Keeping A Straight Face | ✔

09 | Anguish

T A Y L O R S P.O.V

Friday, February 8th, 2014

It's now Friday.

Friday - the glorious day most students looked forward to - the day that marks the temporary end of their academic prison sentence. Weaving myself through the throng of teachers and students that littered the front of Vale's campus, I reached the school bus where Ana was waiting for me.

Everyone's mind was set on one particular thing this particular Friday. My mind, Darko's mind, everyone's mind - It had been 'the talk' of the week, the thing everyone was anticipating.

It was the dreaded day of Lyra Anderson's party, and I'm absolutely shitting my pants.

'For god's sake, Taylor, breathe,' I thought to myself when Ana smiled at me. Darko told me to keep repeating this to myself, which was sweet of him, but it's just not working.

Ana and I squeezed into the bus, which was packed to the sides like a can of oversized tuna. The party was the only audible subject. The girls were freaking out over what clothes they'll wear and what makeup they'll be showcasing, while the guys were betting on who would get laid the most and who would get wasted first.

Me? I wasn't thinking about any of this. Yesterday, after Darko left suddenly, all I could think about was Bella's vague plan - how she was going to 'make' Darko like me. She's been MIA for days now; no school, no texts, absolutely nothing. She still hadn't fully explained the plan yet, which is making me anxious as all hell.

What the hell was she doing?!

When Ana and I got home, I ran to my room and locked the door behind me. A few moments later, Ana knocked tentatively on my door. She asked, "the hell? What's wrong dude," a few times before she left - probably leaving to get ready for Lyra's event.

Mum was going to go see her therapist for most of the night, so Ana was able to come. Thank goodness she is - if anything bad happens I can go straight to her.

I sat there on my bed, nervously tapping away at the sheets, checking my phone every few moments. I kept my eyes locked onto my digital clock, watching the seconds tick by, hoping that by some chance time will freeze so I don't have to go to this godforsaken party. The quick flashes of the colon separating the hours and minutes seemed to torture me - every single flash indicating a second had passed, which means a second closer to the party.

Rumours about the party spread around the school like wildfire. Apparently, Lyra was going all out - she apparently hired a stripper, bought a shit tonne of booze, and I think she talked to a drug dealer because there were rumours of weed and ecstasy being 'provided' at the party.

There's too much  illegal stuff happening there. If my dad left me anything, it was my morals.

Oh God, I can see it now; everyone's going to be drunk and drugged out of their minds, going skits, dancing like idiots while they make out with anybody that is willing.

Note to self; never tell Bella anything ever again.

I should have never told her how I felt about Darko. If I never told her, then I never would have been blackmailed last week, and I would never have locked myself in my room, acting like a pissbaby because I'm a nervous wreck. If I had just kept my mouth shut, then I wouldn't have gotten myself into this mess. Now I have to go and get tipsy because otherwise, Bella is going to ruin me.