After Matt and I talk for a little, I head back out on the dance floor with Paige, who looks like she jumped in the pool, but I think it’s sweat.
The music stops and people are scurrying around. My stomach drops from their hurried movements. I look over my shoulders and see cops storming the house. Paige grabs my hand and heads me toward the back. Everyone is bumping up against each other, trying to get out. All of a sudden, the group of people ahead of us stop and back away from the back door. The lights turn on, and I see cops in front of me. I turn around,trying to look for another exit, but there is nowhere to turn. The house is full of cops everywhere.
A knot forms in my stomach, and my whole body is trembling.This can’t be happening.The one time I go out, this happens.
The cops go one by one, asking everyone their names. They let people twenty-one and over go but keep everyone who is underage until their parents come to pick them up.
“Name and date of birth,” a cop says. By the time he gets to me, he is short with me and seems fed up with the night. There were hundreds of people here. I’m sure he’s tired of running names. To my surprise, there are more underage people here than I thought.
Both Paige and I give him our names and dates of birth. He runs our names while another cop breathalyzes us.
“Both of you are underage and both of you have been drinking. You’re going to need to call your parents.”
Nausea rushes up my throat, knowing he’s asking me to call my mom. I can’t call my mom. She'll think I’m a bigger fuckup. The one time I go out, I get caught by the cops. She won’t believe anything I say.
“Sir, I don’t live with my parents. Can I call my boyfriend?”
“You're seventeen and you don’t live with your parents?” His eyebrows shoot up in disbelief.
I shake my head.
“Who do you live with?”
“My boyfriend.”
His eyes narrow. “Yeah, sure. You’re not going to try to get away with this by telling me you live with your boyfriend.”
“I’m not. I really don’t live with my parents.”
“And why is that?”
“Because my mom kicked me out.”
He crosses his arms and lets out a sigh. “Can you be a little more detailed here? I don’t have all night.”
“What more do you want me to say? My mom kicked me out, and I live with my boyfriend. You can call him and ask him yourself.”
"Like, I’m going to believe him. Call your parents.”
“Write me my ticket, and I’ll walk home.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re underage.”
“I’ll be eighteen in a few months.”
“Yeah, in a few months. But as of right now, you’re underage.”
I look over at Paige, who looks just as nervous as I am. I’m not sure how her mom is going to take it, but once she finds out she’s with me, she’s going to think we only get in trouble when we are together. Paige hasn’t been in trouble with the cops since the last time we both got caught together. Maybe it’s true. We always get into trouble together.
I hear Paige on the phone with her mom. Her voice is low, and I hear her mom’s raised voice on the other side of the phone.
“Sir, let me call my boyfriend. My mom isn’t going to pick me up,” I say, pleading with him.
“No. Call your mom, and if she won’t pick you up, then I’ll let you go with your boyfriend.”
