Bottle it Up

Chapter Eleven

            Everyone that thinks a party in the South is set in a field with loud music, will be shocked to hear this, but a party in Hendrix, Georgia was no different than every other party thrown by people who can’t buy their own drinks. The music was the same, the location was the same, and everyone had the same goal of getting wasted. So far I had yet to stumble upon a field that held a party, and I was happy about the fact considering a good majority of the fields I’d walked would ruin nice shoes.

            A few heads popped up to look at us when we entered, but there wasn’t a welcoming committee. I gave Emma a tight smile and sighed, suddenly feeling a bit awkward in the situation. Before I could say anything someone moved in closer to us, and from the way he set he hands around Emma’s hips it was obvious who he was.

            “This,” she started, looking over her shoulder, “is Colin.” I heard a lot about Colin from Emma, but what she didn’t mention was that he was scary. He wasn’t big or anything, not to say he was scrawny. He was frightening. I should’ve found it admirable, how one person could fill a room with his presence, but I was too shocked to find that Emma was with a guy like him.

            “I’m Hazel,” I said halfhearted, looking at the way he let Emma’s slim arm lay against his. It looked uncomfortable, and forced, but I didn’t say anything. Couple’s always go through problems, and besides, it explained Emma’s odd behavior from earlier.

            “Hey Babe, I gotta run,” he said, and his girlfriend’s face contorted withgrief. The reaction was to fast though, to ready. He didn’t notice though, he just pecked her cheek and ran off, not even giving me another look.

            After he left she gave me a look, as if waiting for me to say anything. I just shrugged, smiled, and made a lame comment about the party. If was waiting for me to say something about the awkward interaction between her and Colin, I wouldn’t. I wasn’t going to dig into business that looked messy enough.  

            “You want me to go get some drinks?” Emma asked, tilting her chin towards the door that led to the kitchen. I nodded and started to take off, but she paused for a second before leaving. “Are you going to be ok alone?” she asked, and I instantly let out a laugh.

            “I’ll be fine, go, I can handle myself for two minutes,” I said, and she shrugged, doing just as I asked her. Three minutes later she was still in the kitchen when a new person came into the party.

            People had come in and out of the house every few minutes, barely causing commotion, but a new addition to the party did. I was further back in the living room when he had arrived, but I recognized the voice almost immediately. I’d spent the last two weeks, five hours a day, listening to that voice.

            “Mason,” I thought out loud, surprised along with the rest of the party. I moved forward in the crowd to find him looking around the room, filled with people who questioned his existence, for something. As he attracted stares I scooted back, not wanted to interrupt whatever he was here for, when I realized the folder in his hands. A folder with a familiar fold creased at the top right corner. That folder held confidential information, which belonged to the girl standing just feet away from him.

            “Mason,” I repeated as I neared him, my voice now a hiss under my breath as the reality he had taken the folder from the office set itself in my mind. He looked over where he had heard his name, and he let off a sigh of relief when he saw me.

            “I need to talk to you about something,” he said, his hand tightening around the folder hanging down beside his legs. 

            “Now?” I asked, looking around at everyone in the room.