Dancing on Eggshells

This is the part when I go to the most confusing party of my entire life

Mom: Where are the girls?
Leslie: They went to a movie.
Mom: What movie?
Leslie: I don't know,something about dying .
Mom: That movie has been off circuit for a while.
Leslie: How do you even know what movie I'm talking about?
Mom: I know these things. I'm just smart and observant that way.
Leslie: How do you know it's off though?
Mom: I check the cinema times every week to see if there's anything I can drag Holden to.

Okay, she wouldn't say that, she's probably just thinking it.

Leslie: Maybe they're having a special 'bring it back one last time' evening.
Mom: That's an actual event?
Leslie: I don't know, I don't go to movies very often.
Mom: Maybe you're right, Les.
Leslie: Please don't call me that.
Mom: Oh, Les! What if they went to join a cult!? Or they went to get a tattoo or perform a stripper act or...go to a party.

I think there is sweat running down my face. Chris was supposed to be my guard and then I found him here...smoking and drinking and probably dreaming about sleeping with a random drunk girl.
I say dreaming because I know for a fact that Chris acts like he wants to have sex with a girl but he's secretly not ready, which I think is fine. I hate that he doesn't actually approve of it , though.
"What the hell are you doing here"? I scream over the terrible music the minute I reach my dumbass brother.
He's wearing one of his beanies and I see him attempt to pull it down as I approach him.
"I can still see you, Chris"! I yell, standing right next to him now.
"I'm not Chris", he says in a very high, pitched  voice, "it is me, Lolita".
I now stand in front of him and his damn beanie who's name is apparently Lolita.
"Hi Lolita", I play along, "have you seen a idiot name Christopher Atkins? He has a big, stupid head, he has a tattoo on his neck that says 'Shameless' and one on his butt that says 'I didn't choose the thug life, the thug life chose me".
Immediately, Chris throws off his beanie and starts screaming at me like a little kid.
"You said you would never tell anyone about that!" He yells.
I only realize now that Violet and Winona are behind me, but I don't care if they know any of Chris's sad secrets now.
"You said you would stay at home tonight!" I yell at him.
"I have an excuse".
"Okay, spill it!"
"I heard they were bringing in some expensive beer from Florida".
"Florida? Since when are their breweries so fantastic ?
"I don't know, I just wanted to taste it".
"So you betrayed me to taste beer"?
Nothing, he says nothing.
I shake my head.
"Don't even bother asking me to cover for you when Mom finally realizes you have a tattoo on your neck or your stupid ass, don't even bother".
I walk away from him and we go to the carpet that everyone is dancing on. I haven't spotted Quinn, Emma, Maia or Jayden yet, I hope I do. The dance floor is busy, like a bunch of sardines moving their asses wherever they can. When I look behind me, Violet and Winona aren't there.
I lost them.
"Fuck". I mutter under my breath.
I can't see them anywhere, I can't hear them calling or yelling. Beers are lined up on the kitchen table. A group of sophomores are taking shots and cheering for each other. I feel stressed now, knowing my mother may find out that I lied to her.
What if she never trusts me again?
To be honest, I can't think of anything else negative.
I then do something I thought I would never do, I grab a beer from the kitchen counter and open the tab. It pours down my throat, making me gag a little.
Holy shit, is all I can think.
Why did I do this again?
"Hi".
I suddenly drop the can. I don't care to pick it up though, I don't want that piece of shit anywhere near me. In front of me is Kayden Marshall, a boy from my Advanced English class. I didn't talk about him in the last chapter because I thought it would be unnecessary. Up until now, I couldn't imagine actually talking to him. He's good looking, I'll confess. He has dark hair like me which is cut into this shaggy hairstyle which I completely admire. It's actually very nineties in a way, that's one of the things I love about it. He also has these big, brown eyes which are impossible not to stare at. He's about five ft seven, only a tiny bit taller than Violet. He looks older than fourteen, he could definitely pass for sixteen, maximum.
"Hi". I respond, my voice attempting to tackle the music.
"Keoria, right"?
"Yeah".
"I like that name".
"Um, thanks".
It's a very awkward conversation, I feel like it's because of me though. I then decide to ask him a reasonable question.
"Do you know if there is anything besides beer at this party"? I ask.
"Uh , yeah", he replies, "I saw a table serving sodas. I can take you if you want".
"Please do". I say.
We walk out of the living room to the kitchen where a few guys are standing behind the counter pouring soda for a small amount of kids. I ask for a Coke Zero and Kayden asks for a Dr. Pepper. The helpful guy generously pours our sodas from the packaged can into a red, Dixie cup.
After receiving our drinks and taking a few sips,we start heading back to where we were standing in the living room.
"Wow, this is so sweet and strong!" I say.
"Yeah, I like it". Kayden confesses.
"Maybe it's because my taste buds have been damaged by that terrible beer".
Kayden chuckles.
"Horrible music, hey"? He says
I nod, taking more sips of my Coke Zero.
"What sort of music do you like"? I ask.
"Fall out Boy, Coldplay, The Script, Mumford and Sons, Birdy, Ellie Goulding and Lana Del Rey".
I almost drop my drink, again. I luckily catch it ,again.
"Yeah, I love Birdy and Lana-Mumford and Sons too".
He nods and takes a sip of his drink, only to actually drop his drink on the floor.
"Holy shit!" He yells.
I chuckle.
"Clumsy much"?
He smiles and just stares at his spilt drink on the floor. For a few moment, he just stare at his cup. He then picks it up, ignoring the mess.
Moment of silence passes, thank god I have so many questions for him.
"Which middle school were you at"? I ask.
"I just moved from Florida , so I doubt you would've heard of my middle school".
I raise my eyebrows.
"What do you think of Boston"?
"I'm loving it!"
"Good".
Another moment of silence, broken by him.
"Do you know Jayden, the kid with the...glitter on all his clothes"?
"Yeah,he's one of my friends".
"Yeah, he's been talking to me a lot his week, I like him".
"As in..."
"No!"
I laugh.
"Jayden is gay if you didn't realize". I point out.
"I figured it out".
I smile, wider than my smile originally was a few seconds ago.
"Have you seen him tonight"?
"Yeah, he dragged me here",Kayden says, "he went upstairs with Emma and Maia".
I cringe.
"Wh-what are they doing"?
"They're not getting high, if that's what you're thinking".
"How do you know"?
"I was walking home with Jayden yesterday and he was ranting about how much he hates drugs".
"Out of the blue"?
"No, we saw some sophomores smoking under the benches on the field".
I take another sip of my drink, enjoying the sweet taste.
"Do you want to join them, I'll come with". He asks.
I nod.
"Let's go refill on drinks first".

Violet and Winona are still missing in action. We find Jayden and them in Reece's brother's bedroom. Quinn is with them, smoking. Her and Emma are close friends, after all. We decide to play music, music that doesn't harm our ears.
We listen off my phone for a while, Jayden singing along to 'Skinny Love' and 'Video Games'.
Kayden thinks it is hilarious.
We've been up here for about a half and hour, Quinn lighting a new cigarette every ten minutes.
"Why are you smoking so much all of a sudden"? I ask her.
She shrugs and carries on. I don't know what's wrong, but I let her be.
Every once in a while, one of us volunteers to go refill up on drinks from upstairs.
But before I know it, things are blurring.