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A slim brown girl stared up at her cousin, who was six feet four, with palpable resentment. The boy had an arrogant smile wound up on his face. The party was so lit; why did his cousin have to call it quits at midnight? They had until ten a.m until her ?rents returned home from the world Health Fund Conference.
She had mercilessly kicked out all his peers. Had she not been having the time of her life? That soccer player, Dave was into her the whole night. He would chat her up any time she wasn't being completely and utterly OCD!
Avery was furious. She had hosted the stupid shindig nut none of her friends were allowed in because quote on quote: this party ain't for little losers. It was her home but she had let her cousin, Anthony B. Rogers takeover like herpes.
He had dirt on her all the time?Avery help me throw a party while aunt's away otherwise, your crush Dave will find out you still have a retainer and you're the one that ratted out your class for pranking Mr Pearson last semester.
Him and her were the best of friends once now he was using her academic exploits and poor dental history to leave her single and lonely for junior high.
Avery faced him as if they were desperados in a gun match. She took her shot?
?This is all your fault,? Avery said to her cousin.
?Well, if it's my fault, it is equally yours....your mom left you in charge anyway.?
She held her head, realizing he was right.
Tony smirked, knowing full and well he was undeniably speaking the truth.
?Shut it, Tony.?
She flicked his dark forehead.
?Quit rubbing it in. Now help me clean or else well both in trouble, now!?
He squinted.
?And if I say no?? he said, crossing his arms.
She took out her I-phone and showed Tony pictures of himself flandering about with the girls from her school and of him smoking a hookah pipe.
His eyes glazed over and in a panic be hurriedly tried to snatch the phone from Avery. Avery smirked as she held it away from him.
?You decide not to cooperate and these photos are going to our moms. Then you'll be back in the country lickety split!?
My cousin grimaced. He hated the country. He would have to toil on the land; and plough and harvest.He would have to take care of the animals and the donkeys and llamas were absolutely demonic!
And worst of all there weren't any babes in the country like the ones in town. He shook with pent-up fury.
?You wouldn't dare!?
?Try me. I am getting pretty sick of the people you hang with coming to my house.?
?You are the devil's kin.?
Avery went around collecting empty beer cans, empty cider bottles and the half drunken Rosés.
She dumped them all in the black refuse bag. The glass clattered in as she dragged it listlessly on the tiled floor.
Tony was disinfecting every bathroom. He wore his aunt's blue face mask, those large, yellow kitchen gloves and he wore his old Van's.
The toilet was stained brown and the rank or four of sweat, sex, alcohol and barf. Tony shuddered as he grabbed the toilet brush. The toilet lid was shit when he opened the pungent odour made his eyes water and his stomach churn uneasily.
?God, that smells awful!? he whined.
He gagged but nothing came up from his gut. He regretted his decision to throw a house party. After two hours the kitchen and all the bathrooms in the house were sufficiently clean.
They had one issue though...the back-door was hanging of its hinges and there were stains on the ceilings everywhere. A weird sickly yellow-orange stain. The lounge and the dining had trails of chip packets, cigarettes, condoms, gum and other varieties of garbage laying on the floor idly.
?What idiot did this junk?? said Tony, staring at the mangled door.
Avery huffed. Was he serious? Who else but his peers? She had no-one she particularly cared for at the party at all.
?Obviously your idiot friends. I'm never letting you have a chill here ever again.?
Tony felt her icy stare freeze his backside. He warmed himself by rubbing his shoulders briefly.
Tony did not argue. Avery held the door as he screwed in back the hinges. The door was unstable but as long as the kept it shut no-one would know the difference, right?
?will this hold, dude?? she said anxiously.
?Definitely.?
She sighed. She went up the stairs which escaped the holocaust like party. Not much privacy was to be had there. Everyone had a good vantage of what you were up to: smoking or snogging?and if you were high and on those stairs it was a long fall to Earth.
Tony ran after Avery.
?Look, I know it was a mess but you should thank me for the greatest party of all time!?
Avery swore at Tony. He stared blankly at her.
?Screw you! I had a horrible time. I was surrounded by peopled drinking and smoking! And I finally saw the light?Dave is a big asshole like you! Ok, maybe he's better, at least, I know he'd never blackmail his family to get what he wanted.
