#56 – New Year

Rachel

New Year's Eve is kind of a big deal to my dad's side of the family. My dad and his brother, Jake's dad, are Jewish, so you know…end of Hanukah and all that. The adults use it as one last excuse to party it up before it's time to buckle down in January, I guess.

I would have skipped it, if I could. Not that I mind going to Jake's. I mean, I see enough of the guy, but we get along pretty well most of the time. I like seeing my Aunt Jean and Uncle Steve, too, but I could see them anytime. They live like ten blocks away. But my dad came into town to go to the party, and ever since he moved to a different state, he likes to spend every minute with my sisters and I when he's in town. I don't mind spending time with my dad, either, don't get me wrong…it's just that "happy family parties" are not happy family parties anymore.

The reason is simple. Tom. Or I guess if I were going to get technical, the reason is the Yeerk that controls Tom. I know that if Jake can live with that…thing…that I should be able to deal with it for a couple of hours at a holiday party. I'm a little more impulsive than Jake, though. Every time I see Tom wearing that big, cocky smile he wore even before he was a controller, I want to reduce it by a couple of incisors with my fist. I want to put my hands around his throat, look deep into his eyes, all the way to the Yeerk, and say, "I know what you are. You're not fooling anybody, you sick, slimy freak! Now get out of my cousin's head!"

Not the best way to act at a New Year's Eve party.

The arrival went pretty much as expected. There was a bunch of ooh'ing and ahh'ing from half-drunk adults about how big my sisters and I were getting. My dad did his stupid secret handshake with Jake's dad, the one they invented in the 70s and never thought to update. Or stop doing. I was assaulted with offers of food and drink, and after taking a polite bite and sip of everything, I asked, "So, Aunt Jean, where's Jake?"

She cocked a thumb toward the sliding glass door in the back of the kitchen. "Out by the pool, being anti-social. Make him come in. Marco, too."

Marco? Great. "Okay, Aunt Jean," I said, knowing I'd simply join them and not even recommend going back inside.

The back yard was nice. It was a cool, clear night. Steam rose off of the surface of the heated swimming pool. It was quiet until a familiar, annoying snicker came from the little veranda off to the side of the back patio. I rolled my eyes instinctively and walked toward it.

"Xena!" Marco cried when he saw me coming. He hopped off of his reclining lawn chair and fell to his knees, bowing like a hyperactive Muslim. "Queen of the Warriors! Princess of Pain! I'm not worthy! I'm not woooorthy!"

I ignored his antics, as usual, and sniped the chair he'd been sitting on. I looked over at Jake and said, "Did you have to invite him?"

Jake grinned a little half-smile. "I didn't. My dad invited his dad. Marco invited himself."

"Oh, you two know you love having me around," he said, pushing Jake's feet rudely off of the end of his chair and sitting down. "I'm practically family."

"There's a scary thought," I muttered.

"Sprite or Coke?" Jake asked. I said Sprite, and he reached into the little icebox beside his chair and tossed me one.

"I'm assuming you didn't think to put a couple of beers in there," Marco said. Jake gave him a sideways look, and Marco shrugged as if to say, I wouldn't be me if I didn't ask.

After that it was quiet for a while. The only sounds were some sluggish crickets chirping, the din of the party inside through the glass doors, and the low buzz of the power lines from the street. Surprisingly, Marco said, "This is nice, huh?"

I took a quick self-inventory and swiftly identified the feelings that were missing: pressure and edginess. "You know, it kind of is," I said. I took a sip of my Sprite and leaned back, bathing in the unpressured companionship. For a wonder, Marco was quiet after his one question.

The three of us were sort of lost in the serenity of the moment, so all three of us jumped when a voice came from behind the veranda. "What are you doing?" the voice asked sharply, with a note of bad humor.

"Jeez, Tom! You scared the crap out of me! I got Coke on my shirt," Jake complained, throwing a dirty look toward the big silhouette that was walking our way. "What are you doing, sneaking around in the dark?"

"Just got back from the party at The Sharing," he said. It sounded like he was bragging. "I know its not midnight for another hour, but I got my kiss already, from a little hottie named Bree." He shot a teasing glance at Jake as he reached into Jake's box and took a drink without asking. "Guess when midnight rolls around, you and Marco will just have to take turns with Rachel."

"You're a pig," I told him, disgusted. He laughed like he'd just told the funniest joke in the world, then got serious.

"The Sharing's party is going on until two in the morning. Mom and Dad wouldn't care if you guys went – its supervised. Not too well, though. I'll go back if you want to -"

"No, Tom," Jake said, exasperated. "No Sharing. Beat it."

"What are you doing that's so important?" he demanded, building toward anger. "You, Marco, and Rachel are sitting around in the dark in the back yard. What's wrong with a little socializing? It would be good for you, maybe teach you some manners."

I'd had enough. "I can't speak for everybody, but I'd sooner go get an enema before going to play with your stupid little cult buddies," I spat. "It's great that you found a little fad club that makes you feel cool, but we don't need it. Get lost."

Tom gave me a look I couldn't easily fathom. It seemed like anger and respect all rolled up into one. All at once he smiled. "Tell me how you really feel, Rachel," he joked. "I love hearing your opinions on something you have no way to know anything about."

He turned to Marco, and Marco was talking before Tom could. "Barking up the wrong tree, pal," Marco told him. "My time chasing skirt and playing video games is much too valuable to give up."

Tom shook his head sadly, like we were throwing away some great opportunity. "You guys are hopeless. Whatever. I'll forget about this when you come around and decide to come around. You will. You'll see." He said it with complete confidence and walked away toward the house, and something happened. Something snapped inside of me. Wasn't it enough that this slug had stolen my cousin's body? That wasn't enough for him? He had to get his little brother and his friends, too? No sir, I thought firmly.

Without knowing I was going to do it, I got up from the chair silently. I strode quickly and quietly to where Tom was walking away from us. I waited until Tom was close enough to the pool, and then I gave him a hard shove in the small of his back. He oofed and flew into the water.

I realized what I'd done in the second he was underwater, and I looked back to Marco and Jake to see how they were reacting. I knew I'd crossed the line, this time. They were staring at the scene with identical, open-mouthed expressions of shock.

Tom broke the surface of the water, sputtering and pissed off. "What was that for?" he demanded. "My wallet was in my pocket, you, you…you bitch!"

"It was for being a jerk," I said. "You said we need to learn manners, but it was you that needed to learn a lesson. No means no, dumbass."

Marco and Jake cheered as Tom blushed.