The Bad Boys Are Back

14

"You okay?" I asked the girl.

"Sorry, I'm so wonky," she giggled. "Hey, do you want my juice? I don't think I can finish it."

I glanced at the cup in her hands. "Just juice?"

She laughed, placing a hand on my arm. Her hands were freezing cold. "Yep, juice juice."

I shrugged, feeling thirsty anyway. "Sure thing then."

She handed me the cup and I glugged it down in one go. It was indeed just grape juice.

Theo laughed, "hey, I like you. You on Instagram?" She handed me her phone then.

I nodded. "Yeah, but, not very active."

I gave her my handle anyway. When I was done, someone called her name from outside the kitchen, her friend I was assuming. With a last pat on my shoulder, she wobbled back out. I noticed she was wearing black boots with heels. Explains the swaying, I wouldn't even be able to balance on that sober.

I crossed my arms, leaning against the countertop for another minute before Finn came back with the guy who greeted us at the door. The host, I presume.

"Oh," the guy went. "No worries man, just throw some kitchen towel there, we'll clean up in the morning. Go have fun."

Finn just nodded, before summoning me to follow him.

Wordlessly, I followed in his footsteps. He led me upstairs, to what appeared to be a living hall.

"You happy?" He went. "Now that you're at the party."

I wasn't sure what I felt but it wasn't a pleasant feeling. "No one's asking you to babysit me." I said softly. I then spotted a familiar face emerging from the stairway. Levi in a cap and a hockey jersey.

"Hey man can you stay with her I gotta do something, don't let her take anything." Finn said.

Before Levi could respond, Finn spoke again, "I mean it. Don't let her take anything,"  before hastily departing with a clap on his friend's back.

Levi looked puzzled for a few moments before his face broke into a smile.

"Hello nerd, we meet again. Who are you dressing so pretty for? Hey you even painted your nails."

I gave him a forced smile.

"Come on, I gotta introduce you to some cool people I'm sure you'll love them."

"I'm sure I will."

"I'm serious, one of them set someone's yacht on fire with a molotov cocktail. They're cool I promise."

At least he didn't seem annoyed to be stuck with babysitting duty.

I followed Levi into the first room down the hallway. I wasn't sure what to expect but I wasn't expecting  a group of people just sitting on the floor, chatting in a circle. No one seemed to be shooting drugs up their arms. This might be okay after all.

"Yo, Levi, get here!"

Levi basked in the attention, greeting everyone in the room. Before he rested an arm on my shoulder and told the room, "Everyone, this is Ava. She's cool."

A chorus of "Hi Ava"s were returned. I smiled and waved at them.

I felt strangely at ease even though I was in a room with strangers, which was uncharacteristic of me. Perhaps I had gotten too used to Finn's clipped responses that I forgot the average human being speaks normal.

I made small talk with a few people close to me, feeling more and more in my skin. I even laughed at someone's joke.

"So how did you meet Levi? Swear to god he's the biggest crackhead I know - not literally," the person speaking to me said seriously. "This man ain't touch crack. He's an athlete. Biggest athlete I know, I only want good things for him."