Chapter Eight
There were three words in the English language Clear Rivers never thought she would even THINK to herself, yet here she was, saying them outloud to herself, a huge smile on her face. She gazed into the mirror and repeated those magic words for the third time.
"I look great!"
Her hair was crimped, something that had taken awhile and was very hard to keep from Maralynn. (Whom she had said goodnight to a half-hour earlier.) The hairspray smell tickled her nose. Then she had dug around and found her nicest pair of capris--black jeans that went halfway to her ankles so that it didn't make her already-too-long legs look like trees. She was wearing a dark blue denim jacket over a tight black tank top. For a finishing touch, she slid in a red punkbelt. Her black running shoes looked really out of place, but maybe it would be dark enough, and how many people really looked at a loser girl's shoes.
'Stop thinking about this way,' thought to herself, 'You don't have to be a loser. You can hang out with George... and Tod and Alex, of course.'
George. Why was she thinking about him? Clear was more of an 'opposites attract' kinda person. She would have thought a guy as quiet as George wouldn't phase on her. Maybe not a guy as quirky as Tod or Billy, but maybe like a not-so-cocky Carter Horton. Or even Alex. A guy that was outspoken, a little on the edge, just someone with a little adventure. But then there was George. And he was just George.
Clear shook her head and sat on her bed. She waited for her messengers while she read her favourite book, Tuesdays With Morrie. For a minute, a wave of fear washed over, almost worried that the guys wouldn't come at all and just wanted to get her hopes up. That was a familiar feeling with Clear. She always tried not to get her hopes up. It wasn't that her father had let her down on purpose when he had died, it was just that she always lost people just when she felt closest to them.
She hugged her teddy bear, Leonard, thinking of how she would feel if someone close to her left her again. But now, there weren't that many people she could say that about.
She shook her head and turned to her window. She was just in time to see Tod approaching the cottage. He looked like he was about to yell to her when she jumped out the window and landed with a thud. Tod looked scared out of his mind.
"Jesus, Clear!" he cried quietly as Clear reached up and shut her window, "You trying to scare me to death? Couldn't you go... slower?"
Clear smirked. "It's called 'being smoothe,' Waggner. Where are the others?"
Tod motioned a big tree, where George and Alex were sitting nestled in the sturdiest branch. They jumped down as well.
"Guys," Clear greeted, "We'd better be quiet. Maralynn thinks I'm tucked in with my teddy bear."
Tod laughed softly. "Teddy bear... you sneak through windows and kick my ass at basketball. No time for Teddy Bears."
Clear blushed, her embarassed expression hidden by the branch in front of her face. "Well," she said, putting her hands in her pockets, "We should go in through the back. No one will be there."
Alex peered at Carter's cabin in the distance. "There's already a few cars there."
They walked in a jumbled bunch, quietly chatting as they passed Clear's ever popular window. Then, rounding the corner by a huge oak tree, a body jumped down and landed in front of them. It started at the feet, with a pair of dirty Nikes, up to some baggy jeans, and finally, a baggy hockey jersey.
Clear was easily startled, so naturally she screamed. Tod clamped his hand over her mouth. "Clear, you idiot!" he hissed, "Have you ever heard of 'open windows?'" He pointed to Maralynn's window, which was open. Clear looked with shock and then twisted herself away from Tod.
"I don't think she heard us. She's a little hard of hearing."
The body stood up. "What a welcome!" he said with a grin. It was Billy.
"Fark!" Tod exclaimed, "Billy! Go away!"
Billy shook his head. "No way man. I wanna crash this party! And I can't do it alone. Please? You guys are the only people at the lake besides Terry that are nice to me!"
George's eyes grew huge. "Terry Chaney? Oh, yeah! She's, like, hot now or something! And she's here? Shibby!"
Billy sighed heavily at George's expression, one that he had used just two days before. "No one says that anymore, George. And, yes, she's at the lake. She told me she was going to meet me here, but she just told me shes not comming. So I need allies."
Clear looked at him simpathetically. "You know, you're good for shock factor. Maybe you could come along..." The guys were looking at her, slightly annoyed. "Come on, guys!" she told them hotly, "If you guys can put up with Tod, you can put up with me!"
They shrugged dumbly and the five of them kept walking to Carter's cottage. They whispered pointless small talk. Then, they reached it. The tiny matchbox of a cottage! And there was a bit of a surprise when Clear swung herself up onto the window sil.
"The only window is Carter's room!" she called down, "No one's in there, but... it's full of underwear!"
