Freaked Out (16 page)

J
ust think,” Charlotte whispered, “Riley Lee got his start writing a music column for the newspaper. Look at him now.”

“Yeah, he's gotten really awesome,” Maeve said. “But he's been taking music lessons for years, and he practices all the time. He's a really dedicated musician.” Charlotte could tell that Maeve admired Riley.

“This is still a secret, but Riley suggested I help him write lyrics to some of his original songs.” Charlotte thought it would be fun to hear some of her poetry set to music.

“You're kidding.” Katani looked at Charlotte. “You gave him some stuff, didn't you?”

“A few things. He told me they were getting more gigs than they can handle, and he doesn't have time to write lyrics. But, he likes to do original music to stand out.”

Riley hadn't said anything more about using Charlotte's poems, though, even the last one she'd given him. She
assumed he didn't like it, or it didn't qualify for music lyrics. In fact, she'd gotten so busy, she had forgotten about what he was doing until he performed at the election dance. And, lo and behold, Maeve had shown up, singing one of Riley's songs with the band.

The band had graduated from jeans to hip hop baggy pants and mustard-colored T-shirts with monkeys printed on the back. Riley cut his long hair and now had it styled so it stuck up all over his head. Charlotte was impressed with Riley for taking the chance to do something he believed in. And for not letting anyone tell him he couldn't start a band.

Chelsea Briggs snapped some photos as soon as the band got going.

Riley didn't play much rap music. Charlotte happened to know that Riley was a hard-core rock fan. A song that Riley had written called
Baby Blue Eyes
had an awesome beat—enough to really get the party loosened up.

Dillon grabbed Maeve and pulled her onto the dance floor. Nick danced with Charlotte. Henry Yurt pulled Anna out to try to keep up with him. Some people were still content to watch, but Charlotte smiled to see Pete Wexler invite Katani out onto the floor. Charlotte knew Katani, as popular as she was, could also be shy, especially around boys. But Pete was so outgoing, he'd get her talking to him.

Riley played two other numbers that had everyone sweating. A master of timing, Riley slowed the pace down and took the mike. “Since this is Julie's birthday, we have to have a birthday song. But since Julie's theme is Hawaiian, I've chosen tonight to introduce a new ballad, the words written by someone who is here tonight. She calls the piece
‘Lonely Nights Are the Same All Over the World.'”

Charlotte caught her breath and held it until she felt light-headed. This was her poem! The one she thought Riley had forgotten about or maybe even thrown out. Hardly aware, she gripped Nick's hand tightly.

Riley nodded to Charlotte, without saying her name or introducing her, thank goodness. Nick put an arm around her shoulders.

“Charlotte…your song…” Katani said. “It's wonderful.”

“Are you crying, Char?” Maeve hugged Charlotte. “That was beautiful. I wish he could sing it again.”

The rest of the room was silent, and obviously Riley had chosen to end his set with that piece.

Julie exploded. “Oh! Riley played someone else's song at my party? Why didn't he play a song for me at my own party?” Julie had forgotten he'd dedicated the song to her. Riley probably hadn't realized that singing Charlotte's ballad at the party would upset Julie.

“How rude! Riley does something nice for her and Julie totally ranks him out. I can't believe it!” Katani exclaimed.

“What should I do?” Charlotte turned to her friends. “Riley probably didn't realize he was going to upset her.”

“There's nothing you can do, Charlotte,” Nick said. “Just enjoy that your words were set to music. Julie will be okay in a minute. She's a drama queen. You know, she loves all the attention!”

Charlotte was surprised at how insightful Nick was. Julie did like drama. It was probably why she didn't invite Avery—because she knew everyone would be talking about Julie, the party, and who was coming and who wasn't for weeks.

It was comforting for Charlotte to be friends with a boy who seemed so aware of how other people really were. She could have danced with Nick Montoya forever. And maybe Riley should have played one more slow number,
or any kind of song to finish. Instead, the band looked as if they were leaving.

“Stay for the party, of course, Riley,” Julie said, recovering from her anger. She ran over to Riley. Maybe she realized that Riley and his band had saved a sinking ship. “And plan to play some more. I'm so glad my parents invited you.” Julie probably hoped her fake enthusiasm made up for her earlier rudeness. Riley looked confused. He didn't understand girls like Julie. One minute, they acted one way, the next minute, another. Riley shook his head.

“But Riley,” squealed Julie, “you can't leave before cake.”

But Mrs. Faber was coming down the stairs carrying a huge birthday cake with pink coconut frosting, Hawaiian figures on the top, and
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
spelled out with pink icing. Mr. Faber followed with several buckets of ice cream. Choices of flavor were coconut, mango, pineapple, and strawberry. Riley and the band decided to stay. After all, cake was cake!