I'm warning you! If you so much as try to make me do anything for you I will send the pics from tonight to your parents; and I heard from Becky down the block you are quite famous.?
Tony paled.
?Avery, trying to be a snitch again! Don't you dare mention my ex or tonight or I'll?.?
Avery glowered and giggled. Tony was caught off guard. He was used to her scuttling off after mumbling a timid yes or an okay.
?Or you'll what? Not this time. If you throw another party I'll snitch and you can say bye-bye to Jessica, Mackenzie and Brynn.?
As Avery stomped upstairs Tony remorsefully bowed his head.
?So, much for having a Fourth of July celebration,? he groaned to himself.
He sat at the foot of the black, wheeling staircase his cousin disappeared up.
Pellets of rain pound the storm door. I know that once I make a run for it, my white Vans will be ruined. I map the least destructive path ? down the three steps, over the puddle forming in the center of the walk, past my overly affectionate lab that will appear out of nowhere to greet me before I touch the door of my car. What's the use? This outfit and hair that I spent the last two hours assembling will never survive to impress anyone. Why even bother?
The invitation was basically an accident anyway. Charlotte was just trying to impress Lance ? make him think she is really nice, and forgiving. He had just stopped by my locker to check on me after I missed the Block Club meeting that morning. She swept in and made a big production about how much she loved his new hairstyle, that clean-cut crew look that made it easy to appreciate his green eyes and easy smile
?My parents are throwing a Sweet Sixteen for me this Friday night. You have to be there, Lance?
Lance looked over at me and raised his eyebrows. I coughed to stifle a giggle. ?Thanks, Charlotte. I will try my best.?
A bit put out by his non-committal answer, Charlotte shifted her backpack higher on her shoulder and angled to leave. ?You can come, too, Angel, if you want.? Her walking away showed a depth of sincerity that told me to dismiss the comment altogether, until I felt Lance squeeze my shoulder.
Looking up, I inhaled his cologne and realized he had closed the distance between us. Heat from his bare arm grazing mine made it hard to focus on his tilting lips. ?The only way I am going to that party is if you promise you'll be there.?
?What? Charlotte's party. No, no, no. I don't see myself anywhere near that ? those people. Thanks, though. You have fun!? I spun to shut the locker and caught a glance in the magnetic mirror. The pink, bulging seam across my cheek affirmed what I said. I could never show my face at that party. Too much history. I leaned to pick up my backpack and left Lance with a silent wave.
Now it's time to bite the bullet and go. When Lance kept at me all week about the party, I truly felt flattered. Captain of the soccer team, president of Block Club, all-around nice guy ? not to mention nice-looking. Girls fall apart trying to get his attention, and here he wants me at Charlotte's party. I never thought I would step foot into his territory again. Not after what happened on December 19.
?Bye, Mom! I'm headed out. Love you!? With a click and a slam, the race through soaking rain goes as predicted. I bunch my hair and wring it into the floorboard once I slide in and wrench the sedan door shut. ?Ugh!? I brush sandy muck off my favorite leggings and look for a napkin to blot my face. The little mirror over the windshield shows my make-up failure. Forget it. There is really no way to disguise that disgusting scar.
My gut tells me to call this off. Get out of the car and go back to hiding in the house like I have been for the last four months. Dad would be raging if he knew I was getting ready to drive myself anywhere. Graduation will come in another six weeks, and I can start a clean slate. New school, new friends, new life where no one has to know the truth engraved on my face.
My ringtone interrupts my logic. It's Lance. ?Hey, Lance. Yes, I'm in my car. This rain has me soaked! I might need to go back in and . . .what? What do you mean?? I glance in my rearview mirror. There he is. My heart skips. ?What are you doing here??? Lance??
The driver's door jerks open, and I am under an umbrella. Lance pulls me in so our sides meet, and I am shuttled to his passenger door. He opens it and his melting smile and gentle nudge place me in his car. In a wave of emotion, a hot tear slides across the slant of the scar on my cheek until I taste salt on my lips. Lance bolts around the hood, tosses the umbrella in the back, and lurches into the driver's seat. He rakes a hand to move a few dirty blonde strands out of his eyes, then turns and sees my misery.
