Wayward Prince

Testimony 1.2: Steven Wayward

Sorry about that. I just needed a breather.

So Danny and I were together, and it only took a couple weeks before I realized that I was kind of neglecting Shelby. I never saw her outside of class and I barely had free time to text her--all the free time I actually had was taken up by Danny. And I felt bad about it, because she was still my best friend, and I told Danny about it. He suggested we take her to a party with us. We went to those every Friday and Sunday night.

Shelby doesn't like people. Well, no. She doesn't like crowds. One on one or in a small group she's fine. But a house party? I should have known she wouldn't do well there. I mean, she's claustrophobic. Like really bad. Sometimes if she's in an uncomfortably tight space for too long she'll forget to breathe and pass out. That's how bad it is. So it took some convincing. But eventually I got her to say yes.

I think it was the last Friday in August when we took her to the party. It started out fine. The front of the house was crowded with a bunch of people I recognized from the other parties, but there were a few stragglers I didn't know. Shelby squeezed my hand as I brought her through the house. That was her thing. Gripping onto something tight when she was freaking out seemed to center her or something.

Danny led me, and in turn I led Shelby, to the kitchen. There was every kind of alcoholic drink that you could think of in there. I asked Shelby if she wanted me to get her a drink. She said no without a second of doubt. So I got a Bloody Mary for myself, and by the time I turned back around to talk to Shelby, she was gone. I had my phone on me; I figured she'd call me if she needed anything. So I started drinking with Danny and the other people in the kitchen.

Look, I know I'm not even twenty and that I shouldn't be including my extracurricular activities in these testimonies. But I also know the family I was born into could put this police department in the ground, so I don't really care.

This was only the second party I'd been to with Danny, so I was kinda nervous. I didn't really know what to expect. At The last party Danny told me he needed the bathroom and disappeared for two hours, then came back too high to even see straight. I was hoping that wouldn't happen again.

But five minutes in—I didn't even finish my first drink yet—Danny kissed me on the cheek and made me blush (I'm an easy blusher) and when he told me he was going to the bathroom real quick I was too tongue tied to say anything.

I didn't know if I should follow him or not. Maybe he was being honest this time and I'd just end up being the creepy guy following him into the bathroom. But I couldn't shake the feeling that that wasn't where he was headed.

So I drank the rest of my Bloody Mary and had another one, and then another and another. By the fourth I didn't even bother to make it bloody. I was just drinking the vodka straight. I wanted to forget about Danny tonight. I came to this party to get drunk and enjoy myself and I wanted to do that even if he wasn't beside me.

I don't remember the rest of that night.