Dangerous Play

14 » party favors

The party was in full swing by the time Kieran's Maserati pulled up to Maddox's house. Cars filled the driveway and spilled onto the sides of the street. Music from the loudspeakers in the backyard was audible, as were the sounds of people splashing around in the Reisers' pool.

I stepped out of the car and adjusted the neckline of my halter top, which had a tendency to ride low. Though I had no intention of getting in the pool, there was no telling what would happen once I was a few drinks in. Besides, I looked good in this swimsuit, which was a refreshing change from the shapeless uniform I donned every day for school.

Since my parents had let Finn go to dinner with the Sayeds—a situation I still couldn't believe he'd gotten himself into—they decided it was only fair that I got to leave the house tonight as well. I was in a celebratory mood for once; our team had won another game today, and coach had informed me that UNC scouts would be here next weekend to watch me play. With the way this season had begun, I was feeling optimistic about my chances of getting recruited.

Kieran and I walked up to the open front door. The smell of alcohol and clouds of scented nicotine smoke greeted us as we passed through the foyer. Inside, the living room furniture had been shoved aside for a makeshift dance floor. The grand piano was hidden behind a tasteful shoji panel and the couches were pressed up against the wall, leaving a sizable area for people to dance or do other questionable things.

"I need to be drunk if I have to see that all night," I grumbled after bumping into a couple trying to eat each other's faces off while they swayed to the music. How anyone was trying to slow dance to the thumping bass of this song was beyond me, but to each their own.

Kieran followed me as I wound my way to the kitchen. I'd been here enough times to know where each room were situated, even though it had been several months since I last set foot in the Reiser residence.

Containers of alcohol and red solo cups littered the granite countertops. I grabbed a clean cup and poured myself a drink, grimacing as the smell of strawberry vodka assaulted my nose. Kieran watched in amusement as I downed the cup and poured myself another. "Maybe you should take things a little slower."

"Maybe you should get started," I retorted with a grin. "It is a party, after all."

Kieran rolled his eyes and plucked the cup out of my hands. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed the alcohol, before he handed the cup back to me with a smirk. "You're right. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to find Cairo. Don't get in too much trouble while I'm gone."

I snorted. "Save the worry for yourself, buddy." There was no doubt that Cairo was providing the non-alcoholic contraband, as usual. Finn thought Cairo's recreational drug use was limited to weed, but Felicity had once mentioned seeing him cut lines of white powder at another party over the summer. Whether it was for her or not was another question, but she hadn't specified, and I didn't pry.

As if summoned by my thoughts, Felicity appeared in the back entrance of the kitchen, just as I saw Kieran disappear into the crowd. Her long blonde hair was soaking wet, dripping pool water across the tiled floor as she stumbled toward the bar. "Abby!" she squealed, slinging one tanned arm across my shoulders. "I'm so happy to see you! Let's shoot some takes! I mean, take some shots!"

Damn, she was wasted. "How about we get you some water and go find Rose?"

"Ugh, let's not. She's in the pool flirting with Jackson Delacroix." She sniffled. "And you have a hot ass boyfriend. Everyone has someone except for me! I'm going to end up alone forever!"

Her lower lip trembled. Felicity was dramatic enough on any given day, but drunk Felicity's mood swings were something else entirely. If I didn't distract her, in seconds she'd be having a full-on meltdown in the middle of Maddox's kitchen.