Page 48 of The Other Half

I can hear loud music thumping inside the house as soon as we step out of the car. It looks absolutely buck wild in there. Swaying bodies are packed inside, and there are some people standing around the front porch smoking cigarettes and laughing loudly.

I take a deep breath as I try to convince myself it’ll be alright. I’m actually not even scared of my parents finding out where I am now, I’m more afraid of walking into this giant crowd of strangers.

“Come on.” She grabs my wrist and pulls me towards the house, our heels clacking on the concrete driveway. I never wear heels, but when she found the stash of Louboutins my mom bought me last year, she convinced me to wear some, and I was happy to let her borrow a pair. She dug through my closet until she found something that was “party appropriate”, her words, not mine.

She’s wearing a black bodycon dress that hugs her curves, and I’m wearing a sparkly, silver swing dress. I have so many clothes I never even touch, I forgot these were in there. She applied my makeup the same way she does hers, with winged eyeliner and red lipstick. I feel like I don’t even look like myself.

We walk inside and the noise level increases to unbearable levels. The bass is literally shaking the walls of the house. Mask Off by Future blasts through the speakers.

I look around to see people grinding on each other suggestively, and others playing beer pong. Most of the people here look older, probably college age. Most college kids are on their winter break by now so it would make sense. I feel completely out of place, even though I’m eighteen I feel like a baby compared to these people.

“Whose house is this?” I ask Amber, practically screaming over the music.

“Jackson Ford, he graduated last year.”

I nod as if I know who that is.

“Come on, let’s do some shots.” She pulls me into the humble kitchen with oak cabinets and a small table that’s covered with various bottles of liquor.

“I don’t really drink,” I remind her.

She shoots me an irritated look. “Everyone drinks when they’re going through a break up. Come on. Just one shot.”

My heart starts to speed up and my hands become suddenly clammy. Why did I agree to this? Also, how the hell are we going to get home?

“Who’s going to drive home?” I ask.

She bites her lip, “I won’t get too drunk. I’ll just have one, too, then we can both stop. We’ll be completely sober before we leave.”

Is that really how it works? I take a deep breath and nod before I can change my mind. “Okay, one shot.”

She claps her hands together and does a little dance before pouring me a shot of Jose Cuervo. “Here.” She also hands me a slice of lime. “You won’t even taste it if you bite the lime afterwards.”

I sniff the liquor and gag. “You sure about that?”

“Ugh, don’t be a baby,” she rolls her eyes.

I pour the shot in my mouth and immediately feel like spitting it out, but I force myself to swallow it, feeling the burn in my throat as it goes down. I suck on the lime like she told me to. It does make it slightly less disgusting.

“See? Not bad at all.” I watch as she takes a bigger shot than I did with complete ease, she doesn’t even need the lime. “Woo!” she yells, slamming the shot glass down and gaining the attention of a couple of guys behind her.

“Hey, beautiful. Haven’t seen you in a while,” one of the guys says, lightly touching her on the back. “And who’s this?” he asks, pointing to me with a beer bottle in his hand.

She gives him a sly smile. “This is my friend, Oakley. She’s new. Well, kind of, she used to go to a private school around here.”

“Private school? Fancy. I’m Will.” The guy rakes his eyes over my body while still feeling Amber up. It gives me the creeps. “You two should come out back with me and my friend.”

I hope she’ll say no, but my hopes are slashed when she nods enthusiastically. I follow them out the backdoor. There’s a bonfire raging in the middle of the yard, even more people are gathered around it in a circle. We go over and sit down on one of the lawnchairs.

I look up and my eyes immediately shoot to him. The crackling fire casts an orange glow on his freckled face and auburn hair. He has a Busch light can in one hand, and his other arm is lazily rested on a pretty brunette’s shoulder. I watch as she giggles at something he says and bumps her thigh against his. Rodney is sitting on the other side of him, looking at me with a remorseful expression. The sight of him touching another girl instantly makes my stomach ill. I hate him. No, I don’t. I really don’t, but I wish I did. I wish I didn’t care so fucking much when he clearly doesn’t care about me at all.

“Oh my God, I had no idea Asshole would be here.” Amber says apologetically as she turns around to face me. I force my eyes away from the scene in front of me and try to blink away the tears that are already forming. “Ignore him, that’ll be the best way to get back at him,” she whispers before saying, “That’s Aaron, Will’s friend.” She points at the guy seated on the other side of me.

“Hi,” I squeak, and hold my hand out.

He gives me a smile and shakes my hand. “Hi, gorgeous.” He’s a cute guy, with shaggy blonde hair and dimples. But he looks way too old for me, probably mid-twenties. “Want some?” He holds his drink out for me.

“Uh.” I look back at Amber but her attention is completely consumed by Will now. “Sure?” I laugh nervously and hesitantly take the cup from his hand.

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