#GirlsShitToo

Party Time!

On Friday in English, we got the schedule for the next week's sexual health instruction, which would replace all of our English classes. Ms. Brooks announced that we could take the week off of our projects to focus on all of the important lessons we would be learning, which included topics like negative gender stereotypes and sexual orientation and affirmative consent. I bet that Runsberger hated the new sex education program.

As I was examining the week's schedule, Sharkbite said, "Delaney, you gonna grace us with your presence at Seth Valer's tonight? He extends a special invite."

I only knew Seth as one of the defense players on our football team, one who didn't diss on Benny as much as guys like Dennis did, and I also knew that his parents' house was one of those expensive ones that was only a block from the beach. I was surprised he was "extending a special invite" to me, and I surprised myself more when I said, "I suppose I can make an appearance."

"Really?" said Adree and Valerie in unison.

"Why not?" I said, looking at Adree. She smiled. I hoped that meant I would get to see her.

An hour later, Seth tweeted that @DallasDelaney was going to be at his party, and he actually tweeted his street's name. Not very smart.

So when I got there, I wasn't surprised to find a packed house with tons of people I didn't know.

Seth screamed out my introduction as soon as I walked in the door with Alex and Benny and Eric, and the three of them thought it would be funny to lift me up like I was a queen. With the applause I got, I really did feel like a queen. I didn't like it, so as soon as my feet were on the ground again, I searched the house for Adree. I went in all of the open rooms downstairs, with no luck. In the living room, I spotted Valerie.

"Have you seen Adree?" I asked her.

"She hasn't really been coming to parties this year," she said. "I can't blame her, it's the same thing, over and over. I should really be home doing that calc review."

"It's Friday," I said. "Live a little."

"Like they are?" She pointed to a group of already-drunk guys who had broken two holes in the ceiling of the living room and were proceeding to put things like television remotes and small vases in there. "Boys. Always trying to fit things in holes."

I was thinking assholes. Destructive assholes. This is why I don't come to parties. Alex and Benny and I would blast death metal sometimes and throw things, because destructive behavior was fun. But we always had permission to break whatever we were breaking, and we cleaned up afterwards. I said, "To be fair, Seth shouldn't have invited all of SoCal's Twitter users into his house."

"That was not too wise of him. Drink with me?"

I hesitated. "Okay,"

"You don't drink, do you?"

"Nope."

"Well, you don't have to. I'm just gonna have a beer."

"I suppose if I let anyone peer pressure me, it should be Valerie Devant."

I let Valerie lead me to the kitchen, where there was a keg and some cups. She filled one for me, and I was glad, because I didn't want to look like the noob I was, not understanding how a keg worked. I had already garnered the attention of the other people in the kitchen—one of the double-edged swords of online fame. It was nice to be popular, but it sucked to be in a constant state of observation.

"Dallas Delaney!" Some guy came up and gave me a high five. "You are so cool!" Three others followed him in a succession of sweaty high fives.

"Okay, give her some room," Valerie said, creating a perimeter around us with her arms.