Were driving along in silence.
I keep glancing over occasionally at Emma every other stop light but she's busy gazing out the window.
Should I talk? What is there to talk about? Is this a good silence or an awkward silence? I try and think of something interesting to say, anything at all. I come up blank. Ok, brain,Whatever you do, just don't mention something so lame and boring as the weather.
"So...the sky's pretty clear tonight"
Damnit Summers.
"Mmm" Emma hums in agreement.
Back to the silence.
Good job me, well done. Great effort.
We end up getting to the party just past seven thirty, so not that late at all. Cars were already pulled up on the verge so I went to park opposite the house on the grass of the park. Hm, parking on a park. That sounds strange when you say it.
"Wow, the houses around here are small aren't they" Emma says absentmindedly as she stares out the window.
They really aren't. They're what the average person would call a decent upper middle class home. Obviously Emma was not an average person, as Theresa's house was probably 1/8th the size of her backyard.
Emma unbuckles her seatbelt and tries opening the door, but it doesn't budge. She tries again, rougher this time.
"Oh, uh, it's broken so you can't open it from the side. You have to wind down the window and reach out to get to the handle on the outside" I explain.
Emma looks slightly appalled at the state of Dad's old station wagon. It wasn't exactly a Bentley, i'll admit.
She was half way through trying to wind down the stiff, non-electric, window but but by then i've already gotten out and around to her side to open the door for her.
"It seemed quicker" I smile "Good effort though"
"Why can't you just get another car if this one's broken?" Emma asks as she slips out and throws her purse over her shoulder, while I re-wind the window and shut the door behind her. She says it so casually, like buying a new car isn't much of a big deal. Which for her it probably wasn't. You could probably buy a new ford fiesta with the spare change thats slipped down the cushions of the frost mansions plush couches.
"It's got sentimental value. The old family car"
I don't feel like pointing out the fact that my family doesn't have much money. Not that i'm ashamed of it or anything, I know money isn't important in the grand scheme of things and all that jazz, but I don't know. Maybe it was because it would just be pointing out one of the more glaring things that made us so different to each other.
The door was already wide open to let people in and I could hear the music playing, some generic pop song I had heard everywhere but didn't know the name of. People were milling about in the hall in groups and we walked past what looked like the dining room, which had the table and chairs pushed to one side and a proper DJ's turntable and equipment all set up, with a few people already dancing.
Theresa had gotten a proper DJ table for this thing? Oh isn't just a casual get together party, this was a party-party. I looked around, and while seeing a lot of familiar faces from school, I saw there were a lot I didn't recognise too. I knew Tandy, her boyfriend and another plus one was coming and I wondered if other college age kids would show up too.
You can probably tell by now that I am not much of a party person.
Hell, people who've known me for twenty minutes can figure that out.
"Everyone has those little red cups, like from the movies. How quaint" I hear Emma say as she runs her eyes across the crowd.
"What, did you and your friends all drink cheap alcohol from crystal glasses at every party?" I try and joke.
Emma gives me a look that says i'm actually right on the money "Our alcohol wasn't cheap either"
"Scott!"
I turn as I see Jean and Kitty slip their way past a group of girls as she comes over to us, their own red cups in hand.
"Hey" I smile as Jean actually gives me a proper kiss on the mouth as a greeting. Wow, she hasn't done that in awhile. I suddenly feel awkward knowing that Emma and kitty are watching and pull away quick. Public displays of affection aren't my forte. I'd have to get her alone later.
That came out creepy.
"You guys came together?" Jean gives me a light frown, gesturing to Emma with her cup before taking a sip.
"Uh, yeah, she needed a lift" I try and say it as casually as I can. Because that's what it was. Just a casual friend giving someone a casual lift to a casual party. I might have casually helped her get dressed...but still...casually.
"Oh. Ok then"
Jean looks at Emma and I can't read her expression but her arm slinks around my waist, Emma meets her gaze, just as unreadable. Both Kitty and my eyes are darting between the both of them.
After an unbearable pause (it was probably five seconds in total) Jean speaks.
"Your shoes are really pretty" she smiles, looking down at Emma's white strappy heels.
"Thank you. Your hair look's much better straightened" Emma repays her compliment, a little backhandedly.
I see Jean glance to me quickly before the two smile stiffly at each other.
"So, wheres the alcohol?" Emma asks bluntly.
Kitty answers and starts to lead her too the kitchen. I go to follow but I feel a tugging at my arm. A hard tugging.
"Can I talk to you for a sec Scott? You guys go ahead" she smiles over to Emma and Kitty, who look us up and down for a second before heading off.
For a second I think this is great. Maybe she had the same idea I had about alone time and wants to continue that kiss. Score.
"So you gave Emma a lift, huh?"
swing and a miss.
"Uuuh.."
"Scott, you already said you did" Jean smirks.
"Ok, yes, I did" I say quickly, not knowing why I feel defensive over this. It's not like I have anything to hide. I shouldn't feel guilty or anything. I mean I barely got turned on by helping her get into her dress.
Ok, i'm getting ahead of myself. Lets not even think of the dress part. She's only asking about the ride in your car.
I've been silent for too long, Jean's looking at me expectantly.
"So?" she presses "Did you go to her house?"
"Yes" I swallow.
"Did you go inside?"
"Yes" I think i'm clenching my jaw unwittingly.
"Did you see her room?"
"...Yes" Is it possible to feel your heartbeat in your throat?
Jean's paused again.
Maybe I should just fall to my knees and admit the fact that I maybe have possibly kind of sorta briefly been attracted to Emma for a moment and a half and then beg and grovel for forgiveness, promising her that she is the only girl for me and that she's so pretty and perfect?
Then maybe kissing would possibly still happen?
"So? What was it like?"
"...What?"
