Authors: Chelsea Ballinger
“Hey” I say
calmly.
“Where
were
you?” He asks me in a
very
dark, calm tone, which is more
intimidating than his yelling.
“At the
beach.”
“Really?
Well next time you decide to take a trip around town you better damn well take
your phone. You got that?” I don’t even
know
how to
excuse my behavior because he
is
right. Boy I
hate when he
’s
right.
“Yeah, I
got it.” That
was
that. My father and I spoke a lot with
very few words.
I left his
office heading into my room. I still haven’t fully unpacked yet. Home sweet
home, yeah right. I really miss our town house in Manhattan. I miss the busy
streets, millions of people on their phones not looking where they’re going;
the subway rides to Brooklyn to shoot hoops. Yes, I’m rich, but you’re not a
real New Yorker until you’ve rode on a Subway. I really liked it because of the
diversity of people on the Subway. I’m kind of a people watcher. I get bored
easily, what can I say. Hell, I’ll even miss my Catholic school we went to,
well except the uniforms. I
just
hope tonight
this party brings some excitement.
Claudia
I slip
into my dress staring at myself in the tall golden framed mirror. I’m so glad I
talked my dad into getting me this dress. It took a while to get him to buy a
short dress for his sixteen year old daughter. Ever since my mom died he became
extra strict. However, the past couple of months his focus has been on his work,
meaning he’s
too busy to say no
to me. So, yeah, I’m not complaining. I
have
long brown hair and it’s starting to
look
like my
mother’s. I’m starting to
resemble
her. I have my dad’s height and maybe feet
unfortunately, but the rest is from my mother. I’m happy about that. My mother
was
beautiful.
“Well
you
look
like an innocent slut.” I turn around
smiling at my best friend, Jade. She is looking
pretty and slutty in her red
voluptuous dress. Jade has been my best friend since we
were
six years old. She
is
the best person you could ask for in a
friend. She
’s
the only
real
friend I have.
“So do
you” I say back as she enters my room. “Well, not the innocent part”
“Thank you.
I try my best. Are you ready?”
“Yeah, I
just
need to let my phone charge for a
minute.” I turn back around and study myself in the mirror again.
“So, are
you going to hook up with Eric?” I whip around fast, shocked at Jade.
“No! Why
would you ask me that?!”
“
Just
making
sure, you
know
you like to have spontaneous moments.”
“Well I
may do many things, but I wouldn’t sleep with him, you
know
that.” I’ve had the occasional random
make out sessions before, but never sex.
“I know
my little virgin.” She’s baby talking
me right now, the nerve.
“
Okay,
just
because you lost yours this summer doesn’t make you an
expert.” I fire back.
Jade lost
her virginity this summer to a guy from another school. From what she said it
was
okay, but it hurt like hell. I figure
if it does hurt I might as well wait to lose my virginity. I’
m
not saving it until marriage, but at least
until I meet someone special.
“Well,
I’m planning on doing it for the second time.”
“What?!
With who?!” I give up staring at myself in the mirror now. I sit next to her
on the bed, giving her the wide eyes.
“Dean.”
My brow creases at the name.
“Are you
serious? EW! He’s an idiot.” Dean
was
Eric’s best
friend and a complete asshole. I also believe he repeated the seventh grade. There
is
no way I’
m approving
of this.
“I
just
want to get all the pain and crap out
the way so it can get better.”
“Jade,
you don’t need to do that. You’ll meet someone.”
“Come on,
Claud. Everyone doesn’t get the romance. Besides, when and if I get it, I’ll be
ready for him.” She displays a mischievous grin.
“
Just
promise me
you’ll think about it, okay?”
She
sighs “Yes. I will reconsider it.”
That
’s
all I can do. I would love to tie
her up somewhere, but I can’t. All I can do
is
give advice.
Once Jade makes her mind up about
something, there is no changing it.
Donovan
“Ella, come
on!” Christian calls for our
very
slow
sister.
We’ve been waiting on her
for like an hour. Most likely she is trying to find something cute to cover up
her actual outfit.
“Alright!
God, I’m ready.” She says, coming down the stairs in a blue jean jacket, purple
top, and gray pants. It
’s
obvious
that her shirt
is
probably a dress tucked in her jeans.
Her purse
is
bigger than usual so her shoes are in
there. I turn to
see
my mom whose facial expression tells
me she also
knows
Ella
is
not wearing
that to tonight.
“You
guys have money?” Dad asks.
“Yeah,
we’re
good, dad.” I don’t know what
Christian is talking about, but I’m flat out broke.
“Remember,
Benny is going to be on call tonight so you call him if anything happens.” Benny
is my father’s right hand man. He’s like an uncle to us; therefore we call him
Uncle Benny. Benny doesn’t say much. He stays
to
himself all the time. If there
is
anyone my
father trusts with protecting his family, it
’s
Benny.
