Cc: This isn't the party you'd think it'd be...
VALYRA.
"Hey, y'all!" I chirped, as I slid into the backseat of Kelly's Benz, well-fueled by my early dinner and video-game session with Nik. I also worked out and took a shower before prepping for the party. The girls were wearing sheer tops and shorts or summer dresses. "Can we eat burgers first?"
Claire looked at me amusedly. "Burgers? Hunny, we're really gonna waste our five hours of starvation and rabbit food just to eat right before?"
I smirked at her. "That's probably just you guys. For your information, I ate two bags of chips at home and Nik cooked me up some fried chicken and noodles."
Kelly and Maddie were stifling laughter in the front, while Claire looked irritated, and Froida looked appalled. It wasn't a secret that I had great metabolism, but Claire couldn't get over my abuse of it (as she called it) and Froida just didn't believe in eating as much as I could. Sucks to be her, honestly. She was pretty much trained to act and talk with too much control and generally shut up and eat a little. Some debutante kinda thing. Not my thing, obviously. Claire was afraid that someday, my metabolism was gonna reverse and I wouldn't be able to control my weight anymore and, because of my eating habits, I'd go overweight which isn't healthy. I told her I promise to control myself if I sense negative changes in my body.
"So," Maddie said. "Who's hosting the party again?"
I lightly poke her head and we all laugh.
"Maddie, dear," Kelly asked, sounding snooty. "How could you attend an event without knowledge of the host's name?"
Maddie widened her eyes, indicating some sort of realization. "That's kind of my thing isn't it? I don't know the host's names of probably more than half of the parties I've gone to."
We all burst out laughing again, except for Kelly who simply shook her head.
Claire decided to be kind. "The host is Matt Kingsley but he's using his cousin's house since his cousin's away."
That got our attention. "His cousin?" Maddie asked.
"Yeah," I chimed in, "He's related to an old money kind of family?"
Claire shrugged before Froida explained a little something. "His cousin is Chase Corden the recluse kid and his parents are huge sportsmen, but they stopped going pro like last year and kind of took in a girl Chase's age. Chase and the new girl Vanilla are really close with Matt and were let in on the secret. I heard Vanilla threatened to castrate Matt if the house doesn't look untouched when they return from the trip."
"I like that girl, but how do you know so much?" Claire raised a brow with a smirk.
Froida grinned sheepishly. "The Cordens are in the rival neighborhood. We all know a lot about each other. Of course this is all rumor. It's possibly barely true."
When we got to the mansion, it was surprisingly quiet.
"Is this exclusive or something?" Maddie wondered out loud.
The door was left open seemingly on purpose and we walked through the living room towards the glass door by it.
"Hey, girls," Matt greeted smoothly. He stopped when he reached the doorway and leant on the metal edge of the glass door.
"Matt, hey!" I giggled, sashaying towards him and touching his shoulder lightly in passing. "Thanks for inviting us!" Matt flashed me a smile, obviously trying not to laugh, and waved at the other girls. The other girls gave him quick waves and greetings before rushing out and diving into the pool.
I was just going to leave and join the girls when suddenly, I felt myself being pushed roughly against Matt. "Oh goodness, sorry!" I blurted out, as my arms shot out to steady myself.
Matt quickly caught my arms and gave me an apologetic look. "Vanilla's kinda moody right now."
That made me recover quickly. "I'm sorry, did you just say Vanilla?"
He nodded. "Yeah, Vanilla Baron. You know her? Maybe a relative even?"
I shook my head and looked at him curiously. "No, but I've heard of her. But I thought--" I decided to change the subject. "Anyway, thanks for inviting us. I was afraid you'd take it back since you and Alex kinda got into a fight at the end of the school year. I wouldn't be able to take not talking to you for longer."
It was then his turn to shake his head. "Nah, Alex and I are good now. We just decided to keep some space first and just fix our friendship when the opportunity presents itself."
Matt was Alex's vice captain and consequently became one of my bros over the four years of high school. We're like dudes kind of tight and treated each other as such. Our running joke was when I'd act all girly and stuff. It usually gives us a good laugh. This was one of the reasons why people thought I was some stupid flirt. Rumors said that I was two-timing between Alex and Matt.
