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I was organizing some notes in my binder before class when I suddenly noticed a small, white envelope come into my frame of vision. I looked up to see who the hand holding the envelope belonged to, and was taken aback when I saw that it was Missy Bradford.
“Missy?” I questioned, genuinely confused.
“Here,” was all she said, her hand still presenting the envelope.
I hesitantly took the card from her hand, but didn’t open it.
“Well? Are you going to open it?” She asked impatiently.
At this point I exchanged a side glance with Maya, who had been watching us the whole time. She just shrugged, obviously not knowing what was up either.
I carefully opened the letter, and pulled out what looked to be...an invitation? I looked at it closer, and it was an invitation. An invitation to her birthday party, to be exact.
I must’ve looked shocked or confused or both, because then Missy said, rolling her eyes, “I know we’re not exactly friends, but I’m throwing a big party and I want a good turnout. Even if it means inviting...you.”
I frowned. Ouch. Good to know she wanted me to come so badly.
Before I could say anything else, she added, “And you can bring Maya if you want. The more the merrier.” She obviously didn’t think so. Just then, the bell rang and Missy was walking back to her desk.
I stared at the invitation hard, as if there was some secret I was trying to decode from it. Missy Bradford’s birthday party. It was surely going to be a huge bash, with lots of popular people. Although I had realized that popularity wasn’t as great as it seemed, a part of me really wanted to go. I just wanted to experience a real, popular party.
I turned my head to Maya with pleading eyes. Her face said it all – she did not want to go. “Maya, please?” I asked, sticking my lip out in a pout.
“No.”
“Please?”
“No.”
“Pleeeeeaaaase?”
“Gah,” Maya let out an angry sigh. “Fine. We’ll go. But only for an hour,” she glared at me, but it didn’t bother me. Maya loved me.
“Thank you Peaches,” I beamed at her, and she gave a small, defeated smile back. I bounced in my seat a little. I couldn’t help it – I was excited. Yes, it was Missy Bradford’s party. And yes, Maya and I would probably not fit in at all. But I was going to a popular party. I had actually been invited to a popular party.
Maya’s POV
If I was telling the truth, it’s not that I really didn’t want to go to Missy’s party. I couldn’t care either way. I just didn’t want Riley to go to Missy’s party. There were a number of reasons why I’d much rather do anything else with Riley. I tried to tell myself it was because I didn’t want Missy’s bitchiness rubbing off on Riley, or because I didn’t want Riley to get completely trashed. I kind of expected that there would be alcohol, and although anytime I even started to say the word “beer” Riley’s eyes would go wide and she would gasp, I also knew that Riley was an easy target for peer pressure. The other reason though, as much as I hated to admit it, was that there would be lots of boys there. Riley and Lucas had just deemed their relationship a friendship, which meant that Riley was on the market. And who could resist Riley’s adorable smile, and her big round eyes, always full of child-like wonder? I couldn’t. I knew because I had tried. Tried so hard to only see her as my best friend...
The point was, I didn’t want Riley to go to the party, but I had already given in to her wishes thanks to her damned puppy dog face. She knew my weakness for her pout. Damn it! I had been pacing around my room trying to figure out what to do, and I fell back on my bed, exasperated. It was too late now; I was supposed to pick Riley up in ten minutes to go to the party. And if I bailed on her now, she would be so disappointed...I’d just have to keep a close eye on her.
I groaned as I rolled off my bed, not looking forward to the night at all, and headed off to pick up Riley.
***
I made it to the Matthew’s door, and walked in without knocking.
“Riles? You ready to go?” I called from the open doorway.
“I’m coming, hold on!” I could hear the excitement in her voice and I groaned again. Why did she have to be so excited about this?
“Ready!” I looked towards the sound of her voice, and there she was. She wasn’t wearing anything too fancy, but she was dressed up more than usual. Her hair had light waves in it, and it looked like she was even wearing a bit of makeup. Who taught her how to put on makeup?
“Wow Riley...you uh, sure do look ready,” Was all I could get out.
She grinned. “Shall we?” She said, holding out her arm.
“Yeah yeah,” I said rolling my eyes, linking my arm through hers. As we walked out the door, I wished that I could stay linked to Riley like that all night. Someone as innocent and sweet and impressionable as Riley was bound to get into some sort of trouble at a party like Missy’s.
Riley’s POV
I tried to contain my squealing as we arrived at Missy’s door. I could hear music playing from inside, and people talking, or more like yelling, over the music, and knew for sure that this was no geek party. Then it hit me. This was no geek party. Should I really be here? Missy did invite me but...
Maya must’ve been able to read my mind from my expression because she sighed and said, “Riley, just go in. I’ll be right behind you. It’ll be fine.”
I nodded and bit my lip. I reached my hand out to twist the door knob and slowly opened the door. The first thing I noticed was all the people. There were so many people. I found it hard to believe Missy had even bothered inviting me considering all the people who were already coming. There was a large table filled with chips, popcorn, all different kinds of snacks and...alcohol. My eyes widened and I turned to Maya, surely with a look of panic on my face.
She looked at me as if she was pleased about something. It must’ve been the party. Maya must’ve seen the party and decided that she really did want to go. I couldn’t back out now. I had to go, for Maya. Maybe it shouldn’t have come as a surprise to me that there was alcohol at this party, but it caught me off guard. I took a deep breath and put on a happy face, for Maya. Besides I didn’t have to drink if I didn’t want to, right?
