Considering I no longer have a social life- no boyfriend, no party to go to, no other friend than Lacy- I decide to scrap my plans of doing nothing this evening and instead call my best friend to invite her over for a sleepover.
"Lacy!" I chirp when she finally picks up.
"What's up?" She asks, not sounding as lively as I am. In fact, her voice is shaking.
"Everything ok?"
"Yeah, yeah. Umm why, why are you ringing?"
"I was wondering if you wanted to come over for a sleepover tonight? I'm sorry I turned your offer down the other day so I wanted to make it up to you," I beam, really needing a girls night in at the moment.
My mom is currently visiting a friend in another state at the moment so it's very boring being home alone. She did say that Lacy is welcome to come over anytime so it's not like I'm breaking any rules.
"Oh, I'm sorry Paige. But I'm busy tonight. I already have plans."
"Oh, that's ok," I accept the fact I will be spending the night alone, again. "What are you doing?" If I can't leave the house, I might as well hear what Lacy is up to.
"Oh I'm... Me and my mom we're... You know..."
"Well I don't know because you haven't told me," I giggle, wanting to lighten up the mood. I cross my legs on the couch and pick up my mug of hot chocolate. The marshmallows float on top of the cream, the steam dancing into the air up to my nose.
"Hahaha yeah. Well I have to go. But I'll see you on Monday. Byeeee!"
The line goes dead.
With a long sigh, I turn my phone over and switch on the TV via the remote. What a surprise: nothing is on. I take a sip of my drink but instantly pull away with a hiss as it burns my tongue. A sharp pain tingles in my mouth, my reflex spilling a bit of the drink down myself.
"Ouch," I waft my hand in front of my mouth- not that it'll help at all. I place my mug back down on the coaster and rush to the kitchen. By now my tongue has cooled down and the bleeding has stopped. With some kitchen paper I am able to mop up the spillage on my top. There is no stain. I open the fridge in hunt for some milk to reduce the heat of my drink, but I can't find any. "Where is it?" I hum to myself.
In the end I come to the conclusion that I have used up all the milk, meaning there is none left. Despite my mom's rule of not leaving the house until she returns Sunday evening, I have to make an exception because I will need milk for my cereal tomorrow morning. So I might as well go now.
Not needing a coat as the air is pretty humid outside, I grab my phone and heeled boots and lock the front door behind me. It isn't a very long walk to the nearest store. Quite frankly I have no idea why mom didn't want me going out whilst she is away, I am after all seventeen. What does she expect to happen when I go away to collage?
About half way into my journey, my thoughts alive in my head, I stop at the foot of the road. Loud techno music vibrates the street and flashing lights reflect off all the house windows.
It doesn't take me much guessing to know what is going on.
Laura's party.
About three houses along from where I am standing, guests pile into the house where they enter conscious and left without their dignity intact. High school parties are like that, from when I was an item with Josh he had been invited to every party that has been thrown and I was always on his arm. We went together and that is how I have my own experiences.
To me, there is nothing special about them. Each party is the same, only the host changes and the musical playlist alters slightly.
After minutes of intense staring, it occurs to me that it is inevitable that I am going to have to pass Laura's house in order to carry on my journey to the shops. I take in a deep breathe and continue to walk. The stench of beer wafts towards me and it suddenly hits me like a brick wall. I have to gag to decline the smell from entering my mouth.
That is another reason why I got fed up of high school parties- they always had cheap alcohol. I never really knew half the time what was really in my cup. Even with Josh by my side, I never drank what was shoved in my hand as everyone seemed to be so drunk I couldn't trust what they were saying.
So with my head down, I don't look up at the house and I don't engage with the people passing by me. But I can't help but look twice as across the road I spot a girl and a boy, walking together who seem to look surprisingly similar to Lacy and Jace.
Blinking multiple times, I zone my vision on them and sure enough, it is them! Why would Lacy go to a party like this? Especially after she said she wouldn't go if I wasn't...
Even in the darkness of the fading light, I can see that their hands are held and a huge grin is on her face. I want to confront her. She will get away with it otherwise.
So with an intake of breath, I pick up my courage and cross the road. Thankfully it has dim lighting inside the house with the occasional flash of coloured light, meaning that no one could see my casual entire of leggings and a faded T-shirt. I push my way through the crowd of partying guests who are all holding red cups, containing a beverage I don't even think they know what is.
Entering the kitchen, I scan the beer intoxicated room in search for my deceitful best friend. I ignore the interaction of people surrounding the closed in area around me and focus on my mission.
Soon enough it is clear that she isn't in here. Every step I make closer towards the living room, the louder the deafening music becomes. It is so ear-splitting I'm surprised my ears haven't popped.