"Her house! Is it huge? A real mansion like Warren has or something? Like is she for real rich or was she just exaggerating? Did you see her closet? I have a bet with kitty that 95% of her clothes are white. And please tell me her bedroom is tacky" Jean is grinning.
Oh. ok then. I can work with this reaction as well I guess.
"Ummm, yeah. Yeah she'd definitely for real rich. Maids and everything" I mumble and Jean gapes.
"Maids?Oh my god"
"Yup. But they don't have those black and white outfits that girls copy for halloween. They're just kind of...grey" I ramble on, Jean listening intently "And um, yeah.I don't think her bedroom was tacky though or anything"
"Describe?"
"Uuum, well she has white fur rugs and some mini chandelier thing-"
"Ha! Ok, you don't need to continue, I know it's tacky then" Jean laughs and sighs "Phew, ok, i'm done now. Good job though, scouting her place out. I thought it would take you forever to get an invite to her house, I was thinking i'd have to wait forever to find that stuff out"
She goes to walk off and follow the others but this time I stop her.
"Woah, wait, ok. Stop" I hold up a hand and she frowns at me lightly "you aren't actually still serious about this little gossip lackey thing you mentioned yesterday, are you? You said you were done with that"
"I said no such thing" Jean smiles to herself, shrugging.
"You said you were going to be nice from now on" I press.
"Yeah, I know. And I am, I promise to uphold that on my end while you still hang out with her and report back whatever new stuff you find out about her"
She says it like it's perfectly reasonable.
"Jean, that's really stupi-"
"And don't think of it as gossip. This is solely about factual information, which you will be getting straight from the source"
Jean must have noticed that my lips had gone into a very thin line.
"Look, I can't commit to being friends with this girl yet because there's something just off about her. Call me a cliché character from scooby doo, but I got a bad feeling about this. I want to know everything I can about her before I fully trust her and have her come into our circle of friends-"
She means her circle of friends.
"But now, I have you to get to know her for me" she puts a hand on my arm.
"I don't like this"
"Urgh, Scott. Come on. Hey, think of it this way, maybe you're the right one and she's fantastic and then you can tell us that and it will all turn out wonderful. If that's the case i'll totally trust you on you're call and i'll gladly hang out with her"
"Why can't you trust me on my call I've already made and hang out with her now?" I say a little sharply.
Jean gives me a tight smile and gives my arm a little pat "Not that I don't want to be optimistic, but give it time. You barely know this girl, and good girls don't get expelled for nothing"
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The Kitchen isn't as busy or loud as the rest of the house, with only a few people mingling about,but the counter top is already littered with bottles, most empty or half full, of soda and cheap alcohol people had managed to bring. There was also a huge punch bowl in the middle.
"That's what i'm having" Jean announces as I grab one of the plastic cups. She hold her own out to me "Come on Scott, try it, it's really good. Theresa said her and Monet came up with the recipe themselves this afternoon"
Jean doesn't seem to notice that our little chat has gotten to me a little, that or she's tactfully ignoring it. I'm annoyed at her. I can't help it. She's usually not like this with people. The way she's treating Emma seems so...un-Jean, and I don't know why. Because she had a bad feeling about her? Why has she never had that with anyone else?
I let the brief thought slip into my head that maybe she's right, maybe Emma is bad news.
No. I can't think like that too. I've got to be fair. Plus, whatever Jean and the rest of the schools feelings towards Emma were, so far I kind of did like her. So what if she had gotten expelled, it was probably for something so mundane it wasn't even worth mentioning.
I'm snapped out of my thoughts as a cup full of bright orange liquid if pushed in front of my face.I take a sip and my eyes widen "God Jean, how much vodka have they got in this?"
Jean takes back the cup and looks in it "Uh, I dunno. It just tastes nice. Plus I thought they used Malibu?"
I finally noticed Kitty and Emma were standing just across the little makeshift bar from us as Kitty spoke "I think they used both,... and gin and peach brandy...I think that's what Monet told me. I asked for the recipe" she counted off ingredients as she went to fill her own cup again "This stuff is just really good"
Jean just shrugged as she finished the last of what she had "It mostly tastes like pineapple to me anyway, but come on, have some?"
I reach for the bottle of coke zero "I'm driving".
Jean turns to Emma, who so far had been inspecting the five dollar boxes of wine with a turned up nose, and rolls her eyes "Do you know that this guydoesn't drink, like, at all? Ever?"
"He's such a good boy" Kitty laughs, putting on a voice "Never been drunk once"
"He's like a little boy scout. My little boy scout" jean giggles as she wraps her arms around me and gives me a hug from behind. I kind of give her an awkward pat with my arm from 's embarrassing. Not the fact that I don't drink, that's always been my choice and I stick by it, but I can see Emma is watching all this and I can't tell if she's trying not to laugh or not.
Luckily a distraction comes along.
"HEEEEEEEEY YOU GUYS!" A loud shriek comes from around the corner with an un-mistakable Irish accent. This is how Theresa generally announced herself into a room. There was no emotion or mood that wasn't expressed in some kind of overtly loud way. Still, she was very likeable. Hence her huge parties.
Jean immediately lets go off me and her and Kitty leap into Theresa's arms. Theres lots of cooing and hugging. Girlfriend stuff. I'm glad guys don't have to do that with their friends because I would be terrible at it.
"Do you really not drink?" Emma asks me as she steps over to me while the other girls chat, takeing a cautious sip of the bright yellow punch. She takes a second "Hm, it's not bad actually"
I shake my head in answer to her question "Nope, never"
I try not to think about Jean's plan. It might sound stupid but I feel like if I think about it too hard Emma will know about it. And it's not like i've of any kind of angle myself. I'm just going to hang out with Emma like I have been for the past week, and then when everything goes completely fine I'll tell Jean who will have to admit she was wrong about her after all, and then everybody will be friends. Easy. Simple.
