Where We Begin

Chapter 28 - I Came Here To Dance

Sept 14th, 2002 - Taylor

"You sure you don't want any? I can get you a cup for free." Chris offered, as he filled up his beer. 

I scrunched my nose. "No thanks, I'm not a keg kind of girl."

"I probably should have guessed that from the sequins," he chuckled.

I looked down at my glitzy dress and silver high heels. "I guess I wasn't aware of the dress code. I'm not really a jeans kind of girl either."

"Hey, you look fantastic. But the truth is, upperclassmen girls like Jen see girls like you all dressed up, and they just assume you are a naive freshman they can walk all over. I think you really surprised her with that comeback." Chris took a sip of his drink, his eyes scanning my body top to bottom. "You are a freshman, right?"

"Yup, you got it," I lied. 

A girl walked by with a bunch more Jell-o shots and we each grabbed one.

"Here, since beer's not your thing." Chris handed his to me after I downed mine. 

I accepted. These things went down so easy. Was that my fourth? Fifth? My mind was starting to get a little hazy.

"So what brings you to the party? Did you come alone?" Chris inquired.

"I mostly came because my one girl friend is pretty bummed about being single and wanted to dance the night away, but I lost her out there."

Chris's eyebrows went up. "Just a couple single girls out on the town?"

I thought for a moment about agreeing, but luckily I was clear-headed enough to know that that was asking for way for more trouble then I needed. I wanted to have a good time tonight, Busta-free, but I wasn't going to stoop to Susie and Kit levels. 

"No," I finally answered. "I'm not single. I probably should have mentioned that up front."

Chris sighed and smiled. "I should have known a pretty girl like you was just using me for free Jell-o shots. I'm shocked your boyfriend let's you out of his sight."

"Well, he doesn't. He's somewhere around here. The thing is, we are in a really awful fight. I planned on this being a girls night, so I could have some time to breathe and figure things out, but it hasn't been totally successful," I said.

"He followed you?" Chris frowned. "Listen, if he bothers you, let me know. I can get him kicked out of here in second. But you're on your own if Jen comes back for you."

I laughed nervously at his joke. I hadn't meant to make Busta seem like a crazy stalker. On the contrary, he hadn't checked in on me at all. Then I remembered seeing him on the porch, that girl that was with him... I got completely distracted talking to Chris.

I concluded that I was definitely done with shots for the remainder of the party. At least until I found someone I came with, because I did not want to end up blacked out by myself in Long Beach.

It didn't take long to find someone.

"Holy shit, that wasted couple over there almost took a major spill. Good catch, bro," Chris snickered, looking past me.

I followed his gaze to see Busta, with his new blonde friend hanging all over him. 

"That's my boyfriend," I blurted out, my jaw going slack.

Chris's head volleyed from me, to Busta, back to me fast enough to give him whiplash. "That kid? With the blue and black hair?" He burst out laughing.

I felt my face get hot. "Yes, it is."

"Well, someone should tell that girl he's with. They look like they are having a hell of a time together without you."