After the humiliating incident from the theater, Reggie did all she could to remove Trent from her life. She tossed out all the gifts he gave her, threw out love notes and pictures, donated his shirts and sweatshirts...it was so much that needed to be discarded. Raymundo walked by his daughter's room and saw her stuffing more of Trent's stuff in a garbage bag.
"You alright, Princess?" He asked.
"Nope." Reggie groaned. "Two years...I wasted two years that I could've spent with someone who truly cared for me. Why?"
"Don't. Take it as a learning lesson." Raymundo said trying to cheer up his daughter. "Plus, he's a loser and is missing out on someone great. He will regret it."
"You and everyone else are only saying that." Reggie rolled her eyes.
"Trust me, Rocket Girl. You should get out instead of being in a rut." Raymundo suggested. "Plus, you have other great things to look forward to like you getting into that work study program."
"I hope so. I'm up against my teammate, Melissa DiMarco. We all know she may get it because mommy and daddy are probably going to pay off the publishing company." Reggie replied.
"Reg, you need to think positively. You will get it and it will help you move on from Trent. What you really need is to get out and go out with your friends." Ray said to her.
"Actually, Saturday night," Reggie started, "the guys and I are going to a party held at Melissa's house. God help me if she starts I'm with me." Reggie said.
Friday night, Reggie drove herself, Trish, Otto and Twister to the big party at her's and Trish's teammate, Melissa's, house. Sam was with Sherri.
"Man. Ever since Sam got a girlfriend, he spends more time with her." Otto complained.
"Well as long as he's happy, that's all that matters." Reggie said while driving.
"Seriously. He's the only guy Sherri seems to be truly happy with." Trish said. "He's the first guy that doesn't treat her like shit."
Reggie nodded her head. She was jealous of Sherri and Sam wondering why that couldn't be her and Trent.
"Twist, if your brother going tonight?" Trisha asked.
"Nah. He's grounded for getting another F on his chemistry test. So he has to stay in and wake up early to help my mom with Saturday morning confirmation class at our church. He's pretty pissed about it." Twister chuckled.
"One less of those goons there, that's for sure." Otto snickered.
The group laughed in the car. Reggie pulled into a driveway. There were a lot of cars there already and she was surprised she found a spot. Melissa's house was in an upscale side of Ocean Shores, where most rich people lived. Twister got out of the car and gazed at Melissa's house.
"Is she related to Donald Trump somewhere?" He said.
"Who'd want to be related to him?" Otto said with sarcasm in her voice.
"Okay guys, let's not get political. We're here to have a good time." Trish said. "I'm surprised Sam and Sherri aren't here yet."
"Hes probably getting some off the side of the road." Otto snickered.
"Eww, Otto." Reggie smacked the back of his head.
The kids walked into the house and the house was crowded with kids they went to school with. Melissa, who was slightly tipsy, walked over to them and said, "Hey! You guys made it!"
"Yep. We're here." Reggie said.
"Go! Mingle! It's a party!" Melissa said in a chipper voice the turned to Twister saying, "Hey, Twist, where's your brother?"
"He's grounded." Twister said.
"Bummer. I wanted him to come." Melissa giggled.
Something caught her eye and walked off with other people. Reggie made a face at her where Trish said, "Reg, she's got nothing on you. You are so getting into that work study program."
"I'm not threatened by her." Reggie said. "Money can't buy her way into that. Plus the fact she has a crush on Lars says a lot about her."
"Twist and I are going to talk to people." Otto said, walking off with Twister, leaving Reggie and Trish.
Reggie mingled with some people she knew from school. Trish had went off to talk to other people as Otto and Twister were playing beer pong. Everything was going okay until Melissa came by with her cousin, Angie. Angie looked a little like Melissa; blonde, skinny, pretty...basically she came from money like Melissa did.
"How are we all doing?" She asked.
"Fine." Reggie said and took a sip of her drink.
"I just wanted to introduce you to my cousin, Angie. She will be staying here for the weekend. Angie, these are all of my classmates." Melissa introduced her cousin.
"Oh, Reg," Melissa started, "I'm sorry to hear about you and Trent. Must be a total bummer. But on a lighter note, may the best candidate for the work study program win." Melissa giggled and turned to Angie. "Let's go mingle."
