The Party
Violet pulls up outside the party and my heartbeat thunders inside my chest.
I stare through the window, making no effort to exit the vehicle just yet. We’re parked, like many other cars, on a long gravel driveway at the foot of a stone mansion. There are people everywhere I look – passed out on the grass, dancing or making out. The music is so loud it seems to shake the ground. This party is huge. Why did I ever think this was a good idea? My palms are slick with sweat as I wipe them down my unusually-for-me bare legs, and I take a deep breath to calm myself.
“Riley, you can do this,” my best friend reminds me, leaning over to squeeze my hand.
“You sure about that?” I ask breathlessly. A large part of me is dying to go home, but I won’t allow myself to cower out of this. To defeat my anxieties, I have to confront them. But son of a biscuit, I’m scared right now.
“I’m positive.” She squeezes again. Violet’s eyes are lined with kohl, and her hair is in an intricate French braid. She looks gorgeous. I turn to look out of the window again at the scene. We’re in the more expensive part of Lindale, towards the cliffs. The houses here are all worth a lot of money, and this one is no exception. It almost seems a crime to litter it with teenagers. You can tell this place looks magnificent in the daytime.
“Okay, I’m ready.”
I force myself out of the car and we walk up the long driveway towards the party. I watch Violet teeter slightly in her heels, thanking heaven that I’ve stuck with my trusty ankle boots and dungaree dress. The music seems to grow louder with every step I take, alongside the thrumming of my heart in my ears. We receive only a few disinterested glances as we make our way up to the door – people are too absorbed with their own business to notice that anyone else has arrived.
“Greene,” a familiar voice calls from behind me. Standing at the top of the steps leading to the entrance, I spin on my heel to see Alec making his way towards us, freshly scrubbed from the permanent-pen disaster. He wears black skinny jeans and a low side-cut tank top. His hair is messy, and he’s got a can of beer in one hand. His other hand is behind him, hidden from my view. I feel an instant wash of relief once I see him. “Hey,” he says, looking me over. “You look great.”
What? He just complimented me. He just told me I look “great”.
“Oh . . . thanks,” I stammer. “You – you do not look bad either.”
My eyes wince shut the minute the words leave my mouth. That is quite possibly the most awkward response I could have given. Why does the filter between my brain and my mouth seem to crumble into ash sometimes? I practically burned myself there.
Alec snorts with laughter, and I crumble further.
“Such sweet words you speak.”
“She means you look hot,” Violet intercedes. She flicks back a braid teasingly. “I would just like to remind you adorable kids that I’m here too!”
“Go on, Riley, give her a compliment.” Alec grins.
“No, no, it’s all right,” says Violet dramatically. “No need to compliment me. I’m the Victoria sponge and she’s Victoria’s Secret, I understand.”
“Oh shush, you.” I laugh, batting her arm lightly. “Where are the others?”
“They’re inside,” Alec says, although he makes no move for us to join them. “Do you want a drink?” He brings the can forward, pushing it into my hands, and I wrinkle my nose. I’ve never been the biggest fan of alcohol full stop – but beer is just foul. I don’t understand why anyone would want to drink it. Seeing my expression, Alec sticks his tongue out immaturely. “Loosen up a little. It will help you have fun, I promise.”
“This is peer pressure,” I mutter, but nevertheless I bring the can to my lips. I take a long, dry gulp of the disgusting liquid, squinting my eyes shut at the taste. As expected, it’s vile, but I swig down some more of the can anyway and push it back into a surprised Alec’s hands. I can’t believe I’m doing this, but if there’s any way I can calm my nerves about tonight, it’ll be through a little bit of alcohol. “That was vile.”
“It’s gross,” Alec says, grinning. “But we drink it anyway.” He glances at Violet and offers her the can, but she shakes her head.
“Designated driver tonight.”
Alec looks at me. “So you’re the designated drunk? This should be interesting.”
“If you find me chugging back vodka like no tomorrow at any point during this party, please stop me.”
