Life of the Party

by Christine Anderson

  “Fine, just hurry.” She snapped. “I’ll be in the car. You have five minutes.”

  “Okay, okay.” I stood in front of the pile, ready to ward her off if she suddenly wanted to gather the laundry or something. But Mom was too busy storming off to worry about it.

  Luckily I already had an outfit picked out from the night before. I threw on my jeans, a red tank top and some flip-flops. My newly painted black toenails shone nicely. My hair was an absolute mess; I couldn’t do anything but twist it into a bun type thing at the back of my head. I quickly lined my eyes with black and put on some mascara, grabbing a deep red lipstick to apply on the way. I brushed my teeth like lightning, grabbed my purse and my books and a black hoodie on the way out the door.

  I could practically hear my mom’s teeth grinding as I stepped out of the house and into the warm summer morning. I shoved all my things into the backseat of the car and hopped in the front. There was complete silence from my mother as she backed the car out of the drive and then zoomed onto the street.

  “I can’t believe you.” She spoke in frustration.

  “What, so I slept in.” I shrugged. “It’s no big deal.”

  “Tell that to your diploma exam.” She shook her head. I shrugged again. I wasn’t exactly prepared for my diploma exam anyway; ten minutes wouldn’t really change things. I gripped the door as my mom took a corner too fast. “I can’t believe you’re seventeen. You act like you’re twelve. Where’s the responsibility?”

  “Ugh ….” I rolled my eyes and leaned against the window. “Did you and dad like, have a meeting or something? Did you decide to drive me crazy on purpose?”

  “Me and your father,” she said curtly, “are beginning to realize that we’ve ignored this situation for far too long.”

  I groaned. “So you did have a meeting.”

  She ignored me. “It’s our fault, if there’s anyone to blame. Our schedules are just so crazy; it’s not that we haven’t noticed … it’s that we’ve been too tired to deal with it properly.”

  “Are you talking to me?” I wondered. It seemed she was having a conversation with herself. I looked at her in confusion.

  “Things are going to change, Mackenzie.” Mom warned. “You need discipline, and rules, and boundaries.”

  I scoffed. “Yeah, okay mom. I’m graduating in three days. You’re going to start this all now? Don’t you think you’re a little late?”

  The expression on her face told me she had at least considered that fact. She bit her lip. “No.” Mom lied. “As long as you’re living under our roof, things are going to change.”

  I slumped back in my seat. There were no words to voice my frustration. I shut my eyes and wished for some cocaine. And a cigarette. And to be out of the car already. Mom pulled furiously into the school parking lot.

  “You come straight home after school, you hear me?” Mom threatened through a yawn. “We’ll be waiting. We need to have a good talk, all three of us.”

  “Oh joy.” I grumbled. I got out of the car and grabbed my things from the backseat, slamming the door as hard as I could. I turned my back on her without even a wave, stomping towards the school. Mom watched me for a minute; I could hear the car sitting there. When finally she pulled away, I waited until she was down the street before I dropped my stuff and took a smoke from my purse. There was no way I could go in and write a major exam without a cigarette first, especially not with the mood I was in.

  My mood was even fouler by the time I finished my math exam. I had gone through the questions doggedly, struggling to make my brain work properly, but most often I’d gone with my best guess. The number closest to the one I came up with was the one I chose. My head pounded by the end as I handed in my test, and I frowned at the prospect of going home for a family meeting. Dealing with my parents was the last thing on earth I wanted to do. I walked through the empty halls of the school that echoed with absent students, and headed into the bright, sunny day totally miserable.

  But then I saw him. My head was down; I didn’t notice him at first. I looked up from the grey slab sidewalk and there he was, standing there, waiting for me beside an old white motorcycle that gleamed with steel. His bare, tanned arms were crossed against his chest; a sexy grin curved his lips when he noticed me. I could see my reflection in the large, dark aviator sunglasses that fit his face perfectly. My breath caught in my throat at the sight of him and I just stood there, amazed.

  I wasn’t sure what to expect. I hoped for the best, but also braced for the worst, just in case Grey had come to deliver another “we’re still just friends, right?” speech. My heart beat nervously as I approached him, but I tried to stay positive.