As the two girls left, Reggie stood there and cringed. Melissa was basically her rival in everything. From volleyball to writing and publishing, it seemed as if the girls were at each other's throats. Trish came by and said, "Isn't this party rad or what?"
"Oh yeah..." Reggie replied annoyed and sipped her drink.
"Wanna come watch your brother kill it in beer pong? He's kicking Pi's ass." Trish chortled.
"Sure...um...give me a few." Reggie was about to walk away and Trish stopped her.
"What did that bitch, Melissa, say?" She asked.
"Oh she knows how to get under my skin. And she does a great job at it too." Reggie spat. "Why did I even bother coming?"
"Because you need to get your mind off Trent. Come on. Let's go watch Otto play beer pong." Trish said.
"I will be right there. I need to piss." Reggie said walking off.
As she was rinsing water out of her mouth, Reggie looked in the mirror and said, "Okay, Reg. You got this. Don't let some bitch get to you just because the party is at her house. There are other people here. Let's just...get through tonight and...watch Otto play beer pong."
After her self pep talk, Reggie walked out of the bathroom, which was located in the guest room. She heard some sort of snorting and looked to see Melissa's cousin, Angie, snorting something.
"Excuse me, are you okay?" She asked as she walked by Angie.
Angie looked up at her teary eyed and smiled at her saying, "Hey...just a little dizzy. That's all."
Reggie looked down and saw Angie was doing a line of cocaine. Her mouth went agape until Angie giggled.
"What? Haven't you seen cocaine before?" She chortled.
"Well...yeah...in movies like The Wolf of Wall Street but..." Reggie stuttered.
"Chill. It's just a line of coke. It relaxes me and helps with my social anxiety." Angie said then snorted another line in front of Reggie. "My cousin is more outgoing than I am. Coke helps me open up and not get so anxious around people."
"I see..." Reggie said and watched Angie snort another line of cocaine.
Angie wiped her nose and smiled up at Reggie. Reggie nodded her head slowly and said, "I'm going...back downstairs...my brother is playing beer pong and..."
"Don't tell Melissa. I was just out of rehab and I recently relapsed. She had no idea. I don't want to deal with rehab again." Angie said.
"I didn't see anything." Reggie simply put and tried to escape until Angie said, "Don't worry about my cousin. She's a bitch and knows how to get under people's skin. She's played the passive aggressive game with me since we were kids and knew how to manipulate those around her. Hell, she has her own father wrapped around her finger. He has to pay his way into everything to get what she wants."
"Oh I know that." Reggie giggled and sat next to Angie. "She was cut from the volley ball team but her dad paid off the school so she'd be on the team. She sucks and is jealous I'm captain."
"See. We have something in common. We can't stand my first cousin." Angie laughed.
Reggie laughed too. Angie handed Reggie a baggie filled with cocaine.
"Whoa...what's this?" Reggie was taken aback.
"You're pretty cool. Thought we could...you know...snort up one day. Besides, you seem like you have a lot going on and may need an excuse to chill." Angie said.
"Um...I don't do this stuff." Reggie said.
"Well...one hit won't kill you." Angie said.
Reggie sighed and reluctantly accepted it. She knew to hide it in her pocket and once she got home, she was going to flush it down the toilet.
"Maybe not tonight. I'm driving home." Reggie giggled.
"Well let me give you my number." Angie stole Reggie's phone out of her pocket, put her number in and then texted herself from Reggie's phone. "You're chill. We should hang out. Maybe not snort coke but...just chill."
"Sure. I will let you know." Reggie replied.
It was a lie but Reggie didn't want to be mean. Melissa smile and said, let's get back downstairs. People may wonder where we are." Angie said.
"Sounds like a good idea." Reggie chortled.
As the girls made it downstairs, Sam approached Reggie.
"Hey! Haven't seen you all night. Did you see this house?" Sam asked enthusiastically.
"Yeah. It's okay." Reggie snickered. "Come on. Let's watch beer pong."
"I was going to watch Twister do the keg stand." Sam laughed.
"This I gotta see." Reggie said and ran off with Sam.