I'm already regretting this decision.
I find myself in the midst of what can best be described as a warzone that, for the most part, resembles a bedroom. "Do we really have to go?" I groan, dramatically hanging upside down over the edge of my bed. I'm the farthest I can possibly be from being in a party mood.
"Well, we don't have to," Sydney argues, trudging through the sea of makeup, hair products, and clothes that are scattered all around the floor as a result of my best friend's self-assigned mission to find me the 'perfect outfit' to wear tonight. "But there's this thing people like to do sometimes that's called "having fun". I know, such a wild concept, right?" She mocks, "I just thought you might want to try it out."
"Hardy-har-har." I dead-pan. "You know what else you said would be fun? Ice skating. And I don't know about you, but any activities that result in me taking a trip to the emergency room with a broken ankle, don't fit under my definition of a good time," I retort.
"Are we still on that?" Sydney huffs, "I thought I was forgiven! I admitted that trying to do the dirty dancing jump on skates was a bad idea, and I painted all those cute little dandelions on your cast. Remember how much you loved those?" she pouts innocently.
"They were cute," I mutter, begrudgingly. "Doesn't take away from your terrible decision-making skills."
"Come on, this is different! I can assure you'll make it home tonight with all your bones intact," She says with the smile of a car salesman who's trying to convince you to buy a beat-up Toyota corolla for the price of a Tesla. When I just stare at her without responding Sydney lets out a long sigh. "Mason is gonna be there," She announces.
I perk up. She gives me a knowing look. "Yeah, okay. I'm in."
"Atta girl," Sydney replies with a self-satisfied grin.
I've got to give it to her, though. The girl knows how to talk me into anything. With her charming personality, her vast knowledge of persuasion tactics (at least on the ones that work on me), and her unbreakable determination, you can bet she won't give up until she gets what she wants. Her mission tonight seems to be dragging me out of this house, and it's starting to look like she'll succeed. She must have known that after name-dropping him I wouldn't need much more convincing.
"Mads!" Syd snaps her fingers in my face, "Babe."
"I'm sorry, what?"
"You were in a someone-just-mentioned-a-hot-guy daze. Got a little bit of drool right there too." She taunts, pointing at her chin.
"I do not!" I scowl at her, wiping at my jaw discreetly with my sleeve.
"Stop teasing, Syd." Tyler warns as he steps into the room cradling a bowl of chips. He tosses one into his mouth before plopping down on my bed next to me.
"Where did you find those?" I ask, reaching for a chip and frowning when Tyler moves the bowl out of my reach.
"I know where your mom stashes the good snacks." He winks, displaying a mischievous smile. "You two haven't even started getting ready yet," he points at us accusingly with his chip, "I figured if you're going to make me sit here for an eternity, you at least owe me some food."
I wrap my arm around his neck, bringing his head down to my chest and ruffling his hair. He escapes my headlock with ease and we tussle playfully until he unavoidably overpowers me, pushing me back into the mattress and pinning my hands over my head at my sides. I try to wriggle out of his grip to no avail, which earns me a hearty laugh from Tyler. "You better accept defeat if you want to keep your pride," He taunts, his platinum blonde hair tickling my face.
"You know, you sure are acting confident for a guy who's in optimal position to get a knee to the balls."
"Feisty today, are we?" His smug grin looks cemented onto his face. "Go on then, try."
I do try, but his knees bracket mine, and his shins are keeping my legs locked in place. "Fine," I surrender with a scowl, "You win."
"Thought so," he smiles, teasingly blowing my hair out of my face before letting me go.
"Okay," I sigh, standing and crossing the room towards Sydney, who currently has her entire body inside my closet. I fold my arms over my chest, "What's the plan?"
"Party at Reed's house. We're supposed to be there by ten." Tyler says. His tired blue eyes tell me he's even less excited about tonight than I am, but these kinds of events come as a duty to football players such as himself, so I guess by now he's used to being dragged to them.
And of course, following that rule, it's only logical for the guy at the top of the food chain to be the one who throws all the parties around here; Noah Reed, notorious player, slash jock, slash rich kid. Noah is one of those guys that's so attractive you don't even bother taking a shot at in order to preserve your dignity. The type of guy you just stare at from a distance and hope he approaches you, as you wonder how someone like him can be real. All he needs is a flash of his megawatt smile and that's it, you're done for.
He's definitely a charmer. He can captivate you and make sure he's the only one in the room that's holding your attention using just a few words.
