ETHEREAL

5

Amalie let me know the party was a pool party two hours before the party. I can't believe Isaac didn't let me know.

Thanks for letting me know the party was a pool party ://

Oh crap! I thought I let you know, my bad lol

I decided to wear a red bikini, it was strapless and super cute. I threw on a red sundress with white flowers that was also strapless and put on my steve madden platform slides/sandals. I invited Ander to come with me but he said, and I quote, "Nah, I don't fuck with public school haters" Me being a public school hater, just stared at him until he said "not you though" and then we both laughed. So I am going alone.

When I pulled up to Isaacs house it was definitely much different than NYC houses. Isaac lived in a suburb, all the houses looked the same and they were all super close together. When I knocked at the door, Amalie was there.

"Hi bestie!" she said.

"Hey! Where is everyone?" I said, there was literally nobody there. There was one car and no one but Amalie in the house.

"The party doesn't start till 5 silly! I told you 4 because as the new member of our group you have to be here at the time we get here!" She said.

I laughed. This is starting to feel like a Regina George and Cady Haron situation.

Shortly after D and Isaac got there with a bunch of beer.

"Wanna a beer?" D asks me.

"Yes, please"

"Let me guess. You're a corona kinda girl?" D says as he reaches in the fridge.

"Is it because im mexican?" I say. D looks kinda of worried when I make the joke. "Im kidding" I say.

"Oh okay. But no, its because hot girls always like coronas" he says as he hands me a corona. I see Isaac look over to Amalie from the kitchen counter to the couch. Amalies smile kind of fades away.

"So then Amalie, that must mean your favorite beer is corona too right?" I say as I stand up and hand her the corona D handed me. Her smile returns and I can see Isaac smiling at me too. I can tell Isaac is protective over Amalie and I think its cute.

"I wonder when people will start getting here" D says, oblivious to everything, as he sits in between Amalie and me.

Shortly after people start arriving. Isaac is greeting everyone, and handing everyone drinks. Amalie is picking up anything anyone spills and dodging a boy who keeps trying to flirt with her. D is playing beer pong, and girls are all over him. As i'm scanning the room, I see Wyatt and Val walk in. I haven't talked to Wyatt since Pops, every time I see him I walk the other way, and in class I wear my headphones. He hasn't tried to speak to me either. Everyone realizes their presence, I can tell everyone likes Val. Val makes her way towards Isaac. I don't know if it's the three shots of tequila in me or the two coronas but I walk over towards Isaac and Val, I want to see what this Val girl is all about. What does everyone like about her?

"Mariana!" Isaac says. "I've been looking all over for you."

"I was over there with some of the cheerleaders" I say. I point to the group of girls gossiping.

"Ah! We need to play cup pong" he says.

"Yeah Im down... Hi, Im mariana" I say to Val, as soon as she makes eye contact with me.

"Im Val" she smiles but looks very uninterested.

"Val is my other ex girlfriend, the non-crazy one" Isaac says. Ugh, are you serious? Another ex.

Val laughs. "Isaac, shut up"

"What? do you not count our middle school relationship?" he says.

"We dated in 8th grade and some of 9th grade" she was talking to me now. "Then, Tara stole him from me" she says.

"It's Tera!" Isaac says.

"Whatever" she says.

They continue to tell me about their younger selves. She brings up Wyatt, and says how she used to bring him to all her and Isaac's dates, and Isaac used to bring Amalie. Isaac said Amalie hated going but he just wanted her to distract Wyatt so Val and him could get some alone time. Val said Wyatt also hated going, but she always felt less nervous with him around. Eventually Isaac and Wyatt became good friends, and now Wyatt hangs out with Isaac without Val being in the picture.

"Hey, what's up?" Wyatt walks up.

"Yo!" Isaac says as I start to walk away. "Now that we have four-" he stops as he realizes I have already walked away.

I take my dress off and grab Amalie. "Let's swim" I tell her.

"But I-" she was gonna pick up a spill but i pulled her  away.

She takes off her yellow sundress and she has a white one piece underneath. She grabbed my hand, and we jumped in the water together. The water felt so refreshing.

"No one ever actually gets in the pool, at these parties" she says to me when our heads reach the surface.

"What? why? It feels so good in here" I say.

Two seconds later D and Val jump in. Then, Isaac grabs Wyatt and jumps in with him. Soon after everyone is jumping in. Wyatt starts to swim towards me. I don't leave this time. He just looks at me then leans over the side of the pool and grabs his shoe. He takes out a nicely wrapped joint and lighter. Isaac and Val are on the other side of the pool talking to other people I haven't met. I see Amalie talking to the same guy who she was dodging earlier, but I see her eyes are on D, who is playing volleyball with some other football players.

"I'm sorry about giving you misinformation about your dad" Wyatt tells me as he offers me the joint.

I take it. And I take a hit without saying a word. Then, hand it back.

"I saw that he's building another shelter down the street of the old one with double the amount of space and he's donating money towards it every year" he continues.

I still don't say a word. We finish the joint and now im super high. I get out of the pool and look for a towel, I don't see one. So I head inside, and walk towards a hallway and see that Wyatt also got out the pool and is also looking for a towel.

"Found one" he says as he walks over to me. He stands directly in front of me and wraps the towel around me while slightly pulling me closer to him. "Im also sorry for assuming you would think less of me after finding out my moms job occupation" he whispers while staring at my eyes. I find myself staring at his lips, and i feel my heart pounding. We're so close that I know he can feel it too.

Then, we hear a big clash, and yelling. I quickly move towards the living room. There's a big circle of people and I know someone is fighting. I look for Amalie and see her yelling for them to stop. That's when I see Isaac on top of the guy that was with Amalie earlier, and I see D trying to break them up.