  “What’s up?” I wondered. I hoped I looked okay; self-consciously I remembered my messy, bedraggled hair and obvious lack of make-up. Grey smiled—his lips curved into the playful smirk that I knew so well, and when he lifted his glasses, the way he looked at me, I could’ve been the most beautiful woman in the world. My cheeks flushed pink and I returned his smile wholeheartedly, my heart surging with relief.

  Grey shrugged and motioned to the motorcycle beside him. “I thought maybe you’d like to go for a ride.”

  “Wow. And here I thought you’d forgotten all about me.” I kidded.

  “I’m afraid it’s a little late for that.”

  My blush deepened at his words, and I flashed him a happy, bashful smile. “I didn’t know you had a bike.” I stepped forward to admire it, running my hand down the cold steel of the handlebars. I didn’t recognize the make, but for an older model it seemed in good condition. The steal gleamed silverly and the white paint looked pristine.

  “I keep telling you. There’s a lot you don’t know about me.” Grey winked slyly. He flipped the kickstand, grasped the handlebars and straddled the machine. His black boots planted firmly to keep the bike from tipping and he looked up at me expectantly, his blue eyes shining.

  “Hop on, sugar.” He called with a grin. His jeans were tight over his bent knees; his white t-shirt hugged the hard torso beneath. He put his glasses back on. I smiled eagerly and let my backpack fall on the ground next to the sidewalk. Studying was just going to have to wait.

  As I grasped the hard muscle of his arm and threw my leg over the seat behind him, fleetingly I imagined my parents—their arms crossed, their feet tapping impatiently as they watched the front door for my arrival home from school. They were going to have to wait as well. There was no way I would give up spending an afternoon with Grey just because my parents suddenly gave a damn.

  As if reading my thoughts, he turned to me over his shoulder. “Are you going to get in trouble for this?” He wondered.

  “No.” I lied. “Who cares?”

  He chuckled. “You ever been on a bike before?”

  “No. Well, like, a pedal bike. Does that count?”

  “No. This is easy though. Just lean when I lean.”

  “Okay.”

  “And Mackenzie?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Hold on tight.”

  I laughed and obliged him willingly, wrapping my arms around his waist, resting my hands on his hard abdomen. I could smell the delicious warmth of his skin and his cologne, very subtle, just enough to make me want more. I smiled happily to myself as a surge of excitement and anticipation thrilled through me.

  The bike roared to life then, making me jump. I could feel Grey laughing as he slowly walked the motorbike backwards and away from the curb.

  He shouted to be heard. “Ready?”

  I nodded. One moment we were sitting there, the next we were moving smoothly out of the parking lot. We sped up upon reaching the street, and I clutched Grey tighter. It was a totally foreign feeling to me; I wasn’t used to being so exposed. There was nothing to keep me in, nothing to protect me from the elements but his form before me.

  But it didn’t take long before I loved it. The wind floated over us, carrying with it the scent of Grey’s cologne on the warm summer breeze. He was young, a
nd strong, and gorgeous, sitting just before me, switching gears expertly, in total control of his vehicle. I had never been prouder to know someone, to be with someone, to have others see me with someone. I tipped my head back and let the wind brush over my face and my neck, a smile curving my lips.

  The soft, gentle breeze was caressing as we rode, and as it stroked my arms and my skin I caught the promise of adventure, the desire for total exhilaration that only more speed and wind could bring. I wanted more. I pressed myself against Grey’s back, my hands hugging his hard body closer to me. My lips found his ear.

  “Faster.” I requested. Grey didn’t answer me, but the corner of his mouth curved slightly. I knew that he was smiling. “I want to go faster.”

  “Of course you do.” Was all he said.

  The bike roared onto the highway. Grey went through the gears like butter, one right after the other, revving the motorcycle until the engine growled in response. The countryside whizzed past on either side, a blur of shapes and shadows that I couldn’t discern. The sun shone golden down on us but its warmth was whipped away by the wind that rushed by, cutting through my clothes as if I were wearing nothing at all. Its bitter fingers pierced the very core of me, stealing my breath away, making my heart hammer with adrenaline. My skin erupted in icy shivers.

