Chapter 21

Party Crashers

With the party preparations through, they could finally start to relax and feel good about the party ahead, "Not bad for my first shindig," she remarked proud of the hard work, "Thanks everyone for the help now, we get dolled up for when the guest of honor arrives."

Zoe looked at her phone to check the phone and smiled at the bevy of texts from Zig. He just replied.

I keep trying to do some other things, like clean my room and do laundry but i just can't stop thinking about you. I love you.

"Who you texting, Zoe?" Frankie asked questioning, sort of nosy. She was smiling, it was somewhat of a dead giveaway.

Zoe looked up, "It's almost seven, someone has to swing by and pick up Maya and since Becky and Imogen are coming . . . I'll toss them a text." She started typing on her cellphone keyboard the details.

"It's almost party time." Tristan exclaims as he emerged from the kitchen placing some of the food on her living room table. They moved a card table out of the garage for beerpong before Zoe checked her phone in what seemed like hours since her last words from Zig. Zoe pocketed her phones and clapped her hands with excitement. The niners were still in the kitchen with the exception of Frankie who was at Zoe's side. If any of the girls were close, it was Zoe and Frankie who did everything together.

"It's so exciting, so far so good." Frankie beamed, nudging Zoe, "Was it him?"

Zoe looked at her validating her question, "It was."

"Tell me what he said!" Frankie whispered.

"Oh nothing, I just send him some pictures from last night, we hung out and took pictures - "

"And now you guys are Facerange official, that definitely calls for celebration."

"It really, really does." Zoe replied beaming, unable to wipe her smile off her face.

"What else happen?" Frankie pressed as the two girls sat on the loveseat.

"Well, I don't kiss and tell."

"Nonsense, you're one of my best friends. Details now!" Frankie beamed, "And he and I are ancient history, I'm not upset at all. You two are just so cute together."

"Yeah, I heard you had a bit of a thing for him, so maybe it's right I don't tell you."

"No, you aint getting out of this one easy."

"You kind of have to promise you take it to the grave . . . " Zoe trailed off, her voice kind of hinted it went further than intended but at the moment, in the moment going the distance felt right and good and this morning she felt safe in her decision.

"You did it?!" Frankie asked aloud.

Zoe hushed her, causing the young freshman to quiet down, "You went all the way, really? That's wonderful!"

"Yeah, it is." Zoe replied sighing, "It couldn't have been more than a perfect night."

Amanda swooped by, and sat on the arm of the couch chewing on a nacho, "You guys have to try that dip but, what are you two talking about?"

"Nothing, Amanda." Zoe replied, "I'd love to try some of your fabulous dip."

Zoe started to do some last-minute clean ups as she admired her look from the living room mirror, she topped it off with her pink lipgloss as she heard a knock at the door, Zig texted:

Open up.

Zoe opened up the door and it was him. He was here, here for her. She beamed, her eyes lit up and she was overjoyed to see him. She pulled him into a hug before pulling away and taking him by the hand in the house, no one was in the living room when she whispered something in his ear, "There's just one minor snag with you being here and all . . . . "

Tori emerged from the kitchen bringing out a box of crackers and from her surprise she dropped them onto the floor when she laid eyes on the mystery man guest, "It's you."

"Tori." He stated, he offered her a small smile testing the waters, last he saw her he was sure she hated him, but that was eons ago. So much has changed between him, since she left and even before she left.

Zoe just watched them silently interact, she backed away into the corner as he walked to her and she willingly walked toward him like nothing had ever happened between them. Perhaps it was a disaster for Tristan to invite her and for her to invite her boyfriend to the shindig. How was Zoe supposed to know that she still had a thing for him? Maybe she was just overreacting and they were just being cordial.

Zig gave her a friendly hug, and she followed suit, it was short and sweet and took some of the load from Zoe's shoulders, he pulled away, "I suppose the guest of honor is uh . . not here yet?" Zig asked as he pulled away from Tori.

