Through all of the recent events, I started withdrawing from everything around me. I barely paid attention during school, I didn't put any effort in cheer, I barely talked to any of my friends any more, or Gabe-my boyfriend.
Alex and Valerie hadn't given up like all my other supposed friends had. The continued calling and checking in on me, inviting me to places, coming over to just sit and watch tv. At first Gabe did the same things, always trying to be there for me, sitting with me at lunch even though I'd never talk. Although that only lasted so long. After almost three months of relentless efforts he started giving up, doing less and less, until he only texted me once a day, leaving it up to me to decided if we would talk.
One night, around the beginning of January, Valerie succeeded in convincing me to come to one of her famous parties.
I'd usually go to help clean up and get her and Alex in bed, I never used to drink.
I got off the phone with Valerie to get dressed. It was only twenty minutes later, I parked my car and started walking towards her house, the street was already filling up with the cars of classmates. I walked up to the brightly lit house that had loud music streaming throughout it, spilling out onto the front lawn to meet the overflow of teenagers that littered her front lawn along with the assorted color plastic cups.
I walked into the house, nervously, setting out in search of either one of my best friends. I received a few hello's from random kids but mostly, everyone was stared at me. I didn't blame any of them, I'd kept myself shut up in my house for almost four months.
I kept searching the bottom floor of Valerie's enormous house. I finally gave up and settled for some of my old friends from cheerleading. "Hey." I said smiling at them.
"Hi." Ella, the girl who took over my position as head captain, said.
"Do you know where Valerie and Alex are?" I asked politely after I realized that they were all mad at me.
"Upstairs." Someone said.
"Thank you." I mumbled pushing past drunk, sweaty couples.
Once I was upstairs I started looking around. I decided after a few minutes that most people came up here to either have sex or go to the bathroom. I figured my friends would be here for the second one.
I checked the line for the bathroom quickly. Not seeing them, I decided they might have needed something in Valerie's room. Quickly I backtracked towards the room on the left.
I opened the door and started to walk in, I froze when I saw what was happening, it was like deja vous.