?Angel, what's wrong?? He is stunned. ?I thought . . . I thought you would want me . . .?
I hold out my hand to stop his sweet, sweet gushing, and more emotion wrenches me into sobs. Tentative, unsure, he reaches past the console and leans to pull me to him. His heat again, God, I do not deserve . . . to feel this loved, this protected.
When I first met Lance, he was inducting me into the Block Club. I had just transferred to Emerald High from Post Prep, the private school down the road. I remembered him right away -- from around the neighborhood ? out at Ice Cream Central, the local hangout on Friday nights for just about everyone in town, or from the times my private school friends and I would pay to see the Emerald boys soccer team play. He stood out, and we would all croon about his toned legs and endless energy on the field. What I loved most, though, was how he always seemed to be smiling out there, even in the toughest games. I wished for even half of his positive energy.
Because I had lettered in girls soccer at Prep, my parents told me to join Block Club at my new school. That was in August, at the beginning of my senior year. By Halloween I had been elected club secretary, so Lance and I got to work together on planning projects and meetings. He was easy to be around and made it easy to forget I was the new girl in a senior class that had been together through school forever
We never saw each other outside of school until he invited me to a get-together to celebrate the start of Christmas break with some of his friends. I told him I would meet him there. My parents are protective, and I would have to do some manipulating just to convince them to let me go. There had been that incident at Claire's over the summer. It basically freaked everyone out and was the first time I had an episode without my parents right there. They said I could have drowned, and I could have, but Mr. Wright was ex-Army and took quick action pulling me out and giving me space until the seizure ended.
We still don't know the triggers, so Mom and Dad stay pretty uptight when I am not under their direct supervision Doctors think I will outgrow it, and I can still play my sport ? but really no one knows I take medicine and am pretty much a ticking bomb. When I was getting ready to leave the house, Dad refused to let me drive. Said weather was moving in, and there was already a black ice warning as the sun and temperatures dropped that evening. I know, though, that he and Mom just do not like me driving at all.
The pixels on the computer gleamed in his eyes as he suffered through the last of his online classes for the day. He was not paying attention. If his teacher called on him through the video screen, he could not have heard. His mind was elsewhere. This was the day of the big party, his first in a while. Jared hardly got invited to parties ever. He had never tried to be. Most of his free time was spent reading or playing video games or watching movies. He would much rather experience the thrill of social events vicariously through the fictional characters on the page or on the screen than participate in the real thing, but had already accepted; there was no going back. Before he knew it, the clock on the bottom right corner of his screen read 3:15pm, and it was time to log off and get ready. After taking a quick shower, Jared stood in front of his closet contemplatively. He had never put much thought into his appearance before now. He usually nabbed the shirt off the first hanger and that was that He had no sense of fashion and never bothered trying to wear matching colors. With the threat of the party looming over him, though, he began to grow self-conscious. He had no clue what he should wear. "Should I put on a suit?" The thought quickly escaped his mind. "It's a high school party, not a wedding." He threw on a red striped polo shirt and some khaki pants, laced up the new Nikes he had gotten for his 17th birthday, and looked at himself in the mirror. It wasn?t much of a look, but it was surely an upgrade from his typical combo of a wrinkled white T-shirt and baggy sweatpants. After his hair dried, he combed his long, brown hair, assembled his belongings, and walked out the door. It was an outdoor party in the next neighborhood, which was about half a mile from his house. He didn?t have a car yet, and his parents weren?t home, so he had to walk. Jared didn?t mind, though; it was a nice day out. It was that time of the day where the sun just hangs in the middle of the sky, shining dimly as it awaits its inevitable rest. Jared felt that same way tonight, anxiously anticipating the party that would commemorate the end of the school year. After struggling with the directions, Jared showed up at the party fashionably late. His arrival was received with little fanfare, not even a ?glad you could make it? from the host, Brandon, who was standing