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Chapter 2: And the Surprises Keep Coming
4:00 P.M., Maloney's Backyard
With an amused smile on my face, I walked toward Derek. No surprise, he was already flirting with some blonde-haired girl I vaguely recognized. When he saw me he quickly whispered something in her ear to shoo her away. She left giggling before giving Derek a wink.
When I was reached Derek I did something I never do, I hugged him. He didn't hug back, but gingerly ruffled my hair. When I pulled away, I noticed he still had that arrogant smirk plastered on his face. I poked his cheek, "You know, you shouldn't smile like that. Your face might freeze up and then you'll be twice as ugly than usual." I said coyly. He simply rolled his eyes and slapped my finger away.
"Dusty, I gotcha good today, admit it. You didn't suspect a thing." I playfully punched his shoulder causing him to nearly drop the camera. "Dusty," he said with a fake look of disappointment, "what have I told you about hitting a man with a camera in his hands?"
An unattractive snort escaped my mouth, "Man? More like ignorant boy by the looks of it! Also, I didn't know you loved me enough to through me a party. You looooovee me." I teased.
He wrinkled his nose at my words, "Love you? How about I tolerate you... barely and what makes you think I threw this party for you?"
I gave him a baffled look, "Is this not a 17h birthday for me? Or is there some other Dustin running around?" My eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"Dusty, you don't do that with your face, it makes you look twice as ugly," he mocked, "Wll, maybe this is a party for you... or maybe it's an excuse to have booze and friends over." He shrugged.
"Nope, you threw this party because you loooove me." I said before running away, laughing, in the opposite direction so he wouldn't have enough time to deny it.
Since I was blindly running, it wasn't a surprise that I crashed into someone and we both stumbled backward. I could hear Derek's obnoxious laughter in the background.
I pulled myself up and dusted of my shirt. When I bent down to offer a hand to the person I had ran into, she slapped it away and helped herself up. Well then.
She brushed all the grass off of her party outfit and looked up to glare at me. I was expecting a snide comment on my clumsiness, however, instead she smiled and glomped me in a bear hug.
That was unexpected, so I lost my balance and we both went toppling to the floor. She quickly let go of me and sprung back to her feet, I did the same. I gave her an odd look before saying, "Thank you?"
She chuckled. "Dusty, you seriously don't know who I am?" She questioned. Our awkward staring contest continued. "I'm Maggie, you twit." I smile of recognition spread across my face and I hugged her in excitement. Thankfully, this hug didn't end with us on the floor.
"Margaret, I miss you so much!" I said squeezing her tight. Then she pulled away and pinched my arm. "Hey!" I yelled.
"I told you never to call me by my horrid first name. It's Maggie, okay!" I looked her up and down and smiled at one of my only childhood friends. She, too, was sizing me up. However, she was frowning. "Honey, did you dress yourself in the dark?"
This time I frowned. Looking down at my outfit, I didn't see anything wrong with it. I wore a pair of cotton red shorts, a tie-dye shirt, and white knee high socks. I shrugged, it was comfortable and I wasn't expecting that many guests today.
"What's wrong with what I am wearing?" I asked baffled.
"Everything is wrong with that outfit, my four-year-old brother could have done better and he still thinks it's acceptable to wear overalls in public." She retorted. I still own overalls...
I rolled my green optics; of course Maggie was more concerned about my appearance than me. But, I was great to have her back.
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7:38 P.M., Maloney's Basement
It was raining on my birthday! Stupid Mother Nature.
But everyone made due. Some people went home, but most had just dragged themselves inside the house. People were scattered everywhere. I'm serious, they were everywhere from the bathroom throwing up, to the bedrooms, doing... stuff. Let's just say I heard sounds.
Right now, Maggie, some girls I knew, and myself were all in the basement dancing. My friends from Canada had come down for the party, and we were all just catching up on things while I introduced them to Millie. Right now, Maggie and I were showing off our dance skills and making up random combos to songs. It soon got boring and her and I just started dancing any which way.
People were watching my friends and I dance. Well, mostly because everyone was too drunk to even walk a straight line let only dance. However, that didn't our spirits down. We all danced and shimmied our shoulders while laughing.
