Secrets And Lies

Chapter 18: The After Party

Ryan

       I wasn't in the mood to go to Luke's party. Homecoming was a bust. When Taylor pretty much forced me to do the stupid dance, I tried to be the girl they expected me to be. I wanted to be that girl. The fact I couldn't suck it up for one night pissed me off. Quade's mood matched mine, and It was Axel's fault. We couldn't shake the bad mood he put us in. I was envious of Taylor, she brushed off the jerk's assholery like it was nothing.

       My feet were killing me by the time we traded Walker's car for Quade"s Jeep When we got to Luke's,  I was willing to walk around the party barefoot. Considering the state his house was in last time, I hoped I wouldn't get tetanus or something. Who knew what would be on the floor by the end of the night. It was a risk I was willing to take because there was no way I was going to put those torture devices back on my feet.

     A multitude of people attended tonight's party. I couldn't find a spot closer than at the edge of the private road on the property. As soon as I stopped the Jeep, Quade jumped out grumbling, not waiting for me to turn off the ignition. I guess I wasn't moving fast enough for him. I, however, took my time.  I wasn't thrilled about walking a quarter of a mile to the house.  But the less time I spent with all the drunkards, the better. Sam finally talked me out of the jeep after twenty minutes of excuses and offering me a piggyback ride to the house. I reluctantly agreed.

 "It looks like half the town is here," Walker commented, pushing his way through the throng party-goers.

       "I'm sure this is a tea party compared to rubbing elbows with L.A's rich and famous," Taylor joked.

       "I plead the fifth..." He replied, then gave Taylor a weird look.

"Jeez, I'm kidding. Take a joke, Hollywood."

       I didn't understand the joke. My mood was making me dumb. My brain was now just as slow as the rest of me.

       "I think you have it mixed up." Walker laughed. "This is insane..." He gestured to a girl talking to a ficus tree in the dining room. I furrowed my brow in recognition.

       "I think that's Kendra, the girl I played beer pong with." She had to be on something.

I grabbed onto Luke's arm as he passed by. "Do me a favor, will you?"

       " Sure, what can I do for ya, Songbird?" He asked with a wide smile.

       "Songbird?" Sam and I asked in unison. Before he could answer, I shook my head and said, "Nevermind, I don't want to know...you see that girl over there?" I pointed at Kendra" Keep an eye on her."

        "Damn it," He started. "Kendra, are you trippin' shrooms again?"

       "Again?" I asked, utterly gobsmacked that this is frequent behavior for her.

"Yeah, I may need your help with this one." Luke tried to get her attention.

 Kendra looked right through him, planting her gaze on Walker, who chuckled when she talked about seeing stars.

"You're pretty...wanna have lots of babies?" Kendra sighed.

My friends had the right idea and took off when Kendra started going into detail about her potential babies with Walker. The subject of babies made my stomach turn unpleasantly. No one our age should have to think about having them, let alone gush on about it with a total stranger. She would only listen to him. Kendra happily complied when Walker told her to sit down and drink some water. Walker was surprisingly patient with her. When she freaked out over things that weren't there,  he steered her thoughts to more calming subjects. He seemed to have experience dealing with this situation.