“You
kids be good tonight, okay?” My mother says “Donovan, have fun.”
“I’m
going to have fun, mom.” I don’t sound too convincing.
“Okay,
were
out of here.” Christian hurry’s us
along.
“Christian,”
My dad stops my brother before he heads out the door. “Take care of your
brother and sister.”
My
brother pats my father on the back. “I got this old man.”
“Yeah,
this old man can still kick your ass.” My dad laughs.
He gives
me a slight smile and I give him one back. This
is
our way of communication. It’s either a
grin or a nod. My mother teases us about it because out of all of us I resemble
my father the most physically. I have blonde hair and blue eyes like he does.
Well, like he use to. His blonde hair is grayer now. According to the rest of
our family we’re also alike in our characteristics and mannerisms. I agree with
that. I have an attitude problem like him. I’m stubborn as hell like him. To
quote my great uncle Billy “I’m a smart ass and I don’t listen” like my father
when he was my age. So, I guess it’s like looking into a mirror for him when he
sees me.
Claudia
I try
not to spit out the shot of Patron I
just
took. God,
it’s gross. It’s my first time taking shots. My relationship with liquor
consists of the occasional beer, wine, or fruity drinks. Not this vile libation
people love to drink.
I glance
around the kitchen to
see
my friends looking
like pros compared to me. Jade definitely is. She has been drinking hard liquor
since we
were
twelve. I
see
the birthday girl Naomi gathering her
B day shots, all ten of them. Yeah, I can already tell this is going to be a
long night.
“So
Claud, you excited about seeing Eric tonight?” Naomi asks.
“I guess,
I don’t
know
.”
“Are you
serious? He’s gorgeous. You better get a hold of that before someone else
does.” Naomi isn’t really a friend; she’s more like a frenemy.
Since we
were
eight, she’s always tried to compete
with me from ballet to style to Homecoming queen. Now she
’s
competing with me for boys, especially
Eric. Naomi wants me to get with Eric
just
because Naomi likes him. Jade has hated Naomi since that
time she told everybody that Jade’s dad
was
having an
affair with our teacher in grade school. From
then
on
there
was
nothing but dirty looks exchanged
between the two. I guess it is fake of us to come to her party, but that’s how
it is here in Eastbrook. Everyone is pretty much fake in this town.
“I’ll
keep that in mine, Naomi.” Now of course I
’m
hoping Naomi can distract Eric for me. I want to enjoy the party, not be busy
worrying about the connection between me and Eric.
“Slow down,
Naomi!” Dawn says to Naomi, seeing she
is
already
pouring her twelfth shot.
She
chucks it back without any hesitation or struggle. Naomi has been drinking
since probably birth. Her mother is an alcoholic so we presume she
is
following in her footsteps. It
’s
sad to me. Naomi’s dad had left
their family for a new one when she
was
ten. The
only time he came to
see
her
was
to write her a new check for whatever
she wanted. Naomi’s step dad
is
my father’s
friend and a judge, who is planning to run for senator in the next couple of
years.
“I’m
fine guys; I’m
just
ready for everyone to get here.” Naomi
whines, as she tries to fix her lopsided birthday tiara.
“Well,
Rob text me and said they
were
on their
way. So let the festivities begin!” Dawn clapped her hands together. Dawn
is
the daughter of Frank and Mary Baxter.
Her father
is
an owner of a big construction
company. Her mother
is
sleeping with
their pool boy. So
is
Dawn.
We each
grab another shot to toast to our night.
“What
should we toast to?” Dawn asks.
“Let’s
toast to a night that is unforgettable, bitches.” Naomi smiles broadly. I really
don’t like being referred to as a bitch, but I’ll let it slide seeing she said
it in plural and it is her birthday.
We bump
our shot glasses together and down them. I again have to hold back my vomit.
A night
that is unforgettable. Well, I guess we’ll
see
.
Donovan
“Welcome to Eastbrook High School.
This is where the richest and most spoiled elite attend.” The very drunk cousin
of mine says.
“Are you talking about yourself,
Jason?” Dina, Ella’s best friend, laughs as she calls out Jason for being a
hypocrite.
We met up with our friends at the
high school parking lot to pregame before the party. Jason is my cousin. Dina
has been Ella’s friend for a while. She would sometimes stay with us when we still
lived in New York. Her dad is a smuggler for my father. All you have to do is
name it, he smuggles it, except drugs. My dad doesn’t believe in doing business
with drug dealers and putting smack on the street. I mean I know it doesn’t
excuse the rest of his past, but hey at least he’s a mobster with some morals. Emile
is the shortest guy I’ve ever known and my best friend. He is hilarious and he
loves the ladies, especially tall girls. His dad is a defense lawyer. He
defends almost every criminal in the state of New York and has won most of his
cases. He’s like the Johnny Cochran for the mob. The cops hate him as much as
my father.