It came to my realization that you all don't know the true story of what happened the night of the party. So I'll give you all the clear story, no details left out, and most importantly, no lies.
July 15, 2026: The Day Of The Party
Izzy: The day passed in a blur of laughter and sunshine. We all enjoyed the beach, soaking in the rays and playing games. Later, unexpectedly and without anyone's permission, Jenna decided to throw a party, inviting a ton of people from our town and school. As the evening wore on, the house filled with the sounds of music blaring, people yelling, and everyone dancing. The atmosphere was electric, the energy infectious.
Most of the people were either drunk or high, including Jenna and most of our friends. Eve, however, stayed sober, sipping on her lemonade. I kept a close eye on her, always aware of where she was. At one point, I lost track of her in the crowd, the sea of people making it hard to keep tabs on anyone.
Caleigh: I sat in my room, my anger simmering just beneath the surface. I couldn't believe Izzy had ditched our summer plans to hang out with Eve, a girl Izzy had literally just met. We had been friends for years, and now Izzy was prioritizing someone new over our longstanding friendship. It didn't sit right with me.
Frustrated and hurt, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I knew Jayden from school; he had a reputation for being reckless and impulsive. I found him at the party, already several drinks deep, and slipped him some cash, along with a deal that he had to mess with Izzy and Eve.
Jayden, fueled by alcohol and the promise of easy money, eagerly accepted the task. His job was simple: flirt with Eve, lead her on a bit, and make sure Izzy noticed. It was supposed to be harmless, a wake-up call for Izzy to realize what she was neglecting in our friendship.
But as the night wore on and Jayden drank more, his intentions became murky. He found Eve alone by the bar, her guard down in the midst of the party's chaos. His flirting became more aggressive, his touches lingering longer than they should. In his drunken haze, he thought he was being charming, not realizing the line he was crossing.
Then, in a moment of reckless abandon, Jayden slipped something into Eve's drink when she wasn't looking. He justified it to himself as a harmless prank, something to loosen her up and make her more receptive to his advances. But it was a dangerous game, one that he didn't fully comprehend in his intoxicated state.
Meanwhile, I watched from a distance, my initial satisfaction quickly turning to unease as I saw Jayden's actions escalate beyond what I had asked of him. My plan had been to create a minor rift, not to endanger Eve or sabotage Izzy's budding relationship. I was extremely nervous; there was ongoing regret and guilt gnawing at my conscience.
Izzy was sitting down, talking with a couple of friends from the basketball team, but an unsettling feeling crept her way.
Izzy: Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jayden. He threw Eve over his shoulder and was heading up the stairs. I tried to push through the crowd to get to her, but the mass of bodies slowed me down. By the time I made it to the top of the stairs, he had already taken her into one of the rooms—Eve's room, I realized with horror.
Caleigh: As the night unfolded, the atmosphere at the party shifted from celebratory to tense. Izzy, unaware of my involvement, searched for Eve in a panic after spotting Jayden with her. In a panic, I rushed outside to where nobody could see me and called the cops.
Izzy: "What's going on?" Eve asked, her voice laced with confusion and fear.
"It sounds like the cops," I said, quickly grabbing her shirt and helping her put it back on.
"Stay here, okay? I'll go see what's happening."
I hurried out of the room and down the stairs, weaving through the throngs of people who were now in various states of disarray and panic.
The music had stopped, replaced by shouts and the flashing lights of police cars outside.
I reached the living room just as the front door burst open, and officers began filing in, shouting commands for everyone to calm down and exit the premises.
Jenna, looking frantic and a little dazed, was arguing with one of the officers. "This is my house! You can't just barge in here like this!"
"Ma'am, we've received noise complaints and reports of underage drinking," the officer replied sternly. "Everyone needs to leave now."
I pushed through the crowd, trying to find Caleigh, Aliyah, and Vic. "We need to get Eve out of here," I said urgently when I found them.
"Where is she?" Caleigh asked, her face pale with worry.
"Upstairs. I need your help to get her out without causing a scene," I explained. They nodded, and we quickly made our way back up the stairs.
"Eve, we need to go," I said as I entered the room. She was sitting on the bed, looking even more confused and scared.
"What's happening?" she asked.
"The cops showed up. We need to get you out of here before things get worse," I said, helping her to her feet. Caleigh, Aliyah, and Vic formed a protective circle around us as we made our way back downstairs and out the back door.
As we slipped out into the cool night air, the sounds of the party being broken up continued behind us. We moved quickly and quietly down the beach, putting as much distance between us and the house as possible.
Finally, we reached a safe spot, and I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. "Is everyone okay?" I asked, looking around at my friends.
"Yeah, we're fine," Aliyah said, glancing at Eve.
"How are you doing, Eve?"
"I'm... okay," she replied, leaning heavily on me for support. "Thanks for getting me out of there."
"Always," I said, my voice firm with determination. "I won't let anything happen to you."
Later, while they were packing their bags, getting ready to leave the beach house and head back home, Caleigh pulled Izzy aside because keeping this secret was eating Caleigh alive with guilt. This is their conversation:
"Izzy, I'm so sorry," she choked out, tears streaming down her face. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen," said Caleigh nervously.
"For what to happen?" said Izzy, extremely confused.
"Look, I didn't mean for it to go out of proportion. Jayden was just supposed to flirt with Eve, but he was too drunk and drugged her drink. I didn't pay him to do that at all. I was just hurt, you know? All summer you ditched me, Vic, and Aliyah to hang out with a girl you just met, and I was hurt, you know?"
Izzy looked up, her eyes red-rimmed with tears. Anger and betrayal flickered in her gaze, but beneath it all was hurt. "How could you, Caleigh?" she whispered, her voice raw with emotion. "You put her in danger."
Caleigh shook her head, her own guilt overwhelming her. "I didn't know he would... I just wanted to make you see..."
Izzy cut her off, her voice shaking with anger. "You wanted to hurt us," she accused, her voice rising. "You wanted to punish me for being happy."
"No, Izzy, I swear..." Caleigh pleaded, reaching out a trembling hand.
But Izzy pulled away, her trust shattered. "Just stay away from me," she said, her voice hollow.
She turned back to Eve, holding her tightly, the weight of betrayal heavy in her heart.
As Caleigh watched Izzy and Eve, surrounded by chaos and hurt, she knew she had lost more than a friendship that day.
Caleigh had lost a piece of herself, tainted by the consequences of her actions.