I definitely don't miss the music aspect of parties!
"Paige! You made it!" In front of me, a very drunken sounding Nathan approaches me with a red cup in one hand and a beer in the other.
He speaks louder than he usually does, even though the music is awfully powerful I can make out that his words are definitely slurred. The alcohol must have cheered him up though as he is no longer mad at me for eavesdropping on him yesterday. But I know that the alcohol will soon fade and he will be mad at me again Monday morning.
"Umm, I just came to see Lacy. Have you seen her here?" It is a struggle to communicate over the volume of the music seeming to get louder and louder. I can only just hear my voice straining and he still can't hear me.
"You having a good time? Here, have this. I'm not going to finish it." He forces the beer into my hand. I take a sniff of it and scrunch up my nose in disgust.
"I'm ok thanks," I mutter and put it down on a side table.
"Cracking party isn't it! Have you seen Josh?" He asks, his head turning to the side.
"Have you seen Lacy?" I practically shout, hoping he can understand me this time. And anyway, why would he want to find Josh? Are they mates? I thought Josh hated Nathan?
"Oh, never mind, there he is." Nathan ignores the fact I am still standing here and leaves to go see his new pal, something I had never seen coming.
They pat each other on the back and down shots in unison. They both cackle with laughter and enjoy the company of one other. I stand and spectate in utter shock, closely watching them as they converse in fits of laughter and cheer with their drinks.
Then Josh's eyes connect with mine. The oxygen thins around me. I find it hard to breathe. He then nods towards me, Nathan following his sight so they are both looking at me.
With his hand over his mouth, Josh whispers to Nathan, not taking his eyes off of me. What is he saying? Thankfully I am not standing under the light, my embarrassment shadowed from their view.
But they soon stop as a girl with blonde hair struts past, she twirls in front of them and the two drunken boys wolf whistle in delight of her appearance. I gag in my mouth as they check her out. God, I never thought Nathan would act like this.
Then I remember what I am here to do. I turn my attention away from them both and set my mind back on task. I search each room on the hunt for Lacy, but instead I find Jace.
"Finally," I sigh as I approach him. But he is alone. "Hi Jace," I pull him aside from the blaring music so we can converse without any distractions. I pull him out into the hall.
"Hey Paige!" Ok, beer breathe. What is it, he's only been here about ten minutes and already he smells as if he is on his third pint. I breathe in through my mouth.
"You seen Lacy?" I get right to the point.
"Who cares about Lacy?" He downs the rest of the auburn substance in his cup then throws it to the floor.
"Well I need to speak to her. And didn't you two come as a couple?" I remember the scene of their interlocked figures as they arrived just before me.
"Whatever," he steps closer, our proximity quickening my rapid pulse. He backs me up towards the wall. The hall we are standing in is short and narrow, therefore I struggle to escape him closing in on me. His hand rests on the wall beside my face, his thumb dangerously close to my cheek.
"What are you doing?" My attempt to push him out of the way fails as he grips my wrist tighter.
"Just close your mouth and let your lips do the talking." His face darts towards mine but I am able to dodge his kiss with the turn of my cheek. His lips collid with my skin instead. "Playing hard to get, ay?" He squeezes my hips, pushing them against his.
"Paige?" A shriek catches Jace's attention from behind him. It is a girl's voice, a voice I recognise all too well.
"Lacy," I breathe in relief of finally finding her. "We need to talk." I slip out of Jace's reach as his hands fall back to his side.
"Yeah no shit we do! Why were you about to kiss my boyfriend?"
Jace rushes to her side and pecks her cheek. "I tried to push her away but she just grappled my hips," he lies. She believes him.
"How could you?" She mutters, yet audible enough for me to hear over the roaring music in the other room. With everything all happening at once, my brain starts to spin and my vision turns hazy.
"I didn't do anything!" I protest. "He was about to kiss me! Why did you even come here, you said you wouldn't as I wasn't going to come!"
Her fists clench, her mouth opens and her alcohol filled breath almost dazes me. She isn't drunk but she is under the influence of whatever this beer is spiked with because it seems everyone is out of their minds with only one sip!
"Well at least I didn't try to kiss your boyfriend," spits back Lacy, linking her arm with Jace.
"I don't have a boyfriend," I remind her spitefully. How dare she bring it up.
"I wonder why!"
"Why are we even friends?" I suddenly blurt out. "If we are not honest and we don't trust each other, why are we even besties?"
"I don't know?" She yells, her face filtering red. "Maybe we shouldn't."
"Fine! Go with him! See if I care!"
"Good!"
"Good!"
"Bye!"
"Bye!" That was the last time I spoke to her that night.