"So, you've never been to one of these parties before?" Victoria asked.
"Never in my life." Exotica confirmed.
It was now early that Saturday evening. The rest of the week had passed relatively quietly. Nothing too spectacular happened, though Plato did try to get Victoria's phone number. That one threw her for a loop. In her old school, boys never really paid any mind to her, so she wasn't used to the attention.
"Let's see what you've got to wear." Exotica said as she hunted through her closet, looking for a cover up to go with her African printed bikini. Exotica had invited Victoria over the night before, telling her to bring her bathing suit so they could get ready together.
Victoria walked over to the bag she had brought, and pulled out the conservative white one piece she brought.
"I was going to wear it with this-" she pulled out a white cotton wrap, "around my waist."
Exotica nodded in approval. "I like it."
Victoria flopped onto Exotica's bed, combing a hand through her platinum hair. Her stomach felt like it had a hundred tons of weight pressing down on it. She had no idea why she was so nervous. It was just a party, right? It wasn't that big of a deal. She went to plenty of parties back home. Though, those were more of "gatherings" than anything else. She had a feeling this party was going to be way more intense than any party she's been to with just her small group of friends.
Victoria tried to ignore her feeling of unease and went into Exotica's bathroom. When she came back out, Cassandra walked into the room.
"Hey, Exotica, I'm taking the car to go to-" she stopped mid sentence, looking at Victoria with a disgusted look. Victoria shrunk under her gaze.
"You aren't thinking about wearing that to the party, are you?" Cassandra asked, her top lip curling with her disbelief. Victoria blushed and looked down at the herself. What was wrong with her bathing suit?
"Absolutely not." Cassandra sashayed into the room and snatched Victoria's hand, dragging her out of the room. "You're coming with me."
Victoria looked back helplessly at Exotica, but she just shrugged and followed behind, knowing nothing would stop her sister.
"I still can't believe you invited the new girl to the party tonight." Demeter said as she pulled her hair into a ponytail. "That's so unlike you." She turned around and scrutinized her sister with narrowed eyes. "What are you planning?"
From her position in front of the vanity mirror, Bombalurina rolled her eyes and applied her signature red lipstick. "Does everything I do have to have some sinister plot behind it?"
Demeter thought for a second, then nodded. "Yes."
This provoked a laugh from Bombalurina. "I'm not all bad, Deme. You would know that better than anyone."
Demeter sighed, her shoulders slumping forward. "Yeah, I know."
Many of the people at their school, especially the girls, thought that Bombalurina was a conniving, critical person. They only saw her for the sharp edge of her personality, the part of her that intimidated other and to a degree, kept them in line. But they often never got to see Bombalurina's decent side. Under all of her attitude and hard outer surface, she was actually a mature, intellectual, and often kind person. But as Bombalurina often said, those traits are not what got her to where she was. Her flirtatious nature could bring any boy in their school to their knees, and her sharp tongue and unrelenting temper often intimidated the girls into submission. Demeter just wished that she would show her softer side more often.
"All I'm saying is, don't embarrass her, Bombs. She's only a sophomore." Demeter said, biting her lip.
"It's nothing negative, I promise." Bombalurina admitted, still seeing the worry on her sister's face. "I just want to see how she acts in a social situation, that's all." She fastened her red halter bikini top around her neck, and pulled on her shoes.
"Are you driving, or am I?" Demeter finally asked, knowing her sister would say no more about the subject. There was no point in badgering her sister over something she knew she would stay tight lipped about.
"Actually," Bombalurina said as she buckled her wedges, "Tugger said he would pick us up."
Demeter raised her eyebrow at this. "And Macavity is okay with that?"
Bombalurina's features twisting in agitation. "He doesn't run my life." She hissed. "Besides, Munk's riding with us too. And nothing fun happens when he's around. Why do you care?"
Demeter was a little surprised about this outburst, but stayed silent. She had been noticing a rift starting to grow between Macavity and her sister. Whenever she asked her about it, Bombalurina always clammed or got angry. Demeter wished she knew what was wrong, but again, she knew better than to pry. Bonbalurina would tell her when she felt it necessary, and not a second sooner.
"I'm going to get a water bottle from the fridge before we go," Demeter said, changing the subject. "Do you want one?"
Bombalurina shook her head, and walked back to the vanity, fluffing and smoothing and adjusting her appearance for the umpteenth time, until it was perfect.
"I don't know, Cassandra. It's not really my style..."
Victoria stared at herself in the full length mirror in Cassandra's room. Cassandra had fitted her out in a black and white bikini, and not a very conservative one at that. It was strapless, and the bottoms tied at the side with gold fabric. It was definitely not something Victoria would wear of her own accord.
"Nonsense, you look great." Cassandra tutted, then cocked her head to this side as she scrutinized Victoria's appearance. "Well, almost."
Exotica was watching from Cassandra's bed, cross legged and leaning back on her hands. She had been quiet during Cassandra's makeover episode, just watching with large, attentive eyes.
"Can I at least wear my cover up?" Victoria asked sheepishly, crossing her arms over her chest.
"You mean that cotton atrocity? I wouldn't. But you can do whatever you want, I guess." Cassandra wrinkled her nose. She turned to her sister.
"Where are the keys to the car?"
"Uh, you can't use the car, Cass." Exotica said, speaking for the first time in the last half hour. "Me and Victoria need it. Why don't you get a ride with Alonzo?"
Cassandra rolled her eyes dramatically. "He went early to help Gus set up for the party."
"Well I need the car. Unless you want to ride with us...?"
Cassandra made a sounds of disgust and turned on her heel at the suggestion.
"I'll just get a ride with Bombs and Deme." She grumbled, storming out of the room.