“No way! Drunk Riley could be fun. More fun than sober Riley at least.” Alec offers me the beer again and I throw some more back without question. The only alcohol I really like the taste of is strawberry cider. Beer, wine, vodka or anything else just puts a bad taste in my mouth. The beer I’m chugging down is helping me to relax a bit, though. Or maybe that’s just Alec’s presence. The blue eyes that seem to dissolve a little bit more of me every time I see them.
“Drunk Riley would cry all over you, or faint.” Violet laughs. “Not fun.”
“Body shots?” Alec winks at me. “I’ll let you use my abs if you want.”
Tempting.
“I don’t think potatoes get abs,” I mutter under my breath, albeit loudly enough for Alec to hear me.
Violet snickers.
“Who said I was a potato?” Alec grabs my hand before I can move it away, flexing his bicep under the warm skin and forcing me to feel the arm tighten significantly. I try not to broadcast the fact that I want to melt right here right now, and tear my hand away instead.
“Mr Potato Head,” I blurt. “Your arms aren’t quite as impressive as you think.”
“Liar,” Alec says as he leans in, challenging me. My breath seems to leave my body quite rapidly, and I almost forget to breathe again. Being so close to him makes me uncomfortable. It makes my heart race and my palms clammy. I don’t like feeling like that.
“Shall I just be going, you two?” Violet interjects bluntly. “I’m a bit of a third wheel.”
Alec moves back instantly and I scoff. “You can’t third wheel unicycles, Vi.”
She rolls her eyes. “I’m going to go inside and see who’s here. Meet me in the kitchen in five minutes okay?” she says to me, before fixing Alec with a cold stare. “And don’t call me ‘Vi’.”
“Deal,” I affirm, but truthfully I’m a little uncomfortable. I don’t want her to leave me with him, and I especially don’t want to be alone at this party. I watch her walk away for a good few seconds before I turn to Alec. “You can go back to your friends now.”
“I would but I have to speak to someone about something first.” Alec pouts slightly. “You should go after Violet.” He places the can of beer on the wall at the side of the steps and brings his other hand forward into my view. I stiffen as I register what he’s holding. Is that a cigarette?
When he lights it, I realise what it is. A joint, which he brings to his lips, puffing out a sweet and seductive smoke that burns my nostrils.
“Is that a spliff, Alec?”
He stares blankly back at me. “So what if it is?” There’s no playful ring in his voice any more. But judging by the defensive edge to his eyes, I’m treading on dangerous ground. I get nervous around people taking drugs, but I barely know him so I hardly have the right to tell him to stop. I analyse him for a few seconds before shaking my head.
“Nothing.”
A flicker of surprise flies across his face. I think he was expecting me to blow through the roof in righteous anger, but in all honesty I know that I haven’t got a say. It’s his decision. He stares at me for a few seconds, and I look back unblinkingly. I can’t help but wonder what he’s thinking about. After a while, he cracks an empty smile.
“Good.”
That’s the only thing he says to me, and I’ve barely had a chance to register it before he walks away, into the party.
He drops the hardly smoked joint on the floor before he leaves.
Something about that small action makes me smile stupidly.
“Chug, chug, chug, chug!” the crowd cheers around me. I watch aghast as the person standing on the table gulps heavily from the bottle, spurred on by everyone’s rowdy support. As he turns to face the crowd, I see his face, and laugh when I recognise it as Joe’s. He’s going to have a killer hangover tomorrow morning. Next to him, a boy called Adam is sheepishly mopping up a cider he spilled on the expensive carpet. Judging by the amount of people in this room, I have no doubt this gorgeous house will be trashed in the morning.
“Hey.” Someone taps me on the back. I whirl round to see Dylan there, a coy smile on his slightly blurry face. “How are you finding the party?”
“It’s all right, thanks, how about you?” I say, grinning back at him.
I’ve spoken to Joe and Chase tonight, alongside various other people, but I haven’t spoken to Alec again since we first arrived. He’s currently in the corner of the large room with some of his friends – that Chelsea girl included. Being the new boy at his first party, he is the focus of rather a large amount of attention. The current rumour spreading about Alec is that he went joyriding in his ex-principal’s car. Whether or not that’s true I have no idea, but everyone seems to have decided he’s some kind of bad boy, so I guess it doesn’t even matter. Because people love a bad boy.
