Regina (14 page)

The day of the party, Nat took me to the
salon and we had a good time getting our nails and hair done. Nat
insisted we go to the dress shop on Main Street and get new outfits
for the party tonight.

“Come on!” She shouted when I said no to the
idea. “It’s your birthday!”

We spent the rest of the morning shopping.
Mom called me around lunchtime to tell me Grandpa is going to make
a special lunch for my birthday, so I needed to come home. After I
said goodbye to Nat I headed home.

The most wonderful surprise was waiting for
me when I got there. Jane was sitting in the dining room with my
parents, sipping coffee. I was so surprised I didn’t notice what
they were talking about when I came in.

“Oh my gawd! You made it!” I shouted and
jumped up and down.

“Happy Birthday!” Jane shouted at me. It felt
awesome!

I was so happy I hugged my parents and
thanked them profusely for letting Jane come to Lee. I pulled her
away since the lunch was an excuse to get me home and took her to
town to see everything. Grandpa graciously loaned me his truck.

“Holy shit, G.G., this is a small town! What
the hell do you do out here?” Jane asked with disbelieving eyes as
we rolled thru Main Street. I laughed at her. It felt so great
being in her presence and hearing her call me G.G., my nickname at
Will Lawson.

Jane was an amazing Puerto Rican beauty. Her
long brown hair shined the sunlight, and her brown eyes were full
of judgment. Her brown skin was flawless and her makeup was
perfect, like always. Jane didn’t take crap from anyone and she
loved treating people bad if they said something negative about
her. I think that’s why we get along so well!

“Nothing! Katie and I go out of town
sometimes, but not enough. There’s some shopping, but not much. I
like to drive on the back roads and think. Other than that,
nothing!” We looked at each other and laughed.

“How fucking boring!” Jane exclaimed. “Really
G.G., how can you stand it here?”

“It’s not so bad. The town is actually
….nice, and the people are pretty awesome. You’ll meet most of my
friends here tonight at the party.”

“Friends? Really? I take it you’ve associated
yourself enough with them to call them ‘friends’.” She rolled her
eyes. “Where is this delicious party tonight? And you must fill me
in on the boys here. Any of them good enough to eat?”

I did a double take at Jane. “I thought you
were dating Zach Hayes. Did you guys break up?”

“Oh, no! I broke up with that loser months
ago!”

I laughed. Jane is pretty picky when it came
to her boyfriends. “Seeing anyone now?”

“I’m seeing you.” I loved the way she winked
at me like this was an ordinary day.

“Yes, that’s true. And, it’s your first
pasture party!”

“Terrific!” She says with a lot of sarcasm.
“Don’t forget about us raped in the wilderness by inbred
cannibals.”

I was driving us to the back roads while we
talked about life at Will Lawson. I wanted to tell Jane about the
dreams so badly. I thought if anyone would understand, she
would.

When Jane was little, she would tell us
constantly of something living in her closet. She said it would
wait till it was much later and come out. The closet door would
open slowly, as if trying to muffle the creaking it would bring. We
didn’t believe her, at first, but one day, Jane invited me and
Renee to stay the night with her and see for ourselves.

At first, we were scared. We were little
girls who believed what our friends told us, but we eventually
stayed the night with Jane in her house. Nothing happened but I
believed Jane for this happens to her still, to this day.

“Jane, can I tell you something?”

“Sure.” She said while looking outside. We
were in the country now and some of the scenery did interest
her.

“I’ve had some crazy dreams lately.”

“Yeah, me too!”

“No, I mean about this place, this town.”

She looked over at me. “Tell me about
them.”

I explained about my dreams about the back
roads. I left out most of the crazy stuff. Jane kept interrupting
me by asking questions to get a better understanding on what I was
saying. It threw me off a lot and I kept forgetting where I was.
After I explained the dreams and the roads, I felt like a whiney
spoiled brat who was really crazy! I knew Jane felt the same way
because of the way she was looking at me. Doubt was all over her
face when I told her about my theory that this town is evil.

“Well, honey, that does sound pretty
crazy.”

“I knew it! You think I’m crazy!” I gasped,
the shame running deep in my brain.