right near him. He sighed solemnly, figuring the night was already a bust. He grabbed a brown bottle of root beer off a nearby table and took a swig. A smoky, fizzy, bitter taste washed over his tongue and overcame his whole mouth. He gagged and immediately spit it out. That got Brandon?s attention. ?Never had beer before, huh?? Brandon patted his shoulder. ?How could you tell?? he joked in a strained voice, still recovering from the sensation. Brandon laughed. ?It?s an acquired taste. There?s root beer in that big plastic bottle if you want it.? He pointed to the A&W on the table that Jared had somehow missed. Jared mumbled, ?Alright, I?ll let you get back to--? ?No, no, let me show you around, get you to meet everyone,? Brandon said, turning around to lead the way. ?Brandon,? Jared stopped him. ?Can I ask you something?? Brandon pivoted back to Jared. ?Sure, what?s up?? ?Why did you invite me? I know we?re in the same online physics class, but we almost never talk outside of that.? ?The reason I invited you is you seem nice, and I thought you could enjoy hanging out with us.? ?Oh, well, thanks!? ?No problem. Come on, follow me.? They walked past the blazing campfire where some people were sitting on logs, nursing beers and sodas, and enjoying each other?s company. The warmth of it felt nice against his face on this unusually cool late-spring evening. He and Brandon waved through the little clusters of strangers until they arrived at a group of three people Jared recognized. ?This is Christina, Max, and Ashley. Ashley?s my girlfriend. They were in our--? ?Biology class. Last year. Yeah, Max was my lab partner once, I think.? ?Oh, really? I don?t remember that,? Max replied. ?He was probably stoned,? Brandon snorted. ?No, man, it?s just hard to remember what life was like before the pandemic, you know? I haven?t seen any of you in-person since, like, March of last year.? ?Oh, that reminds me,? Christina turned to Ashley. ?I forgot to tell you, Ashley, I saw you walking downtown with your dad last week.? Ashley replied, her arm still wrapped around Brandon, ?Oh, you should have come up and said hi. You?re one of the only people I hang out with that my dad likes.? Christina laughed. Jared felt out-of-place in this conversation and started to shuffle his feet in the grass. Brandon took notice, ?I think we?re boring Jared here.? ?So, Jared, whatcha been up to?? Ashley asked, taking her arm off Brandon and making eye contact. ?Oh, uh, not much, just looking at colleges mostly.? ?Oh, what colleges?? Ashley asked. ?Let?s see: Columbia, Yale?? Jared started to say.? ?Woah! Mister smarty pants over here. You get good grades?? Brandon exclaimed. Jared felt self-conscious, ?Uh...yeah, straight-A?s.? ?Couldn?t be me,? Ashley said in a sing-song voice. ?I almost failed the last physics test.? ?Same,? Max admitted. ?Oh, I do good in physics, just...not in anything else,? Brandon smirked. There was a long, awkward silence until Jared chimed in with a ?Well, it was good talking to you guys. See you later.? Jared drifted away. It was a short conversation, but he already needed some space and alone time. He grabbed a plate of chips and sat on a log by the fire, the loud crackles of the flying embers disguising his loud crunches. Brandon came over and sat next to him, ?What?s going on, buddy? You kinda disappeared over there.? ?Did I?? ?Yeah, you okay?? Jared rubbed his neck. ?Um, yeah. I just didn?t want to get in the middle of--whatever it was you were--uh?? he stammered. ?You?ve never been to a party, have you?? Brandon asked. ?Well, not never. I went to a few birthday parties in middle school and some wedding receptions, but yeah, I guess not a real party.? ?Well, then, we?ve got to make a good impression. We?re gonna make this party so hype that you?ll never need to go to another one again in your whole life.? Jared laughed nervously while Brandon stood on top of the log next to him, making it wobble slightly as Jared sat precariously on the edge. ?LISTEN UP!!!!? Brandon shouted, his voice the quality of a megaphone. All the partygoers stopped their conversations and paid attention to the slightly drunken host. ?Jared here has never been to a party, so we?re all gonna have to make it memorable for him. And that starts with turning on some music!? The crowd whooped in support. Brandon dramatically pointed to his friend, Ray, through the flames. ?Hey, Ray, turn it up!!? Ray cranked up the knob on the stereo sitting on the picnic table next to him. The stereo started blasting bass-heavy dance music. Jared had a desire to plug his ears, but knowing that would upset Brandon, he decided to sit there and tolerate the noise. Brandon didn?t let him sit, though. He pulled Jared up and got him to dance on top of the log. Jared tried to pull away but lost his balance, causing himself and Brandon to topple over and hit the ground as the log crushed their