The Worst Prom Date Ever

16 • The Worst House Party Ever

"She's not coming." I answered back.

"Not that Beau's complainin' though!" Lucas sang loudly, and it earned him a smack in the head from me. "Shut up, bro."

  — — —   

[8:24 p.m.]

We pulled up in front of Diane's house and found a nice parking spot. I looked behind me and saw Piper peering through the window, looking nervous as if we were in front of the Bates Motel.

Her clothes distracted me.

"Are you ready?" I asked her. She looked at me and gave me a stiff smile. "Um, yeah," she answered unsurely. All three of us went down and started to walk to the house. Lucas burst opened the door and we were welcomed by over fifty people cramped inside, and I was assuming there were another fifty in the backyard.

The scenario was always like this in a typical Diane Evigan party. You know it—the loud, raucous music, beer cans and red cups littered everywhere, the faint smell of sweat, cigar and alcohol lingering in the air.

Good thing there are no drunken people and public make out sessions...yet.

We would have to wait for two more hours for that.

If Pascal was the king of house parties, then I give Diane the position as queen. Her parents own the successful Murklins Nightclub in Flinnway, so being the entitled party girl was basically in her blood.

"Beau! Lucas!" All three of us turned around and saw the party queen herself who was draped in a gold mini dress. Her breath already smelled like Corona as her mouth brushed passed our noses and gave each of us a quick peck on the cheek. "How are you guys?"

"We're good," Lucas replied with a smirk. How awkward was the fact that Lucas and I both made out with this girl?

She furrowed her eyebrows as she tilted her head to the side, looking behind Lucas and I. "Who are you with?" she whispered sharply to us. Diane had probably never interacted with Piper before.

"This is Piper Griffin...she's our schoolmate in Hartsmith?" I asked, waiting for an answer that could somehow ring a bell for her.

"She looks...different."

"It's cool that I invited her, right?"

"I guess so...but why?"

Lucas pulled Piper in front of us and almost tripped. Diane automatically moved a step backward. "She's Beau's date at the moment since Callista can't come."

"That's not true!" Piper blurted, turning red. Lucas snickered as I smacked him in the head for the second time.

"Well, it's not like I care," Diane replied as she flipped her long brown locks. Piper looked up and handed her a small, red paper bag. "What's that?" Diane asked, folding her arms across her chest.

"It's an I-thought-it-was-your-birthday birthday gift," Piper replied sheepishly. Diane looked at me skeptically but I just shrugged. She gingerly took it as she bore her green eyes at her. 

"Thanks..." she trailed off.

"You're welcome." Piper answered. There was a moment of awkward silence but it was cut off by the blaring music. 

"Well, I better put this away in my room. I hope you guys enjoy the party—but then again, who doesn't enjoy it?" Diane chimed, and dashed to the stairs. "Nice outfit, by the way! That's a first," she hollered to Piper, and went back up.

Lucas nudged me in the arm and told me that he will be heading to the backyard, leaving me with Piper.

We started to walk around inside the house, Piper tailing behind me. I greeted and talked to a number of people at the same time tried to introduce Piper to them. They all gave me the same surprised reaction, and I didn't know if I should address it as a positive or a negative thing.