I’ve drunk a fair amount at this point. The buzz seems to dissolve my stress the more I consume. I’m glad I came, but I think that feeling’s only because of the alcohol.
“I’ve been good. Can I get you a drink?” Dylan offers politely. Violet is off getting me more vodka now, but I nod anyway. He passes me a can of cider, unopened.
“Thanks.” I beam. I can’t deny I’m a little bit tipsy.
“I never really pictured you drinking,” Dylan notes, watching me take a gulp.
I nod in agreement. “I don’t drink very often, fear not. Wanted to let loose a bit tonight, though.” My gaze drifts back to Alec in the corner, and I feel a surge of irritation rise up in me. Why is he so attractive when deep down he is a monster?
“To try to fit in?” he questions. “I guess we’re all guilty of that.”
“Yep,” I confirm, drinking from the can of cider again. “But there’s the perk of having no social life. I don’t have to try to fit in very often!”
“You have got a social life,” Dylan says, rolling his eyes. “You know me, Alec, Joe and Chase. You’ve got Violet, and I’m betting you have friends in your classes. Plus, correct me if I’m wrong, you’re at a party right now.” He gestures around to the mass of people dancing. The room is large and smells of money, alcohol and an undertow of sweat.
“I guess.” I wrinkle my nose. “But I’ve only just met you and the guys.”
“Yeah but we like you. You’re funny.”
“Funny?”
“Yeah. And you’re nice to be around.”
My heart stammers a little with that phrase. I’m nice to be around. I guess I’ve forgotten what it feels like to have many friends outside of Violet. I’ve never been close to what anyone could call popular, but the events of last year pretty much put an end to any friendships that I did have. I didn’t really think of trying to make new friends again. I’m lucky to have stumbled upon some.
“Alec isn’t talking to me.”
Uh oh. Alcohol talking, alcohol talking.
“And that upsets you?” Dylan raises an eyebrow skyward.
Yes. No. I don’t know.
“I don’t like him,” I say hurriedly, taking another gulp. “He’s a jerk. He seems to play around with girls a bit too. You’re actually nice.”
I need to start filtering what I’m saying out loud.
“He’s not that bad,” Dylan drawls, but I can see him smiling at the compliment. His hand goes out to hold my arm as I wobble slightly, but I don’t focus on the contact. Everything feels blurry, a little cloudy round the edges. Is Alec angry at me? Why do I care so much what he thinks? “To be fair, it’s not him that usually initiates anything. He has them under a spell at the minute.”
“People are all so superficial,” I sigh. “Alec and his reputation, and girls feeding off his reputation. Who cares?” The fame and attention Alec has received tonight – all week, actually – as the “new guy” verges upon sickening.
“Not the sane people.” Dylan shakes his head. “They don’t care.”
I finish the last of the cider and he takes the empty can.
“Hey, Riley.” Violet comes up beside me, but her gaze is focused on Alec in the corner. I think I mentioned to her at some point that he hadn’t spoken to me. I can’t remember. He’s kissing a girl now, but I don’t think she’s Chelsea. Violet holds a newly filled cup out of my reach as I try and grasp at it. “How are you feeling?”
“I feel good,” I sing, snatching it from her. “A bit buzzed.”
“Just let me know when you want to go home.” She rests a hand on my shoulder and looks at Dylan. “Hey, I’m Violet, Riley’s best friend. It’s Dylan, right?”
“Nice to meet you.” He smiles. “Think your best friend would want to dance?”
Violet glances at me, smiling. “I think she’d be silly to refuse.”
When I nod, he grabs my wrist and leads me further into the crammed dance floor, away from Violet. I teeter, hissing out a breath as the crowds jostle me back and forth. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. I gulp down the strong lemonade in my cup eagerly. I’m going to be fine. The alcohol will take it away. I won’t be awkward and dorky any more.
