An Avenger's Tale

07|| Alice's Party

I sighed wearily and kicked my feet over the edge of the bed and reached for Alice's pamflet on my bedside table. I read it to myself and contemplated my decision in my head. I glanced at the paper one last time before standing up and heading to my closet.

I was going to that party.

I slid into a skinny jean and a black tank-top. I let my hair down from the messy bun and scrunched my ends, making it curl. I added a layer of mascara to my lashes and a pinch of lip gloss to my lips before grabbing a jacket and heading downstairs.

"Mom? Dad?"

My mother and father came into the living room from different areas of the tower. My father took in my appearance with his lips set in a thin line.

"Where are you going?" He looked up with his eyebrows raised.

"Alice is throwing a party tonight. I was wondering whether I could go. Peter is also going to be there." I added hastily when I saw my father's disapproving look.

My father's mouth formed a 'no' but my mother and I beat him to it, pleading with him to let me go. "Alright. Alright," my father said and we clamped our mouths shut, "No sex, no smoking, no--"

"No kissing, no drinking and no inappropriate behaviour." I finished his sentence for him.

My father thawed out sufficiently to let a small smile appear. His smile was contagious and I pulled him into a hug, smiling into his shoulder. He kissed me against the cheek before letting me go.

"Thanks dad."

"Go have fun, kiddo, but not--"

"Too much fun." I interrupted with a sly smirk.

My mother drove me to the party. I blew her a kiss and clambered out of the car, staring up at the big house on the outskirts of New York. Red cups were strewn across the front lawn and teenagers were drunkenly falling out of the house. I turned to look back at my mother, but she was already reversing out of the driveway. I scraped together every single penny of courage I could and entered the house cautiously.

Party Rock Anthem blasted through the speakers as I apologetically pushed past a buzz of teenagers. I mumbled incoherent apologies as I craned my neck to see over their heads. I couldn't see anyone I recognised. I brushed past a couple that were grinding against each other and stepped onto the backyard.

"You finally decided to join us?"

I turned around and saw Alice and three of her lapdogs approaching me. Alice was still sober but, unfortunately, I couldn't say the same about her friends. They were laughing like a pack of hyenas, leaning on each other for support, and spilling their drinks all over the place.

"I love your outfit. So sophisticated."

"Have you seen Peter?"

"I think I saw him going upstairs with MJ not so long ago." Alice smiled, feigning innocence.

Dread settled in my stomach and I harshly pushed through them, heading back inside the house where the music was deafening and the stench of alcohol and cigarette smoke made me want to barf. I rushed up the staircase, that was situated in the foyer, and turned down a corner.

"Hey beautiful. You look tense. I can show you a good time." A guy stumbling drunkenly down the hall slurred at me.

"No thanks. Go find someone else. I'm not your type." I replied in disgust and swiftly walked past him, trying to avoid any unnessarcy contact.

I glanced back, making sure he wasn't following me, before I continued down the hall. I opened door after door but found only empty beds or passed out teenagers. I sighed out of frustration and fastened my pace, heading to the next door.