Explosive

08 || The Party

"Are you sure it's just the four of them? No one else?" my aunt says, her face etched with worry and Theo at her hip. Today is the day of the party and as expected Josh's family is leaving to visit his grandparents in Ottawa. "I swear, Josh Collins if you are lying to me, I will ground you." Josh rolls his eyes as he leads his mom toward the door. He towers over her tiny figure.

"We'll be okay, mom." I wipe my sweaty hands on my soccer jersey and keep my eyes fixed onto the wooden floor. Sitting on the stairs I feel as if she can see straight through me. I hate lying.

"I trust you guys. Audrey more than you," she teases. Someone shouts from the hall, making my aunt jump. She gives Josh a quick hug before scrambling out the door. "We'll be back on Sunday. Love you guys." Josh stands at his door until he hears the ding of the elevator.

He then proceeds to slam the door and spreads his arms out. A grin stretches across his pale face he says, "Let's get this party started."

"I feel bad for lying to your mom. It's not right, Josh."

"Loosen up, Audrey. God, you're such a good girl." I stay quiet, even though I want to ask what's wrong with being a good girl. "You're not lying. You're more of an accomplice."

"I'm still worried," I grumble and pull out phone to see if Emily has texted me. She hasn't. It has been quiet on her end for weeks. Perhaps she is just busy with school.

"Stop being such a worrywart and help me put anything that is breakable into the cupboards," he says as he picks up a glass plate from a table beside the door.

"How come your Back to School Bash is so late?" I ask.

"My parents usually visit my grandparents early September but this time they held off because...."

"Because of me. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. It's not your fault." But it is my fault. Everything that happened was because I couldn't keep my mouth shut. He points at my phone before he says, "Can you call for pizza?"

"You do it. I'll pick up the stuff." Josh shrugs his shoulders but doesn't object to the idea, taking the phone from my hands, he disappears into the kitchen. A small picture frame with Josh and his parents sits on the table beside the door. Thinking it might be breakable, I tuck it in the small drawer below the table.

There is a knock on the door, making me cringe slightly. The paranoid side of me thinks that Josh's mom might be back because she realized what he is up to. Opening the door, I am met by the only four that Josh's mom thinks are coming to the house, Blake, Cynthia, Todd and Aditi.

"Hey, Damsel in Distress." Todd mumbles, giving me a high five. Blake nods at me, a small smile glued to his face. Aditi smiles at me but Cynthia ignores me. Instead she focuses on taking off her high heels. When she pulls off her heels, she is the same height as me. I want to ask her about why she ruined my painting but decide against it. It's better for me to stay quiet and out of her way.

"Hey guys," Josh says happily. He gives Todd a man hug and does a cool handshake with Blake. "I thought you had a shift at Smith's."

Blake sticks his thumb at Todd, rolling his eyes he says, "This idiot told Smith about the party. You know how the guy is. Told me he would fire me if I didn't go." Josh's grin widens and I smile in response to it. It seems as if Josh is the happiest when he is with his friends. As they pile into the living room, I slip into the kitchen to shuffle around in the fridge. I wish Tamara had come.

From the kitchen I hear Todd ask, "Guys I have a joke for you all." They all groan in response but I stay still to listen to it. "How do you organize a party in space?"