hideaway [h.s]

7 |party|

Melly arrives at my house in her white jeep. "You didn't tell me we were car twins!" I laughed and climbed in the passenger seat. "Oh yeah!" She laughed too. "Yours is newer though." She added. I nodded and buckled. "Jason, you absolutely positive that Mike is taking you home from school?" I say looking in the rear-view mirror. He nods.

It's Friday. I've lasted a week at Wabasha-Kellogg High School without dying. Today, I'm going to my first high school party.

Jason doesn't know I'm going to this party. He's not gonna know. He wouldn't tell my parents I don't think but I know he'd be all like, "that isn't like you, you could get hurt," blah blah blah.

He'd freak if he knew the kind of clothes we wear, drinking and smoking and weed were involved, and that it's at a boys house who is flirting with me.

We arrive at school and park in the middle. Jason departs to the sophomore hall and Melly walks beside me upstairs. "God, you look hot today." Gabe whispers in my ear.

I swat at him and he laughs, "God you scared me Gabe!" He sneaks his arm around my back and leads me to chemistry but I stay beside Melly. I don't want to leave her behind.

"Happy Friday everyone! Get in groups of four and talk about what you've learned about the elements this week." My chemistry teacher announces.

Melly, Alison, Gabe and I all look to each other and we slide our desks together. "Well, I learned that sulfuric acid-" I'm cut off. "We aren't actually gonna talk about what we learned." Melly laughed. My cheeks turned dark red. "Oh."

"Rosie, have you ever kissed anyone?" Alison gleamed. Gabe probably put her up to this. "No, I haven't." I proudly admitted. "Have you ever been kissed?" She pressed. I shook my head and she looked kind. Gabe looked excited. "What about you?" I decided to ask. Mistake. "Of course."

Melly saved the awkwardness by starting a conversation about something random. I sat in silence unless spoken to.

I praised the lord when the bell rang. "That's cute." Gabe smirked. "What's cute?" I asked. "That you've never been kissed." My cheeks return to their red color and he chuckles.

I'm not really paying attention to algebra today. The party clouds my thoughts. All the possibilities of bad things happening. But, good things could happen too. Hopefully.

"Can I go to the bathroom?" Melly asks. The teacher nods, not looking up from his papers and Melly grabs my arm and pulls me with her. I follow her out the door and when the door closes she smiles at me.

"Are you okay?" She just rushed me out of the classroom. "Yeah. I need to check my lady products though." She laughs. I smile and walk with her to bathroom. In the stall, she shouts a "yes!" and I laugh to myself. "I'm off my period, finally." She smiles. She's so funny. And pretty. I wish I was that pretty.

We walk slowly back to class. "You excited for tonight?" A happy glimmer shines in her eyes. I nod and smile. "Don't worry. I'll be with you the whole time!" She assures me. "I didn't tell Gabe that you're coming so it'll be a surprise."

This should be interesting. We walk back into class and the bell rings. Gabe hands me my bag and I thank him. I wait for Melly to grab her bag before exiting the room.

When the last bell of the day rings, my energy replenishes. I'm so nervous. I don't see Jason waiting for me at the bottom of the staircase and I remember he's riding with his friend. "You ready!" Melly jumps on my back scaring the life out of me.

"Gosh Melly! You scared me!" I laugh. She locks arms with me and leads me to her car. "You're gonna be so hot tonight." Melly smirks as she cranks her car up. We drive towards her house and I pull my phone out and text Sam that I'm on the way to get ready for the party.