feet. Brandon struggled to reach for the log. Ray turned off the music and ran over to them. He pulled the log off of them and helped them both up. Brandon dusted himself off. Jared got to apologizing. ?Brandon, I am so, so sorry, I--? ?What? Dude, it?s fine! You have produced the two most memorable moments of the night so far, unintentionally!? ?I have?? Jared looked puzzled. ?Yes! To answer your question from before, I invited you here because you?re a wild card, alright? I don?t know much about you, you don?t know much about me. You?ve never been to a party before. You?re new and exciting.? ?I guess so.? Brandon took a swig of beer, the foam spilling onto his chin, which he quickly wiped off. ?This year has been so predictable and boring. It was like the ultimate anticlimax. And I?ve seen some of these guys once or twice outside of school?? he paused. ?...socially distanced of course. But they?re old news. I wanted you because I thought you?d spice things up a little. And look, if you don?t want to dance, I won?t force you. I just want us all to have a fun time in our junior year. Next year, we?re gonna be seniors and applying for colleges, and I want us to enjoy every last minute we have before then. Okay?? And to his own surprise, Jared took these words to heart. His nervous shuffling turned to dance as he stomped on the ground and clapped, flailing his arms and spinning around. The rhythm overtook his body as he started moving and grooving to the beat, improvising his own dance moves. Brandon looked impressed. His friends took notice and joined in. Soon, everyone at the party was treating the campgrounds as a lit-up dance floor. It was almost ritualistic as they did congo lines and skipped around the fire. The rest of the night was a blur, but what started out as an obligation turned into a lasting memory.The party that night was lots of fun. Lance stayed close and made sure I knew everyone and felt comfortable. ?Hey, you having fun?? he elbowed and whispered while we sat, sunk in, on Ted's basement couch waiting for our turn to draw and guess again in this Pictionary tournament we were having. ?Want something else to drink?? He motioned to the bar in the corner, stocked with sodas across the top. As far as I knew, Lance and I were the only ones not spiking our drinks with Ted's parents' liquor stash below in the cabinet.
?Actually, no. I've got to use the ladies' room. Can you tell me where it is??
?Upstairs and take a left.?
?K. Be right back.? Lance gave my elbow a lift up as I stood and smiled. This guy is unbelievable, I thought. I glanced back at him across the stair railing, and he winked. My insides flipped.
The half bath had a nautical motif, and I washed my hands with what was in the lighthouse pump ? some floral scent that overwhelmed and made me want to make a quick exit back to Lance and the others. I rounded the corner and stepped forward to descend . . . when my shoulders jerked. I lost balance, and only know what others tell me after that. My body twisted and contorted in the seconds it took me to land, face first, on the landing below. They said I was still convulsing there as blood spurted from that huge gash on my cheek, ripped open from the brass plate on the bottom step's edge.
End of party. And, for me, the end to any hope of normal in my senior year at a new school. Disfigurement is one thing, but social ineptitude -- brought on by something completely out of my control ? is another. I out right refused to put myself out there to risk another horrifying accident in front of my classmates.
Until tonight. Lance was the one to call my parents, once he dug my cell out of my back pocket. Ted called 911. Lance tried to check on me multiple times during Christmas break, but I just could not talk to him. I looked hideous as scabbing and scarring took hold. I would need more plastic surgery, but not until after soccer season ? if I still wanted to play.
Lance brushes his thumb under my eyes and holds firm with his other arm, strong behind me. ?Shh. It's okay, Angel. It's me. I'm not going to let anything happen to you.?
Turning, I meet his green-eyed gaze. ?How? I can't . . . I don't know when . . .?
His calloused fingers take soft hold of my tear-soaked chin and pull up. ?Hey. We are doing this. You. Me. This party. I don't want you even thinking about anything, but this.? He tilts his head and draws in to kiss my salty lips, lingering while my heart flutters and my lips push in for more.
?Ok?? He whispers through a sweet smile that refuses to accept anything but my slow nod in affirmation.
Lacing his hand with mine, Lance squeezes his assurance to me. What happened before may or may not happen again. It doesn't matter. I will never get back my flawless skin, and some people may not look at me the same way. This guy, though, he may be the real deal.
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