Bonfire Blues

Chapter 1

The day began with the blaring of my alarm clock. As I reached over to turn it off, all I could think about was the Johnson Annual Bonfire tonight. My best friend and I have never missed one since Kindergarten. It's where we met.

After rolling out of bed, I quickly brushed my unruly brown mane, threw on a band tee, and put on my favorite pair of skinny jeans. Jogging downstairs, I grabbed an apple before snatching up my backpack and heading towards the garage. I noticed both my mom and dad's cars were gone. Typical. They always seemed to be at work these days. I hopped into my silver 2001 Honda Civic and headed for school.

When I arrived, I quickly found my best friend, Annie, in her usual spot next to the giant oak tree just outside the front doors waiting for me.

"Hey Ava!" She greeted as she strode towards me with a grin on her face, "Have you heard about Justin and Kelly? Oh. My. Gosh!"

"So crazy!" I remarked, nodding along.

I had no idea what she was talking about. Which Justin? What Kelly? Annie was always sticking her nose in other peoples' business. She knew everything about everyone, and told anyone who would listen. She liked to pretend she was gossip central sometimes, while her usual banter was merely her own whims and theories.

"So are you excited about the bonfire tonight?" Annie nudged me playfully, forcing me to pay attention to what she was saying.

"Of course I am." I replied, "Not that I'm particularly excited about all the cute boys that will be drooling all over me." I added sarcastically. I haven't been on date since Dante and I broke up last semester, and Annie's been trying to set me up with some of her desperate, local "hotties" ever since. None of them ever worked out.

"Who knows?" Annie grinned, drooling with the thought of the possibility, "Maybe you'll find your soulmate!"

I rolled my eyes in response, fulling knowing she wasn't paying attention. Annie was a romantic, but my last breakup had me jaded. We then parted ways at the sound of the bell, and I headed to first period.

When school finally let out, I drove straight to Annie's house. She insisted that I absolutely had to help her pick out the perfect outfit. I never understood why she always felt like dressing up so much for the bonfire. It was mostly just the same old people and parents, plus a handful of little kids and family friends that we only really saw once a year at this occasion. There wasn't anyone to impress. And she'd just make her clothes smell like smoke, which I know she didn't like.

However, Annie was persistent, so help her out I did.

"How does this one look?" Annie asked hesitantly, staring nervously at herself up and down in the mirror.

"Good." I responded blankly, while still trying to formulate a real opinion about an outfit that looked almost identical to the one she was just wearing moments ago, "That color really makes your eyes pop."

"You think so?" She asked critically, now staring intently at her face, "You're sure it doesn't make me look fat?"

"Not at all!" I insisted, "It actually makes you look five pounds lighter."

She seemed to like that compliment, and I prayed that she would believe me and just wear the blue sundress and be done with this. 

Annie and I are very different, and it sometimes boggles my mind that we're so close. It's like there's a bond between us, one that only sisters really have, that we're somehow able to achieve without the blood relationship. We've known each other for so long, I can't imagine my life without my best friend right there beside me. Sometimes she drives me nuts, but I wouldn't trade her for the world. 

"Okay," She finally nodded after another moment's thought, now looking very pleased with herself. After a quick glance at the time she suddenly squealed with excitement, "Ava! We have enough time to find the perfect outfit for you to impress Kyle!"

"Kyle?!" Ugh, he must be another one of her little 'set-ups'.

"Oh, you'll love Kyle!" Annie replied confidently, already digging through her closet for who knows what, "He's into lots of the things you're into. Like videos games and anime and... well... your sort of thing!"

She flung a bundle of oddball clothing at me, and, after careful analysis of each item, finally selected a green A-line dress and thrust it at me.

"I'm not wearing that!" I yelped, staring uncomfortably at the existence of a skirt.

"But you have to!" Annie pleaded, "I can't be the only one wearing a dress again! I'll feel so out of place and uncomfortable!"

"You're uncomfortable?! You know I hate dresses!" I frowned.

However, Annie has these deep brown puppy dog eyes that she must have traded her soul to acquire. I couldn't help but cave.

"Fine," I muttered, defeated, "I'll wear it."

I put it on, and before I knew it, we were leaving and on our way to one of the strangest nights of my life.