Page 51 of Life of the Party

“…get the cowboy attitude, and pass the ammo!” Brad finished with a grin.

I laughed out loud. “You know that one!”

“Oh yeah. It’s practically famous. How about this one? Party ‘till she’s pretty.”

“Oh, ouch.” I laughed. “Does that really work?”

“Don’t ask me,” Brad grinned. “You were pretty before I started.”

I laughed. I don’t think that’s the reaction he was looking for, but I couldn’t help myself. I was too drunk. I swayed unsteadily on the hay bale, setting my hands down on the stubble in an effort to sit straight. I grinned stupidly as he leaned closer to me, and before I knew it we were kissing, and his arms were wrapped around me, and he was pulling me to him and pressing me tightly against his chest.

It wasn’t terrible. Under different circumstances, I might have liked it. But even through my booze-befuddled thoughts, I knew Brad wasn’t the one I wanted. Even with his lips on mine, my thoughts were still with Grey. So when the cell phone in my purse suddenly began to ring, it was with near-perfect timing, loudly creating a welcome interruption and startling us apart.

“Sorry.” I pulled away from Brad to answer it. I could tell he regretted the intrusion, but he let me go and sat back on the bale, waiting.

It was Charlie.

“Hey, where are you guys? There’s nothing going on tonight…think I could crash the party?” She asked.

“Are you kidding me? That’d be great. We’re out at the dam.” I gave her directions as best as I could, feeling like my mom all of a sudden, like I had to yell to be heard. Theparty was rowdy around us. “I’ll meet you at the entrance. Look for me, okay? Don’t run me over or anything.”

“Okay, Mac.” Charlie laughed. “I’m leaving now, I’ll see you soon.”

I hung up the phone, relieved. Charlie had given me the perfect excuse to get away for a moment. I liked Brad, I liked him a lot, but only as a friend. I had to figure out a way to tell him that, and hopefully salvage our new friendship in the process.

“Who was that?” Brad wondered. Already he was leaning closer to me.

“Oh, it was Charlie. She’s going to come meet us; she just needed directions.”

“That’s nice.” He kissed my neck slowly.

“Uh…I told her I’d meet her at the entrance. So I should go…wait for her.”

“I’ll come with you.” Brad offered quickly.

“No, it’s okay. Stay and hang out with your friends.” I gave him a smile and gently pushed him away. He stared up at me a moment, his face falling with obvious disappointment. “Go shotgun some more beer.” I joked. “You need the practice. I’ll be right back.”

Reluctantly, Brad let me go. I could feel his eyes on me, watching as I walked away.

I ambled away from the party and down the little gravel road, the warm wind blowing softly in the poplars above me, the path lit dimly by a tall, failing yard light. Drunkenly, I stumbled towards the entrance of the campground, giggling every time I tripped over myself. I was happy to be alone for a moment. I needed to clear my head.

At the front gate, I found an old pickup truck parked haphazardly on the grass beside the turnoff. Clumsily, I climbed up onto the tailgate in perfect view of the road to wait for Charlie.

I kicked my feet and lit a cigarette and tried not to think of Grey.

Of course it was no use. I blew my smoke into the calm night air—it was cooler away from the fire, but I didn’t mind it. Try as I might, I couldn’t figure Grey out. He was unpredictable, volatile at times…but when he was being sweet…we were so good together. Maybe that’s what hurt the most, knowing what we could’ve had.

I sighed. As drunk as I was, I still wanted to get wasted. And then I remembered, with a quick surge of excitement, that Charlie had given me something sure to get the job done. It was perfect; I was alone so I seized the opportunity, digging through my purse until the cool silver vial was in my hand. Quickly I did one nostril, and then the other. The relief was almost immediate, and I smiled, thanking Charlie again in my head. I did another, and then another, until even my nerve endings felt like they weretrembling. I lifted the scoop to do just one more snort, and mid-inhale, Brad was suddenly in front of me.

He swayed unsteadily; his amber eyes wide with surprise. “Are you doing cocaine?” He chuckled in disbelief.

“No.” I lied. I don’t know why I lied; it was so obvious. I tucked the vial back into my purse and wiped at my nose. Suddenly, I was high—like, really high. I felt antsy, full of pent-up energy.

“Wow. You really are a badass, aren’t you?” Brad was asking.

“I don’t know about that.” I smiled shakily. “I just like to have fun.”

Brad shook his head. “I didn’t believe them, but they were right.”

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