Chapter 7
The elevator ride down to the main floor was quiet. Too quiet. I was regretting all of this, but I couldn't change my mind now. Just as we stepped out, a group of girls piled into the lobby. I recognized a few of them from my classes. It was strange that they were all in the building that I lived in.
And then I saw Kelly Drake, as Josie pointed her out. She was the girl who had been arguing with Bennett on the steps the other day.
"This way ladies," Kelly called out, spotting me with Josie and Polly. Her smile faded, for a moment. "Oh, girls, so glad you made it."
Polly was chewing her bottom lip and I saw Josie smile her fake smile.
"Thanks. Our friend Iris lives here, too. So we brought her."
Kelly looked at me, maybe remembering me from that day, too. Or maybe not. She waved with her fingers. "The more the merrier. I mean, until we are at capacity."
We walked past her and into the room where the pool was. It was bright and huge, beautiful high ceilings with chandeliers and a hot tub in the back corner. There were already a handful of people in the pool. I felt out of place.
Josie lead us to an empty table and put down her bag. The table beside it had a couple bottles of rum and vodka, along with plastic cups and mix. I looked around, taking in a deep breath.
"Polly?" Josie said quickly, holding out a drink for her.
She took it, pounding it back right away. And then I noticed where she was looking, out across the room on the other side of the pool, was Alex Cruse. It all made sense now. Polly had dated him and now he was dating Kelly.
"So, why are we here?" I asked them, as Josie put a drink in my hand.
"What?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.
More people came in and I saw a few more jump into the pool.
"I mean, if it's Kelly's party and you guys hate her because she's dating Polly's ex-"
"It's the first Senior party of the year. We had to come," Josie told me.
I nodded, pulling off my shirt. Right away, Josie and Polly covered their mouths, staring at my bathing suit.
"You're wearing a one piece?" Polly was shocked.
"It's was the only one I liked at the thrift shop," I said, then stopped, embarrassed. I likely should not have told them that.
"Oh. It's so vintage. I love it," Josie said quickly.
"Right, yeah," Polly agreed.
I was walking towards the edge of the pool, after finishing off my drink, when I saw Bennett. He was wearing striped swim shorts and I noticed he was thin but muscular. He hadn't seen me yet. He was facing away, talking to a group of guys. I was just about to step into the pool when Josie yelled at me.
"Iris! What are you doing?"
I looked back at her, but it was too late. Bennett was now looking our way.
"Swimming?" I called back.
"We were just going to sit on the side," Polly told me, as they walked closer to where I was.
"It's a pool party. It's for swimming," I said, rolling my eyes.
I glanced back to where Bennett had been, but he was gone. Hopping in, I felt the water was warm around my waist. Polly and Josie sat on the edge, letting their feet fall in.
Before I knew it, the pool was full and there were at least fifty other teenagers not even in the pool. Some were in the hot tub, some were drinking. I glanced around again, taking it all in. My first Senior party.
"Iris?" I heard a voice behind me.
When I turned, Bennett was hopping into the pool. Josie and Polly had disappeared, which I was glad about. I didn't want them to witness this. I pretended not to hear him.
"C'mon, its a pretty uncommon name, and I heard Josie call you," he went on.
I turned fully towards him. "Hi."
"Hi," he repeated. "I didn't know you'd be here."
"How would you know that?" I asked.
He shrugged. "I also didn't know you were friends with Josie and the Pussycats."
"Again, why would you... pussycats?"
"Um, the band?" he said, but I shrugged. "Okay, let's start over."
"Josie and Polly and I go way back," I told him.
"I thought you were new?"
"Well, I'm not new-new. I went to Renaissance for Freshman year."
"Ohh. That makes so much sense. My sister and I transferred here in tenth grade."
"Your sister?" I asked.
"Yeah. Kelly?"
"Oh. Right-"
"Iris! We need you!" I heard Josie's voice, not far away.
Bennett looked disappointed.
"I gotta go," I said quickly.
"Looks like it," he replied.
I swam away and hopped out once I reached the side. Polly was crying, at the table where our stuff was. I wrapped a towel around myself, wondering what was wrong with her.
"She drank a lot. She can't sit here and watch... that," Josie told me, pointing at the hot tub, where Kelly and Alex were making out.
"Okay..." I said, confused.
"So, let's go," Josie went on.
I didn't know why I had to leave just because Polly was sad and drunk, but I agreed.
"Okay, let's go," I repeated, tightening my towel around my waist.
I looked back just before we walked out of the pool area, because I just had a feeling that Bennett was watching us. He was. Well, he was watching me.
Polly stumbled in the hallway as we walked towards the elevator, and I grabbed her arm just before she fell. She was pretty small but also very awkward as she couldn't hold herself up.
"How much did you drink?" I asked, adjusting my arms under her.
"Don't judge her. She's heartbroken," Josie snapped, but then tried to laugh it off.
I didn't say anything else about it.
We ended up back in the apartment, much to my dismay. I did not know what was going to happen. I didn't like any of this.
"How are you guys getting home?" I asked, and then added , "do you want some water or something?"
"My dad was going to come get us, but he's not answering," Josie told me, as she plopped Polly onto the sofa.
I looked at the clock. 11:50 P.M. Still no sign of Caleb, but he said he would be late. I did not want him seeing these drunk girls in his apartment.
"Oh, okay," I said, still feeling unsure.
"We can crash here, right? Your uncle won't mind?" Josie went on.
"Oh. Um, no. I mean, he probably won't mind," I answered awkwardly.
"Perfect," Josie said, then forced a smile at me.
Polly cried for another half an hour and then promptly passed out right there on the sofa. I felt bad for her, yet embarrassed for her at the same time.
"So, was it serious between Polly and Alex?" I finally asked. Josie was just staring at her phone, ignoring me.
"We thought it was. They dated for eight months," she answered, whispering.
"So what happened?"
"Well, Alex apparently 'fell in love' with Kelly, like two weeks before the end of last school year."
"Oh. Woah."
"Yeah. So, he broke up with Polly and started dating Kelly right away. I guess they spent all summer together having a blast, while I spent all summer with this sad, mess of a girl." She motioned at Polly.
"That's really sad," I told her. "Poor Polly."
"Yeah."
"You're friends with Kelly, though?" I asked.
"We were. It kind of imploded, as you can imagine."
"Right. Yeah, I can."
"You know, it was a huge shock that you were back. It was a huge shock that you left, too," Josie changed the subject.
I nodded. "My life has been kind of a big shock."
She smiled, but then yawned. "I want to hear all about you."
"I'm actually really tired."
"Oh, yeah, same. We will just sleep here. And we will leave early. don't worry."
"I'm not," I told her. But I was. I was worried about what Caleb would think when there were two high school girls asleep on his sofa when he got home.
"Okay, night Iris," Josie smiled at me.
"Night," I finished, and went down the hallway to my bedroom.
Just to be safe, I sent Caleb a text before I laid down.
DON'T BE ALARMED BY THE GIRLS ON YOUR SOFA. MY FRIENDS DIDN'T HAVE A RIDE HOME.
He texted back right away. THANKS FOR THE HEADS UP.