Mirrors

Chapter Two

The minute I pulled onto the street, I could barely squeeze through the line of cars. I decided to park on the other end of the street and make my way up to his house. The lawn was already covered in red Solo Cups. Typical. From the looks of the house I'm surprised cups made of gold aren't sprawled around the grass. Maybe I shouldn't stay...

"Lia!"

Shit.

I smiled at Jen as she approached me, half wobbling, half leaning on her football star. Her perfect blonde hair was curled and put into a ponytail; her dress was similar to mine, except that she looked like Beyoncé, while I looked like Lindsay Lohan before rehab. She looked me up and down before shouting with glee,

"OH-EM-GEE! Lia, we're twinning!" I wanted to tell her that hers had no buttons, and was shorter than mine, but she would tell me that it's useless information. "Babe, we have to take a picture." She turned to her beau, "Tristan, hon, take our picture!"

She shoved her bright pink iPhone into his hand and came up beside me. She put her arm around me and, of course, posed herself like a goddess, while I awkwardly placed my arm around her shoulders and tried to pose like Jen. Unfortunately, I probably looked constipated. After we took the picture, I looked and, sure enough, I looked like I hadn't taken a shit in four days. Jen shrieked and called it, "prefect-o!" She decided to post it on every social media she could think of, so now everyone has a nice mental image of me in the bathroom.

"Oh, Lia, there's punch and cookies and stuff in the kitchen, a little piece of advice, unless you want to see half our class naked, I wouldn't go upstairs."

"Jen," I whispered, leaning in so Tristan couldn't hear, "I thought his parents were going to be here." She shrugged.

"I guess they changed their mind." I sighed. "Lia, come on, don't be a lameass. It's the one party you'll probably ever go to your entire high school life. Loosen up a little; have fun. Have a drink or two; it won't hurt. No one calls the cops in this neighborhood, so don't worry about getting in trouble. Seriously, don't be a lameass."

I sat in silence while she and boyfriend walked off; I was never one to fall under peer pressure, but with Jen, it was different. I feel like if I don't do what she wants me to do, suddenly I have nothing. Sure, I prefer solitude, but what good is there without one person you can go to when your mom won't do? Jen is all I have; I can't screw it up.

I walked through the doors and into the catastrophe of a living room. Though it was a beautiful room, it was destroyed by the guests, although I'm sure this family is used to messes. I pushed through the grinding and kissing and drunk teenagers, and made my way to the kitchen; I guess the free food is a perk to being here. I grabbed a paper plate and took two cookies, a handful of chips, a few tiny hot dogs, and a few more chips. Some guy offered me a cup, but I kindly refused whatever was inside. Instead, I took a water bottle from the fridge.

I sat awkwardly at the breakfast table, not wanting to add to the mess. I observed the people I'm the kitchen; people watching was one of my hobbies. Some were chugging cup after cup of the "punch"; some were practically inside each other. Moments after I finished my food, a larger boy who had the appearance that screamed, "I've been in high school for six years," approached me. He had a red and black varsity jacket on over a Kiss t-shirt. He smiled at me, and basically all of his teeth were rotten. He sat next to me, and he reeked of alcohol.

"Punch?" He asked, putting his cup in my face.

"No, thanks," I said pushing it back towards him. He shrugged and took a sip.

"I'm Jared," he said, holding a sweaty hand out.

"Lia," I replied, loosely taking his hand.

"I've never seen you at these things, Lia."