Julie looked half embarrassed, half pleased when everyone gathered around, sang, and watched her blow out fourteen candles—one to grow on—which took her two tries, and a half dozen photo opportunities.

“You left two candles. You won't get your wish for two years!” Anna McMasters teased.

After Mrs. Faber cut the cake, served the ice cream, and made sure everyone had plenty to eat, she and Mr. Faber went back upstairs to their own party.

“Where's Maeve?” Charlotte asked Katani.

Katani nodded her head toward where the band had performed. Maeve had left Dillon with them and was laughing and talking with Riley Lee and two more Mustard Monkeys. Dillon was watching Maeve, and it didn't take a mind reader to tell that he was jealous.

“Hey, Dillon,” Henry Yurt said, not even trying to keep his voice low. “Maybe you need to start a band.”

“Chill out,” Katani said to the boys. “Maeve can talk to anyone she wants.” Katani grabbed Charlotte's hand. “It's time for a break.”

Katani and Charlotte scooped up Maeve by each arm and headed up the stairs, looking for another bathroom. The house was big enough to have several.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Maeve asked, trying to shake off her captors.

“Riley needed to play another set. And we need to talk.”

As soon as they found another bathroom, this one twice as big as the one downstairs, Katani said, “Dillon is jealous.”

“Well, I'm sorry.” Maeve put her hands on her hips. “Has he invited me to a movie or anything since we went to the basketball game? No. And what kind of date is one where his father and his big brother go along and all of them totally ignore me?”

“Wow,” Charlotte said, putting up both hands. “Calm down, Maeve.”

“I'm calm!” Maeve let herself out of the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

“She's right,” Katani said. “She and Dillon aren't
together. And even if they were, she could talk to other people.”

By the time Charlotte and Katani got back to the basement rec room, Riley and the band were playing again. Someone had started the Hershey Mitten Game. A holdover from sixth grade, the Hershey Mitten Game continued to be a huge fave with Abigail Adams chocolate fanatics, which was just about everyone.

“How do you play?” Charlotte asked Katani as they watched. She had never heard of the game.

In the center of a table sat a huge Hershey's chocolate bar.

Katani explained. “It's cool. People take turns rolling dice until someone rolls a double. Whoever rolls a double puts on a knit hat, a scarf, and a pair of mittens.”

About that time, Pete rolled a double. As soon as he had on the hat and scarf and mittens, he cut a piece of chocolate off the big bar with a knife and fork and started eating. Soon a big chocolate smile spread across his face. Chelsea snapped a photo, either for Julie's photo album or for blackmail, or maybe both. Although the way Pete was laughing, he probably didn't care who saw the picture.

“My turn.” When Maeve rolled a double, she took the hat, scarf, and mittens from Pete and put them on. She cut off another piece of chocolate and chewed fast.

“Whoever eats the last piece of chocolate wins.” Katani laughed. “And is sick. Want to play, Char?”

“I think I'd rather dance.” Charlotte waved at Riley, who nodded to her and smiled. Then she looked around for Nick, but he seemed to have disappeared. A boy named
Andy, who she didn't know well, asked her to dance. Her father told her once that it was sometimes really hard for a boy to get up the courage to ask a girl to dance. So, if she felt comfortable, she should try to honor the request. Right then it was okay with her. She really liked the song and wanted to dance some more.

While they spun around the room, Charlotte heard the crowd cheering Maeve on. “Go, Maeve, go! Go, Maeve, go!”

Charlotte stumbled over the boy's foot and was about to apologize when Nick cut in. “I agree with you, Char. I think I'd rather dance.” He grinned as the music got faster and they bounced to keep up.

Riley and his band paused between numbers just as Charlotte and Nick, and Katani and Pete reached the far end of the room. A door opened right beside them. Cool air suggested it led to a garage and then outside.

Five boys busted into the room, laughing, talking, and pushing each other. Charlotte smelled something funny as they walked past.

“Is that beer I smell?” she asked Nick.

“I think so.” Nick looked worried.

One of the boys was swigging from a Coke can. Charlotte's dad had warned her that some kids put liquor in soda cans to hide it from grown-ups. “Uh-oh,” Pete said, putting his arm around Katani and pulling her farther into the corner. “This could be trouble.”

Nick and Charlotte moved back against the wall. “Who is that?” Charlotte asked.

“Julie's brother Bobby and Tim Cole, and some other boys I don't know,” Katani said.

“They're eighth graders, right? They look like trouble.”

