CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: PARTY GAMES
July 10th, 2020
Gemma was just clocking out of her shift at Target when she received a text from Avery, with the address of an Airbnb. The wedding was now only three weeks away, and Avery wanted to party as much as she could before she was officially a married woman.
As she got into her car, Gemma was hesitant on if she wanted to hang around everyone in the wedding party. Ever since she rediscovered her feelings for Rowan, Gemma felt extremely uncomfortable being around them all, especially Avery.
Though when she read the rest of Avery's message, informing her that this was not a typical party, and that it was going to be huge, Gemma started to reconsider. She wasn't sure who would even be at this party, because it's not like Avery knew that many people. But when Gemma realized she could easily avoid Avery and the rest of the wedding party, going to a party did not sound so bad.
Plus, when telling Marcie about it, Gemma's best friend was quick to jump on the opportunity.
"We only have a few more weeks here until we go home and start our adult lives. Might as well party it up while we can! Plus, I had plans to hangout with Emmett tonight. I'm definitely going to invite him!"
Gemma laughed. She hadn't seen much of Marcie lately given their completely opposite schedules, and tonight was the first time in awhile that both of them were off from their jobs. Plus, she was interested in meeting the guy whom Marcie was trying to have a summer fling with -- which as far as Gemma knew, had not gone anywhere aside from flirting at work.
"You planning on hooking up with him?" Gemma curiously asked.
"Maybe," Marcie grinned. "We'll see where the night takes me."
Gemma laughed and threw a skirt Marcie's way. "This time," she said. "I'm picking your outfit."
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The Airbnb was packed when Marcie and Gemma rolled up in Jax's 2009 mustang. On her way out, Jax and Marissa were also on their way out the door. Little did Gemma know, Jax and his girlfriend also received an invitation to this party. Gemma did think it was strange for her brother, who Avery barely talked to, to get an invite, but she did not question it as soon as a shot of vodka entered her system.
"Take it easy, Gemma." Jax warned. "Don't need you getting roofied again."
"She's fine, Jackson." Marissa laughed, handing Gemma another shot of a clear liquid. "This is the bride's party. I doubt there's any drugs here."
"I second that," Marcie said as soon as she finished downing a shot of tequila. "Especially since she's pregnant."
Jax's eyes widened as soon as those words left Marcie's mouth. "She is?"
"Yeah," Gemma chimed in. "I'm surprised you never noticed."
"I uh - " Jax cleared his throat. "I never look at Avery, so how the hell would I notice?"
"Probably because she's at our house like four times a week wedding planning with mom?" Gemma scoffed. She did not mean to sound snippy, but the alcohol in her system was already making her tipsy.
"Whatever," Jax rolled his eyes. "If you need Marissa or me, we'll be partying."
"Hell yeah, babe!" Marissa smiled while pouring herself another shot. Jax and his girlfriend disappeared into the crowd, leaving Gemma and Marcie alone at the liquor table.
Just as Gemma was turning to her best friend, Marcie's phone screen lit up. "Emmett is here! I'm gonna go find him, wanna come?"
Gemma shook her head. "You go. Have fun. I'm gonna go find Wes."
"Okay!" Marcie smiled, before also disappearing into the crowd and leaving Gemma unsupervised by the table of alcohol.
It did not take long for Gemma to find Wesley, who was sitting in a circle with a bunch of people Gemma didn't recognize, playing typical party games. She sat down next to Wes, who had a full red solo cup in his hands.
"What's this?" Gemma grinned as she sat down next to Wes, who had just now noticed her.
"Oh, hey Gemma! When did you get here?"
"Like, ten minutes ago." Gemma responded, her words slightly slurred. Those two shots were catching up to her, fast. It likely did not help that she also had not eaten much either -- so the alcohol was hitting her quicker than it should have. She grabbed the red solo cup from Wesley's hand, not hesitating before taking a sip. "Gross, are you drinking beer?"
"Yeah," Wes laughed, grabbing the cup back from Gemma's grasp. "Wanna play suck and blow?"
Gemma wasn't sure what that was, but nodded anyways. "What is it?"
"Watch the other people," Wes instructed. "You'll get the idea."
Gemma watched intently as the others in the circle played the game. When one person sucked in, the piece of paper stuck to their lips. They transferred it to the person next to them, careful not to drop it because if they did -- then they would have to kiss. Gemma laughed while watching some people fail miserably and have to kiss the person next to them, while others performed the task perfectly.
When it came time for Gemma to grab the paper with her lips, she perfected it. Though when transferring it over to Wesley, he failed to catch it. Wes and Gemma, both drunk, just laughed.
