The Speech

Chapter 3

Avery's POV

Haley's gorgeous. Her only fault is demanding the attention of everyone by just existing, if that can even be considered a fault. Comparatively, I'm inadequate. From the many sleepovers we had in junior high, I can attest to the fact that her beauty is effortless. She wakes with perfectly voluminous hair, and not a bit of acne anywhere. It's more than fair to say I'm jealous of her, who wouldn't be. I've worked hard to make myself look close to what she looks like, doing my hair every morning even if I'm planning to stay home. My motto is to be prepared by looking your best. She's a nice girl, even though I'm jealous I don't mind hanging out with her. That is, until she got interested in Theo.

I don't think she's good for him, so it nauseates me to see her try and sink her hooks into him. He's kinda oblivious though, he'll only notice a girl if she is hopelessly blunt about her intentions with him. And even then he might not notice. Haley takes more of a subtle route, first by inserting herself into a smaller group of people that he's hanging out with. Like the after party at my house. Less of a crowd for her to work around, and yet enough people so that he won't notice that she's only here for him. Next, she asks him to come take shots with us girls, both making it look like she wants to chill with the girls but also making him feel included in her group. Genius. She really should write a book on this shit, I'd read every word.

He sits next to me though when he comes over. Jackie stands next to Haley as they decide what shot to do next. I rest my leg on Theo and he looks up at me, but I stare forward.
"Come on, just decide what shot we're doing. My buzz is wearing off." I groan, taking the last sip of my drink. Theo takes the glass from me and begins to make another old fashioned. I've always wondered if he knew how to make an old fashioned before me, or if he learned how when he saw I drink them. I smile at the thought of him learning it just for me. He hands me the glass, and places my leg back on his without a word. I take a drink and glance over at him, now he's the one avoiding eye contact.
"Avery, there's jello shots in your fridge, I made them a couple days ago." Jayden states. Jackie lights up.
"Hell yeah!" I just laugh before heading to the kitchen to grab them.

Theo's POV

How is he so oblivious? Jayden really can't get it through his skull that she doesn't want other people here, can he? I mean honestly, it's not that hard to get. It's written all over her face if he would just look. I get up and go into the kitchen, checking on Avery.
"Party for one in the kitchen?" I ask, seeing her take a jello shot by herself. She laughs a little.
"Thought I should get a bit ahead of everyone."
"Yeah? And why's that?" I ask her. She shrugs a bit.
"My mood was bumming out, I didn't want to bring the gang down with me." She says, never making eye contact. She downs another shot.
"There's trays of them in the fridge. It's like he preps for this shit now." The last bit she says quietly, but I still hear it.
"How about you blare the music and I'll call the cops? They'll all be out of here in seconds." I joke. She smiles, finally.
"A solid plan B Teddy." She picks up one tray and hands it to me.
"But how about we try plan A first?" She asks me. I take the tray from her, my fingers linger on hers for a moment and she stares at the ground.
"And what's plan A?" I question her. Her eyes meet mine again.
"We drink like hangovers don't exist."
With that she snags the other tray and walks back out into the living room.
"Alright boys and girls, your jello shots have arrived. Pick a tray, any tray." She says in a phony voice. Jackie jumps and takes one from her tray.

Haley walks over and picks one up from mine.
"This is a good look for you." She jokes
"Yeah? You think shot girl fits me?" I banter. She sorta looks me up and down.
"I'd hire you." She says with a smirk before Bryan drags her off. I look over at Avery and she just looks upset. I set the tray down and walk over to her.
"What's wrong?" She rolls her eyes and steps over to the bar, setting her tray down as well.
"Why nothing Theodore. I'm just peachy keen." She says with a southern accent.
"Avery, what's your deal?"
She picks up her glass from the counter.
"It's a party Theo, loosen up." A fake smile plastered on her face and a drink in hand she walks to the crowd of people. Jackie walks over to me.
"You good Theodork?" She asks. Her not so clever nickname "Theodork" was given to me the first time I hung out with her in freshman year, and yes I hate it.
Yeah." Is all I say. She grabs my hand, pulling me towards everyone and forcing me to take a seat on the couch. The real answer? No. If Jayden wouldn't have come over to Avery at the party, it would be just her and I right now. There would be no after party, no shots, no insensitive boyfriend.

