Victoria scoffs and flips her hair indifferently. “Mad? No. We’re way past that, Sadiecakes. Let’s live in the present, and presently, we are headed out for some fun because it’s a nice, sunny afternoon, and we’re not going to have many more of those before it starts getting cold.”
I frown as I glance back over my shoulder at the thinning crowd in the hallway, knowing that even if I turned around right now, I’d be late for my class. “I can’t—” I begin, but she stops me.
“Oh yes, you can. Stop being such a goody-goody. Lighten up and have some fun. We are young and beautiful, wild and free. So we’re taking full advantage of it. Your books can wait.” Victoria drags me out of the building and across the back field into the woods.
I’m skipping class. I can’t believe I’m skipping class, and when she finally let’s go of me, I see that not only are we skipping, we’re drinking wine coolers with Laura, Alisha, and a few other members of the gang. Wills is there, and he gives me a long look and a small smile before tipping his wine cooler back and taking a long pull on it. At least I won’t be the only one missing an afternoon on the lake.
Victoria pushes a watermelon wine cooler into my hand, and I look down at it with uncertainty. I should be in class. I should be earning good grades. I should not be out in the woods during school hours with a group of the popular kids, drinking wine coolers. Not, at the very least, after what they did the last time.
Victoria looks at me expectantly, and I see most of the others doing the same. They’re waiting to see if I will be one of them, or if I will sever the social bonds I’ve been working so hard to build. I don’t what the lighthouse stunt to be for nothing, so I tip the bottle back and take a swig. Everyone smiles and laughs, some of them toasting me.
I’m becoming one of them. It’s a strange place to me; somewhere I’ve definitely never been. All my reservations start to slip away, and even though I should be keeping my guard up more than ever, the sense of belonging is too intoxicating.
One wine cooler turns into several, and before I know it, one skipped class turns into the entire afternoon. It isn’t until I see Blair and Astor coming through the trees with their band of followers that I realize I must have already missed detention too. Panic hits my heart like a shot, and I jump to my feet.
“Blair!” I wave at him until he spots me, but when I tell him he just laughs and blows me a little kiss.
Astor gives me a cold look and calls out with a snide attitude, “Maybe if you weren’t such a little delinquent it wouldn’t be a problem to begin with.”
Victoria steps up slightly to stand between us and laughs him off. “Oh, Astor. Leave her alone. Hasn’t she done enough already?”
If only he knew how serious she is when she tells him to back off. Astor just gives me a long look over her shoulder and then turns to face the growing group of kids. He waves his hand at the two younger boys behind him who look at him like he’s a god; Chris Hardy and Drake Gordon. They’re both carrying several bags.
“Chris! Drake!” he begins dramatically as he holds his arms out like he’s on an invisible cross. “Feed my people!”
Chris and Drake immediately dig into the bags and start passing out burgers and fries to everyone, and of course everyone is hungry. We’re a bunch of teenagers out here drinking for hours on empty stomachs. We’d still be hungry if we just ate.
Drake is about to hand me a sandwich when Astor stops him. My heart sinks immediately, but before I have time to mourn the next step in this weird hazing ritual, Astor is already holding out another bag.
“I’ve got this one,” he says, kneeling to grab out a thick burger and a fat bag of fries. He looks up at me as he hands over the food, his eyes steady on mine. “Extra cheese, with mustard, no onion, right?”
My mouth falls open a little as I reach up and take the food from him. “How … how do you know that?”
The corner of his mouth turns up slightly. “I have my ways.”
“Thanks.” I mean it, but I’m totally confused by his behaviors. Two seconds ago he was giving me stink eye. Now he’s crouched next to me handing me a burger made especially for me. “Um … are you mad at me or … what, because I’m kind of getting whiplash here.” I eye the burger suspiciously. “Did you do something to it?”
He narrows his eyes at me. “A little gratitude right now would not go amiss.”
I sniff the burger, and it smells amazing. Even if he did do something to it I’m not sure I’m sober enough to care. My stomach growls in agreement, and I sigh.
“Thank you, Astor.”
A smug smile forms over his face and he stands back up. “That’s more like it.”
He strides away, and I watch him go as emotions clash wildly in me. I hate him and I want to punch him, at the same time when he’s being nice, there’s something deep in me that is totally into him.
No, I tell myself, It’s just the alcohol talking.
But is it?
Afternoon fades away and night falls. A headache starts pounding at my head and I know I’ve had more than enough. I’ve been drinking wine coolers in the warm sun all afternoon. It’s no idea my head is rebelling. I think I should tell Victoria that it’s time I got back, but she’s trying to talk to Astor. He’s ignoring her as usual while he listens to Blair regaling the more experienced drinking party with a crazy story.
I guess I don’t need to let anyone know what I’m doing. I start to head back through the trees and I’m just about to the edge of the trees when I hear someone behind me. It
’s dark enough that it takes a few seconds for me to make out who it is. Then he steps out into a sliver of light from one of the lamps along the edge of the forest, and I’m surprised to see Wills coming toward me.
I stop and look at him curiously. “Hey, Wills. What’s up?”