Fourteen

1

Friday night, Brittany Bates and her best friends, Courtney and Alyssa were getting ready for a party. They had stolen some of Brittany's Mum's wine, the three of them feeling tipsy. Alyssa, as usual, was moaning about how she couldn't decide what to wear whilst picking through Brittany's closet. "Why did we have to get invited yesterday, it really didn't leave much time to prepare." Alyssa sighed.

Courtney rolled her eyes, "Lyss, you are so high maintenance. The first outfit you tried on was fine!" Courtney wasn't the type of girl who was into looks and make up. She had decided to wear black skinny jeans, an Adidas crop top with a denim jacket. Simple. Just how she liked it. Alyssa, on the other hand, was a typical 'pretty girl'. She was always trying to pick out the perfect dress. "The deep purple skater dress goes best with those mega heels you're determined to wear." Courtney offered her advice.

"Actually, Court's right. Go for the purple one." Brittany agreed. Brittany had decided to wear a black leather zip up skirt with a sequin bandeau crop top. They had reluctantly agreed to let Alyssa do their make up, which they regretted as their faces were now caked in it. Brittany heard her Mum calling her name from downstairs. "Be right back, girls." She blunder down to her Mum. The neighbours (her Mum's best friends) kids were waiting. "Come on up guys. Dad's give us a lift in like ten minutes. We're still waiting for Lyss to decide what to wear." She smiled at them.

Scott and Jasmine followed Brittany up to her bedroom. "I've gone with the purple." Alyssa did a twirl, showing off her perfect figure.

"BRITT! WHERE AM I DROPPING YOU OFF?" Brittany's Dad shouted up the stairs.

"The party's at Melody Legg's, Dad! She's the one with the big house and five acres of land. It's in one of her fields. Most people are camping. You're still okay to pick me and Court up a midnight?" Brittany double checked.

"Yes, no problem." He replied. "I'm leaving in five minutes!"

Five minutes later, the five teenagers were ready and waiting downstairs. "Oh, my girls are all grown up." Brittany's Mum couldn't believe her eyes, seeing her daughter, Courtney and Alyssa looking so mature. "Let me get a snap." She got her phone out, but couldn't figure out how to use the camera. Typical Mum. Caroline, Brittany's thirteen year old sister, took the picture for her. "Now, girls. And Scott. Please be sensible tonight, have a glass or two of alcohol but don't get paralytic. We know how that ended last time, Courtney. Alyssa, try and stay away from the boys. And Britt, don't let yourself get bullied into anything." Mrs Bates hugged the three girls, who had been best friends since primary school, before Mr Bates took them to the party.

"Thanks, Mum, I love you." Brittany quickly hugged her Mum back.

Melody Legg's house was only ten minutes away by car. It was ten in the evening by the time they arrived, the party was already in full swing. 'Best song ever' by One Direction was blasting from the speakers. Alyssa ran off to find her popular girl friends as soon as they walked through the door. Brittany and Courtney could hear them shrieking at each other from a mile off. "We won't see her again tonight." Courtney sighed. "I don't know why she'd rather sleep in a muddy field than have a girly sleepover with us."

Brittany shrugged her shoulders in response, "Lyss is Lyss, she'll be round mine in the morning to tell us all her gossip, no doubt." She chuckled. "I need a drink, come on." Brittany poured them a double vodka and coke each.

"I'm just gonna go and say hi to the girls football team, be back in ten." Courtney stuck her tongue out at Brittany, wandering off.

Brittany quietly dipped her drink, standing on her own. Unlike Courtney and Alyssa, she didn't have any other girl friends. She preferred to keep herself to herself. If she wasn't hanging out with Courtney and Alyssa, she would spend time with her younger sister, Caroline.