Snakes Don't Bite Their Owners

The Tortoise and the Hare but Minus the Hare and Plus Another Tortoise

22:46

So the party started like two hours ago but I haven't been able to leave yet because my parents decided that tonight would be the perfect night to stay up and watch a cringey rom-com together until waay past their bedtime. Even if I was super sneaky and escaped without them noticing... I wouldn't be able to get away with it, because they always check in on me right before they go to bed to make sure I'm not participating in any hoodlum activities or something like that.

23:09

Aaaand I hear footsteps. As I'm crawling into my bed to exhibit some high-quality acting in which I pretend to be fast asleep... I hear a whisper from the hall.

"Hey, maybe we shouldn't check tonight. It's late and I wouldn't want to wake them."

"Yeah, you're right."

And the footsteps fade and a door creaks and the whispering ceases.

ArE yOU KidDiNG mE?!? I could have left the house 2 hours 8 minutes and 57 seconds ago... but instead, I waited like Santa Clause on boxing day. And for what? Just to hear my parents shuffle upstairs and abandon their daily ritual?! The audacity.

Well, I guess it's time for my daring exit. So without hesitation, I rise from my bed, grab my backpack and adjust my legs into tip-toe mode. I try my very best to avoid all the obstacles I can on my way out, but end up knocking into a range of items including a table that I'm almost certain wasn't there before. Thankfully nothing squeaked or thumped though, so I would definitely give myself a 10/10 sneak score.

I crawled outside via the back door and slithered towards the front one where I met Roger. I took a quick glance in each window to make sure all the lights were off and I couldn't detect any movement. After a few seconds, I deemed my escape a success... at last, freedom was mine!

"What took you so long? I've been waiting here for aaages."

"Karen and Jim were doing some stuff... and I didn't wanna risk being caught. But it's all good now, I'm here and I'm ready to partay."

"Okay, well we better get going. We're already two hours late and I really don't want to make that three."

"Pfft, being on time is for losers."

So I changed from sneak mode into party mode and we started our journey to the devil's house. 

I was still feeling suspicious of Jessica's intentions... but I had to do this. For Roger. And by "this", I don't just mean going to the thing. No, this wasn't going to be some careless pity tag along. I, Harriet von Schnoppengord was going to PARTY. This could be my one and only high school party for all I know. I was going to make the most of it.

And just like that, we arrived.

Even if I didn't already know where Jessica's house was, I would have been able to figure it out... you could hear the music blaring from blocks away and the lights... THE LIGHTS! It was like the Aurora Borealis gone crazy. And that was just the view from outside.

"Oh my gosh, do you think we were supposed to bring a present?"

"This is a high school house party, not a preschooler's birthday bash." 

"Yeah, yeah you're right.... do you think we should have brought like food or something though?"

"Roger, chill. It's going to be fine."

I had no idea what I was getting myself into.