Jeremy slung an arm around my shoulder. Apparently, we were buddies now. “Why are you telling me? All I know is Dad wants to bring back Crystal Canyon and the Crows are making a permanent move. We’ve got no interest in taking shit from the Bedlam Boys like everyone else around here is happy to do, so we put those puffed-up shits in their place. Again, you should be thanking me. But I’ll show my thanks to you.”
“How?”
“Stay for the party.”
Jeremy led me out, sweeping his hand over the transformation below. The clothes were picked up and carpet vacuumed. That wasn’t what impressed me.
Speakers stacked all along the back wall. Strobe lights attached to the ceiling waiting to be turned on. They copied the Bedlam Boys with the bowls of brightly colored pills and glow-in-the-dark paint waiting to shine under black light. Where they differed was the giant ball pit in the middle of the room, and an entire grand dining table’s worth of alcohol. In the corner, the DJ prepped to blow our eardrums.
“Tonight will be bigger than Ruckus Royale ever was, and whoever misses out will set themselves on fire.”
“That’s not funny.”
He laughed. “You’re right. Too soon. But seriously, stay. Jonah says your entire crew is coming. Even Cairo’s hot sister.” He whistled. “Hard to believe they came from the same gene pool.”
Are you implying the guy isn’t hot? The man walks around with a warning label. Seriously, one of his tattoos says “caution.”
“I don’t know if I should. I have a paper due for Ethical Issues that I haven’t started yet.”
“That’s what Saturday and Sunday are for. What’s the problem?” He held out his arms, beaming away. “We’re friends now, right?”
“We’re business partners.”
“Business partners can still party.”
I blew out a breath. “Alright, I’ll stay. But only because you got Chinese from the good place on Rose Street.”
“That’s almost the spirit.” He shook me, riding high on a good mood. “I’ll grab you a beer.”
“Thanks,” I said, tossing him a salute.
Why argue with the guy? I was literally a three-minute walk from Legend’s house. I could leave whenever I wanted.
Fishing out my phone, I shot a text to Roan.
Me: You can call off the search dogs. I’m at the New Boys’ place. They came through with the contract.
His reply came back in seconds.
Roan: Stay there.
Me: Why?
Roan: Why not? It’s a party.
Me: For how long?
Roan: Till I come and get you.
I shot more texts at him but didn’t get a reply. I gave up and put it away when I spotted Jeremy coming up with my beer.
“Cheers,” he said, holding his up to clink.
Why not? It’s a party.
“Cheers.”
An hour and a half later, I was testing my what the hell resolve. This party was both the last days of Rome and the Mayan calendar rolled into one. Our town had the right name, because people were going insane.
“Rainey, try this!” Elise half fell on my lap. She tried to get a blue pill in my mouth and conked my forehead.
“No, thank you. I don’t eat anything out of a shared bowl.”
I gently peeled her off me, helping her sit properly on the couch. She turned on Zara and shoved the pill in her mouth instead.
“Whoo!”
Something, or someone, streaked out of the corner of my eye. I looked up as they hit the ball pit—launched from the second-floor balcony. A group of naked girls play wrestling in the pit, stopped their fun to see if the still mass sinking in the balls was alive.
Bentley popped up, pumping his fists. “Yeah! Who’s next?”
Twelve people broke off and beat it upstairs.
I grew up on a farm. My idea of a wild night was racing to get the goats in the pen when a coyote was on the loose. This place was on another level. I wouldn’t say it was bigger than Ruckus Royale, but it was close.
Almost the entire Bedlam University student body was stuffed in their suddenly too small mansion. The music blasted. People danced buck naked in glow-in-the-dark paint, and proved once again we’ve left all prudishness about public sex behind.
I pushed through the crush, searching out the water bottles for my high friends. I passed a group of ten—five guys standing and five girls on their knees. From the hooting and cheering of those watching, they were racing to see who could make their guy come first. Overhead, the big screen played a string of videos of other wild parties, some of it porn.
I made it to the drink table. Come on. Come on, where are you?
Vodka, beer, wine, cider, brandy, even sake. There wasn’t a drop of water on the table.
Continuing on, I slipped outside on the patio. It was no less packed out there than it was inside. My classmate skinny-dipped in the pool. Further back, I spotted Gael’s back of the shaved head setting off fireworks with a bunch of guys.