Candle Wax

Chapter One

Chapter One

"Ugh!" I scream out in frustration. "Hey, hey, hey," Adam tries to calm me down. "If the banner won't stay on the mantel, we'll hang it over the door! It's okay, Cam." I sigh. "Okay fine. Here," I say and hand him Satan's invention. Everything has to be perfect for Amber's party. Everything. This has been the worst year of her life. She's been through so much. She needs this party. She needs some happiness.

Shoot. The punch isn't in the bowl.

I ordered some specialty punch all the way from the Netherlands. It has powdered kiwi, blueberries, and strawberries. All of Amber's favorite fruit. It supposedly "tastes like the real thing". Or at least that's what the translator on the website said. It's probably still in the kitchen.

I look back at Adam trying to fix the banner. I start to walk towards the kitchen. When I pass Adam, I place a hand on his back. "It will probably look better over the door anyways," I say with a smile. He returns the smile and a spark shoots through my gut. I can't help but to blush. We've been dating for six months. Why am I still blushing over his smile?

I leave him to his banner situation and enter the kitchen. The punch is in still in the UPS box it came in. I pick the packet of mix out of the box and reach into the cabinet for a pitcher. I fill it up with tap water and look at the back for directions. Thank God there are pictures. It looks like I'm supposed to mix the powder with the water and drop ice in it. Simple enough.

I pour the contents of the packet into the pitcher and grab a mixing spoon. After it's at least moderately mixed, I get a cup and go to the freezer. I fill the cup to the top and pour in the ice.

"Well, at least that's done," I hear someone say behind me. Clark. My glare is so prominent, I'm sure he can see it. "Hi, Clark," I say with as much enthusiasm as a brick wall. "Anything you need me to do?" he asks, obviously hoping that there isn't. "No. I've got it under control. Thanks," I say, practically spiting the words at him.

He disgusts me. My skin crawls every time he's in the room. "Alright. I'll go see if Adam needs help," he says. A name as beautiful as Adam's shouldn't be spoken by Clark's pale, chapped lips, most likely caused by his three packs he had on the drive over. He walks past me towards the living room and I feel myself gag. Most definitely three packs.

He turns and walks up behind me and leans in to whisper in my ear, "Oh, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't cause a scene between me and Bambi tonight. I don't need a repeat of a couple weeks ago. And neither does she." He pushes my hair behind my shoulder and I feel bile coming up into my throat.

He walks out and it's just me and my punch. Actually Bambi's punch. I hate that nickname he have her. It sounds cute, but to Clark it's meant to be cruel. He gave it to her the first night he hit her.

My mind goes back to that night, the night she climbed the tree to my window, and she cried for hours. She told me what happened through ugly sobs. Apparently she had told him that she was done with being with him, but that she didn't really mean it, that she just let her mouth speak before her mind processed. What she told me after that still haunts me. She said his eyes instantly changed from his usual light blue, to a dank and dirty gray. He reeled back his whole arm and let it come back at full force. "Don't you dare say that to me you slut! You think I like putting up with you? Get over yourself!" he screamed at her. She quivered away from him and his harshness. He found that as an invitation for even more pain. He hit her again with even more force and tested her. "You can't take it? You a little scared doe? You a little scared doe lost in the deep dark woods?!" he asked with a snarl. "You can't take it... Bambi? Yeah. Bambi the little scared doe. Fits you perfectly, babe."

She said it was an accident, that he didn't mean to do it, that it just happened. Yeah right. He's a pervert and a jerk. He finds pleasure in people's disgust and pain. He's terrible.

But she still went back to him. And they've been on and off ever since. I love Amber, but she can be so stupid sometimes. And I've told her that at least a million times. What kind of best friend would I be if I didn't tell her the truth? I want her to be happy; but not with Clark. Anyone in the world, just not Clark.

I grab the punch bowl and bring it into the living room. Clark is helping Adam hang some streamers on the ceiling. I can't imagine why. But even with Clark the eye-sore, it looks remarkable. There must be at least a hundred streamers showering down from the top of the ceiling, piles of neon colored balloons, a bowl of glow sticks at the door for the guests' indulgence, different colored lights shining on the floor from the ceiling, a couple disco balls, and a setup in the corner for the DJ. I have to say, for my modest living room, this is pretty amazing. I can't wait for Amber to see it. I just wish Clark wasn't here to leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth.

"I know something that could really make this party," Clark chimes in. "What?" Adam asks so politely. He's so nice. I couldn't bring myself to ask Clark anything remotely decent. "A keg," he replies. Here we go again. Clark's eighteen, but he's not legally allowed to drink. And I am not letting his stupidity coax me into something reckless.

"No," I say firmly. "That's a ridiculous idea. None of us are old enough."

"That doesn't stop me."

"Yeah, no kidding."

"You don't even know me, little kid."

"I don't know you? I don't know you?! I know exactly who you are. You are a bully and a sadist."

Adam walks over to me and gently touches my arm, telling me to take it easy. His brown eyes look deeply into my green ones. He blinks once. I know. I need to apologize. I might as well get it over with.

"Sorry, Clark," I say, so sincerely.

Adam seems to approve. His hand falls from my arm to my hand. Clark huffs and walks to the patio to have another smoke. The air instantly feels warmer. I sigh and lean into Adam. Thank goodness he's here to hold me upright. "Tonight's going to be fine, more than fine. Epic," he says and I smile. I love him so much. "I love you so much," I say to him. "I know you do," he replies, kissing me on my forehead. I'm about to return the gesture, just as the doorbell rings. It's okay. Tonight is not about me and Adam. It's about celebrating the greatest thing to happen to all of us, even Clark. Tonight is about Amber.

Let the party begin.