I’d bitten my nails down to the quick. When Axel saw me gnawing on my fingers, he offered to tag along with me, but I couldn’t—wouldn’t—let him do that. He was leaving soon. I had to do this on my own. But I was keeping my cell in my pocket just in case I needed backup.
By eight, Rosalyn was waiting for me outside. Her crooked smile spelled mischief as I closed the door to her little silver Honda. Her red hair hung halfway down her back in perfect curls. “You ready?” she asked.
Nope. Not at all. “Totally.”
Rosalyn’s country music filled the silence as she drove through the winding streets. I tried to tune it out, but the singer whining about losing some lame boyfriend was like needles digging in my eardrums.
“This song is great,” I said, my lame attempt at trying to start a conversation.
“I know, right? It’s one of my faves.” She turned it up.
Thankfully, only a few minutes passed before she pulled into a packed driveway and parked. “Nervous?” she said.
I wondered if the gleam in her eye meant that she was hoping I was nervous. “I’m more curious than anything.”
“It’ll be fun. Plus, it’s Texas. We’re all nice,” she lifted one shoulder, “for the most part.”
Yeah, I wasn’t buying that one. I had a feeling that if I got on Rosalyn’s bad side, she would become a huge pain in my ass.
She grabbed her purse and pulled out a glittery tube of lip-gloss. “Here. Try this one.”
Oh God. That was a terrible idea, but one I couldn’t refuse without being rude.
“Thanks.” I took the tube from her, and with a shaking hand, started to apply the gloss in the vanity mirror.
Short, staggering visions popped through my mind of the different places she used the gloss.
In a bathroom. In her car. In English class. In Carlos’ car.
And then she was at a pharmacy. She looked around as her pulse pounded. The coast was clear. She put the gloss in her pocket as she walked down the aisle, toward the exit. Her fear and excitement filled me.
And then I was back in her car. I pulled the tube from my lips. Rosalyn was texting and hadn’t noticed a thing.
I exhaled slowly and focused on my reflection. The gloss was slimy and sticky, but it made my lips look Angelina-plump. My eyes were lined in my favorite midnight shadow, making their brown look richer.
“Ready?” she said.
“Sure.” I flipped the vanity mirror shut and hopped out of the car.
We walked across the lawn to the large brick house. A lilting beat floated across the yard. I took a look down at my outfit—black skater dress, thin silver belt, flip-flops, thin silver scarf, and black over-the-elbow gloves—as my nerves started to reach an all-time high. I smoothed my skirt down and centered the knot on my scarf as my nerves rose.
If I could make it through the night without freaking out from some vision, then I had a chance at finding a place where I belonged—even if it wasn’t with Rosalyn’s crowd.
Rosalyn went straight for the door, and opened it without pausing to knock. I might have been a little bit na?ve—it was my first party after all—but I wasn’t expecting everyone to be drinking. Thirty kids or so were scattered around the entryway screaming at each other over the music. They all had red plastic cups in their hands.
How in the hell did a bunch of sixteen and seventeen year olds score enough booze for everyone?
I shook my head. Some of those cups had to be filled with soda.
One girl gestured while talking, unaware that the contents of her cup were spilling all over the floor. A guy was falling all against a girl, who pushed him away.
Nope. They were drunk. Unreal.
Guess there were no parents here.
“Good. We’re perfectly late.” Rosalyn grabbed my gloved hand. “Let’s get a drink.” She led me through the crowd to the kitchen. I spotted Jess as she rushed past me, knocking me into the wall. She ran to a powder room and slammed the door.
“Gross. She’s always sick before the party even gets started,” Rosalyn rolled her eyes. “She seriously needs to learn to control her alcohol.”
No kidding. And from the looks of things, there were a few people who wouldn’t be far behind Jess’ state. I knew right then that I was in over my head. I thought about calling Axel, but was too stubborn to admit that I’d been wrong about telling him not to come.
Rosalyn towed me along with her to the kitchen. It was big with an island in the center. The counters were light speckled granite, but I couldn’t really see them under all the booze. Liquor bottles and red cups, along with an assortment of sodas and juices were spread all over the place. In front of the sink was an extra-large plastic trashcan filled with ice water and a keg floating in the center. Three boys stood around it as they filled red cups and handed them down a line of kids.
I checked my watch. It wasn’t even 8:30 yet. How were there so many people already drunk?
Carlos was filling shot glasses on the counter with some amber colored liquor.
Right. That was how.