On the flip side, you most certainly do not want to test his temper. I've been witness to his not-so-mild case of anger management issues, which he usually takes out on the football field. But sometimes, there's an unlucky soul who gets on his bad graces and meets the consequences. Like two years ago when he found out his last girlfriend was cheating on him. Let's just say you wouldn't have wanted to be the guy she was cheating with.
Ty's fairly close to him because of football, so naturally, Noah is on my radar but I'm absolutely sure I'm not on his. I don't think I've ever exchanged a single word with him actually.
But his reputation precedes him, and quite a reputation that is. Being captain of the football team, with a body count rumored to be in the double digits, he's become unapproachable and unattainable to most.
"Found it!" Sydney shouts from inside the closet, snapping me out of my thoughts. She comes out holding a little black dress that she bought for me on my seventeenth birthday and a pair of matching black platform boots. "It's perfect!" she says, proudly holding the outfit out to me.
I give her a disapproving look. "Really?"
"Oh don't give me that, it's not even that revealing!" She argues, shifting her weight to one side.
"I guess it's not." I say, examining the fabric, "If you don't plan on wearing it in front of people. That have eyes."
Sydney rolls her eyes at me, "You'd think being so condescending all the time would cause you physical strain, yet here you stand, in perfect health," Syd sasses. "Can't you just indulge your best friend who just wants you to look and feel as beautiful on the outside as she knows you are on the inside?" She bats her lashes at me with a smile.
There's a pause as I tilt my head to the side, arms crossed, "You know that little number only works on people with penises."
"Not on me," Tyler cuts in, mouth full of chips.
"You don't count," I say dismissively.
"As a person with a penis? I'm pretty sure I do, but we can put your theory to the test if you'd like," the corner of his lip is tugged upwards.
"Cheeky today, are we?" I reply, mirroring his smirk.
He grins, "Copycat."
"You two," Syd interjects, "Stop that. And you," she points to me, "Will you just wear the damn dress? I spent so much time looking for it and you haven't worn it once since I got it for you. I know you'll look gorgeous in it, I will even do your hair and makeup to complete the look," she pleads.
"You don't have to wear it if you don't want to," Tyler chimes in. "Don't be so pushy Syd, if she doesn't want to wear it, she doesn't have to."
Syd holds Tyler's gaze for a second and frowns before he looks away, his attention going back to the bowl of chips resting on his lap. "Fine," she sighs. "It's a shame though, I think Mason would have loved to see you in it." She says holding out the dress in front of her and heading back towards the closet to put it away. As if I don't know what she's doing.
"Give it," I huff, taking the dress from her hands.
She giggles and claps her hands in excitement. "Yay! This is going to be so fun!"
"Yeah, woohoo." Tyler and I say in a monotone at the same time.
"You guys are no fun," Syd crosses her arms and gestures with her head towards the bathroom, "Go get dressed," she orders, "I'll do my makeup really quick so I can focus on yours."
After I get dressed, Syd gets to work on the rest of my look, and when she's done, I look over at our reflection in the mirror. She did a great job, both on herself and me. She's effortlessly beautiful, with her long, auburn waves and blue eyes. She's lean and toned due to cheerleading and her red satin dress hugs her curves perfectly. Anyone, myself included, would feel plain standing next to Sydney. But tonight, Syd has managed to bring out the best in me, accentuating my features with a brown smokey eye and dark red lipstick, leaving my hair down to lay naturally straight against my back. Seeing the completed look, I am feeling particularly confident tonight.
"Ready to go?" Tyler asks, leaning on the door frame, twirling his car keys on his finger.
"Ready as I'll ever be," I say, taking a deep breath and standing up straighter, trying to calm my nerves.
It's just a party after all, what's the worst that can happen?
***
When Tyler parks his car outside of Noah's place, the party is already in full swing. Music is blasting from the inside and a few red solo cups are scattered on the front lawn as a result of wandering drunks.
I get out of the car as a cold breeze brushes past me sending shivers all through my body; I regret not considering bringing a sweater. Tyler, ever the hero, comes up from behind me and slides his letterman jacket over my shoulders, which he keeps in the trunk for situations just like this. I smile at him gratefully as he stands by my side and wraps one arm around me, keeping me warm.
"Come on, it won't be as bad as you think," he squeezes me closer to him reassuringly and I rest my head against his side. "Probably," he mutters under his breath, earning himself an elbow to the ribs. "I'm kidding!" he adds amidst a laugh, quickly standing in front of me and grabbing my shoulders, "We'll have fun, I'll make sure of it," he says with a tender smile and I nod.
