Rebel Girl

42} The Best Part Of Any Party Is When It Ends

© Amber Kalkes 2015

Song: "Teenage Riot" By Sonic Youth

Chapter Forty-Two: The Best Part Of Any Party Is When It Ends

It doesn't take me long to realize I can't dance. It takes longer for Lou to notice that I can't dance though. Or maybe he was just trying to break it to me slowly. After the sixth time of me nearly breaking both our knees, it's become pretty clear that I am a hazard. Now its just become a goofy move dance off between the two of us and I'm actually starting to have fun.

When something I vaguely recognize as Lady Gaga starts playing, Sutton jumps on me like a freaking ninja and pulls me away. Her and Carla are already dancing as Sutton leads me into our own little triangle. Carla is moving her hips to the rhythm while Sutton is dramatically singing the worlds and dancing like this is a rave.

I just watch them like I'm frozen for a few minutes, completely embarrassed and with no clue of what to do. Of course Sutton doesn't let that fly for long. She grabs both of my hands and starts making me shimmy a little until finally I give in and start jumping crazily everywhere. Screw it. I may not be able to dance but I sure as shit can jump and whip my hair around a little.

I don't know where Lou dissolves to but when I look to where we were he's gone. Sutton waves off my questioning look and instead tries to get me to dance. I'm not a big pop music fan in general but I love anything that has a great beat to it. So far that's all I've been concentrating on since I don't know any of the words to these songs. I can sing you all the lyrics to 'Stairway to Heaven' but give me a top one-hundred hit and I'm coming up empty handed.

Eventually though I become more aware of everyone around me. The crowd start to close around me and I notice the familiar faces of my classmates lurking over me. The bubble I'm in with Sutton and Carla is starting to disintegrate and now the panic is setting in. I never was a people person and apparently that's still true. In summary, I need room to breathe.

Gesturing to Sutton, whose still dancing away that I'm going to use the bathroom she waves me off. When I start walking away I see Carla asking Sutton about me before waving to me too. I work my way through the bodies of sweaty dancing people clumsily until I make it out on the other side. My body is humming with tension and I don't fully relax until I'm out of the main room and into the fairly abandoned hallway outside.

Some couples and groups of people are hanging out here but no one I recognize enough to make me anxious. Once I've caught my breath, I start looking around for a drinking fountain or maybe a bathroom. My feet move of their own accord when I spot the sign for the bathrooms and It's a relief to know I can wipe myself clear of sweat in a semi-private place.

Luck seems to strike again because when I get in the bathroom its pretty empty. One girl on the stall is all I have for company and my whole body sags when I take in that fact. The bottom of my sneakers stick a bit to the bathroom floor as I walk over to the sinks and really come out from under me when I hit a water puddle on the tile. I grab the bathroom sink and save myself from a concussion, barely. That's when I catch my reflection.

My makeup isn't that horrible, surprisingly. My hair is a mess though and some of its natural frizz is starting to creep into the curls. I'm extremely sweaty though and my cheeks are bright red from all the activity.

"Well..." I murmur to myself, "It could be worse."

The stall door opens suddenly, making me jump. Of course that's nothing compared to the surprise I get when Carrie Dewitt is the girl who emerges from it. She's dressed in a dark blue one shouldered evening gown with dark beads crawling up the one sleeve. Dark tulle covers the top layer to make it look like she's floating. She has diamond studs in her ears and her hair is in a high ponytail that's perfect spiraled into one large curl. Unsurprisingly, she's gorgeous.