♫ Don't Start Now - Dua Lipa
The four of us pile out of Jack's Toyota Corolla. Normally, I wouldn't say it's a sexy car—but it's Jack Moody's, so suddenly, an old Toyota Corolla is the sexiest car on the block.
Parked on the side street amongst a row of other vehicles, we follow the crowd, all heading towards the same place.
Emma McKinney's. Her monster of a house comes into view, illuminated by the street lights. Tall hedges, sleek brown brick, floor to ceiling windows and a giant oak door greet me.
It makes my two-story suburban home look like a shit-hole.
Joining a gaggle of teens I don't even recognize, my friends and I approach the front door with Jack.
It swings open, revealing Emma McKinney, her bleach blonde hair sleek and straightened. She flashes a smile, showing off her perfectly white teeth; it comes dropping to a halt once she sees me.
"Molly?" she says turning up her pointed nose. "What are you doing here?"
"I came with Jack," I tell her with a smug smile turning to the boy to my right. Emma narrows her eyes at me, but then Jack butts in.
"Hey, Emma," he mumbles brushing past her to enter the home. The girl whips her head to glare at me one last time and I half expect her to call the authorities right then and there—have me and my friends escorted off the premises.
But to my surprise, she turns around bouncing off into the house after Jack Moody.
Taking that as my cue, I link arms with Naila and Jade as we enter the unknown world of teenage house parties.
It's my first real house party—aside from a couple of birthday parties in Sarah Johnson's basement in junior high, but I'm not sure those really count. There weren't any boys there aside from her brothers, after all.
The inside of this place is even grander than the outside. Tall ceilings and an elegant chandelier center the large room. Sleek black and white tiled floor inside the foyer. Music thumps throughout the area, pairing with the hum of senseless chatter from the crowd of sweaty bodies.
There's more teenage boys here than I've ever seen in real life. How does Emma know this many people?
Is it possible she's just as popular outside the halls of Wilcrest too? Of course she is, I think to myself rolling my eyes with discontent.
"Oh my god, there's drinks!" Naila shouts, pulling me closer to her so I can hear over the loud music. Following her gaze towards the kitchen, I see bodies surrounding a large island scattered with red solo cups and liquor bottles.
"Let's go," I say pulling my friends towards the action. My eyes scan over half drank bottles, reading the labels like they're a foreign language.
I twist a cap off of one with a golden colored liquid inside and give it a sniff—nauseating. I put that one back and try another in a decorative glass bottle. Yuck. How does anyone stomach this stuff?
"Oh, what about this?" Naila sings plucking up a small glass bottle with foggy white liquid which reads: Smirnoff Ice.
With a shrug, I snatch it twisting off the cap. It smells sweet. I take a swig. The carbonated bubbles burn my throat as I swallow down the intoxicating liquid.
My eyes widen as I pass it to Naila. "Yum. Try!"
She smiles wide at me and takes a tiny sip. "That's so good. Here, Jade, you try!"
Jade wrinkles her nose at us with a grimace before shaking her head. "No, I'm good."
"Party pooper," I tease taking the glass bottle from Naila to down some more. Jade rolls her eyes and turns around, disappearing into the crowd. I shout over to her, "Well, whatever. We're going to get drunk!"
Naila looks up at me with stars in her eyes before squealing once more.
..........................
Two drinks later and me and Naila are having the time of our lives. In the middle of the dance crowd, I throw my head side to side, whipping my wild brown hair around as I bump my butt into Naila's.
We gave up waiting on Jack to return to us, after he seemed to of disappeared hours ago. But who cares? Me and Naila are having a good time without him.
Jade plasters her body against the back wall, arms crossed over her chest she eyes the two of us, her stare looking like that of a disappointed mother.
"Come over here, Jade!" I slur, trying to wave her towards us. For the fifteenth time tonight, she ignores my pleas. I wave her off and go back to dancing with Naila. Sweaty skin and wild hair, we shake and shimmy to the beat.
A few songs later, there's a hand on my bare shoulder. I jump, turning to face Jack Moody.
