Baby's Breath

Chapter 4: the party

"Alright, here we are." I talked over her incessant jabber, which only increased her tempo and octave. do teenagers know what tempo and octave mean?By the time we did arrive, I was all nerves and sweat. How unpleasant.

"We're here, we're here!" Audra's cold hand laced with mine and she rushed me up the steps to the house after I squeezed into a non-existent parking space. Rowdy music blasted through the neighborhood along with drifting laughter. "This is going to be fun!" She squeezed me.

A tall, pimply boy opened the front door, his eyes drinking us in. "Hey." He nodded with appreciative eyes that made me feel violated. I crossed my arms over my chest, my mouth curling upward in disgust.

"Sorry, we're both taken!" Audra sang out as she dragged me through the crowd and out the sliding door that led into the backyard where a glowing pool of blue water nestled. Tiki torches lined the flowerbeds, their smoldering flames flickering in the velvety breeze. "Oh, so beautiful! Let's find a private spot and change into our suits!"

"Wait, wait, wait." I yanked my hand from hers. She didn't seem to notice as she marched with determination through the crowded patio toward the darkest part of the yard where trees grew in thick clusters. I had to run to keep up. "You don't want to change out here, do you?"

Her eyes widened, face blank, and with a shrug, she said, "What's wrong with that?"

"Is that what happens when you lose your virginity, you lose all sense of modesty, too?" I reeled at her audacity and crossed my arms.

"Oh, c'mon, little miss prudie girl. Just take a look around! No one is even looking at you. They're all into each other. Now come on!"

She was right. Everyone was too busy flirting, dancing, or eating. No one bothered to look at me. I grimaced and cautiously followed her behind the amazing cover of trees. Once we hid behind the thick foliage, she slipped into the swimsuit beneath her clothes in a matter of seconds.

"How did you do that?" My mouth flapped open in shock. I had to do a double take because she was now fully transformed into an altogether ensemble in a matter of seconds.

"You learn tricks." She winked at me with the click of her tongue. "Now you."

The sight of my tight jeans and top looked ultra-challenging. "Uh, how am I going to slide this thing under my jeans and top, without taking them off, like you did?"

"The beauty of skirts." She winked at me and peeked around the tree. "Oh! There's Josh!" She pointed him out, stepping into the dim lighting that reached us from the main part of yard.

"He's here?" At that instant, a jumble of emotion hit me all at once. The strongest one I felt was anxiety. Was I really ready? Was I ready to step beyond myself and let someone else in? "No, wait, don't leave. I'm scared."

"Rick!" Audra didn't hear me as she ran full force into her boyfriend. I peered, uncertain, from around the trees in the shadows. His size dwarfed my friend as he wrapped his brawny arms around her shoulders and swung her. She screamed. "Have fun, Jess, I'll see ya later."

"No, wait—Audra!" I called out to her, riddled with an attack of the jitters. And that was it; I was left alone to my devices at a party I didn't particularly like. My heart fell heavily to my feet as I scanned my surroundings, still hiding. The sound of giggles and music and screams whirled into fast vertices of blurs and my head spun. Warm hands clasped my shoulders, a face swam into my tunnel vision and I blinked. My world snapped back into place. "Josh!" My knees lost their strength, but his arms did not.

"Whoa, Jess, are you feeling alright? Come on, let's go find a place to sit."

I was too frazzled to care if Audra was still around to see us together. I loved how warm his skin felt against mine, and the feel of his powerful hand through my top. He led me from the grassy area toward the laughter and lights, my resolve waning.