On The Edge

Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Night We Met

"I had all and then most of you. Some and now none of you."

Melanie Beaumont

I swear I had to be in the wrong house. It had to be.

My fingers gently tapped on the wheels as I thought about what it was that I would do. People were filing in and out of the house with red solo cups and I knew exactly what they were filled with. Booze. Lots of it.

I didn't want to embarrass myself. I mean, for crying out loud, I didn't even know the people living here. Do I just walk in there and try to figure who my roommates were supposed to be? Just take a guess and hope that I'm lucky?

I could just drive away... come back another time. But the boxes behind me were glaring at me. Telling me to get my ass out of the car and move them inside of the house.  I might as well just get this over with now. There was no reason to delay moving in... Even if it seemed as though my roommates decided to party.

Maybe it was a welcoming party...

Who was I kidding? No one was welcoming me.

I rolled my shoulders, trying to get rid of the nervous feeling.

With a small sigh, I opened the car door and started making my way out of the car and into the house with people coming in and out. It wasn't too large of a party, more or so a medium sized gathering? 20 people give or take? There were enough judgmental looks for me to pray for the ground to swallow me whole though.

I hesitantly squeezed my way through the group of people, trying to find someone who seemed even remotely sober. I doubt that I would find anyone. If this was a college house party like it seemed to be, more than half of these kids were already wasted and it wasn't even dark out yet.

"Uh excuse me, who are you? I don't remember inviting you, I don't even think I know you." I heard a voice behind me snap and I froze in my tracks, turning to find a strawberry blonde girl standing there, her lips pursed, a soft glare in her eyes. "This is a private party... meaning that I need to know you for you to be here." I'm pretty sure that her definition of a private wasn't exactly 100% correct but I didn't push it. I wasn't here to pick fights and push buttons.

It's your time to shine Mel. Make a good impression. I had to hype myself up or else this would turn out terribly.

"I uh, I'm Melanie? Melanie Beaumont. I'm supposed to be moving in... but it seems like I've come at a wrong time?" Yup, totally nailed it. But then again, what the heck was I supposed to say? The person who I had talked to about leasing had said that this day would work best for me. And what do I show up to? A college party.

I didn't go through a 12 hour drive for nothing. I mean come on, a 12 hour plus drive with just yourself? That's just hell right there. Complete and utter hell. There was no taking turns driving and definitely no detours. Practically a straight drive all the way through.

"I know you! You're the girl who's leasing- transfer student right? I think you're the one I talked to?" I hear another girl say, perking up at the mention that I was a new roommate. I could tell that she was drunk from the way that she swayed just slightly with every step that she took.

I hesitantly nodded, not trusting my own voice.

"I'm Lori." She introduces herself as she puts her hand out for me to shake. She was definitely the girl I had spoken to.

"Melanie." I take her hand in mine and gently shake it back to which she smiles.

"I can give you a quick tour if you'd like?" She suggested. A tour with all of these people in your house? Yeah I highly doubt that would really work.