Chapter 11

Georgina

All anybody seemed to want to talk about the last couple of days was the upcoming party at PJ’s house. I really don’t see what the big deal is. He throws parties most weekends.

I have no idea what his folks do or why they are so forgiving of the mess that must be left over. I know my dad was upset enough by the leftover pizza boxes last weekend.

Macy is currently going through my wardrobe, looking for something that will “help her get Jake.” We both know she won’t find anything suitable.

Firstly, because there is no way anything I own is slutty enough for her taste, and secondly, because we are nowhere near the same size.

It is all just an excuse to be here when Jake gets home from his friends. She’s been yacking my ear off about Jake since he started school.

How ~fine~ ~he is, how ~sexy~ he is, how ~amazing~ he smells.

It wouldn’t bother me half as much if she actually wanted to get to know Jake, but she just wants to have the kudos of being the first girl in school to get with him.

She pelted me with questions about him: What music was he into? What kind of girl did he like? What films did he enjoy?

At almost every answer, she wrinkled her nose, especially when I answered the girl question with Winona Ryder. Almost her exact opposite.

I know I get tarnished with the superficial brush just through association with Macy, and most of the time, I really don’t care what people think.

I’ve only got one more year to get through with these cretins, and at this school, I am acquainted with pretty much all of the student body.

I wanted the popularity that comes with hanging around with the head cheerleader when I moved here freshman year, but four years later, it is like a huge weight around my neck.

Jake being here now is making my friendship choices feel even worse.

“Georgie!” My best friend pushes open my bedroom door, the usual grin plastered on his face, green eyes twinkling. He sees Macy, and immediately his grin disappears.

“Hi, Jake! If only you’d opened that door two seconds ago, you would’ve caught me in my birthday suit.” Macy giggles.

Jake catches my eye, and I shake my head, miming blowing my brains out. He covers his mouth to try and stop laughing.

Macy spins around to me, and I give her an innocent smile.

“Ok, guys.” She smiles like she’s in on the joke. “I’ll see you tomorrow. We’re getting ready at Robyn’s, remember.”

I nod, resisting the urge to roll my eyes.

Once the front door shuts, Jake leaps onto my bed next to me. I pull myself, so I’m lying stomach down over his lap, and he slides a hand underneath my shirt and starts gently rubbing my back.

I love having my back rubbed. Not even massaged, just a slow, soft, up and down.

When I was really little, it was the only way my dad could get me to calm down, and Jake will often rely on it to calm me down still. I hum with enjoyment.

“Soooo…” Jake pauses his hand movement. I roll slightly so I can see his face. “Does the hose beast’s last sentence mean you’re going to the party after all?” He raises his eyebrows hopefully.

“Yeah. The blondes bullied me into it.” I huff and wriggle slightly to get him to restart my back rub.

“Fuck yeah! It’s gonna be lit.” Jake squeezes my sides.

I sit up, pushing his hands off me. “Lit? You’re such a dork.”

He pulls me back into a vice-like hug, rocking me slightly from side to side. “Yeah. But I’m your dork. And you’re stuck with me for life.”

***

I stand in the front doorway to PJ’s huge house. My friends push past me, waving and smiling as people call out their names.

Drew walks over to me, looking me up and down slowly before hugging me lightly. I pull self-consciously at the bottom of my dress.

I am used to wearing fairly short skirts, but the dress of Katy’s I’ve been talked into wearing is dangerously short.

As in better not bend more than fifteen degrees off-center, or everyone will get a glimpse of the thong I have also been forced to wear due to the skin-tight material.

It is a fairly cute dress: rose gold shiny material which matches the shade of my hair almost completely and a low back which makes it obvious I am not wearing a bra.

It has a high neckline but with a slit down the chest which gives little glimpses of my small cleavage when I move.

Definitely continents away from my comfort zone.

“Welcome to the party, girls. Can I get you some beverages?” Drew slides his arms around Robyn and Macy’s shoulders and smiles.

We nod and smile back, and he leads us through the maelstrom of gyrating bodies to the kitchen, where the central island is hidden underneath an array of drinks and red cups.

Jake and AJ are playing beer pong in the backyard, which is visible through the open French doors. Jake sees me and waves like an overexcited child.

AJ looks around to see who he’s waving at and scowls when he sees me, quickly focusing back on the game. Or, more than likely, the half-dressed girl at the other end of the table who is lining up her shot.

I scowl back and find a cup thrust into my hand by Drew. I look into it suspiciously.

“It’s vodka and coke. Don’t worry, I gotcha tonight. My boy asked me to keep you safe when he was indisposed.” He tips his head toward Jake, who is celebrating a shot with AJ.

“Thanks, Drew. You’re sweet.” I raise the cup slightly toward him and take a big mouthful.