We were dancing so much that I had to tear off the stilettos Maggie had forced me into. She had me change into a low cut party dress, a tank top, and some shear leggings. I'd have to say even though I am not a fan of parties or dressing up I actually looked halfway decent.
I threw my heels randomly into the crowd. When I heard someone shout in response, I yelled a quick apology and kept dancing.
The song playing right now was Sexyback by Justin Timberlake. My friends and I were singing obnoxiously off-key to it, it was actually quite fun. As we shook our hips to the beat, Maggie and I couldn't help but be a near hysterics from how funny we all looked.
Then suddenly I was grabbed around the waist and someone whispered against my skin, "Hey Dusty, guess what?" I couldn't recognize the voice because it was muffled since his lips were against my skin.
"What?" I replied.
"I'm bringing sexy back, yeah." Was there reply and I snorted because I now knew exactly who was behind me.
"What's up, Ace?" I inquired as I slipped his hands back to his sides and away from my waist. He gave me a pretend pout and his dirty blonde hair hung in his eyes adorably. He looked rather childish in a way... well as childish as a gorgeous god can look.
"You don't want to dance with me, Dusty?" I gave an exaggerated sigh and placed my hands on my chin contemplating what to do. I probably under different circumstances would have loved to dance with Ace, he's my best friend, but right now I really wanted to be with my girlfriends. Also, he seriously reeked of alcohol. I tried to find the politest way to let him down.
"Ace, this isn't really the type of song that you need a partner for, you know." I stated before turning to leave. He grabbed hold of my wrist and spun me around into his arms.
"Oh really?" he replied slyly, he winked towards the DJ Stand and I quirked an eyebrow. Suddenly, Justin Timberlake's song was oh so rudely interrupted by one of my all time favorite songs.
Anna Nalick's soft melody like voice blared through the speakers. Her hit song Breathe (2 AM) playing. Everyone without a partner left the floor so only couples stood, swaying to the soft music. I began to pull away so I could join Maggie and the others, but Ace held me tighter. He stared straight into my emerald green eyes with his intense blue ones. If I didn't know better I would have thought that he was entirely sober, because he was holding the gaze so strong, but then again I knew better.
I squirmed under his gaze; he's never looked at me this way before. Then, just to have an excuse to look away, I turned my face in the opposite direction and rested it onto his broad shoulder. I softly sang to the song.
May he turned 21 on the base at Fort Bliss
"Just a day" he said down to the flask in his fist,
"Ain't been sober, since maybe October of last year."
Here in town you can tell he's been down for a while,
But, my God, it's so beautiful when the boy smiles,
Wanna hold him. Maybe I'll just sing about it
I felt this song kind of related to me and Ace in a way, no, not the him being 21 part or anything. But the part about him being never being sober and having a beautiful smile.
He and I were such opposites now that I think about it. He was a heavy partier because he was a social butterfly and I hardly was even invited to any because I had few friends and was very stubborn and conservative due to my upbringing and childhood. His drinking was nothing new while I've never even sipped a drop. Also, frankly every time Ace smiles in my direction I want to melt into his arms, but I could never really do that.
We slowly swayed to the song and he spun me around a generous number of times. I was actually enjoying myself. I smiled up at him and he flashed me one too. Here I am, swooning and melting to putty in the hands of my best friend and he just kept smiling as though he didn't see the effect he had on me. I had to look away or I might just end up making a fool of myself.
I scan the room and see Maggie, she gave me a thumbs-up sign, and I winked in response. The song was nearing the end and couples began breaking away to hang with others since the DJ was taking a short break. I really didn't want to leave Ace's arms but I had to. So I remove my hands from his neck and lightly press on his chest to push him away.
He held me tighter and placed my hands back above his neck, "No," he said sternly. I blush a bit embarrassed because we were now the only people on the dance floor, dancing to no music. I could felt people staring and the glares of envious girls from our school. I put my head against his shoulder, but he pulled it back up. His eyes were shining brightly and they kept switching from staring at my eyes and then lips. My heart fluttered expectantly, but I quickly extinguished all the butterflies and put it off as heartburn.
