Drop Everything

Angel Fright

My teammates begin putting their gear into the shed while I make my way toward the batting cages. There seems to be one missing from the group of girls.

"Hey, Delaney!"

I turn around. "Hey, Sydney. What's up?"

"Sorry, don't mean to cut into your practice time. I was just wondering though: there's gonna be this party next Friday at a friend's place, and I was hoping you could make it. It'll be the last one there until the annual Halloween one, which is amazing by the way. Hope you can come to that one, too," She says, sidetracked. "Anyway, me and my roommate are going and I would love for you to come!"

Guilt fills my chest. I do want to hang out with Sydney and her roommate; maybe this would be the stairway to another new friendship. And I don't want Sydney to think I'm turning her friendship away.

"Friday? Even though we have a game the next morning?"

"Yeah," She replies nonchalantly. "I mean, I've done it before; I usually don't drink much. But I've never been to a party with you before and I think it'd be fun!" She answers hopefully.

"You know, Sydney, I would like to come, but I am falling a bit behind on some stuff. But I would like to go with you to the Halloween party, if that's okay?"

She maintains a bit of a smaller smile. "Yeah, that sounds good. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See ya, Syd."

——

Page 28 down in 4 hours. My writing resembles that of a 5 year old learning how to write. My right hand has been cramping for T-minus 2 hours and 38 minutes, but I only have to write up a conclusion that'll take up the last 5 pages and I am DONEZO with this rough draft of my persuasion essay for English 1 Honors.

"Hey!" That voice pipes up from next to me. "Guess what?"

I sigh. Monotonously I reply to Maggie: "You're going to eat with the guys, you just hooked up with one of the guys, you're going to go hook up with one of the guys, or you're about to go to party."

"Girl, do you know me or what? While most of that is true, I am speaking of the last thing you said."

"You're about to go to a party?" I blandly question.

"Yeeeesss," She chimes. "And can you guess what else?" I look up to Maggie, an unamused look taking over my face. "SOMEone told me—eh em—PROMISED me," She corrects herself. "That SHE would come to the next party with me. And do you have any idea of who that person might be?" She asks in a high squeak expectantly.

"My final guess has to be Marcy." I go back to my work.

"Close, but, ERRRRRM," She makes a loud noise with her mouth, similar to a buzzer on a gameshow. "Wrong. The correct answer is: you! That's right! You promised me last week you'd come to the next party I went to. And tonight I am going to one! And you, missy, are coming!"

I roll my eyes. Like she seriously needs me in order to go to a party. "I have a game tomorrow morning, Maggie. And it's already 9."

"Okay, I already took that into consideration, though. This one won't be as cray because the next one will be Halloween themed, and it'll be so cool! You have to come to that one. You'll come to that one though, right? Won't you?"

"Yes, I'll go to that one," I admit. "So can I go to that one instead of this one? I mean look at me. I do not look in party mode."

Maggie approaches me and swivels me around to face her. "All we gotta do is this—" She takes my hair out of its bun.