JT and Toby were hopelessly lost.
"We definitely got off at the wrong stop," said Toby, looking around at their unfamiliar surroundings.
"No, really?" JT replied, sarcastically. "I thought you were supposed to be the brainiac." He groaned looking at his watch. "We were supposed to be there a half hour ago. By now all the girls must be taken."
"Okay, relax," said Toby. He glanced at the bus route posted on a nearby pole. "It looks like we just got off a stop too early. If we walk down this way," he said, peering off to their right, "we should get there eventually."
JT sighed. "I guess we'd better. But if we don't get there soon…"
They walked along in silence for a long time before Toby spoke.
"I feel guilty being here without Kendra."
JT rolled his eyes. "There's nothing to feel guilty about. You invited her and she said she didn't want to come. It's not like you're going with another girl or anything."
Toby stared at the ground. "I know, I know. But she sounded so disappointed in me. You should have heard her. 'Why would you want to go to a party and watch other people make fools of themselves, not to mention risking making a fool of yourself in the process?' She wanted to show me the new game she got for her computer tonight."
"Well that sounds like more fun than a raging party," replied JT. "Listen, Tob, don't worry about a thing. You'll forget all about Kendra when…" He paused, hearing the stains of music. A grin spread across his face. "When you have the time of your life tonight." He started to jog and soon reached Sean's house. He was surprised at the state it was in but took it as a sign that this would indeed be a wild night.
They entered the house trying to look as cool and tough as possible. JT looked around, trying to figure out how to make the most of his time. They weren't sure how long JT's parents would be gone and definitely did not want to arrive home after they did.
JT spotted Sean and quickly grabbed Toby by the elbow, leading him into the kitchen.
"Get off of me," Toby muttered, yanking his arm away.
"Sean-alert. I don't think he should see us. He might kick us out." JT looked around and grinned upon seeing a group of girls surrounding a tray on the counter. He rubbed his hands together. "Ladies, here I come." He strutted over to where they stood. "What have we got here?" JT peered into the tray to see several small cups filled with different colored liquids. "Punch?"
The girls laughed. A tall blond smirked at him. "They're jello shots," she told him snidely.
"Ah, of course, of course," JT said quickly. "I was just kidding. I love these things." He picked one up one. "Cheers." He dumped the jello into his mouth and nearly spit it back out again. The girls burst into laughter again then walked away shaking their heads. JT quickly spat into the sink then grabbed a glass of water, trying to rinse out his mouth.
"No good?" Toby was smiling.
"Uh-uh," JT replied as he wiped his mouth. "That tasted like acid mixed with—" He trailed off as he caught sight of who was entering the kitchen. "Hey that's Dean."
"Who?" Toby asked, following JT's line of sight.
"He, um, was the guy I got into that fight with last year at the game."
"Oh yeah. You never did explain to me what happened."
JT turned away quickly as Dean looked in their direction. "Never mind. Let's get outta here." They hurried through the other door into the hallway. It was crowded and filled with smoke. He spotted Sean standing with a group of friends, all laughing and drinking beer.
Turning quickly on his heel, JT saw Ashley and Terri.
"Hello, girls how are you on this fine evening?" JT coughed as someone blew a puff of smoke into his face.
The two girls looked at each other.
"We were better before we ran into you two," Ashley replied. "I don't think you're supposed to be here, Toby."
Toby rolled his eyes. "Like your mom would be thrilled to hear that you went to a party like this too?"
Ashley sighed. "Good point."
"Have you seen Paige?" JT interjected.
Terri shrugged. "Saw her a little while ago but we lost her when we were dancing." She grinned. "Hey did you see that dance Jimmy was doing? It's from the new video…" The two girls turned away from JT and Toby and walked into the living room.
JT sighed and scanned the room.
"I thought you were supposed to be getting over Paige," Toby reminded him. "Why are you looking for her?"
"I-I just thought of something that I wanted to tell her. There she is!" JT finally spotted her standing with Hazel in the dining room. He hurried over then skidded to a stop upon seeing what was going on. Hazel's eyebrows were knitted with worry. Paige was setting down an empty bottle of beer next to another one and was opening one more. They were arguing about something and Paige was obviously very drunk.
JT edged closer, trying to listen.
"Paige, we really should go," Hazel was saying. "You've had plenty to drink. Why don't you let me have that one?"
Paige pulled the bottle away. "It's mine! Go find your own! And we're going to stay here all night. I don't care that stupid Dean is here. I'm not going to let him get to me anymore. I'm going to have the best night of my life!" She raised her arms, spilling beer onto the girl next to her. "Oops! Sorry didn't see you there."