"You guys ready to party or are we just gonna stand here waiting to get tan by the moonlight?" Syd says coming between us and sliding her arms over our shoulders.
"Okay fine, let's go inside. I'm freezing anyway." I say reluctantly.
"That's the spirit." Syd pats my back as she starts dragging us towards the house.
As soon as we step through the door, a group of visibly tipsy girls in shiny outfits swarm around us to greet Syd. I recognize some of them as her friends from the cheer squad, but others I've never seen before in my life. Regardless, it's only natural for anyone to be drawn to Sydney; on top of being stunning, she's also the friendliest, kindest, and funniest person you'll ever meet. Though that doesn't take away from the fact that she's not afraid to snap at anyone who tries to mess with her or any of her loved ones for that matter. She's the caring momma bear, the protective papa bear, and the cute, little, cuddly, baby bear, all in one petite package.
She gives me an apologetic look and mouths "Sorry" before being taken away by the crowd of girls. I smile at her letting her know it's all right and not to worry about me.
"Guess it's just you and me then," Tyler says, sliding his arm over my shoulders. I lace my fingers with his. "Let's go get a drink," he proposes and before I can refuse, he is already leading us toward the kitchen.
I sit on the countertop to be at eye level with Tyler as he looks around at the assortment of alcohol. "What do you want?" he asks, grabbing a bottle of water for himself.
"You're not drinking?" I ask.
"I'm the designated driver," He states, "Someone has to get you girls home safe, and tonight is all about you enjoying yourself. Besides, I don't need alcohol to have fun, not when I have the pleasure of your company," he says with a curtsy, making me smile. "You, on the other hand, look like you could use some liquid courage." He pops open a beer bottle, hands it to me, and I start taking slow swigs as we make small talk.
There's a pause during which he glances over to the side before returning his gaze back to me and furtively whispering "Be cool." I'm about to ask him what he's talking about when I follow his previous line of sight and feel my heart rate speed up as I see Mason walking towards us.
Mason Foster. Where to begin with him?
To my dismay, I've had the most ridiculous crush on him since freshman year. You'd think I would've grown out of it by now, but I haven't had such luck. Going to the same school, combined with sharing classes and having mutual friends, makes it that much more difficult to get him out of my head.
A few months ago, I decided I'd had enough of silently pining after him and that it was time for me to shoot my shot. See if anything would come of it. We talk occasionally, (operative word being occasionally), and I would even go as far as to say he's somewhat flirty over text, sometimes. It's never gone farther than that though. Most of the time I'm the one trying to keep the conversation going, and at this point, it's clear he's just having fun and not really that interested in me.
Our exchanges in person, however, are a whole different story, meaning they're practically nonexistent. If he was even remotely interested in me, I'm sure I would know by now, because every time we talk, I can't help but make my feelings for him painfully obvious. Therefore, I try to avoid interacting with him as much as I can to save myself the embarrassment.
I know, it doesn't get more teenage bullshit than this.
Mason doesn't seem to mind the female attention he gets, though. I'd say he thrives off it, actually. I mean, what straight guy wouldn't want a legion of girls wrapped around their finger? He's not exactly the kind of guy you just glance over casually and move on, with his chiseled features, muscular build, and beautiful auburn curls that shine like a flame when the sun hits them, and he...
"Hey man, what's up?" Mason interrupts my reverie, greeting Ty with a pat on the back. I start to feel my blush creeping up my neck as his eyes focus on me, fearing he can somehow hear my thoughts. "Hey Maddison, I didn't expect to see you here," he smiles, a cute dimple indenting his right cheek "Glad you could make it."
He catches me mid-swig and my drink goes down the wrong pipe. Because why wouldn't it? Before I can get any words out, I start coughing like a chain-smoker. Once I'm thoroughly embarrassed, the coughing fit subsides and Tyler lightly pats my back, helping me catch my breath. "Hey Mason," I finally say, wiping at my watering eyes between shallow coughs. There's an excruciatingly long pause, broken only by what I recognize as the little giggle Tyler lets out any time he's trying to hold in his laughter.
I am going to murder him.
"Oh-kay..." Mason finally speaks, clapping his hands together. "I'll uh...see you guys around. Enjoy the party," he says, walking away awkwardly.
I bury my head in my hands in embarrassment while Tyler explodes into a laughing fit. "Holy fuck," he says, wiping tears from the corners of his eyes, "That was the funniest shit I've ever seen in my life."
