Almost.

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

 

I can’t stop. My mind is on overdrive and my body is sweating so much it’s practically overwhelming. I can’t stop thinking. I lie in bed with my arms over my head and my breathing slow. Besides the constant headaches and the bile rising in my throat, I feel fine. My stomach is in a twist of knots and my body is in a brush of emotions running through it. My hair is matted to my neck and forehead from the constant sweat that leaks from my skin. It’s Friday. The dance is tonight and with the twisting and spinning in my stomach, I’m not sure I’ll make till tonight.

“Do you know what you’re wearing tonight?” I could hear the mumble of Savannah’s voice in the distance. I didn’t bother answering her, I wasn’t on this earth at the moment. “Malina!” her screech made my eyes snap to her. She was sitting at the edge of her bed, her feet dangling over the side while her backs lays against her black and pastel purple comforter. I’m sitting on her floor, my legs crossed and my hands against my head, my elbows digging creases into my leggings.

I shrug nonchalantly. “I wasn’t planning anything,” It’s early, I had slept over Savannah’s after school, she had given me another ride but instead of heading home, I raced to her house. I wasn’t ready to see my folks. Not after the screaming and hollering they had done the night before. My head was pounding and I could already hear the music that would be blasting through the speakers tonight. The thought was aching.

Savannah rolled her eyes as her room door busted open and revealed Kimmy. I winced from the impact of the wooden door slamming against the wall. “So,” Kimmy started, her voice laced with excitement as she clapped her hands together and paced Savannah’s room. Her tight, short legs moving at quick speed. “who’s ready to get their party on.”

Savannah is quick to answer, her eyes meeting Kimmy’s in a sulk. “Everyone but Miss Party Pooper herself,” she gestured to me and I looked down.

Kimmy plops down next to me in a heap. Her arm going around my shoulders. “How come?”

“I’m not much of a partier I guess,” I reply with a shrug, my head turning as I felt her breath along my cheek. It smelt oddly like alcohol.

She gently rubbed my shoulder. “Well, we can change that,” then her head swiveled toward where Savannah stands, watching with a smirk slipping onto her lips.  “Can’t we Savannah?”

In response, Savannah nods and starts towards me. Her hands grasp my wrists, tugging me from the soft carpet flooring and into her bathroom, placing me hardly on the top of her toilet seat. I plop down and breathe deeply from my nose, causing a hysteria from Kimmy. I could still smell the reek of alcohol from over here. Kimmy was leaning up against the doorframe, trying to keep her balance as she watched Savannah work through the cabinet.

After a moment, Savannah pulls out a white oval bottle with small printing and a scratched up label. I already feel like bolting. She waltz towards me with the bottle fidling in between her fingertips and her lips swifted up into a shadow of a sly smirk. My body goes numb as she gently, while watching my expression, twists the cap from the bottle with a ‘pop.’ Ranging between running and sitting still was a harder decision than I would’ve thought. I couldn’t grasp into the concept that they wanted to give me a makeover.  

Kimmy slammed her palms together in a heart racing, ear-piercing clap. She continued this while literally jumping in place. Her state was currently scaring me. She was drunk, intoxicated and Savannah seemed to realize as much as I did but still she said and did absolutely nothing about it. It was easy to realize she was not herself. The way she was trying to cover herself with anything and everything. Kimmy was a bright eyed, dark haired girl with a wild and truly crazy personality. She loved attention, craved it, thrived for it and most of the time, she received it. Drunk Kimmy hated attention but one thing never changed; her motive towards boys was always the same.