Blue - Dodge Mason

THREE

RULE THREE: No Social Media

"-that's why I think Free Bird is the best song. Like the only song to ever exist." I conclude my argument with Diggins as I sip the seltzer in my hand. Ray Hall slides into the seat next to me and I internally groan. "If it isn't the musical genius Miss Jacky Bennet." He throws his arm around my shoulder, "Will you remember us when you're famous?" "Ray I don't even want to remember you after high school." I grab and move his arm off my shoulder. He merely smiles and raises a cup with money already in it, "Final collection Bennet, rules are rules." "I'm not even fucking playing, plus school is literally out." I shake my head. Ray moves the cup closer, "We're all playing. One way or another, and I know you know it."

Ray turns to Diggins and I take another drink, trying to ignore the effect the mention of Panic has on me. "Dickins, any word from the judges?" I hear Ray begin asking about the game and I spot my friends sitting by the fire so I decided it was my queue to head over. "He's just the emcee Ray." I remind the boy and look at Diggins sympathetically as I walk away.

"I sense a toast." I sit down next to Bishop, "What'd I miss?" "Oh we're toasting to a future free of Ray Hall." Bishop holds up his cup and I nod, "I can second that." "Ugh that guy sucks." Natalie grimaces and then lights up, turning to Heather, "Remember when you puked on the eighth grade field trip? And he spread a rumor Heather was pregnant?" Heather groaned and rolled her head back but I pointed at Nat, "And then you told everyone he had chlamydia! He probably did." I giggle as she rubs Heather's shoulder, "No one messes with my girl."

"To revenge." Bishop toasts and Nat adds, "To chlamydia." With her can up and I frown. "No, nah I'm not toasting to that." Heather chuckles. Nat drinks and adds, "Wait I got one." She reaches in her bag and pulls out something rolled up, "Ready?" "You brought your diploma." Bishop states as we watch her unravel it. I tilt my head, "Interesting party trick." "Weird move." Heather adds. Nat holds it up, unraveled, "Ta-da!" I smile and then my jaw drops as she proceeds to toss it in the fire, "See, it's a toast." Heather scolds, "What are you doing Natalie..." "What it doesn't matter." Natalie starts singing, "Because I'm gonna win Pa-nic." She grins and then grabs Heather's shoulders, "Omg I love this song come on!" And Bishop follows them like a lost puppy while I stay seated. And it's not like they noticed I wasn't following. But it's fine, I mean they're my best friends right?

I sighed while watching Nat's diploma burn, as the music flooded my ears, and I knew this really was the start of summer. College starts in a few months and everything's about to change.

That night I slipped through my door, thinking I was unnoticed. Then I heard the crinkling of papers and I quickly snapped my head to the kitchen table. Jeremy was sitting there with a stupid smile plastered on his face, "Fun night?" "It was okay." I shrugged, "I've seen better parties." "Jacky?" Jeremy's tone turned a bit more serious, "How are you supposed to pay for this?" What the fuck is he talking about- oh... Jeremy slid the paper into my line of vision, the BU bills came in.

"Well I- Jer, that's before the scholarship is applied." I lie, "It'll knock off at least $7000 of that." "And how are you paying for the rest of it?" Jeremy taps his fingers against the table. I furrow my brows, "I've been working my ass off at the cafe and the nature preserve all of high school, I've saved up enough. Well, almost, but mom and dad set up my savings account years ago." "Jacky it's out of state, and that damn music program on top of it, are you sure you have enough?" Jeremy asked and I groaned, "I've had it under control Jer, I have some gigs booked this summer-" "Jacky your little gigs don't make any money, they're not going to start to, even after you go to Boston." He cuts me off, "You're going to be wasting time and money, and you already are. Jacky admit it, you don't have the money already." I feign a hurt look, "You don't know anything about my future Jeremy. Just because yours didn't go as planned, doesn't mean mines going to go downhill too. I have the money, just you wait till I'm out of Carp." I storm upstairs to my room.

Jeremy used to always want to move to Colorado and live in a town near the mountains. He told me all about how one day he was going to take me backpacking out west and nothing else would matter. Jer never cared about college or money or anything except for being happy, until he played Panic. I had guessed he would be playing, I knew about the game since freshman year, I just never expected for him to go so far that it nearly killed him. But what was bizarre to me after Jeremy woke up after the seizure, was how upset he was about not winning. I guess he was banking on using that money to get out of Carp and travel like he always wanted. Eventually, Jer went to trade school and now works in town, and talks about how he's content. He's staying in Carp. I'm sorry Jeremy, but I'm not. That's why I'm going to play Panic. I'm going to do what you didn't. I'm going to win Panic, pay for college, and get out of here.