"I'm heading out." I call as I step downstairs. I head for the back door so no one can stop me before I step out.
"Wait," my mom calls from the front of the house. I pause at the door entrance, debating whether to just leave and pretend I didn't hear it.
"Fuck," I curse and close the door. I awkwardly wait at the door until she shows. "What?" I ask a bit annoyed at her interruption. All my mind can think about is finding Michael at the party.
She gives me a bit of a hurt look which just makes me cuss in my mind again. A guilty feeling invades me, making me regret being in such a rush. "I'm sorry Blake, I know you don't like your mother but…" she starts but I cut her off. It's the same old speech and at some point I just get tired of it.
"No mom it's not that. What is it?" I ask again this time doing my best interested voice. She gives me a sort of contempt/condescending look which makes me want to look away.
"I just wanted to say have fun at your party." She says but I look up suddenly.
"You know it's a party?" I ask stepping away from the door. If she knows it's a party there's no way she'd let me go.
"Please Blake I wasn't born yesterday. I had a life too some time ago. Just be careful alright?" she says pulling me into a hug. I hug back, still a little dazed that she's letting me go to a known party. "You know I worry about you right?" I stifle a groan.
"It's alright mom. Thanks." I kiss the top of her head on my way out. I can feel her gaze on me all the way to the car and down the road. Maybe she's not that bad. If she can get over a party maybe she could get over Michael too?
"Welcome to casa de Abraham," Abraham says with a little bow as he lets me in. This time we didn't meet up in a group, and since my mom sidetracked me somewhat I ended up coming a little later. Granted it's only about 9:00 o'clock but still every one of my friends seemed to be already inside.
"Thanks." I greet him with a sort of handshake we invented a while ago. Abraham seems to disappear into the wave of people after that. That familiar wave of strangers, I still have no clue who any of them are.
I search around for a while, after I get a drink of course. The keg's set up in the middle of the room, while someone does a keg stand over it. I settle for grabbing a beer in the kitchen. After that I head upstairs, managing to squeeze past everyone and not be dragged into the middle of the dance floor like last time. Good thing too because Abraham has picked out some weird music. He's always into that low key, underground stuff that no one really knows. It's got a good beat though. It gets muffled after I reach the second floor. The second floor is filled with that familiar smoke coming from most of the rooms.
I first check Abraham's room only to find a couple doing some…acrobatics on the bed. I shut my eyes tight and back out before I can see any more of their performance but I'll still be scared by whatever the fuck they were doing. As I'm backing out I bump into someone behind me.
"Sorry," I mumble until I see it's Maxfield I ran into. We exchange some hellos. "Have you seen Michael?" I ask over the music. He gives me a questioning look but it quickly changes back to a normal, somewhat beer buzzed face.
"No man. I wish I had." I want to ask why but that buzz from my drink and the residual smoke in the air is starting to take over. I lose interest pretty quickly.
"Where's Shanna?" I ask looking around. I hadn't seen anyone aside from him and Abraham all night.
"I think they're out back." Maxfield says starting to head downstairs. I follow him taking one last chug to finish my beer. The taste is horrid but the buzz that soon heads in quickly takes the edge off.
The backyard looks pretty suburban. I remember coming here a few times as a kid before I came for parties. There's a kid's swing set attached to a playhouse, an old tree with a tree house just at the edge of the fence. Beyond that is a forest that seems to just sprout up at the fence. Suddenly I catch most of my friends sitting around the trampoline. I quickly fastwalk over to them and try to get a glance for Michael. I see Ailyn next to Charlie, Shanna, Lilly, Ali and her wheelchair not too far away, and Nellie all sitting around in a circle on the trampoline. But no Michael, where the fuck is he?
"Hey Blake hop on up." Ailyn calls. Maxfield climbs up first and takes a seat next to Shanna. I'm a little hesitant to get up though, where the hell was Michael? Slowly I kick my shoes off and climb up.
"What are guys doing?" I ask as I take a seat. Even back here everyone seems to have a drink, Charlie has a half a six pack left. A few people, Nellie, Ailyn are smoking something. I'm guessing weed. Nellie hands me hers with a smile. I give an uneasy smile back as I take drag. I remember what Michael said, if Nellie does have a crush on me what should I do about it? I can't tell her I'm with Michael, sort of.
"Talking about the future, Lady Sunshine over there wants to win a Grammy or something by 27." Ailyn says like a joke toward Shanna. She scoffs, snuggling into Maxfield. I could see Shanna winning a Grammy; she's one of the best singers I know.
"I am going to win one." Shanna says which causes a little laughter from the group. "Screw you guys." She says falling back on the trampoline.
"Anybody else got big Broadway dreams?" Ailyn asks with a grin on her face.
"I do," Lily says. I suppose I could see her being a success in music too. I try to give Lily an encouraging smile but she just gives me a reproachful look. Guess she's still not over it.
"Well good luck with that." Ailyn says sarcastically.
"And just what do you want to be Miss Buzz kill?" Shanna asks. Ailyn gave a shrug before taking a smoke.
"Stay with Charlie, probably go to college or some shit." Ailyn answered. There was unison 'boo' from the others but Ailyn just took Charlie by the cheeks and pulled him on top of her in a kiss. Then there was an audience of groans but they seemed to be ignoring us now.
"Anyway," Abraham called over the groans. "I'm gonna go to law school." I raised my eyebrows in surprise, along with a few other people. I guess Abraham is charismatic enough, but I can't see him being serious enough to be a lawyer. I would have guessed…professional partier or something.
"Good luck with that," Ailyn called from under Charlie. I rolled my eyes and nudged them as they've been getting somewhat closer to me.
"Well I think you'd make a good lawyer." I say. He steals me smoke though and takes a nice long drag himself.
"Fuck you guys." Abraham says playfully but I can tell he's a bit wounded.
"Well I'm on the Broadway train." Ali pipes up. I shush Ailyn before she can even start.
"I just hope y'all know I'm gonna be the biggest hit of all of us." Shanna says confidently. I laugh a little at their rivalry but honestly if I were to bet which would be the biggest, I'd have to go with Shanna.
"What about you?" Someone asks. They mean me. Oh shit. I think for a second. What do I want to be? What are my long term goals?
"I don't know. I guess go to college like Ailyn." I answer but I get a round of 'boos' like Ailyn's. Ailyn though gives me thumbs up. I guess those are my long-term goals, although my short-term goal is to find Michael. Where the hell is he?