Author's Note- Thanks for the reviews! There's going to be another party, and a lot is going to happen at it. So keep reading and reviewing! Thanks
Roxie walked into her kitchen after school on Wednesday, and she grabbed an apple and bit into it. She turned and saw Angel and her best friend Kayla sitting at the table, smoking and talking. Roxie took another bite of her apple.
"So I guess we better buy some shit or something," Angel said carelessly. She stuck her cigarette into her mouth and grabbed the pen. "I don't have any money, though."
Kayla shrugged. "Get people to bring stuff. Then you don't have to do anything. Invite everyone, and then you'll have plenty of food."
"For what?" Roxie cut in. Angel turned to her with a smirk. She propped her feet up onto the glass table and leaned back in her chair.
"For the party I'm having this weekend. An early Halloween party, without the queer costume crap."
"No costumes? Damn…and look…you already have yours on!" Roxie said, gesturing to her sister. "A psychotic future prostitute. I love it. It's so…you."
Angel sneered. "You're not invited, obviously, so don't get too excited."
"Shut up, Angel. I live here. You're having a party. What about Mom and George?" Roxie asked. Even if they were around, it wasn't like her parents would care. They would probably just join in the fun and get wasted. But Angel hated having her parents around when she threw a party.
"Mom's going to spend the weekend out of town, screwing some guy she works with at his condo near the beach," Angel said, blowing out some smoke. "George is going somewhere, doing some "business" or some shit."
Roxie nodded, taking another bite of her apple. Her mom was usually unemployed, but apparently she had found a job at some restaurant. And George…well, Roxie and Angel weren't exactly sure what he did, but they were certain it was illegal. Roxie almost wanted to laugh-her parents were always cheating on each other. Roxie remembered last year when she had gone to the movies with some friends, and had spotted George going into a motel room with some young girl that was probably no older than eighteen.
Angel leaned back in her chair and propped her feet on the table. She was wearing brand-new, pink sneakers. Roxie eyed them suspiciously.
"Where'd you get the shoes?"
Angel smiled. "Spinner stole some shoes, so he got me a pair."
"Well, that's great for you," Roxie said, throwing her apple core into the trash can. "About the party- just don't get the police called and make sure people stay the hell out of my room."
Angel shrugged and smiled sweetly. "I can't make any promises."
"Where were you during History?" Emma asked Manny as they stood side by side in the locker room on Thursday afternoon. Manny blushed and quickly turned to open her locker. Emma grinned as she slipped off her gray gym shirt. "Oh, I see. You were with Carter, weren't you? I swear, ever since you two got back together…" Emma teased.
Manny pulled out her red tank top and blushed, glancing at the ground. "Yeah…I was with…Carter. I was with Carter."
Emma nodded and pulled on her shirt. "Hey, have you heard about that party at Spinner's new girlfriend's house? You could really hook me up, you know…" she trailed off, glancing around to make sure no one was listening.
Manny shrugged. "I don't have anything. Ever since I started seeing Cra…uh, Carter again, I stopped doing it."
Emma gave her a strange look. "Oh. I thought that was like Carter's thing, you know?" Manny shifted her eyes nervously and shrugged.
"What can I say? He's…cleaning up his act." God, Manny sucked at lying.
Suddenly, Emma felt someone grab her shoulder, and suddenly she was being spun around to face…Gina.
"Do you know where I just was?" Gina said slowly, letting go of Emma and placing her hands on her hips. Emma rolled her eyes and shrugged.
"Gee, this might be your idea of fun, but I don't really feel like playing guessing games right now, Gina."
"The principal's office. I spent about an hour convincing Mr. Raditch that I wasn't dealing drugs at school. Now, where do you think he got a crazy idea like that?" Gina asked, glaring at Emma. Emma shook her head.
"Again with the guessing games. I told you, I don't want to-"Emma began, but Gina cut her off.