...Why doe's this still seem complicated?
Anyway, Emma is here and talking to me. I try and push all other thoughts from my head.
"Why not?" she asks.
"Well, technically it is illegal.." I trail off. She's giving me the look everyone else gives me when I tell them that.
''Technically jaywalking is illegal too" she points out.
I refuse to get into a debate over drinking vs non-drinking. I used to defend myself but that got old fast. I have accepted the fact that it is not cool and I don't even try and convince people otherwise anymore.
"Did you know in the state of new york it's also illegal for women to wear 'body hugging clothing' in the street" I try and de-rail the conversation as I sip my coke.
"No it isn't. Really?" Emma frowns and I nod.
"You can google it if you want"
She actually gets out her phone.
I smile to myself as she taps away for a moment.
"Oh my god, your right. God, I should be considered a bona fide felon by now" she smooths her hand over her figure "I don't think I own anything that isn't body hugging
"You'll be on america's most wanted before you know it"
She actually smiles at me attempt at a joke. Yes. That's a win. It's not an outright laugh but i'll take what I can get.
"You'll have to promise not to turn me in" her eyes glint.
"I dunno about that, depends on how big the reward is for your capture"
Just then I feel a slap on my back. It's Hank. I turn around and immediately let out a grin when I see him and Bobby. I actually have to stop and stare, along with half the room.
"Well, what do you think?" Hank poses and gestures down. He's waring a full blown, three piece, pin striped suit. He even has a pocket watch attached to the silk vest he's wearing and a pocket square in his jacket.
Bobby is also wearing a suit, but it looks like he's just borrowed it from his dad as it looks a bit too big for him, and his shirt is untucked and he's not wearing a tie. Plus he was wearing converses instead of shiny black formal shoes like Hank.
"Suit up, buddy!" Bobby struts around, doing his best Barney Stinson impression.
I laugh "You guys are ridiculous"
I also love that they're my friends.
"You're not wearing your glittery dancing shoes, Henry? I was actually looking forward to seeing them" Emma puts on a mock disappointed voice, actually using Hanks proper name instead of the more casual Hank.
"Ah, i'm sorry Emma, how inconsiderate of me not to think of the masses. I do hate to deny the people what they want" he hams it up, then actually brings a monocle out of his pocket.
"Where did you even get that?" I smile, shaking my head.
"Flea market. I also had a top hat. Shame I couldn't find it though"
Emma gasps theatrically "You couldn't find your top hat? Well, now i'm just upset"
"And I see you're not in a floor length ball gown or a mini dress covered in sequins" Hank pointed out but Emma just did a little twirl, showing off her dress.
"Yes but I still look decent enough don't I?" she smiled, knowing that she looked gorgeous.
And I say gorgeous just as a general fact. Because she did. It's nothing personal. Just...stating a fact.
Hank let out a great dramatic sigh "Well, I suppose it will do"
"You're too kind. Scott actually picked it out for me"
I see Hank give me a quick look before he continued to talk to Emma "Ah, did he. He's got surprisingly good taste then" it was subtle, but I noted the catch in his tone as well.
Henry catches on to everything dammnit.
I ignore it and retreat to the neatly laid out snack table across the room. Bobby joins me.
"Damn, Emma looks hot" he says as I grab a handful of chips. I make a kind of non-commital noise that wasn't much of a reply at all. Not that I think Bobby really wanted one.
"Ok, so be honest with me, what kind of chance do you think I would have with her?"
"Ummm.."
That question seemed...frank.
"Really? That bad? Don't pull that face" Bobby winces.
"Sorry man, that came out wrong. I'm sure you could...I mean, probably...you know" I struggle for words, not really saying anything, but Bobby nodded sagely.
"Yeah, I get what you mean"
….really?
"She's kind of on another level, but i'm not talking about being her boyfriend or anything, just a hook up. That's all. Frankly, she kind of scares me off with her ice queen vibe too much to think about any kind of actual relationship. You know me, i'm looking for someone more down to earth and cute and shit"
I nod. I can see the wanted add now. Boy seeks girl. Must be cute and shit.
"But yeah, I just got to thinking that maybe, hey, she would be interested in a...you know...casual encounter"
I stare blankly at him.
"For what?"
"...Scott... Think about it"
I frown at him, helping myself to more chips
He sighs and repeats himself, doing those little air quotation things "'casual encounter'"
"Yeah, a casual encounter but for what?" I cut across him.
"Sex!"
He chose the exact moment where one song had ended and the next was about to start up to yell that out. In that split second of silence the entirety of the people around us had turned to stare.
Good job Bobby.
He shuffles awkwardly as people have a quick laugh before turning back to their conversations as the next song starts up again. I see Jean shoot me a look across the room before shaking her head and turning back to Kitty.
"So anyway.." Bobby starts again, this time keeping his voice low "What do you think?"
I frown.
This was clearly not the reaction Bobby wanted "Urgh, why did I even bother bringing this up with you. You're such a mom about these things"
"What? What does that even mean?"
Jean said the same thing the other day. Do I have some kind of 'mom' reputation I don't know about?
"It means you always have to be so...rational" he said it like it was a dirty word.
"And what's wrong with being rational?"
"Nothing, it's fine, I know it's just who you are man" Bobby shrugged, obviously trying to backtrack "I just should've known you wouldn't be all for me trying to have a one time friends-with-benefits thing with the new girl, you know? Some guys would be all 'yeah, man , go for it! She's hot! Whoo!' but you , your'e all more like 'hey, respect her and yourself, you should try and find a proper girlfriend, you're first time should be with someone special, bleurgh' "
It was kind of funny how Bobby had hung around Hank for years now and was still this ineloquent.