Dylan's POV

I look up from my phone to see May finally walks into my room, her jacket and shoes missing.
"Hey, you okay?" I ask, concerned with how long she was gone. She lowers herself to the floor and climbs on top of me.
"I'm perfect, baby. How are you? You okay?" She says as she messes with my hair.
"I'm okay." I respond. She moves her leg and accidentally knocks my drink over. She scrambles for it.
"Oh my god I'm so sorry, here I got it!" Very frantically she starts shoving the ice back into the cup. I softly grab the cup from her.
"Don't worry about it, it's okay."
She takes the cup back, quickly standing up.
"No, no I'll fix it. I'll go back downstairs and I'll make you a new one. Like it never happened." She quickly kisses me on the cheek and takes off downstairs.

"She's on some shit man."
His words just keep replaying in my head. There's no way she is. How would I not notice? If she were that is. I would notice. Maybe he has her mixed up with someone else? Or maybe she did try some other shit, but just try it. Maybe it's her first time ever branching out past weed. Maybe I can talk to her about it before she ever tries anything.

"TAKE IT THE FUCK OFF!"
I hear May shout with all her might, and I take off down the stairs. What the hell is happening? I get into the kitchen and see May trying to rip my shirt off of Jackie. Shit.

Jackie's POV

After forcing Theo to be social, I head into the kitchen to see if I can find a snack. I see May rinsing out a glass.
"You know you and Dylan can hang down here right? I don't want y'all to think we're shunning y'all or anything." I say to her while looking in the pantry.
She laughs.
"Yeah we know. We just wanted to chill upstairs, the party kinda wore us out."
I take a bag of pretzels out and close the door.
"Understandable." I respond.
"What the fuck is that?" She blurts. I shake the box.
"Pretzels?" I say confused.
"No the shirt you're wearing!" She yells. I jump back a little, and look down to see what I'm wearing.
"Oh! Dylan's shirt, I'm only wearing it cause he spilt beer on mine earlier. He was just being nice." I try to explain. She slams the glass in the sink, breaking it instantly.
"Take the fucking shirt off." She demands.
"Excuse me?" I ask in disbelief. Clearly not amused, she lunges at me grabbing the collar of the shirt and attempts to rip it off me.
"TAKE IT THE FUCK OFF!" She shrills and throws me against the counter top. Dylan rushes in and pulls her off of me.
"What the hell is wrong with you??" I yell at her, while trying to steady my heart rate.
"May, what the fuck?" Dylan asks, trying to get her to look at him. All of a sudden she slaps him.
"I can't believe you fucked her!" Caught off guard from her actions and words he looks at me.
"I don't know what the fuck her problem is but she's your mess to handle. I didn't fucking sign up for this." I remark right before trying to walk away.
"Whore!" May yells at me, stopping me in my tracks. No way this bitch gets to attack me and then call me whore.
"Are you seriously calling me a whore right now you psychotic bitch?" I retort. She pulls away from Dylan's grip and walks towards me. 
"No other word is more fitting." She snaps.
"Yeah cause your vocabulary is so big that you had options." I snort. Her smug smile gone, she almost snarls at me.
"May!" Dylan shouts, gaining her attention. I turn my head, noticing the small crowd that has gathered behind me in the doorway.
"What the fuck is going on with you?" He asks her point blank. She starts laughing hysterically.
"You! You fucking prick! You fuck her at a party and let her parade around in your shirt like she's won a fucking prize!!" She yells at him. He runs his hands through his hair in frustration.
"I didn't fuck her! Where the hell did you get that idea May? Fuck!" She shoves him, and he's thrown off guard.
"Don't fucking lie to me you piece of shit! Fuck you!" She pushes him one last time, he just takes it. She turns around to the crowd.
"Shows fucking over." She yells at us and the pushes through, heading towards the front door. We all stand there in disbelief of what happened, the sound of the door slamming jolts me back to reality. Dylan walks off to the stairs without a word and everyone just nervously walks back to the living room.