Billy rolled his eyes. "Everyone wears underwear, Clear. Besides, now we know for sure weather he's baking brownies or not!"
Clear, ignoring Billy's immature comment, hoisted her feet onto the sil. The window was opened, thank God that Carter was such a dumbass not to shut his window. She almost went back when a funky smell hit her nose, but Alex and George pushed her through the window.
Clear landed on the bed with a thud. She glanced around. Carter's door was, for some odd reason, lying on the ground, and it was replaced with a hanging beach towel. He must have broken the door.
"How is it in there?" one of them called up.
Clear leaned out the window. "It's... weird. I don't think the five of us can get into the main area without getting noticed. Why don't I just get you guys some coolers? Then we can have fun without getting our asses kicked!"
George rolled is eyes and jumped swiftly through the window, rolling next to Clear. "Clear, why are you chickening out?" he scolded, "We're here to crash a party, okay!"
Clear looked at him longingly, a tear welling in her eye. "Sorry," she whispered. "I just don't see the point of all of this. And I'm really bad at this stuff!"
George put his hand on her lap. "Just... do it. You don't even have to touch any alcohol or anything. Just have fun."
Clear grinned. "Okay. Let's go!" She turned out the window. "Hey, guys!" she called down to them. But they were gone. "Guys?"
***
"What the hell are you doing here?" Carter fumed, "This is MY party!"
He had dragged the three guys to the porch, where he was sitting alone on cop watch. So far, about twelve people had entered, no on paying any attention to Carter. Maybe when he kicked these guys' asses, he would earn some respect.
"Your party?" Alex asked, looking at the lone lawn chair, "Looks like you're just a human security camera."
Carter aimed his fist at Browning, ready to blast him when Billy stopped him. "Damn, Carter! Look at yourself! You're being a baby, here! Everything is 'Wanker' this and 'Queer' that and... Goddamn it! Just grow up! No wonder none of your friends are here!"
Carter's first was about to fly at Billy, shutting up his screaming fit, but then he felt embarassed. He was a big baby, no matter how mature he thought he was and tried to be. He sunk into his lawn chair. "Fark," he muttered, "You're right. Look, go in the party all you want, but they're not to friendly in there."
Tod looked at Alex and Billy suspiciously. "What do you think Clear and George are up to in there?"
***
Clear finished off the cooler, nearly sucking out the last drips from the bottle. She had only had one bottle, but she was already getting silly. Just a little. But she didn't notice when George slipped out.
She didn't know why the people let her stay there. She was pretty tall, but she didn't actually LOOK older. Either way, she was kind of having a goood time. She had met a few people, just talked her way around the room. But now, as someone forked her over a Molson, it seemed like the crowd around her grew.
After finishing off her can and getting a new one, she was getting dizzy. She wandered over to a recliner and plopped down. Maybe now she understood why so many people had a good time this way.
"Hi, Clear!" squealed a happy voice. The pounding in Clear's head made the voice seem louder and higher. The voice was Terry's. Terry looked tired, but still perky, like she always was. "What are you doing here?" Clear asked.
Terry did a little twirl, and Clear could tell she had had as much to drink as Clear did. "I had a fight with Erica. You know, I wanted to come here, she didn't, bullshit, bullshit, bullshit, and now I'm here alone!"
Clear stood up. "Then we'll have fun together!" She dragged Terry to the counter and they each grabbed a rhye and coke that Mark had mixed. "To being... uh, single... and... ugh, what's the word?"
Terry giggled. "Independant," she told Clear, "I think it's independant."
"Right! To independance!" They clinked their glasses and downed them like shots. A tall girl behind the counter leaned over to them.
"How old are you two?" she asked as softly as she could, because the music was blaring really loud,
"17!" Terry answered automatically.
"16," Clear followed, not wanting to look too suspicious to this girl.
"Cool," she said simply, "Wanna get your navels pierced?"
Terry nodded with delight. Clear, shrugging inside, said, "Okay!"
The next fifteen minutes were a blur, but by the time the clock struck 11, Clear and Terry now had red, puffy, but more importantly, pierced navels.
***
Alex, George, and Carter sat on the porch, sipping Cokes. George had left the party the second he saw Clear start to drink. He had a cousin that had died of alcohol poisoning, so he wasn't all that good around the stuff. Tod, though, went in for the good vibrations, and Billy just went where anyone else went.
Carter hadn't yet been offered anything to drink, but he liked it that way. If he was going to be on cop watch the whole night, he'd better be sober. Alex was planning to go dry that night as well, because George claimed that Clear was drinking like a fish.
