Chapter 4

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"Your mom's pretty," Lexi says when the song fades off and radio broadcaster starts speaking about the weather, "I didn't know she was pregnant"

"Oh yeah," I stare out the window, watching the trees pass, blurring together from the speed of the car, and realize how big the forest actually is in Beacon Hills.

"You don't seem very happy about it" She turns the steering wheel, and I can feel her eyes on me.

"Yeah, well."

The conversation falls flat and I turn the radio back up, "Severe thunderstorm warning, tonight from 10 o'clock to 5 this morning"

Lexi sighs, "Good thing this party is indoors"

---

"Where'd you say this party was again?"

The car makes a quick right, through an opening in the forest onto a dark, dirt road.

"Not far," Lexi turns the brights on and relaxes her hands on the steering wheel, "Two shakes"

I stare out the windshield, biting my thumb nail. I didn't know how anyone could live in the forest, it was far too creepy.

Lexi casually swerves to the left, avoiding the dip in the dirt path. I come to the conclusion that she had been to this house a lot or at least the road.

--

Lexi puts the car in park, out front of a two-story white house. White lights twinkled around in the trees and I could see the light of a bonfire off to the side.

After admiring the decorations, I noticed the people. It wasn't a small party like they had said. It looked like the whole school was here, some were standing or sitting around the fire, others were going in and out of the house.

"Lexi, I thought you said it was going to be small."

She shrugged and opened the door, letting in some Techno song in. "I guess word got out. Come on, Jesse is waiting for us."

--

Inside the house, the music seemed to shake the house. It sure as hell was way too loud, but I guess that was the point. By the looks of it, there weren't any neighbors or anything, for that matter, in sight for miles.

I hold tight to the arm that Lexi had offered, as she guided us through the dancing teenagers. The smell of alcohol was strong, swimming through the air and intoxicating everyone in the room.

"Dani, Lexi!" Ryan comes out of nowhere, pulling us into a sloppy hug and kissing our heads, clearly half in the bag, "You made it!"

The next thing I know, Ryan is squeezing us through yet another group of wild teens.

All jumping and dancing in sync with the music, that seemed to only get louder by the moment.

We enter a somewhat calmer room, only about a dozen people laughing and taking sips out of their red cups.

Of course the only ones I had recognized was Jesse and a handful of the basketball players.

"Here," Jesse appears beside us. Handing a shot glass with a clear liquid filled to the brim, to both Lexi and I, "Try this."

Lexi snatches it out of her brothers hand and quickly downs it, grabbing another one from the table close by.

I stare down at the shot glass in my hand, swirling and swooshing it around, "What is it?"

"Vodka" He presses, taking one himself, "Try it, you'll like it"

Going against my better judgement, I bring the glass to my lips. Tilting it upward, I taste the clear liquid in my mouth, It burns my throat and once the glass is empty, I find myself reaching for another.

"Far From Here" -Young Derek HaleWhere stories live. Discover now