“Let’s go in,” I smiled nervously.
I could’ve sworn I saw her face fall, but I must’ve been imagining it. Maya and I walked in the apartment and soon found ourselves having to shove through a sea of people just to make it to the snack table. We stood awkwardly by the table, obviously both feeling out of place in the new situation. Not long after though, Missy sauntered over to us, some guy beside her.
“I’m so glad you could make it! Oh my gosh!” As strange as it seemed, the words were coming from her mouth. Missy suddenly pulled Maya and I into a one armed hug, and that’s when I noticed the beer in her hand. Now it made sense. Missy pulled back, looking almost as if she was going to cry of joy, and then she skipped off into the crowd. Maya and I both looked at each other, and it was clear that we both had had enough already. As we were trying to make it back to the door though, a guy with a cute smile and dark hair stopped us.
“Hey girls, what’s up?” He asked with that cute smile.
I couldn’t help but blush a little. “We were just –” Maya started.
“Looking for someone to hang out with!” I finished, giving Maya a meaningful stare.
“Well then perfect! I’m someone.” He grinned and winked and I felt something flutter in my stomach. He motioned for me to follow him, so I did. Only when I looked back did I notice that Maya got lost somewhere behind me.
Maya’s POV
“Riley? Riley?” I called, trying to see over people’s heads for my brunette friend. Damn my shortness! How could I lose Riley already? And to some random pretty boy no less. I needed to keep an eye on her and make sure nothing happened to her. I continued pushing through people looking for Riley when someone grabbed my arm.
I whipped my head around hoping it was Riley, and was annoyed when I saw that it was only Missy.
“Maya!” She sobbed. I was immediately alarmed and tried to pull my arm out of her grip, but to no avail.
“Maya, he’s gone!” She cried to me.
“Missy, I really need to find Riley and I don’t have time for your stupid –”
Missy started dragging me towards the couch and I was surprised by how strong she was. She pulled me onto the couch with her and buried her head in my shoulder, blubbering about some guy.
I groaned in frustration and tried to pry Missy off of me, but again, it was of no use.
At last, twenty minutes later, literally twenty minutes later, Missy was starting to calm down about whatever the hell it was that was bothering her.
“I just wanted to say...thank you...for helping me through this...I’ve never had as great a friend as you,” She said between sniffles. I didn’t know what she was talking about considering I hadn’t said a word the whole time and couldn’t even understand most of the things she was saying.
“Um yeah, no problem,” I said hurriedly. “I’ve got to go now though, so um, I’m just gonna...” I was finally able to shove her off of me and I slid off the couch, Riley the only thing on my mind. I heard a laugh that sounded like Riley’s but it was a bit off. I ran into the room it came from, and was distressed to see Riley sitting on what’s his name’s lap, a bottle in each of their hands. It looked like he was kissing her neck, and I swear I saw red. I stormed my way over to them and grabbed Riley’s hand.
“Riley, we’re going. C’mon,” I said, tugging her off of that asshole. Riley tried to resist but I felt like I had the force of a hurricane behind me.
“But Maya I’m having so much fuuuuun,” she slurred.
I didn’t reply as I hauled her out of the room, a bewildered face on the guy who had just been sucking her neck. Once we made it out of the party, I stood Riley in front of me, my hands on her shoulders.
“Riley, how many drinks did you have?”
“Uh...” Her eyebrows furrowed together and she tried to count on her fingers.
“Nevermind,” I shook my head. She didn’t have to answer for me to know it had been a lot, and in a short time too. I was furious thinking of the things that dick must’ve said and done to get Riley to drink so much.
“Riley, honey, I’m going to take you back to my place for the night. I’ll call your parents and tell them we’re having a sleepover, ok?”
“A sleepover? Oh Maya can you paint my nails? I think pink would be really pretty but I also like blue and yellow and purple –”
“Whatever you want,” I lied, pulling her along once again.
***
By the time we got back to my place, Riley was pretty much completely out of it. After she had thrown up a couple times in the bathroom (I held her hair back), I had put her on my bed to sleep, and I was watching her from my desk, angry at myself for not looking out for her more. I swore, if I ever saw that little...
My thoughts were interrupted when I heard Riley groan, “Maya?”
I was at her side in a second. “Yeah, honey?”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, tears in her eyes.
“No, no I’m sorry,” I grabbed her hand and rubbed circles with my thumb.
“Will you lay with me?” She asked softly.
I was taken aback. I wanted to lay with her more than anything because of obvious reasons, but I didn’t know why she wanted me too. I didn’t know what I would do; lying next to her in my bed, the moon glowing through the window, her chest rising and falling with every soft breath she took.
“I don’t know Riley...”
“Please?”
I knew she had me. She knew she had me. She always had me. Wordlessly I slipped into the bed next to her, and she snuggled into my side and sighed happily. I felt chills run up my body and I closed my eyes trying to totally soak in the moment.
“Thank you,” I felt her whisper against my neck, and I bit my lip. She was going to do me in. She had done me in. I felt the need to tell her how I felt, like I would explode if I didn’t.
“Riley, there’s something I need to tell you. I...I think I’m in love with you.”
I held my breath waiting for her reply, but heard nothing. I opened my eyes and peered at her by my side, and she was already asleep. I sighed.
“I love you,” I whispered out loud again, then I very carefully kissed her forehead, and I could’ve sworn she smiled.