Both girls shook their head, the girl standing before him Tori couldn't take her eyes off him. He was a stranger to her, he looked nothing like he used to look when he was her Zig.

"You look good." Tori replied, "No wonder she likes you."

Zoe blushed and looked awkwardly down at her feet. Zig sensed Zoe's insecurity and raised his arm pulling her close to him to bring her more into the fold, he supposed. Perhaps he was feeling just as uncomforted by Tori's presence, "My new school . . . it's not like here."

"Oh right, what is that place like?"

"I am among the pretty and popular and I even have a new best friend . . nobody could replace Tris but I'm getting my license soon so maybe I could see you guys again when I drive up or whatever."

"That sounds like a sweet idea." Zig replied surprised that she was so okay with Zoe and him dating and things. He could tell there was so much on her mind, and yet she didn't seem the least bit hurt. Zig was much more observant and smart after all he dated her for nearly eight months and he knew the tell-tale signs. She was being genuine, "Right, Zoe?"

"This girl and I hit it off." Zoe replied, looking at Tori for clearance, "Aint that right, Tori?"

Tori nodded cheerfully, "Yep, we had some awesome Girl Talk."

"Oh yeah?" Zig questioned, "Anything about me?"

Tori looked to Zoe and beamed before looking at Zig, "Nope."

He furrowed his brow, less than convinced, "Well it's nice to see bonding I suppose, as opposed to hair pulling."

"Zig you came!" Tristan emerged from the kitchen. Zoe's kitchen doors were separated from her kitchen so that the surprise could be pulled off without a hitch, "I got a text from Maya who isn't sure why Imogen and Becky are swinging by picking her up?"

Zoe turned her head to call back to her, but Tristan pulled an unprepared Zig into a hug. Despite them going to the same school, not speaking for an entire summer all the while Zig thinking he sided with Tori and didn't like him anymore, and now he's giving him a hug and Tori is actually genuinely being nice this calls for celebration. All this time Zig felt like a loner in his own town and now the people who somehow played roles in making that even happen are now being kind to him once again and the best part is that they're being real. Burying old hatchets and other things, it might be a bad time for him to bring up this next bombshell he wanted to add, "I sort of invited my friends."

Zoe closed her eyes with the swirling inquiries, invites and Maya not putting stock in this at all, she took a deep breath, "Tris say we're having a cast party for Grease."

"Wouldn't Miles be there?"

"No because he's not invited."

"Whos Miles?" Tori asked, her eyes lit up. Boy crazy as always with a phobia for being the single-gal she already liked the sounds of a certain boy before she even laid eyes on him.

"Miles is an asshole, not to be trusted."

"Why do you guys hate him so much?" Tori asked.

"He's Maya's ex, and he's bad news." Zoe said in reply, making Tori flinch, "Okay everyone in the kitchen, I'll stay here and guard the door."

Tristan, Zig and Tori had a lot to talk about, so they waltzed into the kitchen as Zoe guarded the door but another car, a car she didn't recognize to be Imogen's rolled into the driveway she face palmed. A full car of teenage cronies, causing Zoe to turn her head to call out to Zig, "Your buddies are fucking here and they're going to ruin the surprise, you mind?"

"Stage crew?" Zig asked.

"It would work if they were actually in stage crew?"

Zig opened up his cellphone, his dinky little flip phone in a world of smart phones. He wasn't complaining, after all a phone is a phone but he still felt insecure as everyone was on their smartphones around him crowded in the kitchen, he texted them to park up the street so it didn't look suspicious. Zoe beamed as they moved their car elsewhere but came up the driveway quickly. Zig must've let them know they were right on time for the surprise.

Zoe let them in asking them their names, the girl stood out to her. Zig had friends who were girls, she wondered to herself as the girl made a face at Zoe, she nervously looked at her. It was just what she needed someone who disliked her in her own home, her voice was laden was snark as she stated, her arms crossed, "I know you."

