Vanessa was nervous. She's never been to a party like this before.
One of her classmates, Jemma was throwing a sleepover party. Her parents would be gone for the week so she took advantage of the freedom by throwing a girl boy sleepover party.
Of course there was alcohol and sex involved, but Vanessa chose to leave that out when she was telling her mother.
It's fine, she thought. I'm a grown up. No matter how many times she repeats it, it doesn't quite penetrate her thick skull.
She was invited into the house with open arms. Her friends squeeled when they saw her.
"Vanessa is in her bad girl era, you guys." Cassidy, one of her classmates announced.
She giggled shyly, finding a spot next to Lauren and Katie. It didn't take long for the mild get together to progress into a wild teenage fiasco.
The music was so loud, it gave Vanessa a headache, and she knew it was not the buzz from the two or so shots she had.
Her friends had abandoned her, disappearing with some random guys.
She had a few young boys approach her, but all they did was sexualize her and make her feel uncomfortable. Vanessa isn't sure what she expected of the evening. Maybe she thought it'd be more fun.
Everyone made high-school parties seem like such a visceral experience. She thought she'd meet a boy she actually like, and she'd be slightly tipsy and then a romance occurs between the both of them. He'd be charming and flirty, and she would shyly giggle at his unfunny jokes.
But no. All the boys made it blatantly obvious that they wanted to get between her legs, and not at all in a modest way.
She was prepared to leave, but then her friends ascended from the rooms they were locked in, flustered.
"Where are you going?" asked Katie.
Vanessa shrugs. "My parents actually just got home. They're asking me where I am."
Lauren scoffs. "You're such a rookie. You should've switched your phone off, dumb dumb."
She clicks her fingers. "Darn. Oh well. I should go."
Katie stops her. "Come on, Vanessa. You haven't even broken your V card yet. Haven't you found someone you like?"
"Not really. I really have to go home you guys."
She was just stepping out, ready to face Billie's fury. Now that she thought of it, she couldn't possibly leave Billie hand cuffed the entire weekend. She would starve to death. Stupid of her not to think it through.
As she was walking out the door, someone else swooped in to stop her. Jared stood in front of her, and instantly she became unsure of whether she wants to leave anymore.
Jared is sweet, or perhaps he is so just with his words. Vanessa doesn't know much about him, except for that face that he knows how to use his words right.
Today he had his pants pulled so low, his underwear was visible. Hot.
Vanessa smiled at him the second their eyes met.
"Hi." she greeted sweetly. "I didn't know you were here."
"I could say the same about you." he looked around as if searching for someone. "You didn't bring that girl, did you?"
"Billie? No. I actually.. I cuffed her to the bed to sneak out and come here."
He threw his head back and laughs. "Seriously?" he claps his hands as if applauding her. "Good. She deserves it."