I put my hand on his shoulder "look, I just think you can aim for something better...and if you want to ask Emma for one time pity sex just so you can get your first time done and out of the way, I won't be angry. I just want you to do the right thing"
"...such a mom thing to say"
I see Theresa and Kitty and the rest of their group all head out of the kitchen and Jean comes up to me and slips her hand in mine.
"Hey Bobby, um, nice suit" she smiles.
He winks and makes a clicking sound. She quickly turns back to me.
"Come on, everyones in the lounge room. If were lucky we might even get a space on the couch but we have to go stake it out before more people arrive" she says as she pulls me along.
"You guys go, I'm gonna go mingle" Bobby says, heading off in the opposite direction.
As I leave I shoot him a warning look, hoping he'll stay away from mingling with Emma.
For his own sake. I'm only thinking of him of course. My friends best interests.
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Jean was right, there was still space on the couch that had been pushed out of the way to the side of the room. But by the time Betsy, Kitty, jean-paul , Theresa, Warren and Alison had also decided to sit there seconds before us, there was only one tight spot left at the edge.
Next to Warren.
Me and Jean are left standing there.
"Sorry Jean, I can totally squish over a bit for you" Warren offers politely as he edges maybe another inch over at the most.
Crafty bastard.
I'm starting to figure out his game.. Conveniently shopping at safemart when she's working, even though he probably has a million personal servants or something to do that for him. Hanging out at her cheer practises all the time and not getting kicked out by angry Canadians. Being generally funny and nice and charming to Jean all the time.
Its all part of some sinister angle.
Im on to you Worthington.
I am on to you.
"Aw, thanks Warren but that's ok" Jean says.
Haha, shot down. How you like them apples.
"Scott can take the spot and i'll sit on his lap" Jean smiles, looking at me to step forward.
Wait what.
Warren shrugs "Fine by me"
I give a stiff smile.
so damn crafty.
I end up squished between the edge of the couch and Warren. There is no personal space. He's in my bubble and i'm in his. I can actually feel his phone through his jeans pocket. Jean drops down onto my lap. She only manages to spill a little bit of punch as she flings one arm around my neck as she kicks her legs over sideways over Warren's lap with her shoes ending up in Betsy's.
"Made yourself comfortable there Jean?" Betsy laughs, swatting at her friends feet.
"I think Scott must make a good seat" Warren jokes and everyone laughs.
I laugh along too but I think it comes out more as a sneer.
Ahahahaha so funny. Oh look at me, i'm Warren Worthington and I can make your girlfriend laugh harder than you can even when you tried that really good joke with the mop and the skeleton. Funny, funny, funny.
I wish Bobby had actually followed us out as I was now trapped under Jean and between Warren as they all talked about...I don't know what they were talking about. I kind of drifted out of it. The music was loud too. I wonder if Emma is still talking to Hank. She might have found someone else to talk too. No doubt guys would try come up to her and start a conversation. I kind of hope Bobby stays away from her. And I say that because I care, don't think anything else, because he's a great guy who I want to find a nice girlfriend and he can have his first time be special, like I did. I don't care how lame anyone thinks that sounds, its a good thing and I doubt any drunk experience in the back room of a party can top that.
Just then I spot a blonde girl in a white dress from the corner of my eye. For a second I think it's Emma, but as I turn my head I see the beaming smile of Tandy coming straight towards us, tottering over in a pair of heels as fast as she could.
She squealed a hello as she threw her arms around Jean, and subsequently me, as her arms tried to wrap around the both of us at the same time. Her dress had long sleeves and the craziest neckline I had ever seen. It was like a cut out in the shape of a cross that went right down to her navel and across her chest. It was nice, but a bit of a change than the faded old t-shirt and sweatpants she wore to work every day.
"Hey you guys! Ohmygod I found you, like, straight away. Good thing too, we don't know anyone here except for Theresa" she laughed. The 'we' part consisted of what must've been her boyfriend she'd told me about and the girlfriend she's brought, both hanging slightly back behind her.
"This is Tyrone, my boyfriend-" she introduced the massive figure of the guy, dressed in a dark hoodie and with a serious look on his face. He looked menacing. Basically the complete opposite of Tandy, dressed in all black to her bright white. He just nodded a silent hello.
"-and this is Abigail" The girl looked just as unfriendly as the guy, her arms folded. She had on a dark velvet green top and you could see her black bra straps showing under neath the spaghetti straps, and dark jeans with a chain belt. Her boots looked like real steel caps and I saw she had two tattoo's, one on either arm. The right side said 'Anna' and the other said 'Grace'. The thing that stood out the most was her hair though. It was Green.
This is the kind of look that made old ladies scared to sit next to you on public transport. 'Alternative' I guess. The kind of girl who actually knew more than that one Nirvana song.
"Hey" she said without any enthusiasm, her face blank.
Yup, totally into Nirvana.
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Tandy , Tyrone and Abigail didn't chat for longer than two minutes before heading off, and I don't know how long I continued to sit there and hang out with Jean and her friends as more and more people arrived. I caught snippets of their conversations.
"So Theresa, if you were reeeally drunk, would you consider hooking up with Wade Wilson?" Kitty laughed.
"Eeeeww are you kidding! No way, he's so gross. I once saw him pull out a half eaten burrito from his backpack in free period and eat it. I could not even go there"
Plus...
"Hey, Wanda's here" Alison pointed the girl with the brown curly hair in the red dress out in the growing crowd.
"Yeah, she kind of freaks me out a bit though"
I silently agree with Jean-Paul. In third grade I accidentally knocked over a sandcastle she built when we were playing soccer at recess. She told me she was a witch and was going to put a curse on me. Plus she always drew pictures of her 'robot husband' during class and brought her brother as her date to the spring social. I haven't talked to her much in high school.
