One Of The Girls

Chapter 13: Josh

People say that love makes you blind, and normally they mean that loving someone makes you blind to their faults. But tonight, it takes a different definition in my mind. I can't see anyone else in the room but her. I am blind.

Jenna and I are dancing in her living room when Bee's concerned tone cuts across the crowd and into my ears. The majority of the dance has moved to Jenna's house for the after party, and I'm surprised I can hear Bee's voice above all the noise of the music and the party goers. It's like a parent in a grocery store able to hear their child's distressed voice.

I turn to see her and Alex in the kitchen arguing. I stop dancing and go to see what's wrong, Jenna following behind. The kitchen opens into the living room where the party is at, so it's a clear shot. Jenna reaches out and takes my arm, "Josh, it's none of your business..."

I can't hold myself back from being curious, so I continue across the room. Is it really just curiosity? I can hear what they're saying now, "What do you mean you're leaving early?" Bee asks Alex.

"It's not a big deal I just gotta check out another party across town. My friend Christian says he needs me over there. He wants me to bring you too."

"Hey, what's going on?" I ask. Alex leaving early didn't seem like a big deal to me, but Bee looked very displeased.

"None of your business," he reminds me, reinstating the idea that Jenna had already presented me.

He's not wrong. I know Bee can handle this on her own, but I'm more than willing to help out. I don't like the expression on her face, and I don't like that he's making it surface. "It's fine, Josh, it's nothing," reassures Bee.

"Let's go back," urges Jenna, pulling on my arm.

"Okay," I say, reluctantly.

As we turn to go, I hear Alex mutter something under his breath. I wasn't able to catch what he said, but I turn back around. When I do, he throws his fist towards me, and I grab it, and pull him closer to me in the process. His face is inches away from mine, and I can smell his breath. Alcohol.

"Have you been drinking, Alex?" I ask him, angrily.

"Psh, no."

I toss his arm down, "You're lying."

Jenna calls for her sister, "Mary Kate!" Mary and Gabe find us. They look equal parts perplexed and concernedabout the feeling of tension in the air.

"What's going on?" asks Jenna's concerned sister.

"Did you guys give him anything to drink?" Jenna demands. Jenna is very uncool with underage drinking. Which is pretty uncharacteristic of a popular girl, and therefore pretty damn cool.

"Not that I can remember."

"Ah, we did a couple shots," admits Gabe.

"You let Alex drink?" yells Jenna.

Gabe looks at me for direction, but I don't even know what to do. "Well, I mean, yeah," he says, nervously.

"Alex, there is no way you're driving," says Jenna.

Mary holds out her hand, "Alright, give me your keys, buddy."

Alex groans as he digs his keys out of his pockets, but he hands them over.

Bee looks worried, but the problem is solved, right? "Bee, is everything alright?" I ask her.

She doesn't want to tell me, but she does, "I needed to be home like two hours ago."