Glory Days

Chapter 6: The Party

-Kira-

"Are you going to the party after the game?" Lauren asks me as we walk around the halls before school. Lauren, Jammie, Arron, Zane and I are roaming the halls, early in the morning. Apparently, it's a thing football players and cheerleaders do. I find it kind of uncomfortable because I basically get to school early on Fridays to watch Lauren flirt with Aaron, and Aaron flirt with Lauren. 

Not that it bothers me watching them flirt with each other...

I wish Shania was here, but she had a 'family emergency' with her grandparents; AKA she's escaping to their beach house for the weekend.

I nod my head."Yeah I'll go."  Why not? I've never gone to a high school party. 

"We're totally going to beat Lakewood." Zane says. 

"You better, they've beat us for the past seven years!" Jammie says. 

"But we have one of their best players now, right Aaron?" Zane asks. 

"I wasn't their best player, a lot of the seniors are really good." Aaron says. 

"Just take the compliment dude." Zane says and laughs. I hope we win too, Jammie is right, we have been beat by Lakewood in a lot of sports over the years, it would be nice to beat them in Football. 

In Homeroom, Aaron sits in front of me. He turns around and asks.

"So, you're actually going to go to the party?"

"I think so?" I say. He flashes his flirty smile. The smile he only uses when I'm in a cheer uniform. The smile that would make any girl melt. But for some reason, it annoys me. I would probably melt any other day that he flashed that smile, but not today. And he never flirts with me, unless I'm in this stupid cheer uniform.

"I'll see you there then." He says and turns around. 

The air is crisp during the game, it is October afterall. Coach made me a special bow that has a pink ribbon in the middle for my mom. I wish she was at the games.

The game was intense. Lakewood and Westmoore have been rivals since the two schools were built. And now Lakewood is really mad at us because we have their star receiver, Aaron. But, in the fourth quarter we scored two touchdowns, and won 35-21. Lauren sneaks Jammie and I into the locker room and we change for the party, then drive in separate cars.

I'm really doing this. I'm going to a high school party.

I walk into the host's giant house, there are teenagers from both schools here. I look around for Jammie or someone I know when I walk in.

"Hey short stuff!" I hear Aaron say. Seriously? He's calling me that again?

"Hey Arron." I say. He's holding a red solo cup and his arm around Lauren. Of course. I walk away from the two of them, Lauren laughs at every word he says. Someone hands me a glass, I take it. I take a sip, ugh! The alcohol burns my throat. I cough after finishing my first sip. 

"Strong stuff, isn't it?" Someone says to me. I turn around and it's Sam. 

"Yeah." I say. This is awkward. 

"I'm guessing that's your first drink?" 

"Whaaat no." I lie. He smirks at me. 

"You're a terrible liar, you know." He says. 

"So are you." I say. I remember he lied during never have I ever. 

"Oh you were at ihop, right?" 

"Unfortunately." 

"Aw don't be so down, you're at a party! Loosen up and have some fun" He says. He puts his arm around me and leads me out of the room. I take another sip from my drink, here goes to living it up at a stupid party I guess. 

-Emme-

I don't know why I came to this stupid party. I'm sitting on the balcony of the giant house, someone's house. I don't even know whose house it is. I'm drinking a coke; yes, a coke. It's the one non-alcoholic beverage they have. This party did get me out of the house, I guess. I snuck out, again, without my dad noticing, not that he would care that I'm at a high school party. I hear someone laugh behind me.

"You actually came." Mark says. He's holding a beer bottle. I roll my eyes

"Yeah, I honestly don't know why." I say. He sits next to me.

"Are you not enjoying it?" He asks.

"Oh no this is so much fun. Nothing like having a bunch of stupid teenagers all in one house drinking. Totally my definition of fun." I say sarcastically. He laughs, he's drunk.

"Come on, relax. It's so much fun inside. Aaron and is friends are about to start a game" He says. "Anyway, whenever you feel like it, just come inside."

"You're so ignorant." I say to him. He looks at me, eyes wide open.

"What?"

"You know what, it doesn't matter. Go in there and have the time of your life and wake up with a headache." I say. Nothing that I say will keep him from making a mistake. A mistake like my father has become.

"Um, ok." He says and leaves me alone on the balcony. I look down at my hand, the cut from the bottle is still fresh and wrapped. I look up at the stars.

"What am I doing here?" I whisper to myself. I hear arguing inside the house and a girl comes running outside, crying.