  A smile curved my lips. This was exactly what I wanted. There was nothing around me. Nothing but the deafening wind. My hair tore free from its elastic and fell, caught by the currents, streaming behind me, whipping and tearing around my face. My smile deepened.

  Thoughtlessly I took my hands from the safety of Grey’s waist. I stretched them in the air beside me and then threw my head back, embracing the cold, letting it pour through me until it burned all the heat away. I felt alive.

  I felt like I was flying. Like Kate Winslet in Titanic. In that moment, I was free. I let the wind take from me all my worries, all my cares, all my troubles. It swept them far, far away. My parents, my exams, Riley … none of it mattered. Nothing but the total freedom that I felt.

  I loved it. I loved him. I hugged myself around Grey again, wrapping my arms tightly around his waist. He laughed beneath my hands. The engine revved and we went even faster. I clung to him until there was no space between us and my heart felt like it might burst with happiness. I never wanted it to end.

  Eventually we had to slow, re-entering the town limits as the sun swung lazily over the horizon. Its warmth could be felt again on my frigid skin due to our leisurely pace, present in the soft, languid breeze that swept lightly over us. I was chilled right to the very marrow, my frozen fingers were stiff and numb but I smiled delightfully, renewed somehow by the invigorating ride.

  As we paused at a stop sign, Grey glanced over his shoulder at me. He nearly had to yell to be heard. “Where to now?” He asked.

  I bit my lip in thought. The sky was dimming around us, and there was a part of me—the quiet, easily mollified part—that knew I should go home. Knew I should deal with the inevitably already pissed off parents. But the other part of me—the louder, more dominant part—wanted fun and adventure at any cost. She wanted to stay with Grey for as long as she possibly could. Who cared how much trouble she’d be in?

  I grinned. “I’ll go anywhere you want to go.”

  “Anywhere?”

  “Anywhere.”

  CHAPTER 25

  I sniffed in deeply and welcomed the pleasant burn that started in my sinuses and slid down the back of my throat. I passed him the vial, pinching my nose shut and breathing deep.

  Anywhere had turned out to be Grey’s house. I was so surprised he had taken me there; I’d always wondered where he lived. His house—no, their house, he shared it with Alex and Zack—was in the older part of town. It was obviously lived in by bachelors. There was no kitchen table; a large beer-can castle took its place, apparently Alex’s masterpiece. I had to sit on my hands to keep from knocking it over, the urge was so great. The living room was devoted entirely to a big screen TV and all its necessary components—sound surround, DVD towers, a large black, overstuffed sectional. There was a UFC poster on one wall surrounded by holes punched in around it. Grey said that when Zack got really ripped, he thought he was Tito Ortiz and liked to show off his skills, using poor Forrest Griffin in the poster as his target.

  “This is good shit.” Grey handed the vial back to me. I did another scoop and the rush of calming heat bore instantly into me. I grinned and shut my eyes a moment, savouring the sensation.

  “I know.” I sniffed. I felt the rush spread into my tongue, fuelling the speed of my words as my heart surged in my chest, pushing eager blood through my veins. “I did some last night when my dad was making me study but I didn’t get anything done, but it was a blast. But I haven’t studied for like, one of my tests yet. I’ve probably failed them all, which will suck when I have to come back next year and do it all over again … or maybe I just won’t, who knows ….” Shakily I lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply. “Anyway, how did you do in school? Were you a total brain?”

  “Hardly.” He laughed. “I guess I could’ve been, but I didn’t care enough to try. I dropped out when I was in grade … ten, was it? Ten or eleven.”

  “You did?”

  “Yes. It was the best thing I ever could have done.”

  “Why?”

  “That’s how I met Alex and Zack, when we started the band. I lived in the city and I knew I wanted to do music, so I just started going to auditions and stuff after I quit school. Most everyone thought I was too young, but Tom liked what he saw, anyway.”

  “Wait, you joined their band? I didn’t know that.”