"Doesn't your brother date her sister, Scott?" Warren asked me.
I mumble that date is a loose term.
More chatting about the Maximoff family.
Wondering wether Pietro's hair colour is natural. Then wether he's still dating that girl named Crystal.
It just seems to go on from there. I can't keep up.
And then finally, just as I almost feel asphyxiated from boredom, Jean leans across me to yell down to Kitty.
"Hey Kitty, where's Piotr?"
She shrugs "I don't know! He said he was coming when I texted him a couple days ago" she frowned.
"I hope he's not to busy with college, I hear art courses have a crazy workload. I really wanted to catch up with him" Warren added in but Kitty just drained the last of her drink.
"I should call him" Kitty declared, standing up. She wobbled a little on her feet. "And I need another drink!"
"Seconded" Jean said, getting up off of me, a little less wobbly "You want anything Scott?"
"No, that's ok" I smile as she heads off with Kitty to the kitchen, making sure to gently keep a hold of Kitty's arm. Just in case. Alison, jean-paul and Theresa all drifted off as well, leaving me,Warren and Betsy.
Me and Warren are still sitting uncomfortably close. We make eye contact.
"So ah, i'm going to go...yeah..." I drift off before quickly making an escape.
As I walk through the hall it really has gotten packed. I pull out my phone and check the time. Oh, ok, I'd been sitting there for almost an hour. I don't know wether to follow Jean or not. I should try and find Hank and Bobby.
I manage to find Hank still in the kitchen but before I can even go up to him and I notice he's talking to the green haired chick, Abigail. Alone.
Hank.
Talking to a girl.
Alone.
I feel like I should gently back away. Like one of those nature documentary camera men who stumbles across a rare breed of animal displaying its rarely documented mating ritual, and your really excited about it and intrigued but at the same time you don't want to spook them and have them flee across the savannah because you accidentally stepped on a twig and disturbed them.
Thankfully he seems engrossed in conversation so I slip back the way I came.
I find Bobby in the cleared out dining room in the middle of the makeshift dance floor. He's alone, busting out his well practised moves. A few people watch on, some smirking while others seem genuinely entertained. I mean yeah, he dances like a typical 18 year old white boy, but he at least puts some effort into it. They just have to wait till he breaks out his slick moon walk. I'm actually jealous of how good he is at that. I decide to leave him too it. I have about as much rhythm in me as a plank of wood, so me and dance floors don't mix.
My next resort is to find Tandy and Tyrone. I manage that pretty quickly as I see them pressed against the hallway wall in a pretty decent looking make out session.
Even I have enough knowledge about social cues not to interrupt that.
I should find Emma.
I want to find Emma even.
I kind of expected her to be surrounded by guys when I found her, but instead she was sitting alone in the last place I looked. She was out the front of the house on a bench on the veranda, and I stepped out into the quiet, where only a few people were grouped together chatting or smoking. Im pretty sure someone was being sick in the bushes. I also saw Kitty way over on the front of the lawn near the letterbox on her phone.
Emma was looking bored, texting on her phone and I lingered at the front door. Maybe I shouldn't bother her. Maybe i'd be annoying. People might think it's weird seeing me talking to Emma alone.
The exact second I decide that it's best if I just run back inside and hang around the snack table for awhile, Emma speaks.
"Are you just going to stand there or do you want to sit down?" she asks, without even looking up from her phone, but I see an amused look on her face.
I take a seat next to her, already feeling a little stupid "Hey. So, uh, been out here long?"
"A fair while" she puts her phone back in her purse "Ever since Henry started hitting it off with some green haired girl. I decided to give them some space"
"And you've just been sitting here alone?"
"I've had my alcohol to keep me company" she raised her cup.
"Drinking alone?"
"Well, when you say it like that it sounds sad" she takes another sip "What have you been doing then?"
I shrug "Just..sitting with Jean and her friends. Talking"
"So, no wild dancing, out of control drinking games, back room hookups or people getting pushed in the pool, then?"
"Theresa doesn't even have a pool" I answer.
"Then i'm not missing much, am I?"
"Well, if theres no wild dancing, drinking game or hooking up, what do you usually do at parties?"
She shrugs "Mostly I just kind of sit around looking stunning while I reject boys advances"
She says it like it's a joke but I don't think it is. This seems like something she does a lot.
I nod "Yeah, same...except without the rejecting part...or people approaching me in general...and I'm not that stunning"
Emma cracks a smile "Don't sell yourself short on that last one"
"What?"
"Nothing. So did you come out here to look for me?" she smiles.
"Uh, yeah. I wanted to make sure you were ok. Meeting other people...mingling.." I use Bobby's word.
"And here you found me being terribly anti-social out here by myself"
"Nah, that's alright. I get it can be kind of intimidating to try and go up to people and just start talking-" but i'm cut off by a laugh.
"oh please Scott, I'm not shy, don't you dare think that. I'm just good at figuring out who's worth talking too. Most people aren't"
I can't help but smile. She talks to me though "Fair enough"
We hear a muffled cry from across the lawn. Staring over we see Kitty, still on her phone, and I can't hear her clearly but she's almost yelling, pacing back and forth on the pathway. I look to Emma.
"Any idea what that's about?" I ask. She shakes her head.
"No idea. Parents maybe?"
I remember her mentioning something about calling Piotr not long ago "It's probably her boyfriend"
We watch on as kitty's yelling gets louder and more heated. More and more curse words were thrown around too.
"It look's like a pleasant conversation" Emma says dryly.
We kept watching until finally we saw Kitty pause, look down at her phone, and then let out an anguished scream as she threw the phone as hard as she could across the road where it landed hard in the middle of the road. Everyone else outside was staring too as Kitty stormed back up to the house breathing deeply before slamming the front door behind her.