"You haven't crossed my mind."

"You made the Facerange page, and it's Grace by the way."

Zoe took her snarky ways as a challenge, she walked up to her being just as tough, she was chest to chest with her, causing the guys who were your typical cronies to chant OOOOH and make side comments, "Should I call you Grace or By-the-way."

"I hope this party is as much as a blast as it's advertised as because," she looked around, "I invited some people."

Zoe couldn't help but look behind her to see another car inching toward the house, she pushed them into the kitchen, "In the kitchen, in the kitchen."

"Okay okay, no need to be pushy." Grace says rolling her eyes, "Come on guys, I wonder if some munchies are in the kitchen." In seconds they disappeared causing Zoe to whisper to herself with a celebratory motion, "Yes!"

The car that was coming was indeed Becky's. Zoe stood in the crook of the door, she quietly announced, "Quiet back there, okay, now on the count of three we have to yell when the door opens, and the lights go on okay?"

"What do we yell out, Zoe?" Grace tested her patience.

"Surprise!" Zoe says, while the light was flicked.

Becky, Imogen and finally Maya stepped into the room and looked about, "Why is it so dark in here, guys?"

Zoe flipped on the light and everyone yelled, "Surprise and emerged from the kitchen?"

Maya covered her mouth in surprise as her eyes widened with wonder seeing all of her friends and a bunch of people from school, "Oh my Goodness. Zoe?"

Zoe emerged from the door and faced Maya, "You surprised?"

Maya nodded, smiling the entire time, she pulled Zoe into a huge tight hug whispering, "You did this for me?"

Zoe nodded in the hug before pulling away, "Happy birthday."

"Thank you so much Zoe." Maya said gleefully as she pulled out of the hug, "I'm glad everyone kept it a surprise, I don't hate surprises anymore, not like this. It's got everything, food, friends and entertainment."

Everyone pat Zoe on the shoulder, all of them thanking her for the great party and the idea that brought them happiness. A feeling of joy and accomplishment washed over the bright-eyed brunette whom always wanted friends and now she has friends a-plenty and she's never felt more full of joy in her sixteen years and now Maya is turning the not-so sweet milestone.

Zoe decided to get to the first order of business, which is drinking, she turns to Tori, "Why don't you pop open your bottle of wine?"

"Sure thing." Tori made her way to the crowd by the door standing behind Zig at first before answering to Zoe's demands.

Maya squealed and turned around behind her and saw Tori who pulled her into a hug, "I had no idea you were in town, how long have you been back?"

"I just got in today, I have some great news though: I'm going to be starting at Degrassi. My parents officially got separated as of a few days ago and they're headed to divorce so I go to my dads a few days out of the week so I'm attending Degrassi effective immediately. Isn't that great?"

"It's . . well . . something." Maya said surprised."I mean, insane. It's so great."

"Great tonight is like a brand new start." Tori says as she takes the corkscrew out of her pocket and opens up the bottle, before making a countdown, Frankie came over with glasses and Tristan joined in as did the other party goes Amanda and even Grace the outsider and the new comer. Zig's friends turned to him and asked, "I wonder if they made any sweet treats."

Tristan overheard and whipped his head to look at them, against his better judgement he lulled to them in a low whisper as Tori poured everyone a glass, "

"Now on the count of three everyone is going to clink glasses and say 'to new beginnings'"

"I like that." Zoe replied, "how about it Maya? Why don't we do a toast to our birthday girl Save the new beginnings for our first shot of the night."

"I can make a buttery nipple, I'm going to bartender school. They're sweet."

"Aren't you a junior?"

"I got held back what's it you?" Grace challenged, she was a rough and tumble ride or die chick. When you were her friend and ally she'd defend you to the death but if you weren't watch out she has her loyalties and she will royally fuck your day up if you let your guard down. She would take you to the cleaners, a born kleptomaniac. She's harmless though, and she almost always brings someone something better, a Robin Hood effect but she'd never steal from a friend.

