TANGLED PLANS

15

I'm not sure what we were thinking when we had said we were going to get the party started. So far we have done nothing but stand around talking. The girls were drinking somethings in canned bottles that they promised were closed but I hadn't gotten one for myself.

The idea of there being drugs in there was not something I could risk. I didn't want to be accidently drugged. That wasn't something on my bucket list.

The girls and I do a sweep of the house and when we get to the back of the house, I spot a ping pong table set up with red solo cups. "Yes, I've always wanted to do this!", I shout as I grab each of their hands and lead us to the vacant area. I take a side of the table and say, "I'll be on my own. Both of you can be on a team together."

Kelly picks up the ping pong ball and says, "Really?" I nod and then grab my own ping pong ball. The girls giggle as  Keilly throws the ball and it hits the cup straight in the center. I jump up and down in excitement and shout, "No way, Kei! That was amazing." I'm about to grab the cup to put it aside when I hear a familar voice.

"Woah there, sweetheart. you cannot be playing this game!", Max shouts as he starts to head for me. I turn to him with a frown and say, "What? Keilly just hit one straight in the center."

"Which means you drink", Max says with a disapporivng look. "Drink it!", both the girls shout at me in excitement. I jump forward to grab the cup but Max beats me to it. He holds it up and says, "Like hell I'm letting you drink this."

"Part of the rule", I say to him with a little frown and he glances at me and then at the girls waiting expectantly. He then settles his eyes on the cup as he looks at the content inside. He picks the cup up and throws it down his throat before closing his mouth and swallowing in one smooth movement. I look at him with my eyes widened and he takes a spot beside me.

Max turns to me and says, "I'll be on your team." He then gives me a mock glare and says, "You better bring all your talents because I cannot afford to get drunk."

"I'll drink a few", I say to him with my eyes narrowed at him and he shakes his head. "Can't happen, sweetheart. I'll be the only one drinking." He then turns away from me and looks toward the girls who were watching this exchange with their mouth widened. These girls were representation of how I'm feeling in my mind now. I'm totally screaming at the fact that Max had swooped in and is trying to play with me.

He grabs the ping pong ball from my hand and says, "You ladies don't mind do you?"

"Yes, uh, I mean no. Not no you can not play but no I don't mind", Kielly rambles and then swallows.

"So am I in or what?", Max asks at the fact that she hadn't much answered his question.

"Play", Keilly steamers out at last and Max nods. I wondered if I had sounded like my friend whenever I was around Max. I think that me stuttering and growing warm all over were true to how Kielly was feeling. She clams her mouth shout and turns to Maria who tries not to laugh at her. Keilly places a hand on her shoulder and presses her head to her hand.

"Is she okay?", Max asks as he looks at her and then at me. I nod and say, "Maybe not comment on it, Max?"

"Why?", he asks and his obviousness kills me. I give him a pointed look and say, "Just don't."

"Okay", he says at last and then takes the ping pong ball and holds it staight up. I'm excited as I place a hand on his arm and watch as he flicks his wrist just slightly. It hits the cup on the far right and I cheer as soon as it does. Max turns to me with a grin and says, "I hope your friends aren't light drunks."

I shake my head at his confidence and he laughs, turning back to the girls. Max is a guy who uses a lot of curse words when playing a game with people and when he strings out a little too many words as he is forced to take a few too many drinks, I squeeze his atm and have to stop him. "Max, stop cursing", I say to him and he looks at me questioning.