Chaos in the Basement

Chapter 4

Jared Reed's party was tonight, as much as Danny didn't like Jared she did want to see Riley and Oliver. Jared was the typical jock, football star, came from a wealthy family and thought he was entitled to what ever he wanted. Oh well, Danny thought. She wouldn't have to talk to him anyway. 

"Where are you going?" Connor asked. He stopped Danny in the hallway. 

"There's a get together tonight, at a friends house. I already asked mom if I could go," Danny kept her eyes nailed to the floor. 

"Did I say you could go?" he breath was straight heavy liquor. 

"No," Danny finally choked up. 

Connor started to yell, demanding that Molly come and explain why she would let Danny go. Danny started to shake, but this time it wasn't with fear, it was anger. She turned around and slammed her bedroom door, locking it after her. She grabbed a duffel bag and started to fill it with clothes and other things she knew she would need. Connor was slamming on her bedroom door, screaming that she come out. She was full of rage, this wan't common for her. Usually she just kept to herself, not wanting any repercussions but tonight was breaking point. Tired of her father's constant drinking, tired of her mother's manipulative behavior. She had no idea where she would go, but anywhere was better than this, she thought. She slid out from her window and made her way to Jared's house. She was still shaking with anger, her eyes were set on what was in front of her. 

The further she got from her house, the more reality was coming into play. Where would she go after tonight? She could stay with Riley, but then she'd really lose all her sanity. She decided after the party she would figure where to go. Once she got in front of Jared's house, she hid her duffel bag on the side of the house so no one would question her why she had it. The street was filled with a couple of cars and trucks. The music was blaring out of the house. She entered into the house, the first thing she sees in Jared on the couch talking to some freshman girls, a chill goes through Danny. She finally finds Riley. 

"Hey," Danny says. 

"Hi!" Riley shrieks, as if she hasn't seen Danny 5 hours prior. "Do you want a drink." Riley held up a beer in one hand a red solo cup in the other. 

"No thanks, I might hold back for a while." The only person who knew Danny's vow of never becoming like her father was Shannon. No else knew the dysfunction of Danny's family but Shannon. Danny scanned the room, looking for Oliver. She found him talking to Ethan. 

As the night went on, Riley got drunker and Ethan suddenly got funnier to everyone else who was also drunk. Danny sat by them, trying to laugh along but eventually getting annoyed by how stupid they were acting. Oliver had vanished from last time she had seen him, Danny wondered where he could have gone, until finally she saw him standing against the door frame smiling at her. He gestured his head for her to follow him, so she got up and did. 

Most of the party had either left or moved outside to Jared's pool. Oliver went down the basement stairs and Danny followed. The basement was turned into a game room, a huge tv hung on one side of the wall, with large couches surrounding it. 

"It's more quiet down here," Oliver said facing Danny. 

Danny smiled, she was glad for the quietness. Danny observed Oliver, he seemed sober, which she was also thankful for. 

"Do you dance?" he asked.

"Do I dance?" she raised her eyebrows. 

"Yes!" he turned on a speaker, and soft music filled the air. He held his hand out to her. She hesitated but took it. He put his hands on the middle of waist, while she rested her hands on his shoulders. They swayed slowly to the music. 

It should have been awkward, they didn't know one another at all, but for some reason neither of them felt weird about it. They talked a little bit about where he had lived before, what music they liked, he even asked about Shannon. 

"I'm sorry about your friend," he said. "Riley told me about it."

"Thank you, it's been hard."

He smiled softly. It only felt like they had been there for seconds until they heard someone coming down the stairs. They stopped and looked to see who it interrupted them. It was a very drunk Jared. 

"Were you guys dancing?" he said, he could barely get the words out. 

"Wow, easy there," Oliver caught him in mid-fall and helped him to the couch. Danny just watched, hands crossed across her chest. Jared quickly passed out. 

"Are you going to go home with Riley?" Oliver asked. 

"Um, yeah I might," she lied. "Are you going home?"

"No, Jared told me just to stay the night. Well, before he passed out," they both looked at Jared's almost lifeless body on the couch. Danny was a little disappointed that Oliver was becoming friends with Jared. Ethan was sort of friends with Jared, but it seemed more just for appearance because they both were on the football team. 

"Have fun tonight," Danny said, about to leave up the stairs.

"Danny," Oliver said, holding onto her wrist. "Do you want to go on a date with me?"

"Sure," she said and smiled. It was hitting her how late it actually was. 

Oliver smiled and they agreed they'd talk more about it on Monday. She went upstairs and found a passed out Riley on a passed out Ethan. Danny sighed, she almost had herself convinced that staying with Riley for one night wouldn't be so bad, but that didn't seem to be an option now. Danny went outside to the side of the house and got her bag. She started to walk aimlessly for a while, until she decided that she'd just spend the night at the park and wake up early before anyone could see her. She finally got to the park, exhausted and sat on a bench. She put her head in her hands, shaking her head in disapproval. What have I done, she thought. 

Headlights came onto Danny. She didn't look up, partly from being so tired and the other part being fear. She could hear the car coming closer to her, she finally looked up. It wasn't her dad's truck so that was a relief but she had no idea who it was. They pulled up next to the bench she was sitting at and rolled the window down.