Roxie woke up slowly and glanced around in the dark. She could hear loud pounding from downstairs, and she groaned. It was Friday, and after school, Roxie had immediately come home and gone straight to nap. Now it was eight in the evening, and the party was just getting started. Roxie groaned and rolled over. Maybe you could just sleep through it….you really don't want to go down there anyway.
"Roxie?" she heard, and suddenly a stream of light penetrated her dark room. The light switched on, and Roxie squinted against the brightness.
"What!" she snapped, sitting up slightly. Ashley wandered into the room, glanced around, and then stared at her. Roxie sighed. "This isn't a freak show, Ashley. I was sleeping. In my room. Is that a crime?" Ashley no longer resented Roxie for hanging with Craig, and the three of them had actually become good friends. Now, however, Roxie wished Ashley hated her.
Ashley made a face and shrugged. "Someone is awfully grumpy when they wake up. I was wondering where you were, so I came up here. How can you sleep when there's a huge party going on in your house?" Roxie flopped over onto her stomach, and stuffed her face into her pillow.
"I refuse to participate in any activity my sister has organized," came her muffled voice. "Where are Paige and Hazel? Hang with them."
"Are you kidding? Like Paige would actually attend a party thrown by your sister. She told me she'd rather "eat a dead rat carcass" than come here," Ashley said, walking over to the bed. "I only came because you asked me." She grabbed the pillow out from under Roxie's head. "I didn't come here for nothing. Get up and go downstairs. I have a feeling this party is going to get out of hand."
Roxie finally sat up and made a move to leave the room, but Ashley held out a hand. "But first, brush your hair."
Roxie glanced in the mirror over her dresser and made a horrified face. "Holy shit. I look like Medusa."
Once she had run a brush through her hair and changed her shirt, Roxie followed Ashley out of her room and down the stairs, where she was greeted with tons of people in her living room. Ashley told Roxie she was going to get a drink from the kitchen, so Roxie wandered into the living room. She spotted Craig and Jimmy laughing in the corner, so she walked over to them.
"Hey! This is a great party," Jimmy said, and Roxie shrugged.
"Where have you been?" Craig asked as he riffled through a couple of C.Ds next to the stereo. "I've been looking for you."
Roxie secretly smiled to herself. So Craig had been looking for her? Interesting. They two had been "just friends" for awhile, but Roxie couldn't deny that she had developed a major crush on him. Roxie thought he liked her too, but she had no idea how to find that out.
"Have you seen my sister?" Roxie asked over the music. Jimmy nodded.
"Isn't that her over there…with her tongue shoved down Spin's throat?" he asked, smirking at Craig and gesturing to the couch. Roxie turned and saw her sister and Spinner making out, practically devouring each other's faces. Roxie sighed and hurried over. She positioned herself in front of them and placed her hands on her hips, demanding attention. Finally, Spinner spotted her.
"This is not ok!" Roxie called, gesturing to the party.
"I thought I told you you're not invited!!" Angel called, smirking lazily. Just then, the front door opened, and Nick stepped in with a few of his friends. Nick glanced around and scratched his head, looking confused. Roxie turned to Angel with a smug smile. "He's so going to get pissed!" Roxie walked over to Nick, waiting for a blow-up.
"Roxie…what's going on?" he called out. Roxie shrugged.
"Angel just decided to throw this massive party!" She waited anxiously for Nick's reaction. Nick just slowly smiled, turned to his friends, and nodded. "Alright, guys! Party!" He gestured his friends in. Roxie's face fell.
"Wait! Aren't you…mad?" Roxie asked, grabbing his arm. Nick turned to her and grinned.
"I won't be…if you'll just give me a little kiss," he said, grinning and leaning in. Roxie shoved him off and rolled her eyes, stalking off back to Craig and Jimmy. This is not going well, she thought.
"I really think everyone should just-"she began, but suddenly, a plastic beach ball someone had brought and had been tossing around hit Roxie on the side of the head. She grinded her teeth together as it bounced away. Craig and Jimmy tried not to laugh. Roxie glared at them.
"I hate everyone," she mumbled. Craig shrugged.
"Why? This is a great party," he said, gesturing around. Roxie shook her head.
"You wouldn't be saying that if you were the one who has to clean this up tomorrow." Just as she finished saying that, the beach ball hit her on the back on the head again. Before it could roll away, Roxie snatched it up. The owner walked over to get it, and Roxie held it out.
