13 (evans wild ride to turning 16)

Chapter 10 (Patrice)

Brett had a small white car. It was extremely clean, almost to the point of looking new. He even had little trash bags on hooks, and coasters in the cup holders.

"Thank you Patrice, you're the best." Suddenly he pulled out 50 dollars of cash from his wallet. I hadn't expected to get paid, but it wasn't like I was going to reject it.

My heart was still in my stomach after the little stare down with Evan. It was pounding slowly, it almost made me nauseous. Brett continued to say something to me as he started to drive, but I couldn't hear it. Drumming started to come from my head.

There weren't many things for me to focus on in the sterile white car, so I looked down at my shoes.I was wearing a pair of blue Converse that Evan had bought me for Christmas, they were a bit to big but I'd never tell him that.

Brett was one heck of a blabber mouth, because his voice kept ringing in through my ears. Ringing. Drumming. Pounding.

The car started to speed up and I needed something to block out the noise. He must've had a radio installed, right?

I cut him off mid sentence to ask "Will you turn music on please" He looked confused but immediately turned up the volume to the car. The song playing at the moment was Rolling in the Deep by Adele. Great, I hated that song. The music and focusing on my shoes only helped a tiny bit. I still had that intense ringing going through my ears.

I was able to lift my head and look at Brett. He was wearing a nice white button down shirt and black dress pants. One of his buttons was undone, maybe it was a fashion statement. He'd even taken the time to gel his hair up and everything.

Brett zoned in on the road very intensely, his hands were gripped tightly on the steering wheel. Evan was also an intense driver, when Archie would talk to much or backseat drive he would yell at him.

Richie's neighborhood was tucked away behind a long path of trees. I could immediately tell which one was his, due to the tons of cars parked outside. It was an extremely large house, with white brick exterior and pillars lining the door frames. Just the size of the house made my head hurt again.

Brett began to park the car on the side of the road. All of a sudden I really began to wish I'd brought a sweater with me. Indiana was still pretty cold in March, especially considering how close Appleton was to Lake Michigan. Usually everywhere I went, I brought a jacket with me. My favorite jacket was left at Evans house from the night before. I missed my jacket more than anything at that moment.

There wasn't anybody I could go run and cry to at the moment. Archie was always a good person to talk to, but he wasn't a best friend who I could sob in the arms of. Evan would usually be my first choice, but how could I cry to him when it was him who I was crying about. I really need to get some girl friends.

Brett unbuckled himself and got out of the car. I couldn't move from my seat. I'd completely undone all of the emotional preparation from the entire day. The drumming in my head was back, the whole world felt a little bit more woozy. Brett was suddenly on my side of the car to open the door for me, but all I could do was stare dead ahead.

"Remember what I said," He broke the barrier of thoughts in my head. "just stick by Richie and I the whole night." I didn't remember him saying that at all.

Richie came running down the road. He was dressed nearly the same as Brett, but he was wearing a blue tie. The tie was the same shade as my converse, it looked planned.

I reached to unbuckle my seat belt. Richie and Brett were both standing in front of my door.

"Okay guys." Richie started "We all just need to stay on the sides and occasionally make conversation with my parents." He looked extremely panicked. I probably looked panicked as well, that couldn't have been reassuring for either of us.

We all walked up the driveway together. I guess I had underestimated the party in dinner party. Most of the people attending were adults, probably friends of Richies parents. We were the three youngest people in attendance, which made us stand out. My brain was blowing up inside my head.

Immediately upon entry into Richies home the already loud drumming in my head intensified. I needed to sit down.

"Let's go say hello to my parents super quick and then we can slip into the shadows." Richie hurried us over to a little area with a fire place. When I was younger I had a paralyzing fear of fire. Whenever my brother would even attempt to start the stove around me, I'd start screaming and crying. The fire place was running, but it was one of those fancy gas powered ones. My legs were going to give out.

We were standing in front of two people who I assumed were the infamous parents of Richie.

"Mom and Dad, this is my girlfriend." When he said that, all at once my vision started to go blurry and my legs did give out. I felt someone behind catch my arms, they spoke but I couldn't hear. There was panic that I couldn't quite make out, then I was out.