Cuddle Application

6 - Alcoholics go to Meetings, Drunks go to Parties

Jealously lit like a glimmering flame and I couldn't help but drape an arm around Josh's shoulders, sitting so close to his leg, I was almost in his lap. He turned to me, eyes surprised for a moment before a casual smirk slid across his face. "What's up, babe?"

"So?" I asked. "Are you in?"

He smiled. "A party with you? Wouldn't miss it."

A warm feeling spread through my chest. The blonde scowled and turned away. I felt triumphant until Josh turned to the two cheerleaders. "Natalie, Jen - wanna come?"

So her name was Natalie. She grinned widely, showing a perfect row of sparkly whites, "I can't wait to beat you at beer pong, Josh!"

"That's unlikely," he said, laughing.

Why did I feel like we were competing? Josh was mine, and the prissy little blonde knew it. I frowned and turned away.

"One beer in and that girl will be wasted on her ass," Park whispered, knocking me lightly with his shoulder. "Cheer up."

I smiled faintly and sipped my smoothie.

<<>>

"Well, how slutty do you want to look?"

Cora turned in her full-length bedroom mirror, examining different angles of the short black dress she was wearing. It was skin tight and left little to the imagination, but it was very appropriate if she was to kiss every boy at the party.

I rolled my eyes from my position on the bed, thinking of her goal. Cora had never been one for long term relationships. She was too distant, too confident in herself that it almost turned into insecurity. She'd told me once, drunk and crying, that if she gave enough little pieces of herself to everyone, she could finally be empty - that if she had nothing left to offer, she would no longer be desirable. I had asked her why she wanted to be empty, and she'd responded with, "if I don't have anything, there's nothing left for people to take away."

There was much that could be said about Cora's relationship with her father.

"Sky, what are you wearing?" Lina asked, interrupting my train of thought.

I looked down at my outfit, a flannel and black skinny jeans. Not a very risky choice, but it wasn't like I was trying to impress anyone. "Um, this?"

Lina and Cora gave each other a side glance.

"Babe, you're hot," Cora stated. "You can totally pull off that look, but, well, tonight is maybe not the night to do it."

"Agreed," Lina commented. "Do you really want to see Oliver again looking like that?"

I scoffed. "Okay, one, I don't want to see Oliver at all, alright? We're not going to this party for him - we're going because we're high schoolers who like to party. Second, I think this outfit is fine." My friend's faces were unconvinced, and I caved. "Fine, what should I wear?"

Lina smiled, pulling me up to stand in front of the mirror. She disappeared into the walk-in closet behind it, tossing shirt after shirt through the doorway. They all landed on the floor in one, multicolored pile.

"This is looking like a lot of neon, Leener," I said. "Got any black?"

Cora laughed and entered her closet. I could hear them murmuring to each other, clanking hangers and looking for the right outfit. Looking at myself, I tugged on a piece of my hair. My brown locks were usually an out of control fizz factory, but today they had calmed down to a nicely textured curl that I didn't mind leaving natural.