“Yeah. They're acting really stupid. Julie looks like she's going to explode,” Katani said. “Remember what Elena said about them?”

Charlotte's eyes met Katani's, and then both of them turned to watch what was going on.

The boys were fake wrestling with each other and knocking things over. Tim drop-kicked his empty Coke can, which smashed into the wall.

“What do you think we should do?” Charlotte asked.

“Nothing…for now,” Nick advised. “Julie must know how to handle her own brother. Or maybe they won't want to stay at a seventh-grade party.”

Not so.

“Look, I told you guys this would be a blast. Look at the babies eating chocolate with mittens on. And look who thinks he can have a band. It's Riley and the Mustard Boys.”

Bobby, who was a big kid, grabbed Riley around the head and gave him a noogie. Riley wrestled to get away. “Hey, let go.”

Bobby laughed and headed across the room, walking with a swagger. His buddies followed, calling out insults to anyone who'd listen.

And the party had stopped. Everyone had frozen like statues, listening and watching to see what would happen next.

B
obby,” Julie said, her voice wavering. “I'm going to tell Mom. You're not supposed to be here. This is my party.” She stamped her foot at her brother for emphasis.

“But, Jules,” he goofed on his sister, “I missed the hula cake and ice cream and the really mature mitten game. Besides,” he looked around at the rather subdued atmosphere, “it looks to me like this party needs some attitude…. You know, a little action.” Bobby looked for and got the backup comments he wanted from his too-cool-for-words eighth-grade buddies. To Maeve's surprise, one of the gang included Tim Cole, her favorite hip hop partner. Tim was an eighth grader, but she hadn't known that he was a friend of Bobby Faber's. Things were looking up, thought Maeve. This party had been a little boring.

“Yeah, so how's it going, Jules? Let's dance!” Larry
Parker took Julie's arm and pulled her out in a clear space to dance. “Why has the band stopped playing? Play, Mustard Boys.” He waved his arm like a band director.

Riley glared at him, and then turned to look at his band. He gave the signal to start another number. He didn't much care about Julie's party, but these guys looked like they were just looking for trouble. Riley scanned the room, and he noticed that Dillon, Pete Wexler, and Billy Trentini were looking a little weirded out as well. “Geesh,” Riley whispered to his band. He felt a little hot all of a sudden.

“Julie has a serious crush on Larry,” one of Julie's friends whispered to Charlotte. “I'm sure I don't know why. He's such a loser. So is Bobby. They think they're so cool 'cause their soccer team has the best record in the city. But they're so not. They're totally annoying,” the girl added.

Katani asked, “Should we go get Julie's parents?”

“I think that's up to Julie,” Charlotte said. “It's her party. But maybe we should leave. Shall I call my dad?”

“Let's see what Maeve thinks. I'll go get her.” Katani made her way through the crowd, her parents' warning running through her head: “Any sign of trouble, you come home immediately.” Katani found Maeve hanging around the refreshment table, chatting with several girls from their class.

“Charlotte and I think we should go, Maeve. These eighth-grade boys aren't supposed to be here, and they're acting kind of funny. Let's get going, okay?”

“Leave? Now? It's just getting fun. Tim Cole just asked me to dance.”

“Tim Cole?” Katani stayed right beside Maeve.

“Tim's in my hip hop dance class. He's not only the cutest guy in the class, he's the best dancer. Besides me, of course.” Maeve smiled at Tim, who was walking toward them.

“But Maeve—” Charlotte, who had walked over to join them, watched Tim smile at Maeve. He was cute, Charlotte had to admit. But something just didn't feel right. Tim smelled like beer when he walked past Charlotte.

“It's okay. Chill, you guys. I'll be fine, just go back to Nick and Pete.”

“What about Dillon?” Katani said.

Maeve walked away so fast she didn't hear Katani.

She joined Tim, who was already showing off some of the latest moves. She tapped him on the arm, flashed a smile, and began dancing…following Tim's lead some of the time, but challenging him with her own style, too. The music got faster. Maeve and Tim matched their steps to the bouncing beat. Soon a small group surrounded them to watch their moves. Maeve was in her element. But Tim…Maeve could see that his dancing was a little sloppy. What was the matter with him?

The next minute, Tim stumbled and almost fell. He laughed to cover his clumsiness and took Maeve's arm, pulling her off the dance floor.

“I need to rest, Maeve. That's hard work.” Tim laughed and leaned on the refreshment table, almost losing his balance in the process.

Maeve caught her breath, but was sorry to stop dancing. She felt as if she could dance all night. Especially
with Tim. It seemed weird to stop all of a sudden. She'd seen Tim Cole dance for an entire hour at class before.

