How To Rule Your High School

Chapter 16: Car Ride Confessions

It's days like these when I ask myself why the hell I live the life I lead. Tonight, during the "It" part of the year, I wanted nothing more than to be home, curled up watching a movie or reading a book. Nerdy, I know, and I was actually beginning to worry the nerdy part of me would win out and make me bail from the soccer party when Vicky appeared and pushed another drink into my hand.

"Come on, loosen up!" she said, clinking her bottle on mine, "You do realize this a seniors-only party, right?"

"Yeah, I know," I said, forcing a grin as I cast a look around. Soccer parties were apparently the trendiest source of alcohol-induced fun for seniors and they seemed to want to keep it that way. After Brandon had invited me, the senior-A girls (all except for Amber, who was obviously not thrilled that I was invited) had cornered me and made me promise not to tell any juniors. Vicky had even made a special point of not being a bitch all week when she saw me. Weird for her, but I wasn't going to complain. I mean, apparently some juniors from Crescent High (the soccer team we'd thrashed a mere 2 hours ago) had tried to get in and the team captain had hauled them out like potato sacks. It had pretty much been the highlight of the night for me before the nerd inside me had piped up and pushed me to go home.

"Listen, Maddie," Vicky said, casting her eyes around the room before looking back at me, "We kind of all agreed to have you here and I hope you realize it's quite a compliment. I mean, all of us except for Amber..." she gave a snotty little laugh, "I honestly don't think the MacIntyres realize what huge sluts they are,"

We shared that same snotty little A-Lister laugh before Vicky continued.

"Anyway, just have fun and loosen up a little. This isn't one of Deanna Allister's boring things," she said. I fought to keep my eyebrows from rising when she slammed Deanna. It wasn't a big secret that they weren't each other's biggest fans, but I'd never heard Deanna dare to talk about Vicky like that. Clearly this was her way of proving how far above the rest of us she thought she was.

"Ladies, you're missing the strip poker!" Brandon said as he and Brett appeared at our sides. Vicky's face melted into her cherub smile as Brett draped his arm around her. I'd never quite understood the chemistry between them. I mean, sure they're the hottest of the seniors so it's only natural that they'd be dating, but I'd never really believed that they were as crazy about each other as they seemed to be.

"Dude, not my sister," Brett said, bonking Brandon across the top of the head. Brandon gave a devilish little laugh and pulled me next to him.

"She's a big girl, Brett!" he said, then looked down at me and gave me a playful shake, "Aren't you Maddie?"

Something in me gave an icky lurch as I smelled the alcohol on him. I wouldn't be surprised if Brett was half-tanked too.

"Yeah...um, I'll be there in a second, okay?" I mumbled, ducking out from under Brandon's arm. He didn't seem fazed though, immediately launching into some story that made Vicky fall onto Brett's chest she was laughing so hard. See, that's the thing about A-Listers: it's impossible to throw them. Like, I could've said any manner of disgusting, crowd-shocking things and Brandon, drunk or not, would be able to steer the conversation away from me without even so much as a twitch.

"So are you the famed Clairview junior?" came a voice from beside me. I'd made my way to the kitchen and whirled around to see the hot Crescent midfielder regarding me with interest.

"That depends on who's asking," I replied, cocking my head to the side. Part of me really didn't want to play this game right now, but another part of me figured that if I could win the interest of another guy, maybe Brandon would stay away. The midfielder cocked an eyebrow as I flashed him my best, most charming smile.