“I said it sounds crazy G.G., I didn’t say
you were crazy!” We busted out in giggles. I don’t know why I was
taking the subject so lightly but I felt so good being around Jane
again. My aura felt right, my chakras were aligned and the world
was right. I always felt this way around Jane and Renee.

“Take me to the house!” Jane shouted with
joy, jumping in her seat.

“No!” I shouted. “Absolutely not! Didn’t you
hear what I said about the house?”

“Yes and I want to see it. Come on G.G.” Jane
said when I hesitated. “You got to come over to try to see my
nightmare, let me see yours.”

“Yes and if I remember correctly, I didn’t
see anyone in your closet.” I snapped but regretted it the moment I
said it.

“Well I don’t see anyone in yours either.”
She responded.

I drove for a little while. I wanted to
apologize and start over but that wasn’t the kind of person Jane
was. She built a bridge pretty quickly when it came to an argument
with her real friends.

“So, I have some news about Jeff.” Jane said,
interrupting my thoughts. “Wanna hear it?”

“Sure.”

“He’s dating Trisha Marsh!” Jane snorted. I
couldn’t help but laugh with her.

Trisha Marsh was the skankiest girl in our
school. Every guy had been with her! She had big boobs, a huge butt
and a never say no attitude. She was every guys dream! And
apparently, Jeff was an included dreamer. I think I was shocked
more than angry. He sure didn’t wait to go out with Trisha. Then
again, I didn’t wait to go out with Steven.

Katie and the girls were set to be at my
house by four so we could work on the decorations. There wouldn’t
be much because it was in the middle of a field. However, Katie got
some balloons, streamers to hang on cars and white shoe polish to
write on the windows of the cars. She painted Happy Birthday Regina
and Sweet 16 on the cars when they arrived.

My party was slamming! Everyone from school
was there including my cousin MeKayla. I don’t know how Steven did
it but he scored a couple of kegs for the party and some hard
liquor for me and my girls. It was awesome! Katie, Jane and I did
shots before people started showing up! Mom and dad took Grandpa to
Austin for the night. They said Jane and anyone else could stay
over if they wanted to. I was very surprised they were being so
nice to me, but as they say in the south, I didn’t look a gift
horse in the mouth.

I was having the best time at my party! Even
though I was quite intoxicated when people began arriving, I
sobered up after I ate some of the food Nat brought. Since I’m in
Texas, Nat just had to give me a traditional Texas birthday dinner
of barbeque ribs and brisket, potato salad, veggies, mashed
potatoes, big buttered biscuits, and a large glass of iced tea.
Becky totally kicked ass with her brilliance, she backed her car
into Grandpa’s field and popped her trunk to serve as a table. We
stored my alcohol there too. If the cops showed up, which they
often did at pasture parties, we could close the trunk and quickly
push it into the tree line. No alcohol, no tickets.

We sat down for a rousing game of I Never
Ever. Steven bought a huge bottle of Tequila for the game. I was so
happy my friends would play my favorite game. We sat in a circle
while everyone had a full shot glass in front of them. The object
of the game was to confess something you had never done, and those
around the table who have done it must take a shot.

“Okay, it’s my birthday so I’m starting! I’ve
never ever been sixteen before! Yee-haw!” I shouted.

Steven laughed hard at me and took a shot.
The rest of the group in the game took a shot because they were
already sixteen, but they all laughed at me like Steven did. Did I
miss the joke??

“Damn! Am I the youngest one here!” I
exclaimed and laughed.

“Okay, my turn!” Jane shouted. Her eyes
narrowed and turned sarcastically to Katie. “I’ve never ever
….betrayed my friends.”

Katie looked at Jane with confusion, but for
a brief moment, guilt ran across Katie’s face and scored a
touchdown in her heart. We all started whooping in excitement when
Becky took her shot.

Something was happening between Jane and
Katie. The alcohol may be affecting my ability to speak or think
straight, but I know what I saw.

“Ok, I’ve never ever stolen anything.”
Someone said.

“Loser!” We shouted and took a shot.

