Plié and Clout

Chapter 25: I Swear You're Not In Trouble

"Steph, I don't want to get in trouble."

"Jilly, you're not in trouble, and August is going to be with me, don't freak out, just, stay put."

"Okay," She whispers. I hang up the phone and slam it into my jean pocket. August is dressed and has pulled up her hair.

"What's going on?" I get a ping and Jilly has sent me her location. "Is she okay?"

"I don't know, really." I open my bedroom door and grab my keys and a jacket. August takes hers off the hook too. "There's a party, can you GPS me to this address?" I hand her my phone. We're in the elevator immediately, and before I've processed anything, we're in my car and on the street.

Then dread starts to seep into me. 

"Turn left onto Blanchard street in one hundred meters." The map gives me instructions and August rubs my shoulders with her free hand.

"I'm going to kill Logan," she mumbles. "I will, I swear."

"Not if I do it before you can," I growl.

"Piece of garbage kid is no good for her. Belle too." August looks over at me as I take another turn into suburban Regina.

"That's what I told her but she insisted," I let out a little scoff, "hockey guys are never good."

"Exactly." She responds. I shake my head and stop the car in front of the right house. There are cars everywhere and light pouring from all the windows. Music thunders through the house and I can see several hundred half-drunk high schoolers milling about.

"This is familiar," I grunt a bit. August unbuckles. "No, you stay here, she'll throw a fit if we both end up in there."

"You're right," August sighs. I unbuckle my seatbelt and stand up.

"If I'm not back in ten minutes, I've been killed by these kids." I sigh. She smiles a bit.

"Go, quickly," She shushes me. I close the door and stare up at the house. This is too familiar to be comfortable. That's because I'm a garbage hockey boy. I know them because I was them.

I walk around the side of the car and pull my jacket closer to me. This is no good at all. I walk into the house and draw attention immediately, considering my size difference with the normal high school guy. I'm not taller, no, but I have a lot easier time getting around, shouldering my way through the crowd. That's just because I'm Steph Sagamore and half these kids know exactly who I am.

Well, all but this one. "Who are you?" A senior-age girl wanders over to me, putting her hand on my arm.

"Nobody." I snort. She bats her caked eyelashes as I find my way to the stairs.

"Where are you going?" She's drunkenly trying to sweet-talk me.

"To find my sister," I respond.

"You're her brother?" This strikes fear into my chest.

"Uh," I shrug and then run up the stairs. The bathroom door is locked once I find it.

"Jilly?"

"Steph!" I hear her shuffle around on the other side.

"Are you okay?"

"No." She unlocks the door and flings herself into me. I'm taken totally by surprise. I stumble a bit but hold tight to her.

"We have to go, Jills, hey,"

"I don't want to go back down there." She sobs into my chest.

"We have to," I mumble.

"I don't want to."