everyone, and their cars.

Part of the grass along the driveway near the house had been converted into parking space from the looks of it. There were probably a dozen cars parked along the stretch.

"Did Alice invite the whole school or something?" Maggie asked, looking at the line of cars in surprise.

"Knowing Alice, it wouldn't surprise me," Nora grinned. In a swift movement, she hopped out of the passenger seat. Her movements were much more graceful than the three seniors who were sitting in the back, rather, theirs was a quite ungraceful charade of scooching.

Alice greeted them all at the door with a hug. "You made it!" She squealed with her arms around Nick.

The pixie walked further into the house with the group, chatting with other guests briefly as they walked.

Nick watched her flit around. "You should seriously go into professional party planning Alice, you're way too good at this."

In response, Alice flung her arm around Nick's shoulder with another squeal.

After they had made their way into the throng of what really did appear to be a good portion of the Forks High School, Maggie glanced around.

"Where's the boyfriend, Alice?" Maggie asked.

"Oh," Alice said, "he's out camping. Most of the family is actually, I just asked for special permission to throw a party instead."

Nora looked at the girl in surprise. "You mean, they're okay with you throwing a party home alone?"