Warning: This story contains frequent profanity and drug/alcohol references.
Disclaimer: This is strictly a fictional piece of work. Any real-life things (such as people, musical works, events) being mentioned or alluded to are used in a fictitious context. Despite the obvious, I do not hold ownership to 6teen and Total Drama, only my original characters.
A/N: The title of this story comes from "Saturday Night" by Natalia Kills. (Yes, I frequently grab titles from songs.) I love the revised plot I have in mind for this story, and I hope you do as well. Enjoy.
7teen: Just Another Saturday Night
"…I'm telling you, man, last night was sick. I can't believe you actually got Little Cody to eat twenty plates of hot wings without puking his guts out."
"What can I say? That dude could eat a few people and be okay with it. Hey, I gotta go, but I'll text you when my next party is. Later, Jonesy."
"Later, Levi."
Jonesy sauntered back to his friends' table, taking his seat beside Nikki. The girls stopped their chitchat and their eyes were on him.
"Who was that?" Caitlin asked.
"Levi." They continued staring at him. "I've never told you guys about him before?"
The girls, along with Jude and Wyatt, shook their heads.
"Oh. I've known him since I started playing JV hockey. He's a cool guy, plus he throws some legendary parties."
Caitlin sighed as her memories were recalled. "I've met some really great people at parties like those—the really lavish ones I went to when I still had all my money."
"You mean all your parents' money?" Wyatt asked.
"Yeah—that."
Jonesy rested his elbows on the table. "Parties aren't just about the people you meet. They're also about the things you see." He smirked. "Seeing the all the cheerleaders twerking last night was certainly a highlight of my night."
Nikki plucked his arm.
"What? You didn't wanna go with me!"
"That's because I don't want to see a bunch of cheerleaders shaking their asses," she said, her face blank.
He placed a hand on her shoulder. "C'mon, babe, you should give my friends' parties a chance. At least once."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Fine. Eventually."
Caitlin rested her elbows on The Lemon's countertop. Because of Jonesy, she longed to hang out at a party tonight, but huffed, not knowing who would throw one. It was a universal truth: during the summer, a party could happen at any time—especially if one had the right social connections—yet today, Thursday, was one of the summer's slower, uneventful days. How disappointing.
She looked at the food court's clock, eager to get her shift over with (even if it had only just begun).
9:05 a.m.
The time disappointing her, she looked to her friends, most of them engaged in conversation about things other than a party. The only ones not involved in any sort of dialogue were Wyatt, who'd been penning song lyrics; and Sydni, who'd been typing what Caitlin assumed to be an article for her new blog.
Sometimes she wanted Sydni to be more involved and more open with the group, even if she herself could recall the uneasiness of being the newest member. But she wanted Sydni to break out her shell. During their night at the roller skating rink, she'd seen the opportunity for her to burst out her cocoon and be the "beautiful social butterfly" Caitlin wanted her to be… and she knew just how.
"I've totally got an idea!"
The gang stared at her following her outburst, causing her to blush. She didn't realize she had interrupted their conversation.
"What is it, Cait?" asked Jen.
"I think I just figured out our weekend plans. Sydni, you should totally throw a party on Saturday night!"
Wide-eyed, Sydni quickly shut her laptop. "What? Why me?"
"You know how we said parties are a great way to meet people? That's just what you should do!"
Sydni's eyes met hers. "I really appreciate the suggestion, Caitlin, but I'm fine. I already know people." She didn't feel like adding that the only people she knew were the gang, Leshawna, and a few others she'd met when on her mall tour with Caitlin. Everyone else she knew and loved resided in Baltimore.
"But a party will help you in getting to know people on a personal level. You'll know them better because of it. And it won't hurt your social standing."
Sydni continued to stare at Caitlin.
"We'll totally help you plan the whole thing."
Jen beamed. "I don't mind being in charge of planning."
Nikki rolled her eyes. "Oh, no. Now Jen's got an excuse to go overboard."
She laughed. "Shut up! I do not. I can be a perfectly calm planner."
"Uh-huh, we'll see about that."
"So"—Caitlin turned her attention to Sydni—"What do you think?" She hoped Sydni would say yes, since everybody else was on board with the idea.
Did she want to throw a party? Hell no. There was no way she would.
But did she want to go to one? Possibly, but only if the gang was involved.
Then again, by throwing one of her own, they would be there.
Maybe she spent too many weekends in isolation. Maybe this would be good for her. Most importantly: maybe Caitlin had a point. She could help revert her to her old self. She could be the girl she had been before the heartbreak. She could be a little more whole again.
"I think"—she bit her lip—"I think I'm going to throw a party."
Caitlin jumped up and down, clapping her hands. "Yay! This is going to be great!"
Before the gang became too rowdy in regards to Saturday night, Sydni raised a timid finger in the air. "Um, guys?"
The group looked at her.
"I have to check with my parents first."
Caitlin stopped bouncing. "Oh… Do you think they'll let you have it?"
