My recorded ringtone of “Love in this Club” by Ushergoes off on my phone.
“Paige, where are you?” I hear giggling in the background and I sigh, knowing she’s fine.
“Going to another party. Where did you go?”
Another party. I’m glad she’s not mad at me.
“We jumped out the window. Who are you with?”
"Uh, some people I just met. I jumped into a stranger’s car when the cops came.”
“Where’s the other party?” Kai, Kevin, and the blonde girl all stop and look at me when they hear me ask.
“What party?” Kevin mumbles.
An hour later, we’re pulling up to another party. As soon as I walk in the door, Paige comes running at me and hugs me. The smell of the alcohol hits me, and I crinkle my nose. “Salt Shaker” by Ying Yang Twins, Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz is blaring through the speakers.
“I’m so glad you could make it!” she yells over the music.
Kevin must know these people. He walks straight in and shakes hands with some of the other guys.
“Let’s get you guys a drink.” Paige grabs my hand and leads me farther into the house. I look over my shoulder and see that Kai is following behind me. “Look at all this alcohol,” Paige says in a high-pitched voice.
Bottles and red cups are scattered everywhere in the kitchen. I see someone opening the fridge door on my left, and beer fills the fridge from top to bottom. They must have more beer stashed away somewhere because the gas stations are closed; they wouldn’t have been able to get beer this late, and it looks like they’ve recently restocked the whole fridge.
Kai hands me a Corona.
“Let’s go dance again!” Paige yells and grabs my hands, making me spill my beer down my chest.
Her brows rise, but her gaze stays on me, although I can tell she’s having trouble focusing by the way her pupils are dilated. “Sorry.”
I roll my eyes. “Go ahead. I’ll meet you out there.”
She nods and walks away with her hands in the air, swaying her hips.
“Here.” Kai hands me a paper towel.
“This is a crazy night.” I lean against the kitchen counter next to Kai, observing everyone while I clean myself. “Have you run from the cops before?”
“A few times,” he hesitantly says.
I can’t say that’s a good thing, but at least he knew what to do when they came. If the cops had caught me, I can’t imagine the ass-kicking my mom would have given me.
Glancing back over at the crowd in front of me, I watch as Owen walks behind Paige and moves his hips in time with hers. She must not care who is behind her because she doesn’t look to make sure it’s someone she knows. Although, I doubt we know many of these people.
“Do you think Paige would go for Owen?”
I tilt my head toward Kai. “Not sure. They were together all night the first night we met him.” I would be surprised if she got with Owen, but in a way, I hope she does. Maybe that will help her get over Jace. He’s a piece of shit to her, and it’s obvious he only wanted her virginity. He keeps coming back to her, too, but only when he wants a booty call. “How do you know, Owen?” I’ve been meaning to ask him, because Owen doesn’t go to our school. I don’t think he’s even in high school anymore.
“From partying. We’re the closest in age out of my brother’s friends, so we hit it off quick.”
“You didn’t know anyone down here when you moved?”
He shakes his head. “Just my brother and uncle.”
No wonder he has all these older friends. I barely see him talk to anyone in school. It seems like none of these older kids care about our age. Well, Kevin is still under twenty-one. He’s at least twenty—closer to twenty-one than we are. Being around him and all his friends makes me feel like I’m older and more mature. I wonder what all of these people would say ifthey knew how old I am. So far no one has questioned it, but something tells me I’m on borrowed time.
I put those thoughts aside and laugh at Owen’s dance moves. He’s trying todrop it to the floor,but his pants are too baggy and he almost falls over trying to impress Paige.
