Finding Amity

Chapter 4

A frat party was the last place I wanted to be right now. The second we arrived, Harry left to "take care of business" in the basement (based on the way he smells, taking care of business refers to smoking weed), Marley ran into her partner Danny who is the most attractive person I'd ever met, and was now making out with them in the living room, and Pippa left to thank the frat boys for inviting her (a gesture I doubt they'd appreciate), leaving Cruise and I standing awkwardly in the entryway.

"So..." He started. "Do you want a drink?"

"Sure." I said without thinking. At first I thought he meant like a soda, but a second later I remembered where I was. He obviously meant alcohol.

I followed into the living room, leaning against the wall to try to keep out of everyone's way.

"Hey, babe." A deep slurred voice sounded from my left. I jerked back, away from the beer-scented frat boy. "Wanna g-go upstairs, get to know e-each other?" He hiccuped.

"Uh, I don't... sorry, I'm not interested." I stuttered. I was not used to boys talking to me at all, let alone inviting me to their bedrooms.

"Come on! I'll make it worth your while." He lowered his eyes to my chest and ran a finger down my arm. I fought down the bile that rose up my throat.

I pulled the childish stunt of pointing behind him, saying "Look at that!", then rushing away from him while he was turned around. Desperate for an escape, I walked out a screen door into an empty paved courtyard area.

I sat down against the brick wall, resting my head in my hands. Breathing deeply, I tried to lessen the tight feeling in my chest. There was a reason I never went to parties in high school. Well, I was never invited. But if I was, I still wouldn't have attended. I lost all confidence when surrounded by more than five people.

"Don't like parties?" A rough voice asked from the darkness. I looked up in the direction of the voice, adjusting my eyes to lack of light.

A boy with dark brown hair and matching eyes sat in a cobweb-covered patio chair. He was leaning with his leather-clad elbows on his knees and his hands clasped together. I could tell from the bags under his eyes that he didn't like parties either.

"Not exactly." I muttered, patting down the skirt of my dress.

"If you don't like the party, you could-"

"No!" I cut him off, seeing where he was going. "I'm not going upstairs with you. I'm not interested. Can't I just be at this party without getting hit on by everyone?"

He chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief.

"I wasn't hitting on you."

My face dropped, embarrassment setting in. "Oh."

"I was just going to say that there's a bus stop a block away. You could catch a shuttle back to your dorm." He snickered.

"I just..." I trailed off, unsure of what to say next. "Sorry. I just thought-"

"Well, you thought wrong." He growled.

Silence settled over us. I didn't want to stay in this awkward moment, but I didn't want to go back inside just yet, and I couldn't exactly ask this guy to leave.

I took in a breath and spoke up. "My name is Amity." I introduced. Who knows, maybe I could be friends with this guy and that tiny blunder would be a funny anecdote we tell everyone.

"I don't care." He spat back.

Maybe not.

The back door opened revealing Cruise, juggling two red solo cups in his hand. I stood up and dusted off my dress.

"There you are. I was looking for you all over..." His voice trailed off when he caught sight of the boy in the dark. His shoulders tensed. "Isaac. I didn't know you were back."

Isaac remained in his seat, his eyes trained at the sky.

"Flew in this morning." He explained in a gruff voice. He seemed to speak to everyone in that same disrespectful manner.

"Oh," Cruise turned back to me and handed me a cup. "Lets go back inside, Pippa's looking for you."

I took the drink and nodded, following him back into the party, away from the rude boy and towards Pippa and Harry who were seated around the coffee table in the living room. I sat between Pippa and Cruise, trying to figure out what the drinking game set up on the table was.

"So, it's like truth or dare, but if you don't want to answer the question or do the dare, you can opt out by rolling the dice and you have to take as many shots as you roll. Got it?"

"Yeah." I lied. It shouldn't be that hard to pick up.

Pippa went first, being dared to kiss Cruise. Then it was Harry's turn. He was dared to drink bong water, and opted out, rolling a three and taking the shots. Some strangers took their turns until it was my turn. During the game, Isaac had walked into the house and was leaning against the wall, watching our game.

"Amity, truth or dare?" Pippa asked.

"Is that even a question?" Isaac laughed monotonously. "Look at her, she'll pick truth."

The people around us looked my outfit up and down and I felt my cheeks heat up.

"Don't be a dick, Isaac." Pippa grumbled

I glared at Isaac, him challenging me to prove him right. "Dare." I shot back.

"I dare you to..." Pippa started, clearly trying to think of something that I'd feel comfortable doing.

"Make out with Cruise." A girl sounded from the couch behind us.

I felt my ears burn as a blush travelled up my neck. I just met Cruise, and I didn't feel comfortable kissing him. I shot Cruise a look of uncertainty, hoping he'd read my telepathic signals and refuse. Instead he grinned at me and and shuffled closer. I could feel Isaac's dark eyes glaring at me, probably waiting for me to chicken out. I had to let him win this time.

I picked up the small red and white die on the table and rolled, watching in anticipation as it came to a spot. I felt my stomach drop.

"Six?!" I exclaimed. "I can't do six shots."

The people around me burst into fits of laughter and I shrunk back into my cardigan. It wasn't lost on me that Isaac didn't laugh along with the rest of them.

"Its either that or the kiss. Pick your poison." Harry shrugged.

I sighed. I'd already embarrassed myself enough. I turned to Cruise, sucked in a hesitant breath, and grabbed him by his black t-shirt. I pulled the fistfuls of shirt towards me as Cruise dipped his head to meet my lips with his own. His mouth engulfed mine and I sincerely regretted doing this in front of everyone.

I pulled away, letting my long hair fall over my face hiding my shameful red cheeks. The people around us cheered.

"I can't believe you just did that." Pippa squealed in my ear.

My eyes met Isaac's. Unlike the others, he just stared at me, a look of pity on his face. I glared back, willing him to just walk away. My skin pricked with the uneasy feeling that this complete stranger could see straight through me.

"So..." Pippa started, coming to some form of realisation. "Do you and your boyfriend have an open relationship?" Her voice was low, but a couple people around us heard, including Cruise who turned to me, eyes wide in shock.

"Boyfriend? What are you talking about?" I uttered.

"Who was that guy? The one who dropped you off?" She asked.

"Oh, Cooper?" I asked. "He's not... We're not... I live with his family, we're practically brother and sister."

She nodded, muttering an apology as the rest of the group continued to play. I waved her off, the question not new, and not too far from the truth.