Hot Coffee (The Hollens Book 1)

The New High

Emma's POV

She had to be out of her mind to even think about stealing one of Mr. Hollen's watches. I didn't want either of us getting in trouble with him so I pulled her aside.

"Halley, are you crazy? Please tell me that wasn't Mr. Hollen's Rolex. He would skin you alive!"

"Emma, would you relax. How crazy do you think I am? I wouldn't steal from him."

"Well, where did you get the Rolex?"

"It's a knock-off I purchased in Chinatown. Matt thinks it's real, but how the hell am I supposed to afford that? Now can we just enjoy the party?"

I'd never danced before so I just watched at Halley and her boyfriend.

A guy walked up to me and said hi. He was very handsome and looked around my age, maybe one or two years older. He had a Mohawk haircut, which complimented his handsome face. He was lighter than I was in complexion with light brown eyes and thick eyebrows.

"Hi," I replied, tucking my hair behind my left ear.

"I've never seen you around before. Are you new in town?"

"Not really."

"Who are you here with? A boyfriend?"

I laughed; if only he knew. "No, I'm here with my friend, Halley?"

"Halley. That's whats up."

"You know her?"

"Yeah." He was sipping from a red cup. I assumed it was alcohol, maybe a beer.

Halley came between us. "Hey Max, long time no see." She hugged him.

"Hey Hal, what's good?"

"I've seen you already met Emma." She was smiling at me and winking.

I rolled my eyes.

"Here Emz," she handed me a cup that contained a strong aroma of alcohol.

"Halley, I don't drink." I pushed the cup back into her hand. She shook her head and glared sourly at me.

"Emma, don't be a party pooper. It's just a beer."

"I don't drink. I don't like alcohol."

"Emma, come on."

I took the cup from her and sipped. Max made an air toast gesture to me and I gave him a small smile, but I had a feeling that something weird was going on. I pretended to drink but just let the contents  touch my lips and move back into the cup. I hated the taste of all alcohol. I couldn't understand why people drank it. It was no good for one's body and, if you have too much, you pass out and wake up with an unbearable headache the next day and your stomach feels like it's tied in a knot. Why put yourself through that?

I walked up to a tree and emptied the beer. It was then that I noticed something else, besides the beer, fell out.

What the fu..., what's that?!

I stared at it. It was a small red pill which hadn't completely dissolved. I picked it up and wrapped it in a makeup tissue I'd gotten at the salon then stuck it into my purse. I wanted to leave immediately. I went to find Halley.

I found her dancing like a stripper on her boyfriend. She didn't look like herself-- like the way she looked when we first got here.

"Halley, I think we should leave," I whispered to her so that Matt wouldn't hear, but the music was a bit too loud and her head was spinning too much. "Halley!" I shouted. I wanted to shake the hell out of her.