Theres a pause where Emma and I look at each other.
"Do you want to follow her, just out of sick curiosity?"
"Little bit...and to make sure she's ok too"
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We go inside to find Kitty sitting on the stairs of the hallway, surrounded by Jean, Betsy and Theresa, crying.
I immediately feel awkward. I can't deal with people crying. Or more like i'm just not good at it. Years ago when Bobby's parents got divorced he cried and I really really wanted to be supportive but all I could think to do was offer him a glass of water. It seemed right at the time. Then it was downhill from there when he went in for a hug and instinctively backed off so he ended up tripping over and falling face forward to the floor...
We laugh about it now.
"Aaah, is everything ok?" I ask and they all look up, except for Kitty, who has her face in her hands.
Betsy gives me a look that says it's clearly not.
"Piotr broke up with her" Jean whispers gently and Kitty let out a muffled sob.
"Oooh" that explained the angry phone call.
"I just can't believe it" Kitty said through the tears "He said things wouldn't change when he went off to college. He said he'd still drive down and see me every weekend but like, it just got to be every other weekend and then he started calling less and hanging out with his new friends and just..just...he didn't have any time for me anymoooore" she wailed as jean wrapped her arms around her in a hug.
"Oh, it's ok sweetie, you have us" Jean spoke gently.
See, Jean is good at this sort of thing.
"Yeah, men are assholes! You don't need 'em!" Theresa said fiercely.
"Yes I do!" kitty says anguishedly "I've had a crush on him since middle school and we only just got together last year and it was like, the best time of my life but obviously...obviously he doesn't feel the same and...and...and he's probably already hooking up with some artsy chick from his dorm room who has some dumb name like...Strawberry or some shit, and she's so indie and has a nose piercing and likes jazz records or something!"
"Pfft, let him, it's not your problem! You're brilliant and if he can't see that, fuck 'im!...plus you know those art school bitches don't shave their legs anyway. He can have 'em" Theresa continued, riling Kitty up.
"And I bet he only bought me that bag because he totally had it in his head that he wanted to dump me and he thought it would, like, soften the blow or something...you can't buy me off with gifts asshole!" She yelled at a spot on the wall like he was there "You know what, i'm going to burn it. Burn that damn fake bag! make some kind of symbolic thing of it. You guys can totally come"
Jean doesn't look thrilled on the offer "Um, yeah. Yeah, if thats what you'd like...maybe leave the fire out of it though"
While Betsy starts suggesting she could cut up the bag with gradening shears instead, Emma leans over to me "I'll be back in a sec" she whispers and slips off down the hallway.
"Urgh, I just wanna go home..." Kitty mumbled feebly but the girls frowned.
"No! Come on Kitty, stay here!" Betsy insisted.
"Yeah, you'll just be miserable and sit around thinking about it too much if you go home! You need to take your mind off it while your out, have fun, be with us" Jean said.
"And it's my party and I insist that you stay! You have to what the host says" Theresa prodded at her, making her crack the smallest of smiles.
"Isn't that the guest?"
"Not in this house it's not"
Just then Emma announces herself back into the room "Ok, i've got what you need" she says as we stare, noticing that she holding two full shot glasses in her hands.
Kitty stares at them as they're handed to her and blinks.
"Well don't stare at them, knock them back" Emma instructs as Kitty takes them.
"Um, Emma, thanks for the concern but I don't think-" Jean starts but in a flash Kitty has tilted her head back and downed both the shots in seconds "Kitty.." she stares, astonished.
"See? Vodka makes everything better" Emma says in a mock Martha Stewart style sweetness.
Jean look's unimpressed and I sense she's about to say something but Kitty suddenly stands up "You guys are right! I don't want to feel sorry for myself, at least not for the next couple hours! I'm going to stay and party, and have fun, and forget Piotr!" she says determinately.
"Yeah!" Theresa cheers her on while Betsy and Jean exchange looks.
"I'm going to the kitchen, I need more shots...and some more of that punch too!" Kitty left with Theresa leading her by the hand, with Betsy following after them, more out of concern than anything.
"Guys, I don't think that this is the best idea to- Oh never mind" Jean sighs as they were too far away to hear her. She shoots Emma a withering stare.
"Was that really necessary?"
Emma shrugged "I didn't force them down her throat. Let the girl cut loose, have fun. I thought that's what you wanted her to do"
"Yeah, by ...I dunno...dancing with us or something. Not by drinking herself stupid"
"Oh. Sorry then" Emma said, not sounding very sorry at all "Blame the W.A.S.P. In me, numbing ourselves with alcohol is kind of our thing"
Jean didn't seem to appreciate the joke as she followed after her friends.
"Was that really such a bad thing to do? Is she a total light weight who'll end up passed out in the front garden thanks to me?" Emma asked and I shrugged.
"I don't think Kitty's a big drinker, no, but I don't think she'll go crazy or anything. I'm sure she'll handle herself"
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Okay. It's official. Kitty cannot handle herself.
It has been an hour since she broke down on the stairs, and in that hour she had downed six more shots of vodka, five more cups of punch, drank straight from the bottle of gin and had a few swigs of someones tequila. At least that's what we saw her have anyway.
I'll skip most of what happened and just give you the bare outline. She danced on a table. Broke a kitchen stool. Demanded someone give her a piggyback. Spelt out rude words using the alphabet magnets on the fridge. Insisted she was giving up men and becoming a lesbian. She tried to make out with Betsy. Decided she wasn't a lesbian anymore when she found a Johnny Depp calendar in Theresa's room. Betsy was relieved. She got salsa dip in her hair. Had a sing along with Alison to some spice girls song. She tried to breakdance. I think she twisted her ankle.
We were all now currently on the upstairs landing outside the bathroom as she threw up violently into the bathtub, the vodka bottle lying sadly on the floor besides her.