Whatever. Rumors are rumors.
"Tell me if you need help with that. I know you were wrongly accused."
"Thanks," he smiled softly and left.
I went out and joined the girls.
"So, V," Maddie grinned, wiggling her eyebrows at me.
I looked at her with a blank face and decided to go to the guys at the bar instead. I'd forgotten how much my friends shipped me with Matt, but Matt and I just aren't like that. Right now, I'm not in the mood for their teasing.
"V!" Keith called out. Keith was a guy I met at my physics class. He was cool and reminded me a lot of my brother. I know what you're thinking: I just implied that Nik was cool, and yes, he really was. Just don't tell him I said that.
I grabbed a glass and slid onto the stool between him and a lanky guy I don't recognize. "Heya, wassup?"
The guy I don't recognize spoke up. "Hey! Alcoholic or non?" I realized he looked about fourteen.
"Oh... uh, non-alcoholic please."
He grabbed a bottle of soda and my cup that he filled with ice. "Here you go," he said, offering them to me. I accepted them gratefully and poured myself a half-cup. He turned away and spoke to the other guys.
"So..." I teased, "What are you doing at a place where guys your polar opposite are hanging out?"
Keith blushed a fierce scarlet and rubbed his neck shyly. "Is it weird I want to try fitting in?"
"Nah," I shook my head, "It's pretty cute. But I have no idea what I'd do if you lose who you are, know what I'm saying? Please don't let it get to that."
"So," he gave me a pointed look, "why are you here and not with the girls?"
I shrugged. "Not in the mood," then a thought came over me. "Hey, you know, I wanna do something."
Keith frowned at me, recognizing the mischief written all over my face. "What's that?"
"You know this is Matt's cousin's house right?"
"Mansion," Keith corrected uselessly.
I waved him off. "Whatever. The point is, this house is supposed to be empty, but the girl they took in is actually still here. I wanna meet her. She's the only girl in this mansion I don't know."
Someone came up behind me and put a hand on my shoulder. All was done so smoothly that I didn't even flinch. "You can't meet her." Matt told me.
"Why not?" Keith and I asked in unison. We quickly looked at each other and cried, "Jinx!"
Matt and the guy who gave me my drink (who was somehow now part of the conversation) chuckled and shared amused glances.
The guy-- I really need to know his name--turned his glass with his fingers. "She's shy and angry and unpredictable. She'll come if she wants to, but right now, it's best if we give her some space." He was looking down and looked thoughtful and almost... concerned?
"What," I smirked, "You like her or something?"
"No! No, I uh.. No, I don't!" he stammered, looking funny trying to refute it while his face grew hotter and hotter. He looked caught in the headlights, too. What a cutie!
Oh, denial...
"He likes her a lot," Matt stage-whispered to us, making us laugh while the guy pouts.
Just a little background here, Matt and Keith are best friends.
The guy took a sip of his drink and turned to us. I can tell he's a heartbreaker, but it seems like he's crushing on someone who would break his heart. I don't know whether to find the irony sad or funny. He spoke up. "I'm Chase, if you were wondering. Matt's cousin."
I thought the family was on vacation?
"A'ight," he said when we didn't say anything more. "Imma head up."
He grabbed a can of rootbeer and a tub of mint chocolate ice cream and headed up. Probably for that Vanilla girl. I couldn't help but swoon inside.
"Although I'm the outsider of the three of us, I wouldn't trust him with Vanilla in the more romantic way," Matt admitted.
"Why not?" I frowned. He seems really into her.
Keith, who had been very distracted all throughout our exchange with Chase, suddenly snapped his gaze at me. "Say that again?"
I jolted. "I.. huh? Say what?"
"You said something after why not," Matt looked at me confusedly.
"Oh, I said that out loud?" I giggled awkwardly, embarrassed after realizing. "I said that he seems really into her."
A sad look washed over Keith's face and he just stood up and left.
I--
Matt shrugged. "Ignore him. The girls are there," he said tilting his chin towards the pool. "I think they want you." Sure enough, when I turned around, they caught my gaze and waved me over excitedly.
