American Dream?

Time To Go

After a while, people started to talk to one another. It started off as a whisper but then grew louder and louder. Chelsea and Nick moved towards us.

Jason prised his hands off me and stood back slightly. His expression full of shock, his mouth hanging open, his eyes wider than usual. I then became aware that I wore the same expression. Chelsea leapt at me and hugged me, her floral perfume filled my nostrils and her silk like hair rubbed against my face.

“OMG Madison can be such a drama queen. She’s never happy unless she’s the centre of attention. I’m so glad you’re all right, I thought you were like a goner.”

“Me too.” My voice was squeaky and my throat was dry. My tongue felt like sand paper.

Some other student came towards me and Jason. Eventually everyone was around us in a small circle. I immediately thought they hated me and were about to attack me; they would think this was all my fault.

I felt claustrophobic. I was surrounded.

“Forget about Madison, none of us liked her anyway.” One of the girls said to me. I had never met her before. She had striking ginger hair and lots of make-up. To my surprise everyone agreed and began to comfort me and Jason with soothing words.

A teacher came into the hall and cleared her throat loudly. Everyone turned.

“This party is over, please make you way home. If you can’t get home or can’t contact you parents the staff will get you home. Thank you.” The woman scuttled off like a beetle.

“I guess that’s fair” I said and again everyone agreed with me.

Jason spoke to me for the first time since Madison’s little stunt.

“Come on, let’s get you home.” He looked at me lovingly. Relief flooded me, I though he wouldn’t want to be seen with me after what happened.

“You don’t hate me?” I asked suspiciously.

“Hate you? God no. Why makes you think that?”

“Well you know, what just happened.”

“Not wasn’t your fault. It was just Madison getting over dramatic. Anyway I’d never hate you.” He planted a quick, light kiss on my lips and smiled down to me. The crowd cheered and whistled at us and we left the hall hand in hand, laughing and with a giggling Chelsea and Nick by are sides.

We made are way to the car park where the BMW was waiting for us. Laughing, talking; no-one mentioned what had happened earlier.

While we were talking I noticed Nick was drunk. I was wondering how he was still standing. He was incapable of walking in a straight line; his speech was slurred and barely comprehendible. I guess none of the staff realised he had smuggled alcohol due to the huge scene courtesy to Madison.

I was glad Jason was driving because no way are we going to stay alive if Nick drives, he can barely walk let alone drive.

Jason jumped into to driver’s seat without question. Chelsea and I had to help Nick get into the back seat, in the end we had to carry him; I held his arms while Chelsea held his legs. He was a lot heavier than I expected.

“God, he weighs a ton.” I moaned.

“You get used to it; he does this all the time. At least now I have help, sorry I had to get you involved.”

“How do you do this one your own?”

She shrugged in response.

“Right, push him in on three. One…Two…Three.”

We hauled Nick into the back seat. Chelsea let out a squeal in effort. After we managed to slide him in he mumbled something. At this, Madison sighed and slide next to him. I moved into the passenger seat in the front as Jason took the wheel.

“Where first?” I asked to Jason.

“I think we should drop of Chelsea and sleeping beauty over there, don’t you?” In the back seat of the car I could see Nick curled up in the back seat with his head resting on Chelsea’s lap. Nick lifted his head about an inch in the air and managed to slur something comprehendible “You’re really pretty, you know? You even smell pretty…can we date?” Before Chelsea could respond, Nick’s head dropped back onto her lap and a few seconds later the car was filled with the sound of his light snoring.

At Nick’s house he had to carry Nick fireman style to his house, which Chelsea continently had a key to. Chelsea decided to stay over with Nick so she could look after him during the night and help him through the inevitably painful hangover in the morning.

Jason pulled up to my house last. “Last stop.” He declared as he got out of the car and opened the door for me. He walked me to my door; I wanted to say something to him but my mind went blank as to what to say. He seemed to sense my hesitation and leaned in to give me a full on kiss.

“Good night” He said when we came up for air; his hair fell attractively over part of his eyes.

“Good night.” I echoed in a distant voice.

He flashed a confident smile which I couldn’t help returning.

“See you tomorrow? Eleven? Meet you here?”

“Yeah…cool…yeah, sure, um…”  I could barely talk, his kiss had rendered me speechless, it was only after he walk away I realised he had asked me out for a date. I giggled quietly to myself and entered my house.

As I walked into the kitchen to find something to eat I stopped in my tracks staring and speechless. In front of my was my mum sat at the dinning table, with make-up smears down her face, face red, eyes puffy, smelling like a bar surrounded by empty alcohol bottles.