Everything We Always Were

Thirty: Bliss

"That necklace is so pretty," Roni sighs from behind me in the mirror, her eyes on the charm around my neck. My hand reaches up to rub the charm without thinking, a smile on my face.

"I know,"

"I wish Cole would give me something like that," She groans and Fran laughs from behind her on the bed.

"Same here," She says, and we both look at her in the mirror, sprawled out on her bed.

"Are you ready for some fun tonight?" Roni whoops and Fran does it with her.

"Not in this dress," I point at myself and they both giggle.

"You look hot, what do you mean?" Roni says, fluffing my hair.

It's New Year's Eve, right before sunset, and we are all packed into Fran's bedroom again.

I didn't get to party with them last year, and they were determined for me to have a good night. And so was I. For months now, I have been happy. The happiest I have been in a long time, all because of them. My friends.

And I think tonight, I'm going to have my first true high school party experience and get drunk enough to not remember my embarrassing dancing in the morning, but not enough to black out instantly like last time.

Roni had forced me into a tight mini-dress. It was a long fight, but I finally agreed and forced the tight cloth over my body. It's strapless, and it's winter so I was able to convince her to let me wear a jacket. She told me that as long as it matched, it was fine. So I borrowed Fran's leather jacket. The dress is bright red, but the shoes are black platform heels. They are only an inch or two, so I don't actually break my ankle. It's a little uncomfortable, but the dress is long enough that I don't really have to worry about it.

Another half an hour of hair and makeup later, my hair is straight and has finally reached the top of my tailbone, and we are all equally as dressed up. Or as Roni said, slutted out.

My main goal tonight is to ignore any and all drunk men who are trying to hit on me. We all agreed to stay together and make this a group experience.

I'm hoping that we manage to actually do that.

The boys are waiting in the barn, as always, and we all disperse into our separate cars to drive to the party.

Pretty much the entirety of the senior and junior classes are there, and I even spot some sophomores. Having such a large group was difficult at first but we finally just lined up, one couple behind the other, and then me and James.

He hadn't said anything to me since the barn, which was just asking if I was ready to go. The crowded house smelled of sweat and alcohol, and an unbelieve amount of different perfumes.

I manage to block it out by chugging my first cup of beer.

We find a spot in the basement that's big enough for all of us to stand together, and it's also close to one of the many alcohol/snack tables throughout the house. The party is in one of the homes in the really rich subdivision, so the house itself is massive.

I'm sure every bedroom has teenage couples occupying them.

Roni sends the boys to get us all more drinks, and we huddle together against the wall. "So, James seems to be a little quiet tonight, huh?" Roni says, wiggling her eyebrows at me. "Wonder why?"

"Yeah, how was your ride here? What did you guys talk about?" Fran jumps in, grinning at me.

"Okay guys, you're just crowding me now," I chuckle awkwardly. "We didn't talk on the ride here," Both of them lean in, begging for more explanation. "He's probably just tired, why do you guys always try to make something out of nothing when it comes to us?"