Sitting next to me was Adrianna, who I hardly knew at all. We met seven hours ago, so I still have a lot to learn.
Violet was on the cheer team. I see her doing some chant I've never seen before. One thing I've learned is cheerleading here is super cringey.
Sorry, not sorry.
"Why aren't you on the cheer team?" I break the silence between Adrianna and I.
"O-oh, it's just not my thing," she shrugs. "What do you do?"
"I'm a dancer," she says. "That makes a lot of sense," a lightbulb pops from my head.
"Excuse me?" She raises her eyebrows. "O-oh, sorry! That was a compliment, but it came out wrong. Dancers have a nice body and so do you."
"Oh, thanks," she laughs.
I look out to the field and watch the players run like mad men. "Where are those Grayson twins?" I ask.
"You mean... Dolan twins?" She chuckles.
"Sure, same thing," I shrug. "Ethan is number eight, and Grayson is number forty-seven."
I see them doing different things, so they must be playing different positions. "What are they?"
"What do you mean?" She laughs.
"Like what positions do they play?"
"Oh, Grayson is the quarter back and Ethan is the fullback."
Grayson must be really good at football if he's the quarter back. He must be built too. I find muscular men attractive.
A problem I have is I tend to look for men who are attractive and built. Over the years, I've learned there's things way beyond that which are more important.
Being seventeen is frustrating because I'm still young, I'm so impatient, I want a boyfriend, and I have a type.
The crowd cheers as we score a touchdown. The student section screams to the top of their lungs, the band starts playing a celebratory song, and the football team tackle each other.
"Did we win?" I ask. She looks at me as if I had antlers coming out of my ears.
"Lets go meet up with Violet."
———
The party took place at Scarlett's house, which I learned was a tradition. If we won a game, we go to Scarlett's. It's the 'go-to' place.
Her house was on a lake and had a massive yard. The house was a traditional mansion.
Cars filled up the entire street and smelly high school students piled into her house.
You could always tell when the football players arrived. Everyone would start cheering and the boys would be shouting as they entered the house.
I stood next to Violet and Adrianna like a lost puppy. They both held a beer in their hand, occasionally drinking it.
Ethan and Grayson come through the door. I turn my head and look at Violet in panic. "What's wrong?"
"U-um nothing," I shake my head. "Bullshit."
She looks to the side, then back at me and laughs. "Oh... I see," she nods.
"Stop," I push my hair behind my ears. "You're fine," she rubs my shoulder.
"Hey, ladies," Scarlett says. I hesitantly turn my head to look at her. "Glad you could make it."
"Great party," Adrianna says. "I know," she chuckles, then walks away. I give Violet a look and she nods. "She's a bitch. We all know that, yet people hang out with her anyways."
I roll my eyes and glance at the twins who are talking to their friends. Grayson laughs and looks over at me.
I turn my head again and can feel my cheeks burning up. "Fuck," I mutter and cross my arms. "Your cheeks. Th-"
"They're red, I know. I'm awkward as hell," I sigh. "Just breathe and relax."
———
We ended up in a family room with a small group of people. Scarlett was gradually making her way around the room, making sure she only talks to people that share her interests.
She lifts her beer bottle, putting the bottom to the moon.
"Woo! Who wants to play spin the bottle?" She looks around. "Fuck yeah," her friend says.
This group is such a bandwagon. People tag along after one person, then another, and another.
The whole group comes to the middle of the room and creates a circle. I give in and sit next to Violet. Scarlett walks over to the circle and takes a seat next to me.
"Who wants to go first?" She points the bottle at each person. "I'll go," Ethan says.
She smirks and hands the bottle to him. He sets it down and gives it a whirl.
"Woah, hang on. I didn't give out the rules yet," she grabs the bottle, making it stop.
"Whoever the bottle lands on must go into that closet with you. You have two minutes to do whatever you want. Options are making out, a quicky, or a blowjob. If that person chickens out, the person to their right has to do it for them."
Oh shit.
"Now you can go," she nods at Ethan. He spins the bottle and it gradually gets slower. At first I think it's about to stop on me, but it stops on Violet.
She glances at me and smirks. "I won't make you do it," she whispers. She gets up and the group cheers as they walk over to the closet.
I don't want to imagine what goes on in there, so I just play with my fingers. "I think Grayson should go next since you were sitting next to him," Scarlett announces.
"Alright," he shrugs. Adrianna moves over towards me and winks. "Stop," I mutter in annoyance.
He gives the bottle a spin and I cross my fingers, hoping it isn't me.
It slows down and my heart starts pounding. It lands on Adrianna.
Her face lies frozen and she looks at me with a scared expression. "Adrianna, go," Scarlett says.
"I-I... pass," she chickens out.
I glare at her and feel my heart pound harder. "Okay, Chloe. Go ahead," I hear Scarlett announce.
Why me?
"No, thank you," I mutter. "Y-you can't pass. You have to do it for her."
"No," I shrug. She gives me a look, then shakes her head in annoyance. "Fine, I guess I'll do it."
The group cheers her on for volunteering. I look at Grayson who's been staring at me for a while in a shameful manner.
He gets up and follows Scarlett to the closet, where Violet and Ethan come out at last.
She smiles and comes to sit next to me. "I love this game," she chuckles.
Yeah, me too...
———