Munkustrap irritatedly knocked on the door to the bathroom for the fifth time. "You almost done in there, man? We're going to be late for picking up the girls." He said, glancing down at his watch. Tugger had been in there nearly half an hour. He did those every time they went somewhere, and Munkustrap was absolutely positive it was the most aggravating thing in the world.
Their third brother, Macavity, had been absent most of the evening and would not be attending the party because he had "other things to do." What ever that meant. Munkustrap had noticed that Macavity was disappearing without a real explanation more and more often, and for longer stretches of time. Munkustrap didn't like it one bit, but he tried not to let it bother him. His brother was a legal adult now, so he could do whatever he wanted. And if he got in trouble, that was his own fault.
"I'm coming, I'm coming." Tugger said as he strolled out of the bathroom in swim trunks, a towel draped over his shoulder. He slipped on his aviators.
"What were you even doing in there for that long?" Munkustrap asked, crossing his arms.
"Tsk tsk, Munkustrap. Don't you know better than to rush perfection?" Tugger said, giving his brother a sly smile.
"Pfft, as if. You're a good stone throw away from perfect, Tugs."
Tugger frowned. "Don't call me Tugs. No one's called me that since the third grade."
"An immature name for an immature guy. Seems fitting." Munkustrap teased. Tugger playfully shoved his brother for the insult then grabbed his keys.
"C'mon, loser, let's go get the girls."
The two of them walked out of the house after saying a brief goodbye to their father, and climbed into the car.
As Tugger climbed into the driver's seat, Munkustrap opened the door to the passenger seat.
"Hey- whoa, whoa, whoa. What do you think you're doing?"
Mukustrap's eyebrows raised. "Getting in the car. What does it look like?"
"It looks like you're getting into Bomba's seat." Tugger remarked.
Munkustrap groaned. "You've got to be kidding."
"You can sit in the back with Deme. I'm sure she'd enjoy the company." Tugger rebutted flippantly.
"I'm not riding in the backseat, Tugger." Munkustrap said gruffly. "I'll move when we get to the girls' place, if that will make you happy."
Tugger begrudgingly nodded, and Munkustrap got into the car, closing the door. Munkustrap wasn't really surprised. Tugger had always given Bombalurina special treatment. Munkustrap suspected it might be because he might have more feelings for her then his playboy image would allow, but of course he couldn't say that to him out loud. He would deny it to the grave. Tugger was all about his image of being a playboy, and admitting that any girl might have caught his specific attention was far beyond his maturity and pride. He just hoped that Tugger had the common sense not to act on whatever feelings he may or may not have, especially since she was dating their brother. There was no way that could end cleanly, especially with Macavity's temper problem.
"The boys are here!" Demeter yelled, picking up her beach bag.
"Okay, I just got a text from Cass saying she needs a ride, so we'll have to tell them." Bombalurina said, grabbing her phone and purse. "You got house keys?"
Demeter held them up in her hand. "Got 'em."
"Fantastic, let's go."
The girls walked out of the house, locking the door behind them. As promised, Munkustrap moved to the back seat, where Demeter joined him. Bombalurina slid into the passenger seat, placing her bag down near her feet.
"Hey there, handsome." Bombalurina said, winking at Tugger.
"Hey, babe." Tugger returned with a flirtatious smile. "You ready to go?"
"Mhmm." She said, crossing her legs delicately. "But we have to go around to Cass's house first. She just texted me that she needed a ride."
"Will do." Tugger nodded, pulling out of the driveway.
In the back seat, Demeter gave a half smile to Munkustrap. "So, you got exiled to the back, too?"
He laughed. "Yeah. What else is new?"
When he moved, their bare knees brush against each other, and the sensation sent an electric zing up Demeter's leg. She fought the urge to blush.
"Where's Macavity?" She said, ignoring the butterflies in her stomach.
Munkustrap frowned and looked away, scratching the back of his head. "He couldn't make it tonight. He said he had something to take care of. Lord knows what that means. But it's whatever. Parties were never really his thing anyways."
"Yeah." Demeter agreed. "For someone who's supposedly the 'king of the school,' he doesn't really do too much socially, does he?"
"Not really, no."
"Bombalurina doesn't really seem to mind, though. She's social enough for the both of them."
Munkustrap gave a short laugh. "Yeah, I guess she is."
The car came to a stop as they pulled into Cassandra's driveway. She came running out of the house, beach bag in tow. She flew opened the back car door on Demeter's side and climbed in, situating herself between Demeter and Munkustrap before immediately leaning forward to the front seats to talk to Bombalurina. Demeter sighed and looked out her window, her chin resting on her fist. Well, so much for conversation.
"Ready to go?" Exotica asked as she tightened her ponytail.
Victoria sighed and looked in the mirror again. She tugged at her bun and adjusted the hem of the shirt she was wearing to cover up. She would be lying if she said she wasn't nervous. She hardly knew any of these people. What if she made a bad impression? It would be all over- she'd be socially ruined. And why did the queen bee of the school want her to go? Was it some kind of test?
Victoria's stomach twisted in knots.
"Victoria, we need to go soon. Cass and her friends are already at the party. The 'fashionably late' window is steadily closing."
Victoria nodded and bit her lip. She was being silly. It wasn't that big of a deal, right?
"Let's go." She said as confidently as she could, but she couldn't keep a slight waver from her voice.
"Fantastic!" Exotica exclaimed, and they walked out to the car.
Victoria tried to console herself. She was sure she was getting worked up over nothing. There probably wouldn't even be that many kids there, right? If it was just the popular crowd, that couldn't be very big. It would just be a casual little party. She had nothing to worry about, right?
She hoped so.