Saving Scott

7: A Rager

Anyone who was anyone threw a party before school started. It was an unwritten rule in the Bridgewood Academy handbook. But Junior and Senior year, that was when all the stops were pulled. When whoever wanted to be someone put their mark on the map.

Which was why it had been known since my Freshman year that that responsibility was on me. It was almost like my parents knew too, because they took off for the entire weekend before school started, giving me ample time to set up and clean the mess before they ever got home.

I threw a rager. It was Hawaiin themed since the summer stuff was on sale, not that anyone noticed once it really got going, because there was enough alcohol no one gave a shit if they were wearing a plastic lei or not.

Lakyn had shown. Even though I hadn't expected him too.

"I'm sure you won't fail this year again, dude!" I told whoever I was talking to as I managed to wiggle my way out of the crowd and back towards the kitchen. Matt was there now, sitting on the counter and using the window to smoke a joint. I thought about the heart attack my mother would have if she knew, and fought back a smile.

Lakyn was next to him, a bottle of Malibu dangling from his fingers. He was leaning back on the counters, his pale neck on display, his dark hair a mess over his eyes. He looked board, but he was still there.

I shoved myself between Lakyn's thigh and Kaitlynn's side, leaning my weight against him. He didn't react. He never did. But Kaitlynn gave me a smile.

I smiled back as Matt asked, "You're going to be in our building this year, right?" he made a face at the joint he was smoking and added, "This is awful, by the way."

"Yeah, I'm finally in high school hell," Lakyn said. He sat up to take the joint, and I watched as he inhaled. It didn't look great, I couldn't remember who had brought it.

"Wait, you're only a freshman?" Dana asked - she was there hanging off of Kaitlynn, but I didn't think any of us knew her well.

"I'm sixteen. I started kindergarten late at the public school and Bridgewood Academy made me repeat it when I moved over."

He was behind, but he was smart. "You're going to be in most of our classes though, aren't you?"

"Yeah," Lakyn said. "Advanced Placement. Trying to make up for lost time. If I keep at it then I'll graduate with you guys, too. No one will know I was a repeater by college."

It was ridiculous that I was proud of that. Like I had a reason to be. Like I had bragging rights or something. 'Oh look, my friend is so smart, he's right on par with everyone else his age.' I was drunk and smitten and a mess.

"It's a good thing you've been hanging out with us then," Kaitlynn said. "You'll already have friends."

Matt nodded, but I had a feeling I was the only one who noticed the subtile difference in Lakyn's face. He still wasn't sure about the subject of schools and friends. I took the joint from him and said, "I've heard Mr. Vera is a real hardass. I really hate Algebra, I'm gonna fucking fail."

"We can have study dates. I mean, I'm no genius or anything, but I'm sure it would help." Kaitlynn offered. She'd helped me through English the year before, but I knew her math grades were low.

"Yeah, maybe," I said, and nudged Lakyn's knee. I wanted to hear him talk more. "Hey, weren't you always really good at math?"

Lakyn nodded, but I knew I'd lost him. He wasn't paying attention anymore. I sighed and looked at Kaitlynn again. "We should ask if Jessie wants to study with us. I think he's already on Algebra 2."