Everyone joined me in the game and we were
pretty drunk by the time we around the table a couple of times, but
I think Jane was the only one who might’ve been somewhat coherent.
She had a pretty good tolerance for alcohol because she drank it so
frequently. I, on the other hand, had to barf in the bushes, but
once I did I felt much better.

Jane and Katie weren’t getting along very
well. They were standing on the opposite side of the pasture,
avoiding each other. I joined Steven after a toothbrush break and
we blasted the music. People were dancing, playing in the tank,
munching on the food, or drinking from the keg. Many people stopped
me to tell me what a kick ass party it was and how much fun they
were having. Oh yes, my Sweet Sixteen would go down in Lee history!
In a way though, I was happy. I loved these people at my party. At
least they cared enough to show up! I sincerely appreciate my
parents letting me have the house for my party but I thought they
would want to spend some time with me on my birthday!

Jane and Katie rolled out a heavenly
chocolate cake at one point. It was decorated with cherries (my
fave!) and had Happy Sweet Sixteen Regina written in purple
letters. Sixteen delicate pink candles were lit on the top. I was
so touched, I cried and hugged them.

After the cake, someone got into a fight. I
don’t remember who because I was pretty intoxicated but I do
remember Steven breaking up the fight and kicking them out of the
party. That gave Sabrina the opportunity to come up to me.

“Happy Birthday.” She said with sarcasm.

“Thanks.” I replied dryly.

“No, I mean it. Happy Birthday.” She walked
away laughing.

I scratched my head at her. What was wrong
with Sabrina? There was a rumor she was dating Steven when I came
to Lee but Steven swore he wasn’t. Plus Katie knows everyone and
everything about Lee, and she confirmed Steven was not dating
Sabrina. I wondered if they were seeing each other secretly.

The party was still going at two in the
morning and I was so drunk, I could barely stand. I needed to get
to bed so I could die from the hangover I was going to have. Before
I went upstairs, I grabbed Steven. He was sitting on the front
porch, watching the water. I sat on his lap and started kissing his
face.

“Let’s go upstairs.” Steven said. He started
kissing me back wildly.

“We can’t. Becky is already passed out up
there.”

“Maybe somewhere else private?” He suggested
with raised eyes. “I can give the birthday girl her present.”

I was drunk, but I wasn’t that drunk. I knew
he meant sex so I pulled away from him. “No Steven.”

“Come on. I promise you’ll enjoy it.” He
whispered. His lips found mine and he started to kiss me
softly.

I laughed my butt off when he said that to
me. He was trying to be sexy and get me to have sex with him, but
it did the opposite. Something didn’t feel right. Some switch
inside my head was flipped again telling me to get as far away from
the situation as possible.

Steven continued to kiss me and roam my body
with his hands. Once I gained my composure and thoughts, I pushed
him away.

“What the hell, Regina?” He said angrily.

“I said no, Steven. If you want to fool
around, that’s fine but I’m not having sex with you. We talked
about this before.”

“Yeah, well, I thought that was one of those
things girls say so the guy doesn’t think she’s a slut when she has
sex with him.”

“Dude! I’m not a slut!” I said with angry
eyes.

He looked at me with such anger I thought he
was going to break up with me. The alcohol was making me aggressive
but my common sense wasn’t gone. I wasn’t going to have sex with a
guy I didn’t really know yet!

“Well you sure fooled me! You liked it a few
days ago when we were making out.” He said and kicked the chair
over as he walked away from me.

“Steven!”

“Fuck off, Regina!”

I was so far beyond insulted I didn’t care to
catch up to him. I spun on my sneakers and went inside, locking the
doors behind me as I did so. I was angry. In fact, I was beyond
angry. Rage settled inside my chest comfortably and began to nestle
in my heart. All I could think of was hurting Steven so badly, he
would be permanently scared. Feeling all this emotion was getting
to me.

The next day, Jane had to go home. We didn’t
get to spend a lot of time together because I was so hung over, but
we drove her to the airport and I got spend the last hours she had
here with her.

“Good luck, G.G.!” She said after she gave me
a bear hug. Her return ticket was in her hand. I hated seeing her
name on it and not mine. “And don’t worry, everything will be fine!
You’ll be home and those stupid dreams will be left on those back
roads where they belong.” She whispered into my ear before she
left.