She hesitated. "Maybe. I mean, I've never been really wild or anything, and they trust me with most things. I think I should call my mom."
"Call your mom?" Jonesy laughed. "That's lame. Why don't you just throw it behind their backs?"
Jen glared at him. "Maybe because she actually respects her parents and doesn't want to get grounded for life."
"Excuse me? I respect our parents as much as you do, maybe even more"—Jen rolled her eyes—"but sometimes they just can't know the details behind everything."
"Jonesy," Sydni said, "I'm not gonna lie to my parents."
He leaned forward. "So what? You've never told a little white lie to them before? Ever?"
She didn't have to gulp down any emotions when talking to (or arguing with) Jonesy. She never felt intimidated by him or his attempts to persuade her. "Of course I've lied to my parents before"—Does he think I'm that naïve?—"but that doesn't mean I have to lie to them now, thank you very much."
Jonesy stuck his fingers out, mimicking claws. "Meow, looks like this kitten has some bite."
She scowled at him as she reached for her phone and dialed her mother's number. Pressing the phone against her ear, she said, "Hi, mom. I know you're busy and all, but I need to ask you something…" She looked away from the gang while speaking to her mother, hoping they would stop staring. "Can I throw a party on Saturday night? I promise it won't get too out of hand… Yes… Okay… Will do… Thank you! Talk to you later, mom… Bye."
She looked back at the gang, who (thank goodness) weren't staring at her as intensely as before.
"Guess who's having a party on Saturday night?" she asked, her voice livelier than earlier.
Caitlin's eyes lit up with joy.
"I guess we should start thinking about what to do and what to get. I mean, even though it's only Thursday, time moves way too quickly. Before you know it, it'll be Saturday." Jen grabbed a notepad from her satchel. "We'll need music, food, maybe some decorations, and we need to start inviting people."
Nikki bit her tongue. She knew once Jen had a goal in sight, there was no stopping her until she reached it—a habit both tiring yet endearing.
"Maybe we can go shopping around at that party store on our lunch breaks," Caitlin suggested.
"Are you talking about the one I worked at a couple weeks ago, 'cause I got an ex-employee discount if you need it," Jonesy said.
"Never heard of an ex-employee discount," Wyatt said. Jonesy sent him a dark look.
Sydni, after smiling at Wyatt's quip, said, "We should definitely head there on break."
"Anything to ditch folding crop tops at the Crappy Barn," Nikki said. "I'm in."
Noon quickly rolling around, the girls set foot through the mall's third floor in search of the party store.
Jen's eyes scoped around. "Sometimes that mall directory is hard to interpret," she mumbled.
As Sydni walked, trailing behind Nikki, several thoughts crossed her mind. Does she still hate me over the blog thing? Okay, hate is seriously blowing it out of proportion, but she's just been… really tricky to read lately. She increased her speed, in effort to catch up to Nikki. She twirled a lock of her hair as she gathered the strength to talk to her. Maybe this is what Caitlin's talking about. I need to just say what I need to, part of her argued.
Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Jen shouted, "Found it!"
Never mind.
The girls strolled into the store, meeting in the front.
Jen said, "I guess Caitlin and I can look for decorations and things like that. You and Nikki can go looking for utensils, plates, and cups."
Nikki snorted. "Gee, that sounds riveting."
Sydni followed Nikki's lead down the cutlery aisle and started looking for coordinating colors. She had to remind herself that the more interesting moments of planning would come later.
Nikki busied herself by picking items up and throwing them back onto their shelves when they weren't to her liking.
As Sydni grabbed various plastic bags full of green and blue cutlery, napkins, and cups, she looked at Nikki again. Maybe this was her chance to ask. Opening her mouth again, she almost asked her question when she heard Caitlin's cheery voice from another aisle.
"Oh my God, you guys have got to check this out!"
Nikki and Sydni walked to the aisle to find Caitlin holding a long, cylindrical item.
"Look at this: it's a confetti cannon! Can we get it for your party? Puh-lease?" She pleaded as if she was asking her parents for a bunny. She looked at Sydni with puppy eyes, batting her lashes.
Sydni grinned. "Okay. We can use it at the end of the party."
Caitlin's chipper smile never faded.
Jen and Caitlin walked to the register and, before Nikki and Sydni could do so, Sydni finally asked, "Hey, are you still mad at me over the whole blog incident?"
She shook her head. "Why do you think that?"
"Because, I don't know, lately I can't read you. And I've been feeling kinda weird at the Khaki Barn since then."
She shrugged. "Just know that I'm not mad at you anymore. Stupid shit happens, and it may not feel the best when it happens, but I eventually get over it"—she laughed—"after I get even, of course. If I worried about what people thought as much as you do, who knows where I'd end up? So loosen up. You're fine."
She sighed in relief. "That's good to know. Thanks, Nikki."
"No problem. And, about earlier, excuse my boyfriend for his lack of a conscious. If there's anybody to be mad at, it's always him."