I sighed. "I guess I'll join them." I just slid off my chair and turned away when Matt grabbed my elbow gently but firmly. "I know that face."
"What face?" I mumbled, barely looking at him in the eyes.
He gave me a look and released my arm.
By the time I got to the girls, I was already in overdrive. My mind was thinking of a couple of things: why were Vanilla and Chase here, which isn't that important, but I am curious, and why did Keith have that look?
I took the folding chair beside Froida. "Hey, Froi, did you know that Chase and Vanilla are here?" Froida, who had been lying down in a sunbathing position, moved her sunglasses and looked at me questioningly.
"They are," I confirmed.
Claire, who was doing laps in the pool, had apparently started listening. Her arms were folded, resting on the edge of the pool as the rest of her body floated. "Valyra, it's not important and it's none of our business."
Claire's right, but the more I think about it. The more I want to understand what's going on. Whenever this happens, Nik laughs and says it's my inner scientist speaking, but to be honest? I'm probably just nosy or bored or both. The Corden parents are hiding something, I just know it.
Deep inside, I frowned. It's not like anyone would understand my suspicion. I sighed and just took off my shirt and shorts, went into the pool, and did some laps with Claire, and, eventually, we just ended up playing around with Maddie with Froida and Kelly watching us on their folding chairs.
The gathering of guests started when Matt called up everyone for a movie and some snacks.
"Here you go," he said, passing me a bag of Cheetos, my favorite chips.
In the living room were me and the girls, Matt, Keith, Jonah and Bill from the football team, and Theo from my AP Calculus class. We were scattered around the room. Matt and Keith sat on either side of me. Maddie was in front of me on the floor, Kelly was on a single sofa, Claire and Froida shared the other one, and Jonah, Bill and Theo were on the floor as well..
"What movie are we watching?" Maddie asked, munching on a mouthful of popcorn--her weakness.
"What about Captain America?" Theo suggested.
No one complained so Matt set the movie up. "Here goes."
We were all watching intently when Kelly suddenly sneezed a couple of times. "Eww!" Maddie exclaimed jokingly. She leaned into me and away from Kelly. We all burst out laughing.
Kelly scowled at her and looked at Matt questioningly. I felt Matt stiffen for a few seconds. What is the deal with those two?
"When did you get a dog?" Kelly wondered, almost quietly.
Jonah and Keith looked at Matt strangely, but excitedly. "Dude, a dog? Where's the little guy?"
Although Matt shrugged at their question, his gaze was on Kelly, and it was...soft?
"We're watching a movie," Claire muttered, annoyed, breaking Matt out of his staring. "You guys shut the frick up!"
Silence fell over us.
When everyone was onto the movie again, I nudged Matt. "Are you chaperoning Chase and Vanilla because they're minors?" I whispered.
"How did you know?" he whispered in response, leaning back so I could hear better.
"Just a guess," I shrugged, "I didn't think you'd hold a movie night as a party, and it seems like you had authority over them."
"You're weird, you know that?" he chuckled.
I stuck my tongue out at him and watched the movie.
By the time Steve Rogers finally became Captain America, which wasn't that long at all, barely anyone was watching the movie anymore. Kelly and Maddie were on their phones, Claire and Froida were chatting (or Froida was and Claire was still watching the movie and swatting her off every now and then), the three boys were playing with their food, throwing them and trying to catch the pieces in their mouths, and Keith, Matt, and I were having thumb wars, which was, by the way, surprisingly still fun. Trust me, I'm pretty sure Claire was only watching because she's had a crush on Chris Evans since freshman year.
"You're cheating!" Keith exclaimed as he tried to pull out his thumb from under the crook of Matt's. Matt laughed it off and pressed harder.
"One, two--," I counted off.
"Ha! In your face, you jock!" Keith's skinny thumb popped out of Matt's grip.
"Hey, I let you escape," Matt argued, almost incredulously. "You didn't think you'd win, did you?"
"Please," Keith rolled his eyes. "Don't be such a sore loser."
"Excuse me? You haven't even won!"
