Star Light Star Bright

Chapter 16

I walked through rooms full of loud, obnoxious people. Most had plastic, red cups in their hands filled to the brim with beer. Everyone was laughing and having a great time as I walked around the outskirts of the party searching for Kyle.

The music was loud, making the commotion around me louder. The noise was starting to hurt my head and I dropped my search for Kyle and instead searched for a quite place to calm down for a few motherents.

I ended up in a back room with only a couple of people standing around. It was still loud but at least it was better than the screaming going on in the main room. Someone brushed past me, smelling strongly of alcohol. He stared at me dazed for a motherent, then scowled and pushed his way out of the room. I rolled my eyes and moved to the back of the room, trying to block out the yelling from the front room, echoing into room.

Someone else pushed their way into the room and looked around, a bit confused. When he saw me his face lit up and he moved towards me. It wasn’t until he was about 5 feet from me that I realized it was Kyle. My face lit up and I stepped forward to hug you. “I saw you come in to the house, but lost you in the crowed.” His tone was apologetic and I felt the need to comfort him.

“Please don’t worry about it.” I insisted, slipping my hand into his.

“Come on, I’ll introduce you to people.” He said, tugging on my hand. The quiet of the back room hadn’t done any good for my headache in the short time I had been back there, but I didn’t argue. I was there for him.

He pulled me into the main room and then out the back door. The backyard had been decorated with twinkling lights strung in the surrounding trees. The light cast majestic glows on the people faces and the plastic red cups. There were a few Tiki torches set up around the lawn, but they were all blown out, whether for convenience or safety I wasn’t sure.

“Sage, this is my best bro Charles.” Kyle said proudly, as if he were showing off his prized possession.

I held my hand out to shake Charles’s hand. His hand was calloused and rough and at least twice as big as mine. “Please call me Charlie.” He said politely. There was no hit of alcohol on his breath, and I decided I liked him. At least I knew he was responsible.

“This is his party.” Kyle added. “And it is one of the best of the summer, if I do say so myself.” He and Charlie laughed fist bumped each other and laughed as if sharing a  private joke.

“Want anything to drink?” Kyle asked, turning to me. I shook my head, there was no way I was laying my hands on that nasty beer. It wasn’t that I was a prude or anything. I had broken into my father’s vodka a few times with my friends, but beer was just grotesque and inferior, plus I didn’t get drunk in public.

Kyle shrugged and dropped my hand. “I’ll be back in a few.” He walked back inside and left me alone with Charlie. I watched him for as long as it was socially acceptable, then turned back to Charlie. The silence between us screamed with awkwardness.

“So are you enjoying the party?” he asked, trying to fill the silence.

“Yes.” I lied. My headache still pounded against my head. “There are quite a lot of people here.” I noted, trying to keep the conversation going.

Charlie smirked and shook his head. “This is nothing. You should see Kyle’s parties. His house is at least twice this size.” He crossed his arms in front of his chest and sighed. “But his parents are in town this week, so he couldn’t hold this party.  He sighed in disappointment.

I just laughed and nodded, trying to drag it out. I was beginning to think I should have a beer, just to relax me a little, but I shook that idea out of my head, deeming it stupid and irresponsible. It had been at least 10 minutes since Kyle at left and after a few more minutes of silence between Charlie and I, I turned away. “I think I’m going to see if I can find Kyle.” I walked away quickly before Charlie could pull me back or say something.