Dylan and I dance and talk for a while, but I can’t seem to stop my eyes from straying to Alec in the corner. It seems the more I look, the more I drink. The fuzzier my head gets, the less I feel when looking at him. When Dylan asks me if I want to come with him to get another drink, I nod. He grabs my hand, and I eagerly stumble after him through the crowd. Alcohol is great. It makes everything so funny. I feel like Tony Stark in Iron Man, when he’s drunk and he blasts the watermelon and stumbles all over the stage. I love Iron Man.
My leg hooks round some other girl’s and I trip, landing awkwardly on my side. Everything shifts ninety degrees. I begin to giggle.
“Riley!” I hear Violet call.
People around me move. Dylan has released my hand. Strong arms hook up round the small of my back and I’m lifted onto a chair that has magically appeared behind me. My head spins as I struggle to make sense of my surroundings. Why is it so busy in this room? Some guy waves at me from the crowd, and I wave back. I wonder if anyone has any watermelon.
“Dude, did you not notice how much she was drinking?” I hear Alec groan at Dylan.
“I did notice, but she was good at disguising it!”
Violet kneels down before me, looking at me with her kohl-rimmed eyes. “Right, I’m going to get you some water and some food okay? Then I’m taking you home.” She looks over my head at something behind me. “Please look after her – don’t let her move.”
“I can’t go h-home,” I hiccup. “Mom will be soo angry.”
“Right. Well, we’ll figure something out, okay? I’ll be right back.”
“Please get me some watermelon,” I beg her.
She rubs my knee consolingly before she leaves. I don’t want her to leave me alone. I continue to hiccup. A warm hand follows the length of my arm and Alec sits before me, staring up at my face dubiously.
“How did you get so drunk?”
“I drank a lot. A bit too fast.”
“I got that. Why?”
“Because I wanted to,” I hiccup, looking around. “I don’t like parties.”
“Look . . .” He runs a hand through his hair, still assessing me. “You’re going to stay at mine tonight, okay? Violet can drop me and you back at my place, and I’ll make sure you’re safe. She has a test tomorrow and something tells me you’re going to be late to school. We can speak to your mom in the morning to smooth things out.”
“You can’t take advantage of me,” I warn.
Alec laughs. “Don’t worry, I’m not a complete prick.”
My head rolls back and I begin to giggle again at the sight of the ceiling. Violet and Dylan stand behind Alec with a cup of water and I eagerly reach for it. My throat is so dry, which is weird because I swear I’ve had loads to drink tonight. Gulping down the whole cup in essentially one go, I hiccup again. I kind of just want to go to bed now. I want brownies too.
“Right, time to move,” Violet announces. She moves before me, blurring a little around the edges. “Riley, we’re going home now okay?” I feel Alec slide an arm round my back, and I’m lifted from the chair into a standing position.
I nod.
“Dear lord, you’re drunk,” Alec mutters beside me as he helps me walk to the door.
“So not drunk.”
“You’re staggering.”
“Thank you.” I smile. “You’re not too bad yourself.”
Dylan begins to laugh, and I join in, although I’m not quite sure why.
As we make our way out into the hallway, the cold night air hits. Someone has left the front door open. There’s a boy throwing up in the plant pot and a couple kissing in the corner. Alec’s arm is warm round my back and he pulls me towards the door after Violet and Dylan, but that’s when something, or rather someone, catches my eye.
“Toby,” I murmur, staring at the figure.
“My name is Alec,” Alec sighs beside me.
“No, that’s Toby,” I repeat. Standing by the door with an easy smile on his face, as though this isn’t the one thing, as though he isn’t the one person that could blow my mind into oblivion and shock me to the core. He looks the same as he always has. Cold blonde hair and hazel eyes that are locked on mine. “That’s Toby.”
I resist against the front door as we pass him, craning my neck back to look at the boy. I glance forward but Violet is already outside. She hasn’t heard me. She didn’t see him.
“Come on, Riley.” Alec tugs me by the waist. “It’s time to go.”
Locked in the grips of an alcohol-infused daze and the warm arms of an attractive boy, I don’t resist.