"So," Carter said stubbornly, leaning back, "I guess we're not so different. I mean, I always thought I was a risk-taker, but I guess I like being better safe than sorry."
George sighed heavily. "Yeah," he agreed, "Tod's gotten drunk once. And it wasn't pretty. The guy gives after like two beers."
Then, as if on cue, Tod dashed through the door and to the lake. He looked poised to barf. George shot up and dashed after him.
Carter leaned closer, watching Tod's silhouette as he knelt down and heaved into the lake. George patted his brother's back. "Man," Carter sighed, "I don't think people think of THAT when they think of getting drunk."
Aled nodded in agreement. "What's so great about it? It just makes everything distorted, and a guy can do dangerous things when they're drunk." He looked at Carter, just making sure he didn't think what he said sounded corny. But Carter had a regular, plane look on his face. "Anyways," Alex said, sighing, "Maybe when I'm 17 I'll try it, but--" his thoughts broke off. He darted up, standing on the chair. "I think I see coplights. We have to get the others."
George was now running back to the porch, Tod drudging behind him. "Guys!" Carter warned, "Get out of here. Alex says the cops are comming!"
George nodded, took Tod's hand, and they ran to their cottage. "We'll be on the roof!" George called, "Meet us there!"
Carter and Alex wasted no time. Alex burst in, quickly yelled, "Cops!" and dragged Billy by the collar out of the house. Around back, Carter climbed into his window and got Clear and Terry out. Terry was silly-drunk, whereas Clear was just drunk, and looked ready to heave like Tod.
Alex and Carter met up, and ushered the three onto the Waggner's roof. Then, Carter and Alex climbed up the ladice to the roof themselves. In front of them were five tired, stressed faces. They layed down and watched as the cops escorted Marc out of the house. Carter had a worried expression on his face, probably thinking what would happen if HE got in trouble. But Mark looked very incoherant and just plain drunk.
Alex squinted as he looked at the few people that had gotten away, running into the bush. Helping them didn't even occur to him, he just wanted to help out Tod, George, Clear, Carter, Terry, even Billy. He smiled.
"Looks like we just avoided a close call," he told Carter as he smugly turned around. "Hey... where are Clear and George?"
There were three words in the English language Clear Rivers never thought she would even THINK to herself, yet here she was, saying them outloud to herself, a huge smile on her face. She gazed into the mirror and repeated those magic words for the third time.
"I look great!"
Her hair was crimped, something that had taken awhile and was very hard to keep from Maralynn. (Whom she had said goodnight to a half-hour earlier.) The hairspray smell tickled her nose. Then she had dug around and found her nicest pair of capris--black jeans that went halfway to her ankles so that it didn't make her already-too-long legs look like trees. She was wearing a dark blue denim jacket over a tight black tank top. For a finishing touch, she slid in a red punkbelt. Her black running shoes looked really out of place, but maybe it would be dark enough, and how many people really looked at a loser girl's shoes.
'Stop thinking about this way,' thought to herself, 'You don't have to be a loser. You can hang out with George... and Tod and Alex, of course.'
George. Why was she thinking about him? Clear was more of an 'opposites attract' kinda person. She would have thought a guy as quiet as George wouldn't phase on her. Maybe not a guy as quirky as Tod or Billy, but maybe like a not-so-cocky Carter Horton. Or even Alex. A guy that was outspoken, a little on the edge, just someone with a little adventure. But then there was George. And he was just George.
Clear shook her head and sat on her bed. She waited for her messengers while she read her favourite book, Tuesdays With Morrie. For a minute, a wave of fear washed over, almost worried that the guys wouldn't come at all and just wanted to get her hopes up. That was a familiar feeling with Clear. She always tried not to get her hopes up. It wasn't that her father had let her down on purpose when he had died, it was just that she always lost people just when she felt closest to them.
She hugged her teddy bear, Leonard, thinking of how she would feel if someone close to her left her again. But now, there weren't that many people she could say that about.
She shook her head and turned to her window. She was just in time to see Tod approaching the cottage. He looked like he was about to yell to her when she jumped out the window and landed with a thud. Tod looked scared out of his mind.
"Jesus, Clear!" he cried quietly as Clear reached up and shut her window, "You trying to scare me to death? Couldn't you go... slower?"
Clear smirked. "It's called 'being smoothe,' Waggner. Where are the others?"
Tod motioned a big tree, where George and Alex were sitting nestled in the sturdiest branch. They jumped down as well.