His dark eyes peer down at me as I freeze from my grinding on Naila. The small girl jumps to my side, echoing my stance.
"You having fun?" he says to me, loud enough I can hear over the thumping beat.
Wildly, I nod my head up and down, my frizzy hair whipping around my face as I do so.
"I'm gonna head out," he states leaning down to my ear. His breath against my skin littering my body in goosebumps as he asks, "You all need a ride back, or are you good?"
"No—I'll come with you," I exclaim too fast, jumping to grab onto the sleeve of his shirt. Quickly, I drop my hands from him and gather myself. "Uh—let me just go grab Jade."
Holding Naila's hand, we wade through the mass of bodies towards Jade. She's more than ready to leave, so we head towards the front door to join Jack.
Leaned against the front door is one of Emma's minions, Sarah Johnson. Her red-hair perfectly curled, cascading down her shoulders. Arms crossed she narrows her caramel eyes at us. "Leaving so soon?" she sings.
Having gained a bit of liquid courage, I press my nose against the smug girl. "Yeah, Sarah," I mock. "Tell Emma her party sucks."
The girl squints at me before I brush past her pale arm, grabbing onto the doorknob before exiting, stepping onto the grass outside.
"Geez, Molly," Jade pouts as we head towards Jack Moody. "Are you trying to never get invited back?"
Rolling my eyes, I ignore my friend.
My head feels light, vision seeming to swirl softly as my legs get wobbly. My stomach feels a bit funny and for a second I panic—please don't throw up again.
Seriously, that would be my thirteenth reason.
Linking into Naila's arm, we sway down the sidewalk heading to the car as Jack falls into step with Jade walking behind. "Wow—I am drunk," I proclaim.
A short laugh comes from behind me. "How much did you drink?" Jack asks.
"Oh—we drank like two Smirnoff's. Each," I exclaim proudly.
For some reason, that only makes him laugh again. "Molly," he states flatly. "You're not drunk."
My feet freeze onto the cement sidewalk, whipping around to face him with defiance. "Yes, I am," I insist, but he shakes his head at me. "Well tell that to my body because she is feeling it."
"Okay, whatever you say," Jack says in a tone that does not sound like he means it.
Approaching his car, Jack opens up the sleek red passenger door, motioning for me to get in. The gesture makes me giddy, and I smile like a maniac as I pile in.
Jack rounds the front of the car, his skin looking tanned and perfect under the moonlight. His fluffy hair falling softly over his eyes as he makes his way to the driver's seat.
My friends snap on their seatbelts in the back seat and then Jade leans forward. "You haven't been drinking tonight, have you?" she says eyeing Jack.
He lowers his brows at her. "What—no, of course not," he says switching on the ignition. "I figured you all would need a ride back."
Satisfied with his response, Jade slumps back into her seat.
"Wait—you know what we need?" Naila says as Jack pulls onto the street. I raise an eyebrow at her. "Drunk food!" she squeals. "Oh, come on, Jack. It would be so fun!"
"You all aren't even drunk," he whines glancing through his rearview mirror at the girl.
Naila sulks, pushing out her bottom lip and giving him her most convincing puppy dog eyes.
Jack groans, giving in. "Where do you want to go?"
I smile to myself, thinking not even Jack Moody is invincible to Naila's puppy eyes. It's like she has her own superpower, really.
"Burger Shack?" she offers and then pipes back down when she meets my eyes. Jack laughs out loud—the first real full laugh I've heard from him and it's beautiful.
All of his teeth show, and his nose scrunches slightly. It's the cutest thing I've ever seen. And as it fades, I already find myself missing it, wishing it would reappear.
Gaining some confidence, suddenly I'm determined to shut down this little embarrassing roadblock. So, I say, "No—yeah, let's go to Burger Shack."
Jack shoots me a look, raising his thick dark brows slightly.
I dig in my heels. "No, come on. Take me to Burger Shack. Let me have my redemption."
"Yeah! Burger Shack!" Naila roars in encouragement.
"Yeah!" I shout an octave too low, it sounds a bit cave-manish as I continue my victory howl. "Fuck Burger Shack. They messed with the wrong girl!"