I consider strangling him, his neck is right in my reach.
"You might've not heard me right," he teases, "I said be cool. Not cough in his face...?"
That earns him a punch to his arm. "Fuck off," I say irritatedly and he laughs even harder. "You sadist," I accuse, "I bet you get a sick kick out of seeing me suffer."
"The only thing I get a kick out of," he drawls, "Is that pissy face you make after telling me to fuck off."
"Fuck. Off."
"Say it again, it sounded good." he leans forward, bracing his hands at my sides on the counter.
"I hate you," I glare at him with my arms crossed over my chest, which does nothing to wipe the teasing grin off his face.
"No you don't," he states, "Now come on, Drama Queen," he says grabbing my waist to lift me off the counter, and setting me down on the floor. He gestures with his head towards the sliding glass doors, "We're going dancing."
Hand in hand Ty leads me to the makeshift dance floor in the backyard, pushing through the crowd until we find a spot big enough for both of us. Music is booming from the speakers and strobe lights flash over us as I start awkwardly moving to the rhythm. Man, they really go all out for these parties, huh?
Taking a few swigs of my beer I'm just barely swaying from side to side, but quickly noticing my awkwardness Tyler grabs my hands and shakes me a little, jumping up and down in an attempt to help me loosen up. It makes me laugh and actually helps a bit.
I know I can always trust Tyler to make me feel comfortable being myself, no matter the situation. We've been neighbors since we were kids, and I can't remember there ever being a time when we weren't the closest of friends. Tyler is unapologetically himself, while I tend to be quite self-conscious. But with his laid back attitude and playful demeanor, he helps me come out of my shell. Sure, he can be a mocking ass some times, but I can be, as he likes to put it, a drama queen, and his teasing makes sure I don't take myself too seriously. That's why we work. He's probably the only guy I don't feel uncomfortable around. So with his encouragement, I start slowly relaxing and committing to having fun.
By the time my beer is empty Tyler and I are dancing freely without a care in the world, and I'm actually starting to have a good time. "I want another drink!" I yell loud enough for Ty to hear me over the music. He raises his eyebrows in surprise but smiles showing his approval. We move away from the crowd heading towards the house when a voice stops us from going in.
"Mads!" I look around to see Syd standing at a table surrounded by a few other people. "You guys wanna play?" She asks holding a ping pong ball and I infer she's talking about a game of beer pong. I look up at Tyler waiting for him to answer for me.
"I'm DD remember? But you go ahead if you want to." I hesitate, looking at Syd as she waves me over but Ty gives me a little nudge, pushing me to do what he knows I want to.
I go stand across the table from Syd who's paired up with Ashley, the head cheerleader of the squad, and since Tyler is watching from the sidelines, I have to pair up with Jackson, one of Ty's friends from the football team. "I've never played before, so if I suck I'm sorry in advance," I warn him and he laughs it off.
"Here, you can take the first shot newbie," he says, handing me the ball. Each team has ten cups filled halfway in front of them so I aim for the middle one, thinking it'll be the easiest but I'm sadly mistaken since I miss and the ball bounces off the cup. It's the girls' turn and Ashley gets the ball into one of our cups in the back row. "You missed the last one," Jackson says picking up the cup with the ball still inside it and handing it to me, "Drink up." I steal a glance at Ty and he shrugs his shoulders as if saying "rules are rules". I sigh and reluctantly chug the contents of the cup.
The game goes on for a while, and out of the ten cups I ended up having to drink seven. They were only filled halfway though, thankfully. Jackson missed only a few of his shots but I missed all of mine, making the girls the winning team. Apparently, I'm a lightweight, because I'm quickly starting to feel more than just a little bit tipsy. I stumble as I make my way towards the house and Tyler comes behind me to steady my walk. "Easy there, where are you going?"
"I need to piss," I inform him.
"You want me to come with you?"
"I think I can handle using the toilet by myself, Ty," I brush him off. Still, he hesitates, noting my words are starting to slur. "I'll only be a minute," I assure him.
"Okay," he sighs deeply, giving up. "I'll be on the dance floor with Syd. Come find me when you're ready, okay?"
"Okay," I smile drowsily and wave as he walks away from me.
I stagger around the empty house, lost, holding on to the walls as I look for the bathroom. I spot a wooden door at the end of a long hallway and, guessing that must be it, I head towards it. Leaning against the wood, I try to steady myself, but my weight pushes the door open and I stumble into the room.
Big mistake.