"Guys," Clear greeted, "We'd better be quiet. Maralynn thinks I'm tucked in with my teddy bear."
Tod laughed softly. "Teddy bear... you sneak through windows and kick my ass at basketball. No time for Teddy Bears."
Clear blushed, her embarassed expression hidden by the branch in front of her face. "Well," she said, putting her hands in her pockets, "We should go in through the back. No one will be there."
Alex peered at Carter's cabin in the distance. "There's already a few cars there."
They walked in a jumbled bunch, quietly chatting as they passed Clear's ever popular window. Then, rounding the corner by a huge oak tree, a body jumped down and landed in front of them. It started at the feet, with a pair of dirty Nikes, up to some baggy jeans, and finally, a baggy hockey jersey.
Clear was easily startled, so naturally she screamed. Tod clamped his hand over her mouth. "Clear, you idiot!" he hissed, "Have you ever heard of 'open windows?'" He pointed to Maralynn's window, which was open. Clear looked with shock and then twisted herself away from Tod.
"I don't think she heard us. She's a little hard of hearing."
The body stood up. "What a welcome!" he said with a grin. It was Billy.
"Fark!" Tod exclaimed, "Billy! Go away!"
Billy shook his head. "No way man. I wanna crash this party! And I can't do it alone. Please? You guys are the only people at the lake besides Terry that are nice to me!"
George's eyes grew huge. "Terry Chaney? Oh, yeah! She's, like, hot now or something! And she's here? Shibby!"
Billy sighed heavily at George's expression, one that he had used just two days before. "No one says that anymore, George. And, yes, she's at the lake. She told me she was going to meet me here, but she just told me shes not comming. So I need allies."
Clear looked at him simpathetically. "You know, you're good for shock factor. Maybe you could come along..." The guys were looking at her, slightly annoyed. "Come on, guys!" she told them hotly, "If you guys can put up with Tod, you can put up with me!"
They shrugged dumbly and the five of them kept walking to Carter's cottage. They whispered pointless small talk. Then, they reached it. The tiny matchbox of a cottage! And there was a bit of a surprise when Clear swung herself up onto the window sil.
"The only window is Carter's room!" she called down, "No one's in there, but... it's full of underwear!"
Billy rolled his eyes. "Everyone wears underwear, Clear. Besides, now we know for sure weather he's baking brownies or not!"
Clear, ignoring Billy's immature comment, hoisted her feet onto the sil. The window was opened, thank God that Carter was such a dumbass not to shut his window. She almost went back when a funky smell hit her nose, but Alex and George pushed her through the window.
Clear landed on the bed with a thud. She glanced around. Carter's door was, for some odd reason, lying on the ground, and it was replaced with a hanging beach towel. He must have broken the door.
"How is it in there?" one of them called up.
Clear leaned out the window. "It's... weird. I don't think the five of us can get into the main area without getting noticed. Why don't I just get you guys some coolers? Then we can have fun without getting our asses kicked!"
George rolled is eyes and jumped swiftly through the window, rolling next to Clear. "Clear, why are you chickening out?" he scolded, "We're here to crash a party, okay!"
Clear looked at him longingly, a tear welling in her eye. "Sorry," she whispered. "I just don't see the point of all of this. And I'm really bad at this stuff!"
George put his hand on her lap. "Just... do it. You don't even have to touch any alcohol or anything. Just have fun."
Clear grinned. "Okay. Let's go!" She turned out the window. "Hey, guys!" she called down to them. But they were gone. "Guys?"
***
"What the hell are you doing here?" Carter fumed, "This is MY party!"
He had dragged the three guys to the porch, where he was sitting alone on cop watch. So far, about twelve people had entered, no on paying any attention to Carter. Maybe when he kicked these guys' asses, he would earn some respect.
"Your party?" Alex asked, looking at the lone lawn chair, "Looks like you're just a human security camera."
Carter aimed his fist at Browning, ready to blast him when Billy stopped him. "Damn, Carter! Look at yourself! You're being a baby, here! Everything is 'Wanker' this and 'Queer' that and... Goddamn it! Just grow up! No wonder none of your friends are here!"
Carter's first was about to fly at Billy, shutting up his screaming fit, but then he felt embarassed. He was a big baby, no matter how mature he thought he was and tried to be. He sunk into his lawn chair. "Fark," he muttered, "You're right. Look, go in the party all you want, but they're not to friendly in there."
Tod looked at Alex and Billy suspiciously. "What do you think Clear and George are up to in there?"