~Fuck, that’s strong!~

~

I spend the next hour watching Macy throw herself, without success, at Jake. Drew attentively keeps a drink in my hand.

PJ and Katy get hot and heavy on the makeshift dance floor before disappearing upstairs. Robyn vanishes almost immediately, no doubt hooking up with some random guy.

Drew also keeps up an easy flow of chat between us. I am actually having fun at this party.

It is a change from all the others where I’ve been elected DD and left in the corner nursing a cup of water, being largely ignored by my friends until they decide they’ve had enough and want driving home.

Jake finally manages to escape Macy and flops down on the sofa next to me and Drew.

“Hey, Smidge.” He throws an arm across the back of my shoulders and gives me a quick kiss to the temple before leaning his head back, lazy grin on his face. “Looking mighty fine tonight, I must say.”

“You too, Jakey.” He has his hair down, tucked behind his ears, the ends just touching his shoulders now.

His eyes are droopy and slightly red, showing me he is already quite high, even though the party has only been going for a couple of hours.

He is wearing baggy jeans which have been cut off mid-shin, beat-up black-and-white checked Vans, and a faded Big Lebowski T-shirt.

His grin deepens as he lifts the shirt up, flashing his abs as he scratches his stomach.

“Macy sure seems to think so.” Drew chuckles next to me. His leg and arm are touching mine, and I feel his deep laugh vibrate through me.

Jake rolls his eyes, shaking his head. Macy spots him and storms over, pulling him back off the sofa and onto the dance floor, pressing her butt up against him and trying to grind on him.

He shoots me and Drew a look of despair. Drew stands up and offers me his hand.

“Shall we go be supportive of our friend?”

I smile and nod, letting him pull me up.

Drew is a surprisingly good dancer. I haven’t spent much time with him before, due to him always being with the devil, AJ McGabe.

He is cute. Pale flawless skin, very light blond hair, deep blue eyes. He has a nice smile and straight white teeth. I can feel through his shirt that he has well-defined muscles, as you’d expect from a football player.

We manage to turn Macy’s grind session into a group dance, adding more people as PJ and Katy reappear.

Movement from the hallway catches my attention, and I realize it’s AJ walking out of his hook-up room, arms slung around the shoulders of two juniors.

“Damn! My boy’s got game.” Jake danced his way around the circle of our friends, coming up behind me, effectively blocking Macy from getting her acrylic nails into him.

“He’s a man whore. I told you this.” AJ looks over at us as if he can hear us over the loud music and smirks, disappearing into the kitchen. “I feel sorry for those two and hope they go get tested this weekend.”

Jake laughs, spinning me around, so we’re facing each other. “Someone sounds a little bitter that she’s never been invited into AJ’s party room.”

I roll my eyes so hard it actually kinda hurts. “Nope. Never ever would I want to step foot in there. God only knows what disease I’d pick up.”

AJ wanders over, joining the heaving group of sweaty bodies currently dancing to “Jump Around” by House of Pain. He catches my eye and winks, licking his lips.

Drew and PJ offer him high fives. Jake grabs his arm, pulling him closer so he can start asking questions about the girls.

I pull away from Jake and make my way back into the kitchen, suddenly feeling far too sober. I know Jake is a normal teenage boy, but it still makes me feel sick when he starts talking like that.

I pick up a bottle of vodka, draining the last bit from it—only about two shots worth.

I find a bottle of gin that someone has obviously swiped from their parents’ drinks cabinet without looking at what it was. I crack the seal and take a swig.

~Hooowee!~ ~A judder runs down my spine. I drift outside and keep on sipping on the gin.

Most people have gone inside now that the temperature has dropped, but the alcohol has made me feel like I’m on fire. I sit on the top of a small wall that runs around the brick patio.

I can still hear the loud thump of the bass going on and the shouts from my peers, but I have no desire to go back inside.

Looking up at the sky, I see the stars begin to spin. I peer down at the bottle in my hand and find I’ve drunk nearly half of it.

Not to mention the I-don’t-know-how-many strong vodkas Drew gave to me earlier. I stumble to my feet with the intention of finding Jake. He always looks after me when I’m drunk.

What I don’t remember is that the wall I’ve been sitting on is up a few steps.

As I try to stand, my foot slips out of my stupid high heels, and I tumble down the hard bricks, hearing a crack that turns my stomach.

I try to stand, but nauseating pain shoots up my leg, causing tears to spring from my eyes.

My stomach heaves and lurches, and I manage to scramble to my knees and make my way to the flower bed before emptying the contents of my stomach.

Cool hands sweep back my hair and rub softly, gently, up and down my back.

~Jakey~ I think before I lose consciousness.