  “Yeah, they were called Warhorse back then. They were struggling. Not that I was the answer or anything, but we just work together really well. Everyone else was already there but Jimmy, he joined after me, a few years ago. We wrote some new stuff and changed our style a bit and, well, obviously it’s worked out pretty good, so far.”

  “I can’t believe you’re signed. Like, that’s a big deal, right?”

  “Yeah. That’s a pretty big deal.”

  I flicked my cigarette rapidly over the ashtray; my fingers were trembling. My heart fluttered hastily in my chest. “So, why don’t I ever see Jimmy and Tom and … Lucas, right? You only see them at gigs and stuff?”

  “They still live in the city. We practice and have the Aurora deal out here, so they come into town at least twice a week. It’s kind of a pain in the ass, but our jam spot costs way less here than it would in the city, and the Aurora was our only real steady gig. When I first met the guys, Tom got me a job at the Red Wheat, ‘cause I guess he knows Ralph pretty well, and Alex and Zack gave me a place to live. So I moved out here. It was a lot better than my city situation, anyway. ”

  “And what was that?”

  Grey shook his head. When he lifted his blue eyes, they looked a bit sad. “Doesn’t matter.” He shrugged. “That was years ago.”

  “Oh.” I nodded. Obviously he didn’t want to talk about it, but I was intrigued. I took another scoop of delicious white powder and shot it up my nose. The cocaine made me blissfully numb but superbly aware. “How expensive is this stuff anyway?” I wondered suddenly. I’d have to pay Charlie back for all the dope I’d gone through.

  “Depends on how much you want. Eighty bucks will last the night, typically.”

  “Eighteen, or eighty?”

  “Eighty. Eight-zero.”

  “Really?” My eyes got big. I held the vial up to estimate its size. “How much would it cost to fill this up again?”

  “Um … I don’t know. Three, four-hundred maybe.”

  “What?” I laughed in surprise. “Really?”

  “Roughly, yeah. Why,” he chuckled, “you in deep?”

  “No, well, this was Charlie’s. She lent it to me last Friday and I’ve kind of … used it all.” I looked down at the skimpy remnants that clung to the inside of the vial. “Good thing I’ve got tips now.”

  “Yeah, I’d say. Tha
t’s going to be a mighty expensive habit, at the rate you’re going.”

  I shrugged. “Girls just wanna have fun.”

  “Yeah. Some girls more than others.” Grey studied me for a moment, and a smile broke over his lips. “Sometimes, I swear, you’re like the female version of me.”

  “Well,” I grinned. “No wonder you like me so much.”

  “Yeah, I guess that’s one of the reasons.” He laughed, and when he did, his blue eyes twinkled brightly, happily. I loved it. I loved being the cause of his happiness.

  “There are more?”

  “… Yeah,” he relented. I was sitting cross-legged on the kitchen counter; he was leaning opposite me against the center island. With a smirk set on his perfect lips, he swaggered over and stood before me, so I only had to look up to see into his face.

  The coke gave me confidence I probably never would’ve had otherwise. I put my hands on the hard muscle of his arms and slowly trailed my fingers down them. I met his eyes—eyes so beautifully clear and blue they would have rivalled any summer day—and smiled warmly at him, invitingly.

  “And those reasons would be …?” I probed.

  “Well … this is one of them ….” His voice dropped low, he smiled sexily and then bent down to kiss me. His lips were soft against mine at first; I wrapped my arms around his neck and let my fingers delve into his messy, dark hair. His hands were warm on my waist, he used them to pull me close and my heart leapt happily in my chest.

  His smell and taste and touch swept over me until my senses reeled with delight. I couldn’t get enough of him. I would never get enough of him.

  A noise occurred to me, vaguely, so focused was I on the feel of Grey’s lips that I barely noticed it. It continued on, until he was the one that stopped and pulled away, staring at my purse in vexation. I followed his eyes to my bag strewn upon the counter, and suddenly the noise made sense to my befuddled brain. Without thinking—only to make it stop so that we could continue where we had left off—I snapped my cell phone up and whipped it open.