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THE FIRST WORD I would use to describe Penelope Bancroft's party is loud.
So loud, that the only sound that comes close to matching the aggressive dance-floor pop is the chorus of the thirty or so drunk kids singing along, while others make out, or both.
In that last category falls Penelope herself, who is wrapped around her boyfriend, clearly oblivious to the picture frames that have been knocked off her mantelpiece, the fruit punch someone just spilled on her carpet, and the violent game of beer pong being played across the top of her piano.
I stand beside Evan. We haven't even stepped five feet into the house, and from what I'm witnessing already, I'm already doubting my decision to leave the comfort of my home.
"So," Evan starts, turning to look at me. "You wanna leave?"
Sharice has disappeared into the crowd. I don't plan on seeing much of her tonight, but her sixth sense will know if we leave.
"We can't," I say. "We promised we'd stay and try to have fun."
"What?!" he shouts. Unfortunately, my attempt to repeat myself gets drowned out by the music and any sound that comes out of my mouth is promptly squashed.
I shake my head instead, grab his hand, and pull him into the kitchen, where fifteen or so seniors crowd around a table stacked with beer, vodka and bottles of soda. The music is quieter here, but it reeks of marijuana and armpit.
"Might as well reap the benefits of this shitshow, right?" I shrug, grabbing two beers off the table and handing one to him. We migrate to the side of the room, where all of the chairs from the table have been moved, and sit down.
"Cheers to that." Evan grins, opening his beer. I hesitantly follow suit.
The last and only other time I've gotten drunk was at a party that Sharice threw—because, let's be honest, who else would invite me to a house party?—while her parents were out of town. That ordeal turned out to be a massive disaster, because:
1.) I got way too drunk after taking four shots with Evan to celebrate his SAT score and ended the night throwing up in the bathroom;
2. ) Evan got way too drunk and ended the night crying because of his good-but-not-perfect SAT score;
3.) Sharice got way too drunk and invited her asshole ex-boyfriend, to come to the party at quarter past midnight; and