“Could you get me a glass of water?” Tim wiped his brow and then the rest of his face with a palm-tree napkin. “I don't feel so well.”

Maeve poured punch into a cup, since she didn't see any water. The punch was very sweet, but it was wet. She hurried back to Tim.

“Here, I didn't see any water, but have some punch. Are you okay?”

“Sure, Maeve. Why wouldn't I be okay? You're okay, too, you know. You look really great tonight.” He reached over and grabbed one of her curls. “Pretty hair, I'll be ready to dance again in a minute.”

Tim took the cup of punch with one hand and Maeve's arm with the other. He held onto her arm while he tossed back the sweet liquid, then he burped. “Whoa, that's better.”

Now closer to Tim, Maeve wrinkled her nose. “Ugh, what's that smell? Have you been drinking? That is so gross.” Maeve started to walk away.

“Wait, Maeve. Want to go to a movie with me tomorrow night?” Tim grabbed Maeve's arm and pulled her to a corner, away from the other kids.

How funny for Tim to invite her to a movie, since she lived over the movie theater and could see any show any time she liked. But even if that wasn't the case, she didn't think she wanted to go any place with Tim. He wasn't who she thought he was.

“I don't go out with boys who drink. It's dumb. You are only fourteen, for goodness sakes. It's not one bit cool or legal.
And it kills brain cells. Don't you know that?” Maeve was starting to feel really mad. She had thought Tim was something special. Now she just wanted to get away from him. She should have listened to Katani and Charlotte and left the party.

“Well, Miss Goody-Goody. You think you're too good to go out with me, don't you? Miss Popular. I take it back. You're not half as cute as you think you are.” A shocked Maeve turned to give him a piece of her mind when his face suddenly turned ashen. Gripping the side of the table, he began to raise his hand to his mouth. What happened next Billy Trentini described later as “truly gruesome—like something out of a horror movie. I mean, Cole spewed everywhere. It was like a geyser.”

Chunks of pepperoni pizza and red punch flew out of Tim's mouth, dribbled down his shirt, and sprayed all over the floor.

The party of the year was history.

All eyes turned toward Tim as he teetered, then slumped down to the floor.

Chaos reigned as Maeve screamed. She saw that a gushy chunk of vomit had attached itself to the bottom of her jeans. Some other kids began to gag while a few girls started crying. No one could actually believe what had happened. Throwing up was the grossest, most nasty thing you could do, and to throw up in public was a curse that would follow you for the rest of your school career. Tim Cole was doomed.

A furious Julie Faber threw a big, plastic exercise ball at her brother's head.

“You and your friends are…are,” she stammered, “a bunch of idiots,” and then she burst into tears.

Shocked at his sister's outburst, not to mention his friend's mess in the middle of the floor, a suddenly contrite Bobby Faber raced over to the refreshment table and picked up a paper towel. He tried to mop up the gushy mess. But, he merely succeeded in spreading it around. A dazed Tim kept moaning over and over again. “Man, I'm sooo sorry. What a mess. What a mess.”

“Dude, be quiet. My mother is going to kill me when she sees this mess. Her precious Julie's party ruined. You owe me big time.”

Meanwhile Riley Lee had leaned his guitar against the wall and had stepped in to help Maeve, who was crying and trying to wipe her pants off with a napkin.

“Leave her alone, Monkey Man. What's a little red puke on your pants?” joked a kid named DJ. His face marked with swaggering bravado, the big boy stood over the smaller Riley, practically daring him to try something.

“Pick on someone your own age, dude,” Riley answered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He was sick of Bobby Faber and his obnoxious, immature friends.

“Why should I leave her alone? So a fool like you can dance with her?” DJ grabbed Maeve's arm and pulled her close to him. Maeve struggled, but the bigger boy had too tight a hold.

“Let her go,” demanded Riley, his voice a tad shaky.

“Scared, monkey mustard?”

Dillon, who had moved closer to the action, saw that the situation was getting out of control. And even though
he was jealous that Riley was there first to help Maeve, he wasn't going to let some punk eighth-grader mess with his classmates.

“Turn her loose, DP, or whatever your phony name is,” a tough-sounding Dillon demanded.

Charged up by Dillon's presence, Riley stepped between Maeve and Dillon. Across the room, Charlotte and Katani grabbed each other. “This is really getting crazy,” whispered Katani to Charlotte. Her parents would never let her go to another party again when they heard about this. Where were Julie's parents? Why hadn't someone called them? Katani was not comfortable. Not one bit.

