Everything I'm Not (GirlxGirl)

20. Drunken Kisses

I should not have come here.

Parties are not for me. I don't like the loud music and the sweaty bodies that collide against mine every few steps. I don't like the smell of drunk people and guys hitting on me with every chance they get. Maybe I wouldn't mind if they were girls, but men? Ew.

So why am I here if I hate it so much? It's Alvarrez, duh. I know for a fact that all varsity players are excused from their classes for the whole week of the interschool competition that happens next week.

I was thinking of ways on how to get her to talk to me and this was one of my ideas. She and Kristina are always present when it comes to parties.

But after 30 minutes of going around Dan's house, I still haven't found a trace of any of the two. I found my way into the kitchen where the drinks are and poured myself a cup. If I wasn't going to see her here, might as well enjoy the drinks.

Surprisingly, they taste good. I help myself to another before wandering again. This time, I checked out the second floor. A bunch of people was crowding around the pool table, watching a game between Dan and Kristina. Sitting behind her lazily in a couch was Alvarrez, arms around one of the volleyball players.

Dan catches sight of me. "Alexis! You came!" She leans in for a hug.

I hand her my gift, wrapped in a rectangular box. "Happy birthday." I smile at her.

Dan blushes. She hesitantly takes my present. "You didn't have to."

"It's not a big deal." I glance behind her. "Are you playing 8-ball?"

"Yes. Do you play?" She raises an eyebrow at me.

I bite back a smile. I can't possibly tell her I've crushed all my brothers every single time we play. "A bit."

Dan turns back to the table. "Great. Kris is just about done kicking my ass. You can play her." She hands me the cue.

Kristina eyes me. "Ooh, Alexis, fancy seeing you here. It's the first time I've seen you at a party."

"Yes, well, it was unexpected." Kristina positions herself at the head of the table, aiming at the perfectly positioned balls Dan fixed for us. She hit the cue ball hard, successfully scattering the balls and pocketing the 4-ball. "No hard feelings, Alex. I've got a reputation to uphold."

"I hope I won't hurt your pride too much after this." I smile sarcastically.

"Ooh, something's telling me you're not joking." She positions herself for another shot, aiming for a solid. "Wanna bet?" She takes the shot, successfully sinking the 1-ball. "Loser drinks five shots."

"I'm game." Kristina was able to sink four solid balls before I got my first turn. I circle the table, looking for the perfect angle to make my shot.

When I was a kid, I saw my father play pool with his friends slash associates slash business partners. Being my father, of course, he was good at it. He's good at everything—except maybe parenting, but he's working on it. I had him put a billiard table in our house to practice, and practice I did until I was able to get to a level where I could play on par with him.

Before I knew it, I was down to my last ball. The crowd circling the table doubled, watching the game between Kristina and me. My eyes searched the crowd for Alvarrez who was gone from the couch she was sitting on, only to find her standing behind me, her eyes twinkling with amusement directed at me. "You're good," she says, the corners of her mouth turning up.

"I've had practice." I walk over to the opposite side of where she was standing and aim for a striped ball. I can feel Alvarrez's eyes on me. To my dismay, I miss the next shot.