"Shut up, Emma. I want you to go to Mr. Raditch and tell him you were mistaken, or take back whatever the hell you told him. I could get in serious trouble for something I didn't even do. I know it was you," Gina said loudly, then glanced around when she realized every girl in the locker room was staring at her. She gritted her teeth together and stepped closer to Emma. "Tell him you were wrong."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Emma snapped, glancing at Manny. "Right, Manny?" Manny nodded.
"Like I'm going to believe your slutty little friend. I could get expelled, Emma!" She shoved Emma slightly. Emma shook her head.
"And I'm supposed to care?" Emma asked, closing her locker and shoving Gina back. Then she stepped around Gina. "That's your problem." Emma flipped her hair over her shoulder and walked out of the locker room. Gina watched her go, and then turned to Manny.
"You better tell you friend to watch it," Gina snapped, right before she turned and stalked out of the room, ignoring the curious stares of the other girls.
"With the way Emma's been acting lately, you're the one who should watch it," Manny mumbled to herself after Gina had left.
"So, were you just not going to tell about the little party at your house tonight, or what?" Ashley asked Roxie Friday afternoon.
"That's exactly what it's supposed to be. A little party, just some of my sister's friends," Roxie said hesitantly, putting on her softball mitt. They were in gym, and Roxie and Ashley were heading out to the field.
"You poor naive girl," Ashley said, rolling her eyes and patting Roxie on the shoulder before she went over to play catcher. "Everyone's going to that party." Roxie sighed and walked to the pitcher's mound, wondering how she had managed to be stuck with that position. She glared at Mr. Armstrong, and narrowed her eyes. You evil, heartless man, she thought.
Jimmy stepped up to bat, and Roxie sighed. She threw the ball underhand as well as she could, but it ended up being slow and nowhere near the base. Jimmy smirked.
"In case no one told you, you're supposed to throw it at the catcher's glove," Jimmy said.
"Why do I have to be pitcher? I've never thrown a ball in my life," Roxie complained, turning and glaring at Mr. Armstrong. She placed her hands on her hips. "Can't I be like, small-stop?"
"It's short-stop, and no, you can't. You're holding up the game," Mr. Armstrong said. Roxie sighed and turned back to Jimmy.
After lobbing a ball to left field, Jimmy got to second. Craig was next, and as Roxie bent down to tie her shoe, she couldn't help but over hear Ashley and Craig's conversation.
"So….are you going to the party at Roxie's tonight?" Ashley asked from her catcher's spot on the ground. Craig swung his bat a few times and shrugged.
"Roxie didn't really invite me," Craig commented, staring at Roxie, who was taking her time messing with her shoelace.
Ashley shrugged. "She's not inviting anyone. You don't have to be invited. You just go."
Roxie fiddled with her shoe, and narrowed her eyes. Ashley and Roxie had gotten over their Craig differences, and were now actually good friends. Actually, Craig, Ashley, and Roxie had all become good friends, with no romance at all. But now it was clear to Roxie that Ashley still had a thing for Craig, and it bothered her. One, why was Ashley inviting Craig to a party at her house? Roxie was going to do that. She just...hadn't got around to it. And second, why was she smiling at Craig like a love-struck idiot? Roxie gritted her teeth and finally stood up, after a pointed cough from Mr. Armstrong to hurry things up.
"So are you going to come?" Ashley asked.
"Yeah. I'm there," Craig said, nodding and stepping up to the plate.
"Good. We go together…or just hang out," Ashley commented casually. Roxie narrowed her eyes again. Craig looked at her and smiled.
"Yeah. That would be cool," Craig said.
Suddenly, a ball flew right past his face, and he ducked. When he stood back up, he glanced over at Roxie, who was standing on the mound with her hands on her hips, staring at him. She had obviously put some effort into that one.
"You almost hit me," he complained. Roxie shrugged.
"You should be paying attention to the game, not chattering with the catcher," she said as Ashley threw her the ball. She caught it, tossed it in the air and caught it again, and then stared at Craig. Craig gulped, wondering what was up. That girl sure has an attitude problem. One second she's nice, and the other she's throwing balls at me! He though, stepping up to plate.
He barely got a chance to duck as the ball flew toward his helmet again.