But while Matt was busy looking at Keith as they bickered, Keith had hooked his thumb around Matt's and I had begun counting. It was funny to see Matt's face when he realized that he had lost. Man, some guys' egos are funny to observe.
I couldn't help but giggle and slap Matt's arm lightly. "Suck it up, Loser!" I stuck my tongue out at him and placed an L on my forehead with my index and thumb, taunting him.
"WINNER!!!" Keith bellowed, startling Maddie, who jumped, making some of her popcorn fly out of the bag. She shot him a dirty look. "I won! I won! I won!" He ran around the living area and stuck his tongue out at Matt. "LOSER!!!!" He cackled. Everyone watching him just either shook their heads or laughed.
Keith was such a crackhead.
"Come on, V," Matt urged while pouting. Sad to say, he pulled the pouty face look off. I would've been uglified. He turned to the others. "What do you guys want for dinner?"
"Chinese food!" Jonah and Bill cheered. Oh, I just love those guys! Although I am craving some good old fast food right now...
"PIZZA!" Keith exclaimed, looking at the two with disgust. "Who the heck eats Chinese food after a movie?"
"Why not?" I protested, ready to engage in a debate with him. I was a firm believer that pizza is eaten during the movie or generally in the afternoon. I don't eat pizza after movies if "after movies" means evening-- at all. Again, unless I have no choice or I decide to go with the flow.
Maddie frowned at us and stood up. "Y'all are annoying. I want McDonald's."
"YES!" I exclaimed. "Finally!!!"
"McDonald's it is then," Matt grinned at me and winked, twirling his car key on his index. "V, let's go!"
We ended up deciding to get whatever everyone wanted, so we went to Domino's, Panda Express, and McDonald's and got a little of a lot in every store. Needless to say, all of the servers at the drive-thrus flirted with Matt, who was now very exhausted and annoyed.
"Dude."
We were parked outside McDonald's to check our orders to make sure they were complete. I was done checking, so Matt was fixing the things at the back. He looked at me when he heard me, but turned away quickly to finish up at the back. I decided to wait for him and sunk in the passenger's seat and stared at the lamppost in front of us.
"What's up?" he asked, getting back in the driver's seat.
I peered at him lazily. "Why are you so ugly?" I blinked innocently at him. I meant my question, though. I wanted to see his reaction.
As expected, he looked taken aback. "V, I'm not in the mood for this," he muttered, pushing his hand through his thick brown locks.
My mind got triggered with annoyance, not for Matt, but at myself. But I kept it in. I have no idea what I'm trying to go for, but I'm trying to let my mind unravel on its own.
He started driving.
"You know, Matt," I said, when my mind finally figured out what it wanted to say. "You've been talking with Kelly, knowing that Keith likes her. I know you liked her first, and that there had always been something between you two, so don't you think you should talk about this with Keith?"
Suddenly, the car halted at a lay-over and I felt myself getting thrown off my seat for a fraction of time.
"What?" Matt demanded.
I didn't look at him. "The food will get cold."
"V," he stated, "What's your problem?" His tone was quiet, but I knew that his annoyance had already piled up and was about to explode.
"Can you let me out for a while?"
Matt looked at me like I was crazy. "Are you kidding? I'm not letting you out of this car right now! It's nighttime." He shifted in his seat. "V, what's going on with you lately? Ever since your last cheer competition you've been having these random bursts, and I'm getting confused. You know I can't tell Keith anything for sure because Kelly and I aren't serious, but I have already told him ever since that I've always liked Kelly."
I frowned and turned to look out the window. I don't get anything right now.
What's the chemical formula of alpha-linoleic acid again? I'm craving an apple pie...C18H30O2?
"V?" Matt said, snapping his fingers at me. "Did you hear what I said?"
What? "Apple pie?" I asked unsurely. Of course not, but I didn't want to argue.
Safe to say, Matt didn't speak to me for the rest of the ride. He did speak to me though, when he asked me to help him carry the food in.
The night was peaceful. I spent the rest of the time eating and talking to Kelly and Maddie. We eventually left after saying good-bye to everyone else.