"Dustin?" He said softly; so only I could hear.
I replied just as gently, "Yes?" His eyes were now shimmered with second-guessing and he recoiled his gaze. "Yes," I repeated.
He looked deep into my eyes, "Dustin... I... Dustin I really lik... Dustin, I think I'm in love you." I look at him in disbelief then reanalyze the situation and sighed. "Ace, your drunk, you have no idea what you are saying right now," He scrunched his eyebrows and his lips became a line.
"No, Dustin, I love you," I shook my head and sighed again.
"No Ace you don-" I was cut off by the tender lips of Ace Helfgott. Even though I knew as a fact that he was drunk and probably wouldn't remember this moment the next time we saw each other it still felt good.
I kissed back happily and he toyed with the ends of my long dark hair. After a slight nibble on my lip our tongues wrestled, or as many might put it, 'We were swapping saliva.' I could hear the annoying gasps and whispers from the people around us. But Ace didn't seem to mind. Then I heard something that angered me so much I couldn't describe the rage running throughout me.
"Hey! Stop playing tonsil hockey with my sister, dude!" I swear at that exact moment I could've run to the garage and get the weed whacker, put it on full blast, and 'weed whack' Derek.
It didn't seem as though Ace had heard or maybe he was just pretending because after that he only pressed himself closer to me.
"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing to my sister, Helfgott?!" This time instead of giving us time to react, Ace was pulled off of me and shoved into the nearby wall. Derek turned to me, surprisingly sober or so I thought.
"Are you okay, Dustin?" He asked slightly slurring his words. I looked at him debating on whether I should actually get the weed whacker or not. I decided against it simply out of mercy and laziness.
"Of course I'm okay, Der-ek!" I put an emphasis on his name, I then pushed him roughly to show my anger, "What was that for?!" I shrieked. I could tell I was causing a little bit of a scene because the room quickly became very quiet.
Derek, obviously noticing the silence, lowered his voice, "Stay away from, Helfgott! He's bad news!" He whispered. I threw my hands up in an exaggerated manner, "How would you know! I'm his best friend, I'd think I'd know whether he was bad news or not, Derek." I yelled softly.
He raised an eyebrow and looked back at the baffled Ace, "I have my way of knowing things, Dustin."
"Ugh! You dimwitted dolt! Why do you do this every time Ace is at the house!" I whispered harshly.
"Dustin, don't question me, okay! Just stay away from, Helfgott!" He warned. My eyes glazed with frustration and I shoved past him roughly, causing his body to wobble a bit because of his drunken state. I could hear people whispering but I didn't care.
Maggie and a few of my friends followed me out. I turn to them once I reach the base of the spiral staircase, "I want to be alone!" I state rudely. I made a mental note to apologize to them later.
Once I reached the door of my room I threw myself onto my bed and stared at my Robin Egg Blue room, absolutely paralyzed with adrenaline. I felt the need to hurt something or maybe scream. Thinking wisely, I took the melodramatic option over the violence. A nice scream into my pillow should do the trick. I screamed until I could actually hear my voice breaking from pressure.
I felt the bed sink beside me and I jerked my head. I sigh when I realized it was only Maggie.
"Margaret Annabelle Stewart, do you agree with me when I say my brother was probably dropped at birth, giving him internal and external disjunctions, causing him to end up being such a dumbass?" Maggie only laughed. I threw my pillow at her because I was serious.
"Aren't we being a tad melodramatic" I grumbled into my pillow as a response. The fabric of my good-for-nothing dress began scratching my skin so I got up and walked over to my closet. I began tearing off clothes and replacing them with more comfortable sensible clothing.
"So... Dus, what actually happened there? Me and the chickadees couldn't hear anything because you guys were whispering." She asked curiously.
"Oh nothing really," I reply nonchalantly, "Only the hottest guy in California, no the United States, wait not even that isn't even accurate, the hottest guy in this universe and far beyond, who's also my best friend, told me he fancied me. But, I knew he was drunk, and he kissed me. And then my brother, who I am already planning my vengeance against, decided to be his idiotic drunken self and ruin a perfectly good Kodak moment." I said all within one breathe.