Charlotte was the first one to see it coming. With a sharp intake of breath, she grabbed Katani's hand tightly. Meant for Riley, DJ's fist scored on a stunned Dillon instead. Dillon, skidding in Tim Cole's red vomit, fell flat on his back, clutching his eye. Maeve screamed. Julie screamed. Charlotte screamed. Two other girls screamed.

Everyone at the party made a choice. Scream, laugh, or fight. The entire scene in the basement had turned to chaos.

How Fast Can You Move?

“Let's bolt…now.” A shaken Katani grabbed Charlotte's hand and headed toward the stairs.

Maeve couldn't wait to leave the party now. She ran to follow Katani and Charlotte. “Charlotte, call your dad to come and get us. Someone should have a cell phone,” she said in a panicked voice.

Chelsea, who had raced across the room to join them, handed Charlotte her cell phone. “Use mine. I'm getting out of here, too.”

Charlotte grabbed the phone and flicked it open. “Thanks, Chels.”

When her dad answered the phone, Charlotte said, “Did you walk Marty tonight?…Okay, thanks, bye, Dad,” and then hung up.

“What was that all about?” Nick asked. “You didn't tell him to come pick you up.”

“My dad and I made up a code phrase to use. He heard from some other parent that it's a good idea…so kids can feel okay about calling their parents for help and not worry about what other people think,” Charlotte explained.

“That's a good idea. I should tell my mom about that…maybe ours could be ‘Don't forget to bake the muffins for tomorrow morning,'” Nick joked. “I'm leaving too. “Can I catch a ride?”

“Sure.” Charlotte didn't want any of her friends to stay. Who knew what could happen next? She didn't even want to think about it.

A line of fellow party deserters followed, a conga line oozing its way up the stairs—Charlotte, followed by Nick, Maeve, and a wounded Dillon, then Katani, who was surprised when Pete took her hand and came along behind her.

They hurried up the stairs to the second floor.

“Mrs. Faber!” Charlotte shouted over the TV, which seemed to be at full volume.

“Why girls, and boys.” Mrs. Faber acknowledged the
male members of the huddle of BSG and friends. “Are you leaving already? Aren't you having fun?”

“Thank you for the great party, Mrs. Faber,” Charlotte said. “I told my father we wouldn't stay out late.”

Quickly, the group went outside on the Fabers' lawn to wait for him. The palm trees swayed in a slight wind, the lights twinkled, and the pink flamingos looked out of place in Brookline, far from their habitat. The Hawaiian music was quiet, and the girl handing out leis had long since gone home or inside someplace. Nobody said a word.

“Wait a minute. Where is Katani?”

Nick pointed to Katani racing across the lawn. “Here she comes; she must have stopped to get her jacket.”

“Julie was really upset,” said Charlotte in a subdued tone.

“Do you blame her? You only get to turn thirteen once.” Maeve raked her hand through a palm tree frond.

“The Fabers should have made sure Bobby had something to do tonight,” Nick said. “They have to know that their own kid is major trouble.”

“Yeah, I heard Julie tell Kiki that she had asked him to stay away, so she knew he could cause problems. Oh, there's my brother. I'll see you Monday.” Chelsea turned and grinned at the group. “I don't think Tim Cole will be in school on Monday.” She sprinted off with a backward wave.

“You know,” commented Pete to Katani, “Chelsea looks kinda different.”

“Yeah, she really does,” a breathy Katani answered.

Charlotte hoped her father got there fast. She felt funny
huddled in front of the house, randomly chatting about Chelsea, while Dillon's eye turned a disgusting green color, Katani's normally take-charge personality shrunk away, and Maeve, the “Chatty Kathy” of the group, had stopped talking altogether. The party lights all looked rather lonely now, twinkling in the cold air.

Maeve glanced at Dillon's eye. She hoped he would forgive her. But really, it wasn't her fault. She wasn't the one who had started anything.
I just wanted to dance
, she thought to herself.

Kids were beginning to pour out of Julie's house. Some were running across the lawn.

Luckily, Charlotte's father pulled up in front and got out of his car. “I didn't expect you to call for another hour or more.”

“Dad, do you think we can fit all of us in the car?” Charlotte said. “I'll tell you what happened later.”

Mr. Ramsey hesitated as he noticed Dillon's eye. “Well, we'll be breaking the seat belt law, but all right. Pile in. You kids okay? You want to stop at J.P. Licks…get some ice cream?”

The ice cream shop was packed. It seemed that everyone who was not at Julie's was slurping down on ice cream tonight. Mr. Ramsey suggested that the kids find a seat and he would place the order. Charlotte's dad always seemed to save the day.