"If you stupid ball hits me one more time, I'll shove it up your ass, ok?" she snapped, shoving it at the gangly boy. He shrugged and walked away. She turned back to the two boys, who were staring at her. She shoved her hair out of her face and frowned.
"What?" she growled. Another boy walked up and started talking to them. Roxie glanced around distractedly. When she looked back, she saw that Craig had a cigarette in his hand, courtesy of their friend. He lit it, inhaled, and then started hacking. Jimmy laughed, and Roxie rolled her eyes.
"Some people smoke because they think it makes them look cool, Craig. But in your case, it just makes you look like an ass," Roxie commented. Craig rolled his eyes and shrugged.
"With so many people addicted to cigarettes, I thought they'd taste better than that," he said, handing it to Roxie.
Manny stepped through the front door of Roxie's house, and glanced around. The party was in full-swing. Manny smiled, glad that her mother had actually allowed her to leave her cousin's party a little early. After showing up to a seven-year-old's party in a short, low-cut black dress, her mother had been anxious for her to go, anyway. Her mother had finally let her leave after Manny verbally harassed another seven-year-old after he intentionally stepped on her foot. Manny narrowed her eyes thinking about it. The stupid kid had totally done it on purpose! She would, of course, be hearing all about it tomorrow from her mom…
Manny walked through the house, looking for a familiar face, particularly Emma, who she knew was there. Suddenly, she spotted Craig walking out of the kitchen. Manny ducked into the nearby bathroom, waited until he passed, and then grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into the bathroom.
"Manny!" Craig exclaimed, once she had shut the door behind him. Manny grinned and leaned against the sink. "I thought you weren't coming?"
"I changed my mind. I wanted to be with you," Manny said quietly, leaning up and brushing her lips against his. She stepped back and grinned again. Then she sniffed. "Why do you smell like smoke?"
"That's awesome," he said, ignoring her comment and leaning over. They kissed again for a minute, and then Manny softly pushed him away and looked up at him. "Why don't we ditch this place? Go somewhere…more private?"
"What's more private than a bathroom?" Craig joked. Manny shook her head.
"Come on," Manny purred, running a hand up his arm. Craig shrugged and looked away.
"I…I can't leave with you," he explained. "Ash is here…."
Manny stepped back, looking hurt. "Ok. I get it. You'd rather be with Ashley?"
"No!" Craig said. "I just think it would look weird…you know."
"No, I don't know," Manny said. "Look, forget it. Let's just go out and enjoy the party-separately." She reached around Craig, opened the door, and walked out. Craig turned and watched her go, then left the bathroom himself. He tried to ignore the curious stares he got.
"Hey," Emma heard, and she turned. An older looking boy was standing there. A very cute older looking boy. Emma set down her drink and smiled at him.
"Hi," she said flirtatiously. What is with you, she suddenly thought. You've turned into a huge flirt? She pushed the nagging thought away, vowing to just enjoy herself.
"I'm Kevin. And you must be….Beautiful," he guessed, smiling at her. Emma grinned.
"Actually, it's Emma. But either will do."
"Well, Emma," Kevin said, looking her up and down. "You having a good time?"
"Yeah. I'm having an awesome time.
"Hey! Kevin! Come over here!" a boy called from across the room. The boy waved and turned back to Emma. "Nick wants me. Stay right here. I'll be right back."
"Actually, I'm just going to the bathroom to freshen up, so I'll be right back, too." The boy nodded, and Emma smiled again at him, gave a little wave, and then headed toward the bathroom…
"I didn't believe it myself!' J.T said, smiling. He was entertaining a small group of people clustered in the kitchen. "But they actually stopped me and asked me if I would drop my pants! I told the security guard that, as much as I felt a mutual connection between us, I just wasn't that kind of boy."
Manny laughed and took a sip of her soda. The rest of the group laughed too, but J.T was grinning and staring straight at Manny. Manny tried not to roll her eyes. J.T's crush on her was so completely obvious, but Manny thought it was actually kind of cute. Plus, she liked J.T. But the thought of kissing him…it was like kissing her brother. And that thought made Manny shudder.
Manny glanced around and J.T began with another funny incident, and she spotted Gina across the room. She saw Gina glancing around suspiciously. Manny didn't think much of it as Gina took out a small container, opened it slowly, and poured a decent amount into a cup on the counter. Manny was too distracted to notice as she turned her attention back to J.T and his story….