"Well, that would be awesome." Maya said.

"I also brought my bong and some before munchies time drugs."

"We did make some special brownies." Tristan called before looking to his right at Zig's man-posse who giggled stupidly at the remark, the white-haired boy had hinted around and they were going to have a night, alright.

"I could uh pack it up, Grace."

"I could do it myself." Grace replied rashly as she pulled back on it as soon as he picked up her bong from the living room table.

"I didn't say you couldn't?" Grace wasn't the most kindest girls, but if she respected you enough you would know the difference of her general consensus of you. If she didn't like you, you would know because she'd get drunk enough and start a fight with you. She's an alcoholic, and has been for quite sometime but because she spends her days boozing and getting herself virtually numb and unsuspected she's golden for that one sweet day. Grace loves to drink, she drinks like a fish and curses with a sailor, she's a mean drunk with a mean streak and a death wish, on those nights she ends up clearing a room after it erupts into madness. She's a forced to be reckoned with, a loose cannon and she will rock you like a hurricane doesn't matter if you're a boy or a girl you're a black belt, because so is she. She grew up with older brothers, all of them into the sport she was also into hockey but her new school Degrassi, oh did we mention it's her first school? Yes, Grace's father is a general in the Canadian Army but now he works off the battlefield and in offices. They're loaded but you wouldn't see by Grace's way of obscure tastes and fashion choices in her clothing. Her parents hate it but they're not around half the time, she's largely alone and she sort of likes it that way. There's always seems to be a cloud of bad luck, a string of failed romances, lost friendship due to her kleptomaniac ways and her psychotic drunken episodes. Only Zig and her guys and whoever was unfortunate to be at any of those parties. Preppies like Maya, the legacy younger spawns of notable Degrassi alumni Katie Matlin who broke the soccer record and track records for years to follow, so far no one has beaten her since her intro year and cheerleader turned head cheerleader turned emotional basket case, Darcy Edwards who since moved to Kenya and never turned back, and then straight to university where she lived in a monastery, tuition paid in full by her church due to her good marks while she was in high school and attended school abroad. She loves it there and that's why she never bothered for a visit. She has all brothers, all in the law, been to prison in and out for most of her life he was the oldest, Dave, the second oldest is a drug-dealer and his drug of choice is heroin and he is horrible addicted when he isn't in prison he's looking to score, her other brother is into ATV's and bikes and he sits in the house and smokes all day. He's on probation and uses her pee to test out of his tests since his license is revoked for driving under the influence and found with drugs in his car.

Zig scoffed shrugging his shoulders, "Please don't act up tonight."

"I won't. I'm sticking with this, after all it's only when I mix, and I mix because we don't have enough of the same shit."

"Okay, okay." Zoe said in reply causing them to stop arguing, "I want to propose a toast for Maya, she's slowly but surely came to be one of the most trustworthy, kind and sweet girls I've come to know. We didn't always get along and our friendship is still new and full of obstacles I know if I could take back a lot of things I did to her and I know she'd feel the same we'd absolutely want to start fresh. I will never know someone who impressed me so much with their bravery and head-driven goals as I see with her. So, happy sixteenth birthday, Maya. Drink up."

All of the people clinked glasses and Tori downed hers almost immediately. Everyone shifted their attention to her, she giggled before grabbing the bottle by the nose and pouring it. Inside she was screaming, Zig had moved on and it was clear and obvious as they started canoodling in plain sight. Zoe and him were hugging and swaying but she pretended not to notice so drinking was helping with that. Tori was single and having bad luck with boys, all the boys she was interested turned out to be not-so single but they were nice enough and she started spending time with them as well as their girlfriend, catching the boys they set her up with but always end up not working out in the end.