"Well. This could have gone better" Jean sniffed, arms folded.
I think Emma got the dig aimed at her but she didn't say anything. We heard Kitty give another heave.
Theresa grimaced "Urgh, sorry but i need to go, I can't listen to people be sick, it makes me feel ill too"
"Same. Sorry" Betsy said quickly as they both head off down the stairs.
Luckily I don't have that. I don't get squeamish easily. Mom's the same, it's what makes her a good nurse.
Jean rubbed at her temples as she looked to me "At least we got her to the bathroom in time .Scott, can you just look after her for a bit, please? I'm going to go find her phone and call her Mom, tell her she needs picking up"
"Um.." Ok, so I may not be squeamish but that didn't mean I enjoyed looking after drunk, vomiting girls, but I don't have time to wriggle my way out of it as Jean already makes her way after Betsy and Theresa.
Crap. I stare into the bathroom as Kitty does that awful cough people do when they're being sick.
I turn to Emma "You, ah, don't need to be here if you don't want"
"Mm, as nice as running off and leaving you too it seems, I can't help but feel partly responsible for this. I unleashed the beast I guess, so i'll stay and help with collateral damage" she stares in after Kitty too and wrinkles her nose "...but first I might run after Jean and tell her Kitty's phone has already been shattered on the road outside, and we might need to organise someone else to take her home"
"Oh shit, I forgot about that" I frown. In the back of my head i'm hoping it doesn't end up being my car. As she heads off I'm left alone. Well, alone with Kitty.
"Uh...hey" I say as I step into the bathroom.
She retches a little.
"'Kay then. Um...do you need a glass of water?"
Theres a pleasant sound of vomit hitting the porcelain of the bathtub. I grin and bear it as I reach over and turn the tap on low, leaving the water to wash at least most of it away. I also crack open a window before taking a seat on the edge of the holds her head in her hands as she kneels there on the floor and for awhile she's quiet.
"Do you think you're ok now?" I ask after ten minutes passes.
She gives a sad little nod and an incoherent mumble.
"...cool" I pass her a towel and she wipes at her mouth.
I'm pretty content to just sit there in silence until Jean or Emma arrives back but Kitty seemed to have other plans.
"I really loved him you know"
Oh god.
"Like, I thought we were soul mates" she whimpers.
I can't do this.
I nod stiffly "Yeah...breakups suck"
She's still drunk. I have no idea what to say.I need help.
"And now he's probably out right now, so happy that he got rid of me so he can be with that Strawberry slut" she spat out angrily "Do you know I let him draw me naked once? Yeah, for one of his life drawing projects. He even lit candles while he did it and It was so romantic...like, totally Titanic and I was Cate Blanchette and he was Leonardo DiCaprio"
I am so uncomfortable right now.
Her face suddenly turned sour "but now I bet he's showing them to strawberry and their probably laughing at how flat I am or that I have that weird freckle right above my left nipple"
And I thought I was uncomfortable before.
Hurry, Jean.
Just then Kitty's face screws up and fat tears rolled down her cheeks. I panic. Oh god what's wrong now?
"Scott...?" she asks, her voice a whimper.
"...yeah?"
"This vodka.." she picks up the bottle at stares at it sadly "...It's Russian!"
And then she just breaks down, her body racked with sobs as she buried her face in the towel and wailed.
I kind of raise my hands to do..something, I don't know what. Jean would hug her right now but I don't think I can work my way up to that. Plus she kind of has vomit on her dress. I settle for an awkward pat on the back.
"There there...er, it's ok" I say weakly.
Eventually the sobbing subsides a little bit and she tries to speak.
"You know Scott, your not that bad of a guy" it comes out all muffled, her words garbled together "Like, I know we all say your super boring and that your kind of a bit of a douche sometimes-"
I choose not to comment on that. She's drunk.
"-but like...your dependable you know what I mean? You're always there for Jean and like, you care about her and stuff" She sniffs "and it's totally not fair what she's doing"
I pause and frown.
"What?"
Kitty continues on regardless "The way she's hazing you out is so...so...its exactly what Piotr did to me you know? He just stopped seeing me more and more and called less and less.."
"Ok, Kitty, what are you talking about?" I try and get her to focus but she's on a tangent.
"Like, whatever if she doesn't think you're the best boyfriend, you're good enough,and I just don't want anyone to go through what i'm going through, yaknowwhatimean?" she slurs.
I blink and try and take this in "Wait, what has Jean been saying? She's said this stuff to you?"
But Kitty doesn't even seem to be hearing me "And that stupid crush she has on whatshisface..."
She mumbled it so incoherently I barely caught it, but it made me freeze.
"Jean has a crush on someone else?" I repeat and Kitty's eyes widen.
"ohmygod I shouldn't have..i mean..no, she doesn't! She hasn't said anything!...i'm drunk, you shouldn't even be listening to me!"
Too late, you already said it. I take Kitty by the shoulder and make her look me right in the eye "Ok...ok ok ok...ok" i'm trying to think of what to say here "..are you completely 100% positive that Jean herself has stated that she in fact...likes someone else?" that actually hurt to say.
Kitty's face began to crack "Im such a baaaad frieeeend I shouldn't have said anything" she thwumps her head down onto the side of the bath.
"Who is it?" I demand.
All I get is a muffled whimpering.
"Is it someone I know? Someone at school? Who is it Kitty?!"
"Urrggh...i think...i think i'm gonna pass out" she says weakly.
"Kitty, i'm not falling for that! Please just tell me what the hell you know about this. It's important! Focus!" I shake her shoulder a little and her head kind of slumps to the side a little.
Oh. Ok, maybe she had really passed out.
"Shit" I mumble out loud as I head to the door. The first person I see outside is Bobby. A stroke of luck.
