Joy

Part 9

Martha and I are walking toward my car. 

Martha: Are you okay?
Joyce: Yeah, everything's fine.
Martha: You're lying to me.
Joyce: I'm not lying.
Martha: Joyce, we're friends for a long time now...
Joyce: Okay, okay.

I unlock the car and we sit down. I look at her.

Joyce: Some kind of pictures are flashing in my head.
Martha: What pictures?
Joyce: Like... I'm starting to remember what happened.
Martha: And?
Joyce: I don't know. I see myself drinking and...
Martha: And what?
Joyce: And Dylan kissing me...
Martha: What's the problem? You already kissed.
Joyce: Yeah, but it's like he's lying on me.

Martha: Wow. You're so lucky.
Joyce: What!?
Martha: What... Does it really bother you that Dylan and you had sex?
Joyce: Yeah! He lied to me!
Martha: And what was he supposed to do? Tell you that you two had sex while you were completely drunk?
Joyce: It's better than me finding out through pictures in my head!
Martha: I don't know. Maybe he didn't want you to know that he took advantage of you.
Joyce: Great. I'm so glad my best friend is defending him...
Martha: I'm not defending him, I'm just telling you what might have happened.

I put my head on the wheel.

Joyce: This is so bad...
Martha: Common. You had some drunk sex with the best looking guy ever... Stop feeling sorry for yourself.
Joyce: I don't know... It feels so- gross.
Martha: Wow. Poor him if you tell him that.
Joyce: I'm not gonna tell him that. I'm not stupid.

I start the car and drive home. What have I done with my life...

Friday- 10 p.m. Martha and I park in front of the house with the address Theresa gave us. She's already there- entering the house. I'm looking at Martha's blue jeans and white shirt- so simple but she still looks so good. The day is colder than usual, so we both took jackets too. 

As we entered the house, the smell of alcohol and smoke stroke me. Without even thinking, I go to the table with drinks. 

Theresa: Starting pretty soon today. 
Joyce: Yeah. 
Theresa: That's my girl. 

I put my glass in the air, 

Joyce: Cheers!
Theresa: Cheers.

We drink. I stop counting after 4 drinks. Then, I make a mistake...

Dylan's P.O.V.

I enter the house with Zach. Cigarettes and alcohol in the air. 

Zach: Yeah, this is the life. 
Dylan: It really is. 
Zach: I have to find someone, be right back. 
Dylan: You know where I'll be...

I'm at the table with drinks. The music is so loud and everybody's dancing. It's 1 a.m. and Zach and I are just drinking and talking with his friends. It annoys me so much that I'm the youngest of them. They'll all about 20 and I'm 18, so they mess with me a lot. 

At 2 a.m. comes another guy- I forget his name immediately... David, or Dave, maybe even Donald... I don't know. Anyways, he brings a tattoo set. Zach and I are the only ones not crazy enough to get a tattoo from some guy we don't know. 

After a few minutes, I see Theresa and Martha standing around the chair they get their tattoos. If Theresa gets another creepy tattoo like that snake...

Zach: You're not gonna believe this!
Dylan: What!?

Zach starts leading me to see who's on the chair. Despite it looks like everyone's there, the dance floor is still full. We barely come to the other side of the room. I can't see well at first- it's someone in black jeans and a red shirt. 

Zach: It's Joyce!

I get closer. It really is her. Looks like she's getting something on her collar-bone. 

Dylan: She's drunk again!
Zach: I think so too! Something's wrong with her!
Dylan: I know!

Joyce's P.O.V.

I don't know how much I drank. The only thing I know is that I'm in the chair getting a tattoo. I'm not drunk like the last time and I know what am I doing. I kinda like the idea of the tattoo.

"Done."

I get up and another girl takes my place. 

Martha: You're crazy!
Joyce: I know!
Theresa: I like it!
Joyce: Thanks!

After that, we dance and drink- a lot.

It's about 3 a.m. and it's pretty hot in there.

Joyce: I'm going out for a bit!
Martha: Want me to go too!?
Joyce: I'll go alone!

While walking out, I go into the hallway to take my jacket. There's no one in it, but I hear voices from the room in front of me. 

"You won't win this. They disappeared from the last party."
"Oh common. She's not his type."
"But she made a tattoo now."
"You're so stupid. Someone like Dylan needs someone like Joyce. He would like her, but now she started drinking and made a tattoo. She's becoming like him and he won't like that."
"And how do you know that?"
"You forgot that exact same thing happened to me."

"And why do you even want to fuck Dylan so much?"
"Jensen. It doesn't matter. I have to win, so do what you have to."
"I won't put drugs into her drink! That's low- even for you."
"If you don't do it, I'll tell everyone what happened a month ago."
"You wouldn't."
"You think?"
"And you haven't any proof."
"Okay. Play with my patience."

Suddenly, the steps become louder and I run out of the house. I'm behind the house. Everything is in the dark. Suddenly, I feel like I can't stand anymore, so I sit down on the cold ground. The house is against my back and I finally feel like I can breathe. The air is cold and a bit of wind is blowing into my face. This feels so good- no loud music or smell of alcohol or smoke.

I start thinking about the voices I heard. One of them was Theresa- I recognize her voice. I can't believe she would do that. Just when I started thinking she's my friend. From everything I heard, I think they have some kind of a bet. If I don't start dating Dylan, he'll have to sleep with Theresa. But that doesn't make any sense- he could sleep with whoever he wants...
Suddenly, someone's voice snaps me from thinking, 

"May I join you?"

I look up and see someone's shadow. My eyes are in tears because of the wind, so I'm not sure who it is. 

Joyce: Sure. 

The silhouette slides down the wall- sitting next to me. I look to my left and see Dylan- from all of the people here, it's him. He's smoking. 

Dylan: Want one?

He gives me the pack of cigarettes. 

Joyce: What the hell. 

Then I whisper, more to myself than him, "It's not like you can hate me more."

Dylan: What?
Joyce: Nothing. 

One breathe and I can feel smoke spreading through my body. It feels so good.