Grace gulped down the remaining as Tori finished pouring she got more in her cup, the clinked glasses again and drank. Maya plopped down on the couch and Tristan started unloading the presents from everyone, Maya got a joint from Zig, a charm for her charmbraclet to start it and the bracelet itself, Zoe threw her the party and got her a gift card from The Dot. Frankie and the girls got her some earrings and bracelets and Tristan got her a charm for the bracelet and a gift card to The Dot.

Just then Frankie heard a knock at the door everyone was distracted on the couches, but an uninvited and unwelcome guest came to the party, it's Miles and he's clearly a drunken mess. He had a bottle of liquor and he reeked. His face was still beat up and it had been days since he was last at school, and he was the last person everyone would've wanted to see. Frankie knew this, she looked behind her and saw no one noticed her slip by she pushed him outside, "Get out of here."

"Please, I need to see Maya, it's really important." he slurred, shouting, "I love her, she needs to know that!"

She held her hands in front of her in a blocking stands, "You're a mess, Miles run along home, dad is going to be pissed if he sees you out."

"What you going to narc on me for raiding the liquor cabinet, I feel like you want to see me get beat. At least with these bruises, they didn't come from fucking dad. Consider yourself lucky, if I had shit on you I wouldn't rat you out. You know why? Ethics."

"Stop embarrassing me, I want to make it here, in Degrassi. I want friends and I have them and if you waltz in there and act like a drunken buffoon I will never be able to show my face at Degrassi again!" She exclaimed, "I will stick Zig on you so fast."

"If he fucks me up again, I'll go the authorities, go informant and tell them about his drug ring at Degrassi."

"You wouldn't . . " She said cooly.

"Let me in then, little sis." Miles cooed pushing her into the door, before guzzling about a shot from the bottle, swinging it around, "If Zoe knows what's good for her, she'll let me stay too."

"You're an asshole, I hate you."

"Right back at you, but I'm a man of my fucking word." Miles sneered, "You know it's Zoe's fault, right? The secrets out, her secret is out. She's a little fucking whore. She gave me chlamydia don't let the fame steer you."

"What are you fucking talking about? You sound like a madman."

"You didn't hear me? I'm your brother." He hollered louder as she pushed him, causing him to fall, "Zoe Rivas," He screamed cupping his mouth to amplify from the ground, he took a sip and hiccupped, he coughed from the stingy liquid hitting the back of his throat and the cold, wearing just a short-sleeved striped polo, stained from some mishandled booze. White and navy, he looked like an absurd sailor who is flagged, or should be flagged, "she gave me chlamydia."

"You're a fucking liar, don't you dare say that about her."

"Ask her." He dared, pursing his lips nodding, "Ask her, and you'll see I tell you no more lies." He was trying to get his footing but he was wasted. Zoe heard commotion outside her front door, her neighbors would likely call the cops on the little powwow so she stepped in the door frame and observed a bruised, drunk and clearly shaken Miles ranting and raving at her front porch with a cold and coatless Frankie deeply engaged in a shouting match.

"It doesn't matter, she's more of a sister to me than you a brother."

Miles didn't say anything, he breathed in and out slowly, he felt gutted. He couldn't think of much to say, he muttered a few obscenities and inaudible before looking up at her, he closed his eyes before he spoke and reopened them as he opened up his mouth, "So that's how you feel, huh? I guess I'm out."

Zoe walked outside, she had heard enough of the conversation to see that Frankie was giving him the boot for her own reasons, putting words in Zoe's mouth but they were what she would've wanted in Frankie's defense, "Miles . . " she sighed knowing she'd regret this but just this once, "Come in."

He turned around, he furrowed his brow, he bit his lip feeling suddenly guilt-striken for the vile things he had said and done to Zoe. It ultimately resulted to where they are now, bitter enemies but Zoe knew how to let it all come to pass and end. She surrendered, gave up the fight and just said, fine. Holding grudges weren't good for anyone, especially Zoe. She groaned, "I know I'll regret it but, come inside. No one is going to mess with you. Besides, you're already drunk, I'm on my way to being drunk and we're all having fun. There's food."

