The Living Puppet

Chapter 8 - The First Party

I stood in the middle of the living room clutching my drink in my hand and craning my neck over the crowd of happy seniors trying to find my friends.  There was a group of students seated in a circle playing some games while sipping from their red plastic cups, there were other smaller groups huddled together dancing, while some others were playing beer pong in the dining room. I stood on my tiptoes to see Kevin and the SSFs playing beer pong, next to them was Anna talking to Axel. Axel is in our grade, I don't have classes with him neither does Anna nor Stacy, but we know him very well because his parents own 'The Coffee Shop' and when we go there after school or to hang out he is usually working there and sometimes he comes and does his homework with us.

After about ten minutes of walking around, I finally found Stacy, she was seated on the staircase next to Sean. She looked like she was enjoying herself. So, I decided to go outside and sit on the front porch. As I sat there staring into oblivion, a tall, olive-skinned guy with dark brown, slightly curly hair appeared in front of me.

"Hey," He said,

"Hi" I replied,

"I am Jacob"

"I know. I am Sasha by the way."

"I know that too. It's just that we have never spoken to each other before so..... I thought it is polite to start off by introducing myself."

"Oh. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude."

"That's alright. So, quite the party isn't it?"

"Yeah, this is my first party."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I don't like parties that much. I am claustrophobic"

"Ah I see, but you came because your friends asked you to?"

"Yup."

"Mine too" He let out a chuckle.

I couldn't believe it. Out of all the people at that party, Jacob was talking to me. Jacob FREAKING Scott! Jacob is the captain of the football team and since Kevin moved here he became Kevin's best friend. Although Jacob is popular he didn't seem snobbish, or maybe it was the alcohol? Jacob was dating Sophia Johnson from SSF for almost a year until yesterday. Their breakup was bad, really bad. They broke up in the cafeteria surrounded by hundreds of students and a couple of teachers. Jacob called Sophia a stuck-up, self-absorbed, selfish B-word. It was nasty.

"So, what are your plans for Christmas and New year?"

"Um, I don't have any plans. What about you?"

"I am going skiing with my family"

"When are you leaving?"

"On Saturday. Don't want to waste a single day of the holidays"

Not bad, I thought. I have someone to talk to, maybe this party will actually be fun.

Again, this is no fairy tale, I am talking to Sophia's ex. The ex she's still hung upon. Little did I know that the normal civil conversation with Jacob was going to go south real soon.