Jack

Chapter 6

I woke up to the sound of noise in the kitchen. Riley was still asleep next to me. I got up from bed, careful not to wake Riley, and gathered my stuff. I almost made it to the front door when Riley's mom caught me.

"Jacqueline would you like some breakfast? We're having tofu omelets," she said cheerfully.

I'd rather light myself on fire.

"No thanks! I'm late to meet my dad." I put on my fakest smile.

"Okay honey. Come back and see us," she said, opening the door for me.

The walk home was torture. I kept replaying the events of the party over in my head. I can't make it stop. I keep seeing Chief's hands all over my body. I see Logan and Kendall laughing at me as their plan unfolds. Chief's voice is in my head repeating those words over and over and over again. "I didn't even want to touch your fat ass, Kendall and Logan paid me forty dollars to ask you to dance," he sneers.

I reach my house and head straight to the kitchen. Just opening the cabinet made me feel better. I grab a bag of chips, but it's not enough. I hear the laughter of the crowd and I want to scream. I grab another bag of chips and leftover pizza from the fridge. I see people pointing at me, doubled over in laughter. I head to my room.

"Jack! What are you doing? Where were you last night?"

Oh God. I can't handle the party and my aunt right now. I slam my door shut quickly and lock it.

I see the kids from last night in my head again. I can't control my thoughts. Their laughter is ringing throughout my head. My stomach is growling. I hear Chief's voice again and my stomach growls louder.

I look down and see two empty chip bags and a half eaten pizza. I don't remember eating anything. Disgust washes over me. I've been doing so well, aside from the occasional slip, my eating has stayed in control.

I can't let my dad and aunt know this happened. I grab my wallet and head downstairs. Aunt Candace is sitting on the couch watching Lifetime.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you I wasn't going to be home. I fell asleep at my friend Riley's."

For second she looked liked she didn't believe. It was at least half true. "You have friends other than Parker?"

What a bitch. "Yea." I rolled my eyes.

"That's good." She then turned and went back to her movie.

I walked down the street to Shop n Save so I could replace the chips I ate. Aunt Candace plays Bunco every Saturday night so it will be easy to put them back in the cabinet without noticing.

Outside my house I put the grocery bag behind the bushes in front of our porch. Disgust washed over me again. I went upstairs to shower. The water went from hell's sauna to the Arctic Ocean and I still didn't feel much better.

I hid out in my room watching movies until Aunt Candace left for Bunco before I went to get the chips from the bushes. Across the street, Parker is getting out of his car. He spots me and begins walking over.

Well, damn. He'll know exactly what I'm up to, he's only witnessed this at least a hundred times over the years.

He notices the grocery bags instantly. I could see the concern on his face.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yea I just had to pick up some chips for my aunt."

He pulled a leaf that was stuck to the bag. For some reason he didn't bust me out on my lie. I think my illness makes him uncomfortable because he's never came right out and said anything about it. Which is how I prefer it.

"Do you want to hang out with me, Riley, and Sam tonight?"

Normally I would say no, but it can't be worse than last night. "Sure. Why not? Let me put these up real quick."

We have been driving forever.  "You should probably slow down. I think a turtle just passed us," I teased Parker.

"I can't help it Sam lives out in BFE, I don't want to mess my car up on this damn gravel." Fifteen minutes later we finally made it to Sam's. I've never been to his house, but everyone at lunch spends almost every Saturday night here.

Sam and Riley had started a bonfire and were sitting on the tailgate of his truck. When we got into view they scooted over to make room for us. I was nervous to sit down. I expected the tailgate to snap, but it didn't.

"What have ya'll been up to?" Sam asked.

"Well for the past hour we've been driving to your house," I answered, nudging Parker with my elbow.

"Oh, my God. It didn't take that long!" He elbowed me back, way harder.

"Don't get upset we all know how slow you drive on gravel. Glaciers move faster than you do," Sam said laughing at his own joke. "Man, do you know where Logan is?"

Just his name made me want to vomit. I would walk home if he was coming out here. Okay, I probably wouldn't walk, I would make Parker drive me, though I'm sure walking would be faster.

Everyone was quiet. Riley was the first to speak. "Dammit, Sam!"

She obviously hadn't told him about last night. "What?" he asked confused.

"Logan's a douchelord. I'll tell you about it later." She tried to whisper to him but I could hear everything she said.

Thankfully Sam didn't ask any more questions and changed the subject. "Do you guys want to go inside and get a drink? These mosquitoes are eating me up." He swatted at his leg.

Sam's house was big but cozy. We went to the den where his family had a pool table and a bar that was filled with all kinds of liquor I had never heard of. Riley made me one of her delicious drinks and we sat down on the couch while Sam and Parker played a game of pool.

We watched them play a couple of games.

"Why don't we find a game we can all play?" Riley suggested.

"We can play circle of death," Sam offered.

"What's that?" I asked.

Sam stared at me. "You've never played circle of death?"

"She's never done anything. It's precious," Riley said getting a deck of cards from the table beside her.

We all gathered around the table. Riley fanned the cards face down in a circle and Sam put an unopened beer can in the middle of the cards.

Riley began explaining the game to me. "On your turn you pick a card, try not to break the circle or you have to drink, and depending on the card, you drink. Like two is for you so you pick someone to take a drink. Three is for me so you have to take a drink and four is for whores so girls have to drink."

She got to six is for dicks. "I'm so lost right now." There were way too many cards to remember.

"Let's just play and you'll catch on."