I pull on the elastic of my hair tie before putting my long hair in a mess bun. I joined Maggie on my bed with a sigh. She looked baffled. "What," I complained.
"Dustin, what are you talking about? Ace, wasn't drunk, he only just arrived." She stated questioningly.
I quirked an eyebrow, "How would you know?" She smirked.
"That Ace Helfgott is quite the looker, you know." I shoved her and laughed. "I know, but doesn't that mean that when he said he fancied me he was tell-"
I was cut of by a familiar voice calling my name, "Dustin! Dustin, honey! Your dad and I would like a word with you! Please get your sisters, Rachael and Ashley, too!" Obviously the voice belonged to my mother, Melinda. However, it wasn't its regular chirpy sound; it was more raspy and squeaky as if she has been under a lot of stress recently.
I roll my eyes and turn to Maggie, "See you in a second, got to deal with whatever mess Derek made." "Bye." she laughed.
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10:09 P.M., Mr. Maloney's Office
I plopped down on the seat and reached my hands out for Ashley to come forward. She held her teddy bear protectively and sat on my lap. Her six-year-old weight was basically nothing. I smoothed her strawberry blonde hair with my fingers. Rachael sat besides me scowling and Derek besides her slurring incoherent words.
"Dad, you took me away from the party because..." Rachael started.
I snapped at her, "What are you blabbering on about, you weren't even downstairs! You were in your room the entire time!" She smirked at me.
"Let's just say I was having my own little party upstairs, mind you," I rolled my eyes and scowled Rachael.
"Slut," I muttered venomously. She looked me up and down then smiled.
"What ya jealous because I can get some and you can't get nothing?" I ignored her.
"Silence you two! Dustin do not call your sister anything of that sort language, and Rachael me of all people do not want to hear about you 'getting some' as long as my heart is still beating, you got it!" roared Phil. I look back a Rachael she only 'Hmphed' and turned the opposite direction.
"Yes dad," We said in sync.
"So I have called you all here, so you can help me herd all these barbarian children the hell out of my home!" I rolled my eyes and turned to leave but my dad stops me, "Everyone go, you, Dusty stay."
I turn to face him and put my fakest smile into play, "Have I done something of wrong doing, father?" I said, sugar-coating each word.
Had he heard about me accidentally breaking the neighbor's window with my Calculus Book? Or had he seen the tape Derek had been filming? Or was it the phone call the school had made when about the time when I had called me teacher a dumbass because he didn't answer my question properly? Or was it the-
"Dusty, are you listening?" My mother shrieked. She looked near tears. Then suddenly a man I had not noticed before handed her a tissue. I nearly jumped a mile from surprise. Actually there were three men in black suits I hadn't noticed. They all kind of just blended into the background I suppose.
"Huh?" I ask questioningly.
"Dusty, your father and I," She snuffles, "Well you are adopted to make it long story short."
I didn't act surprise because honestly I wasn't. I look nothing of my parents, and people always question my relation to them. Everyone in their bloodline sported natural curly blonde hair while I had the straight dark hair. I had always been the oddball in this family.
"And so?" They seemed surprised I didn't react but thought nothing of it afterward. "Well," my father continued, "They want you back by Monday evening. So begin packing, why don't you," I sat there still as a rabbit on hunting grounds for about the span of thirty seconds before my father got angry.
"I told you scram! Now get to packing, Dus! We will continue this conversation once you have completed that task!" I stood up to leave and raced to my room. I was immediately greeted by Maggie.
"Goodness, I was about to call the police sending a search party for you, I thought you might have ran off and died of a coronary by now!" I roll my eyes and continued to stuff random important things into my backpack. "What in the name of Saint Peter are you doing, Dustin?" She questioned loudly.
"Packing!" I said stating the obvious.
"Why?"
"'Cause I am! Now stop asking me these torturous questions!" I snapped back. She silenced.
Of course you are already thinking what in the heavenly lords is she doing? Well I am doing what any melodramatic, impulsive, 17-year-old girl, who had just been told her biological parents want her back, would do in my situation.
I was going to book and run.