"Don't let Dean get you upset. Give me the bottle, please."
"Fine, take it." Paige shoved the bottle into her friend's hand. "I want to dance. I'll prove to Dean that I don't give a crap about him anymore."
Hazel took the bottle and set it down then turned to watch Paige climbing onto the table. "Paige! What are you doing?!"
"Dancing, silly!" Paige began to dance wildly as people gathered around watching. Many were laughing and pointing.
JT came over to stand at the edge of the crowd. He noticed Dean was in the crowd, laughing with his friends.
"See, Dean, I'm having plenty of fun, despite what you did to me!" Paige shouted.
"Paige, get down!" Hazel was shouting desperately.
JT elbowed his way through the crowd as fast as he could. He had to get to her before she embarrassed herself even further.
"Paige!"
Paige looked down at him, pausing for a second. "Oh, hey JT!"
"Paige, please come down," JT cried urgently. "I know why you're doing this but you have to come down, okay?"
Paige shook her head, grinning. "Nope, not until my big finish!" She spun around on one foot, lost her balance and started to fall. JT dashed forward but knew he wouldn't make it in time.
Suddenly, Sean came out of nowhere and caught Paige just before she would have hit the ground. The crowd cheered. JT came over as quickly as he could.
"Take her," Sean said, pushing Paige into JT's arms. "Get her to a bathroom or outside or something. She looks like she's gonna puke."
JT looked at Paige's face and she did indeed look close to vomiting.
"Come on," he said, pulling her towards the bathroom. When they reached it there was a line of almost a dozen people. "Damn."
"Get her outside," Hazel said, coming up behind them. She helped JT drag Paige out back just in time as she vomited onto the lawn. Hazel held back her friend's hair, grimacing. "I told you not to have that second bottle."
Paige just groaned and threw up again.
A cell phone rang shrilly and Hazel dug through her purse trying to find it. "Hello?" Her eyes suddenly widened. "Mom, I—okay. Okay!" She snapped the phone shut. "Oh we're in trouble. Well, maybe not you but definitely me, Paige."
"Huh?" Paige mumbled.
"My mom called your house and there was no answer. She knows I'm here."
"Oh yeah, my parents were going to stay over at a friend's house tonight or something," Paige said. She groaned. "We're so busted."
"Maybe not," JT said slowly.
"What do you mean?" Paige asked. "We're definitely caught. Hazel told her parents she was sleeping over my house and I told mine I was sleeping over her's."
"Well, you could just pretend like you had no part in it," JT suggested. "Say that Hazel had used you as a cover without you knowing."
Paige looked at Hazel hopefully. "Could you?"
Hazel shrugged. "I don't see why not. It's not like I could get into any more trouble than I'm already in. Just hope my mom doesn't tell your mom." She sighed. "I guess I'd better get going. Are you going to be okay?"
Paige nodded. "I'll be fine. Good luck."
Hazel patted her on the shoulder then walked back into the house.
JT looked back down at Paige. "Are you really okay?"
Paige grimaced. "I feel completely gross." She wiped her mouth.
"Come on." JT led her over to a lawn chair and helped her sit down. "You should probably just relax for a little while."
Paige leaned forward, putting her head into her hands. "Did I really just do that? Did I really just dance on that table and yell that stuff at Dean?"
"Yeah. But hey, at least you got down before anything really bad happened," JT said, comfortingly.
"I guess. God, that was so embarrassing." She swiped at her eyes quickly. "I can't believe he was here."
"But it doesn't matter, right?" JT said. "I mean, you're over him. There's nothing to be afraid of anymore."
Paige shrugged, wrapping her arms around herself. "I am over him but it's still hard seeing him all of a sudden like that. In same kind of place where…it happened." JT could see tears glistening in her eyes and all he wanted to do was hold her in his arms and tell her everything would be okay. Instead he opted to pat her arm, sitting down in the edge of the chair.
"Thank you," Paige whispered.
JT's eyebrows shot up. "Whoa, Paige, thanking me for something? So out of character, so strange…"
"Shut up," Paige replied, but she was smiling. She leaned forward to hug him. "I mean it, thank you."
"Now I know you must be drunk," JT said, his heart racing, glad it was dark out so she couldn't see the flush creeping up his neck.
Paige pulled away and looked into his eyes. "You know, JT, I wish…"
JT could see her lips only inches away from his. He longed to close the gap. "You wish what?"
"I wish that…" She leaned closer.
JT started to close his eyes and lean in. Suddenly Paige turned away, leaned over the side of the chair and threw up into the bushes.
Well that was lovely timing, he thought with a sigh.