"You mean it?" He walked toward the house. Frankie didn't say anything, but then when she saw him pass her by.

"Zoe, what about all the terrible things he's done?"

"Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong, the weak cannot forgive." Zoe replied, beaming, "I believe myself to be strong."

Zig looked to Zoe squinting his eyes at what he saw next, the guys and girls were playing board games and doing shots, when in came Miles and suddenly the roaring laughter, the straight faces came on and furrowed brows. He nervously stood before everyone with his head down, "Want some more?"

Miles shook his head, "I'm here to wish Maya, the happiest birthday. And I wanted to hand deliver my greeting, to you."

"What if I don't want it?" Maya shouted, "You know for one day, I wish you wouldn't make me feel like shit over our break up. When you just disappear off the face of the Earth - "

Tori couldn't help but find herself entranced in the young, downtrodden man who smelled of whisky and looked quite disheveled, drunk and a mess. He was clean and lean but she found something in him that nobody saw. She just watched him and his mannerisms, the way he pushed his longer piece of hair up front to the side, how he smiled close-lipped, how he looked about sheepishly like a small puppy dog who had lost his way and yet she was slowly finding herself smitten with the boy who crashed the party. He had a history with Maya, but in her defense so did Maya when she herself was with Zig. Girlcode isn't a thing when it comes to Maya and Tori, that bridge had already been burned but she had no ill-will. Besides, Maya appears to hate him. Her tongue was spiked with truth, she was just keeping the anger flowing.

"I just wish you'd know I never, ever wanted to hurt you."

Frankie just watched him, her arms crossed as she leaned against the wall mortified scowling, angry at the situation, that him being there makes her look bad because of their relation.

"It doesn't change that I will always be tainted even though . . I'm cured and thank-god it was able to be."

"You think I don't know how that feeling feels?" He hollered back.

Imogen looked at Becky, and she at her they both looked at their empty glasses before Becky whispered, "I am way too sober for this," Becky went to the table and picked up a brownie for each of them and some jungle juice before trekking down the basement to be alone. Everyone else remained transfixed in Miles' breakdown for the world to see. Frankie just left them to it and dashed into the kitchen. Zoe watched with concern, she wanted this to stop. She thought hating Miles was mutual between everyone, especially to her, how come she suddenly felt so guilty?

"It's not my fault I got it."

Maya scoffed, "What did she have a gun to your head to fuck you without a condom on and then you lied to me and told me that you never did that before. That you kissed fifty girls and one Tristan after I said I was inexperienced and you implied that it carried over to you?"

"I never said I was celebrate, Maya! Even I was, that was when Zoe and I were together. If there's anyone you should royally be pissed at it's her."

"Excuse me, but Zoe tried to be my friend, she didn't try to get into my pants from day one, unlike you."

Zoe was burning up by the second, all she wanted was for everyone to change the subject, anything, she was either going to explode into rage and tell him off, to get out because the people were starting to whisper. The niners, the girls who built up things about her.

Frankie ran to him at once and pushed him onto the ground, "You said you wouldn't!"

She burst into tears suddenly, she was so angry. She was still high from the brownies so everything just seemed to be so intense for her now, her pain multiplied, "Go home no one wants you the fuck here. Get out of here."

"Kill yourself." Zig's cronies chanted laughing, even Grace joined in who was too inebriated to know what she was doing. Normally down to earth, she just stuck with things as they are.

Zoe covered her ears observing the chaos and commotion transpiring in front of her. The party is quickly becoming a ginormous failure as there was unrest in the once promising party. Miles was not to be trusted, he is to be ostracized, "Boys go to it, get him out of here."

He looked around and tried to make a run for it into the kitchen but the heavy, Zig and his boys picked him up from shoulder to shoulder before Frankie could get him with a few hits, she was inconsolable, Zoe reluctantly pulled her toward her into a hug as Zig and his friends took him away to beat him up before returning to the party, to salvage what's left of it that is.