The Last Virgin Standing

Chapter 29: Beers with Peers to Cheer in the New Year

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It was seven o'clock on December 31st, New Year's Eve. Ian was throwing one of his infamous Eve bashes. He threw the most extravagant parties, especially when the holidays came around. Using his generous supply of cash, he went all out. He decorated ceilings with disco balls and he made sure there were plenty of mistletoe underneath each archway, even if it was no longer Christmastime. Of course, the descriptions were based off of word of mouth. I never attended them, but this year was different. I wasn't considered as someone in the "in crowd," but I was getting invited to more partie thanks to my current Ian association.

Ian invited me to come by early to help him set up. I was surprised that he wasn't having his numerous servants doing it instead. He wasn't exactly the most ambitious guy out there. When I got there, he had a good portion of it done.

"This looks great, Ian," I said, looking around.

Ian had an ear microphone. "No, I said I wanted it above the mantle." He saw me, kissed my cheek briefly, and winked. "Sort of like you." He proceeded to scrunch his nose in disgust. He let out a growl of frustration. "It's all wrong!"

I rested my hand gently on Ian's shoulder. "What are you talking about? This place looks amazing."

"It doesn't even hold a candle up to last year."

"I wouldn't know."

He sighed. "It looks like a kindergartener threw it together. I need something bigger, better. It's my senior year, Charlotte. It needs to be spectacular."

Jokingly, I suggested that he have fireworks.

He considered it. "I did think about that," he mused, "but everybody does that."

"Why not just have bigger and brighter ones?"

"Isn't that illegal?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

Ian nodded. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's illegal. I think you have to have a license and be a certain distance away from buildings and people."

That sounded legitimate to me. "Why didn't you just hire somebody famous to come here?"

"Because then everyone wouldn't be partying. They'd be swooning over the starlet."

"Then...I don't know." Coming up with brilliant ideas weren't my forte. "Where are your parents?"

"Mom might be at one of her fancy spas."

"And your dad?"

He shrugged. "Don't know, don't care. As long as he doesn't interfere with my party plans, we're good." He began ranting and I hoped it was into the microphone. "No, no, no. I didn't want regular old banners. I want shiny, metallic ones. I want people to fall down because they're so reflective and hypnotizing. I don't know where you would get them. Can you one-hour deliver something online? I don't care if you have to strip down some aliens. I want it done." He glanced at me and mouth, "I'm sorry."

I smiled timidly, swinging my arms back and forth as I paced around the living room.

"Are you enjoying yourself?"

I averted my focus away from the decorum on the walls and to the man looming over me. It was none other than Mr. Jameson, who intimidated me to no end. I gave a curt nod. "Yes."

He chuckled almost challengingly. "You don't have to be so quiet." It was as if he was daring me. I didn't like the feeling.

"I'm sorry."