"Hey, Bobby, get over here. I need a favour!"
He must have heard the urgency in my voice and he came over quickly.
"Why, whats up? Has something happe-"
"Just stay here and look after her" I say quickly as I drag him to the bathroom door. He spots Kitty.
"What, why?"
"Just do it, please" I call over my shoulder as a hurry down the stairs.
I need to find Jean.
Theres a million thoughts running through my head. None of them very pleasant. I just need to see her.
I spot her as I turn into the kitchen. She's with Warren, talking.
I feel slightly sick. The thoughts in my head don't even seem to connect up right, it's just one big string of incoherent freaking out mixed in with swearing. I bet it's him, fuck, it has to be. Who else? It's not fair, he's Mr perfect, of course if he tried his moves on her she'd probably end up liking him back. Compared to him, what am I?
I want to punch him. That's not even like me. Maybe that's a good thing. Maybe I should just be totally unreasonable and dramatic and punch him right in the face, make a big scene, publicly freak out. Yell as loud as I can. Not even words just screaming, because that's what I really feel like doing right now.
Jean turns her head and spots me "Oh, Scott, hey. How's Kitty?" she says as I walk up.
I pause for a second, looking between her and Warren. She sounds normal. Warren doesn't say anything but he smiles at me.
Come on, punch him, punch him, punch him.
My mind is screaming at me but I stop.
I doubt myself.. Kitty's drunk...it might not even be true...and if it is...god, punching him would be stupid anyway.
Common sense prevails.
"Scott..?" Jean says gently. I'd been silent for a second too long. I have to snap myself out of it
"She's fine now...well, she's actually passed out. But Bobby's taking care of her"
"Oh, god" she sighs in exasperation "I'd better get up there. Warrens agreed to take her home in his car anyway"
Yeah, what a nice guy. He gives me another smile and I deliberately keep my face mute. His smile slips a little.
"Warren, do you think you could do another huge favor? Do you think you could help carry Kitty to your car?" Jean asks.
"Yeah, sure" he says, quickly following her, tearing his eyes away from mine.
"Oh, and i'm going to go with them so I can give Warren instruction to get to Kitty's house" Jean says to me "So you don't need to give me a lift"
"Ok" I make myself smile as she gives me a kiss on the cheek.
"Seeya" she says brightly as they both disappear up the stairs.
I'm left standing there, feeling like an idiot.
I don't know how long I stand there before Emma happens to walk past me.
"Oh, there you are" she says, doubling back. Then she stops and scans over my face "Has something happened? Oh god, Kitty hasn't got alcohol poisoning has she?" she winces.
"No, she's alright. Warren and Jean are taking her home" I assure her.
"Well, that's a relief. You looked so mournful I thought someone had died" she half laughed "...but ok, seriously, something has happened hasn't it?"
Oh come on, I thought I had a perfectly neutral face on. Neutral! It's not fair that she can tell.
"It's nothing" I say automatically.
Emma clearly doesn't believe me but before she can try again, Tandy's voice cuts above the crowd.
"Heeey Scott! Just wanted to find you and say goodbye before we head off, Tyrone's friend is having a party over at his place and were gonna go there and-" she end up trailing off as she walks up to us and her eyes land on Emma.
"Oh, Emma...hey" she says, sounding kind of stunned.
I look at Emma and see that her usually clam expression has fallen and she looks just as surprised.
"Tandy...hi"
I frown "You two know each other?"
"We both wen't to Massachusetts academy" Emma said stiffly "Or we both used to.."
"Yeah I heard about how you...left, M.A..." I think Tandy wanted to avoid the word 'expelled' "So...you're going to Scott's school now?" she tried to sound conversational.
Emma nodded mutely, her arms folded, and maybe it was just me but she actually looked kind of anxious.
"Cool. I actually work with Scott and Jean up at safeway" Tandy grinned "You've already made good friends then"
She was trying her best but Emma looked like she just wanted this conversation to die as fast as it could. She seemed to get the hint.
"Um, anyway, nice seeing you again Emma and I guess i'll see you-" she pointed to me "-at work tomorrow"
She waved a quick goodbye before making an escape.
Emma still looked tense.
"So...that felt a little awkward"
"Of course it did. I got expelled and she left for rehab. What are we supposed to say to each other? Oh, hows your drug addiction going? Good to hear, my expulsions been great. Not to mention we barely spoke at school anyway.." Emma snapped quickly, in a tone I hadn't heard her use before. It sounded...worried?
"Anyway, are you ready to go?"
I grab my car keys from my pocket "I've been ready for awhile"
A/N:
I was really worried I didn't make this chapter 'fun' or 'party like' if that makes sense. Then again, its's hard to make a party seem exciting when your writing from the point of view of someone who hates parties haha. I just feel like I wrote ten thousand words and nothing much happened? I don't know. That's just me worrying. If I stress too much over it i'd never get anything posted at all.
So yeah, not the best party for Scott. Looking after a drunk Kitty and then maybe, possibly, kind of finding out his girlfriends feelings might be wavering? Lame. Super lame. But oh my god was drunk Kitty fun to write. I actually love her and Piotr together by the way, they're two of my favourite x-characters, but I thought the breakup would be a good plot point. Sorry Kiotr fans.
And to anyone who feels like i'm shamefully bashing Warren for no reason, it's nothing personal! I love the guy, but it's all scott. The whole point of writing this the way I do is to show that Warren actually is a nice decent guy...but of course Scott hates him because of that. Poor Warren. But it happens doesn't it? They're always that one perfect person that you know, and you have no legitimate reason to dislike them but you cant help yourself. If you claim to be above that you are a liar.
And yay I got to introduce Abigail! She was only in it for a brief bit but she will be appearing again throughout the story. I just love her to bits so I couldn't leave her out.