"You don't have to kiss me if you - " Wes started to say, but was cut off by Gemma who pressed her lips to his. The kiss was short, and meaningless.
When they pulled apart, Wes laughed, putting his hands up in defense. "Good thing Rowan wasn't around to see that."
Gemma's drunken memories brought her back to the last time she almost kissed Wes, and the way Rowan reacted. Though by the way Wes said it, Gemma wondered if there was another reason behind his comment. "Why do you say it like that?"
Wesley quickly shrugged. "No reason."
The two continued playing the game, though after a few more rounds, Gemma found herself getting bored. Telling Wes she was going to go and find Marcie, Gemma got up from the circle and found herself back at the table full of alcohol. Before she could comprehend what was happening, she poured herself a red solo cup full of whatever was in the punch bowl. It tasted sweet; she wasn't sure what kinds of alcohols and mixers she was drinking.
In an attempt to find Marcie, Gemma ended up finding Avery, the rest of the bridesmaids, and a few other random people playing truth or drink. Just before she could keep walking, Avery spotted her.
"Gemma!" Avery squealed. "I didn't know you were here. Wanna play truth or drink?"
Gemma's brain and mouth did not seem to be connected in the moment as she nodded and said "sure."
Miranda rolled her eyes as Gemma took a seat across from her. Gemma just ignored the bitchy maid of honor, while she sipped on her sweet drink. She also noticed that there were a few shot glasses full of clear liquid -- which she assumed were vodka for the drinkers, and water for the pregnant people. Pregnant Avery.
"It's your turn, Miranda." Peyton nudged her friend, who did not realize it was her turn, given she was too busy giving Gemma a death glare.
"Oh, yeah. Hmmm. Avery!"
"Yes?" Avery smiled innocently. It took everything in Gemma not to roll her eyes.
"What ever happened to that guy you hooked up with awhile ago?"
"What guy?" Avery asked.
"Jason? Or Jamison? I don't remember his name."
Gemma noticed that Avery's face immediately turned red. Her eyes widened, and she laughed -- but this time, it was a nervous laugh.
"Oh yeah, Jason. I hung out with him a few times before I started dating Rowan."
"Really? I thought you - "
"My turn!" Avery cut Miranda off, laughing that same laugh, yet again. At this point, Gemma was too drunk to dissect Avery's sudden strange behavior. Maybe she didn't like talking about her exes, since she was soon to be married. That was the only explanation Gemma's drunk mind could come up with, anyways.
Gemma sat there for a few more minutes, mindlessly sipping her drink despite not being called on for a truth or drink question. Once she figured there was no reason for her to be there, she got up and left without announcing that she was leaving. Nobody at the table even seemed to notice Gemma get up.
She walked around the house aimlessly with no idea where she was going. It did not take Gemma long to find the back door, which led to a large backyard with tables set up with beer pong and flip cup. As soon as she stepped outside, Gemma finally found Marcie.
"Hey!" She drunkenly smiled, sitting next to her best friend who was sitting next to a guy, who Gemma assumed was Emmett.
"Gemma!" Marcie drunkenly threw her arms around her best friend. "Where have you been?"
"Playing party games," Gemma said in between sips of her drink which at this point, was almost gone. She definitely needed a refill.
"Well, this is Emmett! Emmett, this is Gemma."
The twenty-something tattooed male that Marcie was desperately trying to have a fling with waved and nodded towards Gemma. "Nice to meet you."
"We should play beer pong," Marcie suggested, getting up from her spot and pulling Emmett up with her. "Gemma, do you wanna join?"
"Sure," Gemma nodded, since she had nothing else to do. "I need another drink, though."
"There's plenty of coolers out here," Marcie pointed to the large, red coolers scattered around the backyard. Gemma did not hesitate before grabbing a bottled margarita out of the cooler. The three of them walked over to a beer pong table, and it didn't take long for Gemma to realize that she didn't have someone to play beer pong beside her.
Just as Gemma was going to mention this, a familiar voice appeared behind her.
"Need a partner?"
Gemma turned around to find Rowan, with a half empty bottle of beer in his hand. Her heartbeat increased at the sight of him.
"Uh, yeah."
Gemma turned back around to face the beer pong table, immediately noticing the grin on Marcie's face as she eyed Gemma and Rowan up and down.
"Let's begin," Marcie competitively spoke. "Prepare to lose!"
"I don't know about that," Rowan said in between sips of his drink. "I'm pretty good at this."
"Game on, then." Marcie grinned.
Despite Marcie's competitive nature, she and Emmett weren't doing so well. Gemma and Rowan took the lead, only a few minutes into the game.
"Do better, Emmett!" Marcie laughed.