***
Clear finished off the cooler, nearly sucking out the last drips from the bottle. She had only had one bottle, but she was already getting silly. Just a little. But she didn't notice when George slipped out.
She didn't know why the people let her stay there. She was pretty tall, but she didn't actually LOOK older. Either way, she was kind of having a goood time. She had met a few people, just talked her way around the room. But now, as someone forked her over a Molson, it seemed like the crowd around her grew.
After finishing off her can and getting a new one, she was getting dizzy. She wandered over to a recliner and plopped down. Maybe now she understood why so many people had a good time this way.
"Hi, Clear!" squealed a happy voice. The pounding in Clear's head made the voice seem louder and higher. The voice was Terry's. Terry looked tired, but still perky, like she always was. "What are you doing here?" Clear asked.
Terry did a little twirl, and Clear could tell she had had as much to drink as Clear did. "I had a fight with Erica. You know, I wanted to come here, she didn't, bullshit, bullshit, bullshit, and now I'm here alone!"
Clear stood up. "Then we'll have fun together!" She dragged Terry to the counter and they each grabbed a rhye and coke that Mark had mixed. "To being... uh, single... and... ugh, what's the word?"
Terry giggled. "Independant," she told Clear, "I think it's independant."
"Right! To independance!" They clinked their glasses and downed them like shots. A tall girl behind the counter leaned over to them.
"How old are you two?" she asked as softly as she could, because the music was blaring really loud,
"17!" Terry answered automatically.
"16," Clear followed, not wanting to look too suspicious to this girl.
"Cool," she said simply, "Wanna get your navels pierced?"
Terry nodded with delight. Clear, shrugging inside, said, "Okay!"
The next fifteen minutes were a blur, but by the time the clock struck 11, Clear and Terry now had red, puffy, but more importantly, pierced navels.
***
Alex, George, and Carter sat on the porch, sipping Cokes. George had left the party the second he saw Clear start to drink. He had a cousin that had died of alcohol poisoning, so he wasn't all that good around the stuff. Tod, though, went in for the good vibrations, and Billy just went where anyone else went.
Carter hadn't yet been offered anything to drink, but he liked it that way. If he was going to be on cop watch the whole night, he'd better be sober. Alex was planning to go dry that night as well, because George claimed that Clear was drinking like a fish.
"So," Carter said stubbornly, leaning back, "I guess we're not so different. I mean, I always thought I was a risk-taker, but I guess I like being better safe than sorry."
George sighed heavily. "Yeah," he agreed, "Tod's gotten drunk once. And it wasn't pretty. The guy gives after like two beers."
Then, as if on cue, Tod dashed through the door and to the lake. He looked poised to barf. George shot up and dashed after him.
Carter leaned closer, watching Tod's silhouette as he knelt down and heaved into the lake. George patted his brother's back. "Man," Carter sighed, "I don't think people think of THAT when they think of getting drunk."
Aled nodded in agreement. "What's so great about it? It just makes everything distorted, and a guy can do dangerous things when they're drunk." He looked at Carter, just making sure he didn't think what he said sounded corny. But Carter had a regular, plane look on his face. "Anyways," Alex said, sighing, "Maybe when I'm 17 I'll try it, but--" his thoughts broke off. He darted up, standing on the chair. "I think I see coplights. We have to get the others."
George was now running back to the porch, Tod drudging behind him. "Guys!" Carter warned, "Get out of here. Alex says the cops are comming!"
George nodded, took Tod's hand, and they ran to their cottage. "We'll be on the roof!" George called, "Meet us there!"
Carter and Alex wasted no time. Alex burst in, quickly yelled, "Cops!" and dragged Billy by the collar out of the house. Around back, Carter climbed into his window and got Clear and Terry out. Terry was silly-drunk, whereas Clear was just drunk, and looked ready to heave like Tod.
Alex and Carter met up, and ushered the three onto the Waggner's roof. Then, Carter and Alex climbed up the ladice to the roof themselves. In front of them were five tired, stressed faces. They layed down and watched as the cops escorted Marc out of the house. Carter had a worried expression on his face, probably thinking what would happen if HE got in trouble. But Mark looked very incoherant and just plain drunk.
Alex squinted as he looked at the few people that had gotten away, running into the bush. Helping them didn't even occur to him, he just wanted to help out Tod, George, Clear, Carter, Terry, even Billy. He smiled.
"Looks like we just avoided a close call," he told Carter as he smugly turned around. "Hey... where are Clear and George?"