"Me? You do better! You're the one with the shitty aim!"
Just before throwing his next ball, Rowan turned to Gemma. "Are they together?"
"No," Gemma shook her head, keeping her eyes fixated on the game. "Just a fling."
Rowan just responded with a nod, Gemma could see from the corner of her eye. After a few more attempts of trying to make the ping pong ball in the red solo cups, the game was just about to end. Gemma and Rowan only had one more cup to take out on Marcie and Emmett's side.
"Come on, Gems." Rowan cheered his teammate on. Gemma felt a fluttering feeling throughout her entire body at the sound of Rowan calling her by her nickname.
She took a deep breath in, and despite being very drunk at that point, threw the ping pong ball. It bounced off the table, and Gemma was convinced she wasn't going to make it in. Though she watched it bounce again, ultimately landing in the last red solo cup.
She screamed in victory. Rowan threw his arms up in success, and turned to face Gemma.
"We did it!" he slurred slightly, throwing his arms around Gemma in a tight squeeze. Rowan, drunk, did not realize what he had done until Gemma wrapped her arms around him, just as tight.
Though she was also drunk, Gemma tried to take in all of Rowan that she could -- because this would likely be the only time that she would be able to do this. The two pulled apart after a moment, still standing close to one another.
"Good game," Rowan cleared his throat, fully realizing what he had done -- though not feeling any sort of regret.
"You too," Gemma smiled, never taking her eyes off of Rowan. That is, until his name was called from afar, and he disappeared into the backyard without saying goodbye. Letting out a deep breath, Gemma turned to face Marcie and Emmett.
"You are so in love with him," Marcie smirked.
"Shut up," Gemma rolled her eyes, knowing her best friend was right.
"Come on," Marcie laced her fingers with Emmett's. "It's getting cold out here. Let's go inside."
Gemma followed behind Marcie and Emmett, stopping as she saw Rowan and his other groomsmen, Caleb and Jonah, standing outside the garage of the Airbnb. Rowan had a fresh drink in his hand, and he was laughing. Gemma smiled. He looked happy.
"Gems?" Marcie interrupted her best friend from her thoughts of Rowan. "You coming?"
Gemma hadn't realized that she stopped completely in her tracks to look at Rowan, when she noticed Marcie and Emmett were standing a few feet away from her.
"Yeah," Gemma kept her eyes locked on Rowan, until she walked in the house. She noticed the time on her phone read 12:39AM. They'd been here for hours -- neither Gemma nor Marcie realized how much time had passed. Despite wanting to keep the party going, both post-grads found themselves feeling tired.
Gemma noticed Marcie saying goodbye to Emmett, by the way they were kissing in front of her. He walked away from them and towards the front door, ultimately disappearing into the crowd of people.
"Aw," Gemma winked at her best friend.
"I'm tired," Marcie laughed. "Should we go?"
"Yeah. Let's find Jax."
The two decided to split up and meet back in this spot, given they both wanted to leave. Marcie took off in the complete opposite direction as Gemma; she went upstairs while Gemma stayed on the first floor.
It did not take long for her to find her brother. Though when she did, Gemma was surprised to see that Jax wasn't standing with Marissa. He was standing with no one other than Avery Nelson herself.
Gemma tried to sift through the bodies in the kitchen, but could not make her way through. "Jax!" she called, though with the mix of voices and music, her brother could not hear her calling for him. Gemma could not hear what Jax and Avery were talking about, but whatever it was looked tense -- considering Avery threw her arms up in what appeared to be frustration.
"Jax!" she called again and this time, he heard her. Avery appeared to still be talking, though Jax completely disregarded her as he walked away.
"What the fuck!" Avery yelled so loud that not only Gemma could hear her, but also the people standing around them.
Gemma's eyebrows raised in confusion as her brother approached her. "What was that about?"
"Nothing," Jax downplayed it, like it really was nothing. "She's just a bitch."
"What were you talking about?"
"Nothing, Gemma," Jax snapped. "Let's just get out of here."
Gemma did not respond as she followed her brother out of the kitchen. Thankfully, Marcie and Marissa were standing by the table of alcohol in the living room, where they all were when they first arrived.
"Ready to go?" Marissa asked, lacing her fingers with Jax's.
Jax just nodded without saying a word. Gemma wondered what the hell her brother was talking to Avery about, but her drunk mind could not come up with anything logical. Given how drunk Gemma was, she would likely forget this the next morning, anyways.
It did not take long for Jax to drive them all home and as soon as Gemma entered her room, she collapsed onto her bed without taking her clothes or makeup off.
She fell asleep quickly, dreaming of nothing but Rowan, and a time when the two were together -- and happy.
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