by Raathi Chota
“What was her problem?” he asked after a while. I shrugged.
“She wanted to kiss me, and I didn’t want an STD.”
Erwin nodded as he anxiously glanced around the room full of wasted people. I raised a brow as he tugged on his collar and fixed his gelled hair.
“So what brings Erwin Chambers to this side of the world?” I asked, then took out a cigarette.
“Err…I’m actually here with someone,” he said as I took out my matches and lit the cigarette. I offered him a cigarette, but he declined.
“Who’s the lucky girl?”
“Bianca.”
“Bianca…Bianca…Bia—is she the girl in our Bio class?”
“Y-yeah.”
“Lucky you,” I said. “You can go. I’m sure you don’t want to have a virgin asshole forever.”
Erwin chuckled as he thanked me, then walked back into the living room. I finished my cigarette and threw it out the window. The party seemed like it’d go on forever. I put on my jacket as I pushed myself up. I walked around, and I saw Axel making out with a girl on the sofa. I shook my head and walked to the first door I saw. I opened the door, stepped in, and shut it behind me. It’s as if the party stopped. The room must’ve been soundproofed because the music suddenly changed. A few other doors surrounded the rectangular room. Two poles on either side of the room had girls dancing on them. I glanced around the room and saw Jaden sprawled out on the sofa with a girl on his lap. Levi sat in the armchair with a hookah pipe beside him. I plopped down on the end of the couch where Jaden sat. Levi handed me the pipe, and I took it, then vaped.
“Parker!” Jaden exclaimed as I whipped my head in his direction. Keene walked with Parker and Austin. Parker pulled out a brown bag and tossed it toward Jaden. I watched as Jaden gestured to the coffee table, probably for his money.
“So you’re Parker,” Levi stated as he sunk in the sofa.
“Nice to finally meet you, Radcliff,” Parker said with a smirk.
“How do you two know each other?” I asked.
“Oh, we don’t, but Keene always talks about getting shit from this guy,” Levi said as Parker laughed. Carter came downstairs and sat down next to me.
“How’s business?” Keene asked as he took out a cigarette.
“Err…I’ve received my pay for this year,” Parker responded.
“Bro, the money rolls in when everyone’s busy with finals,” Jaden said as the girl got off his lap and walked off.
“I know.” Parker smirked at Carter and me.
“Does she…” Keene trailed off as he stared at Parker. Parker shrugged in response as Carter and I exchanged a look.
“Does she what?” Carter asked.
“Nothing,” Keene mumbled as he took a drag and looked away.
“Does she what, Keene? Tell us. I’m sure we’d love to know,” Jaden said as Keene sighed and avoided eye contact.
“Parker and I were friends. Being the nerd that Lana is, I watched as she stressed about finals last year,” Keene mumbled. “So I introduced her to Parker.”
My jaw clenched as the memory of flushing all those pills down the toilet entered my mind.
“So you were the one who started her on the pills?” Carter demanded.
“Yep, and her other option were cigarettes,” Austin stated.
“Oh, thanks, Captain Fucking Obvious,” Levi added. Austin glared at Levi, yet I stared at Parker. At the beginning of the school year, I remembered Aidan always hung out with them. The more we hung out with Lana he found out what they truly were. Then I saw him freak out when we found out about the pills, which interested me.
“Why did Aidan lose his shit when you guys came out of the janitor’s closet that day?” I asked.
“What?” Levi asked.
“Lana was overdosing on that crap you first gave her. Found her in the janitor’s closet with these two.” I looked at Keene.
“Were you guys having a thre—”
“No!” Austin cut off Jaden as I let out a sigh of relief.
“Not that time…” Parker trailed off as he glanced around the room. We stared at him as Austin squinted his eyes.
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Levi barked.
“Lana didn’t want anyone to know that she was using pills so…”
“You guys were fuck buddies?” Carter demanded.
“I kept her happy; she kept me happy,” Parker replied with a shrug. I swallowed the lump in my throat as the thought of Lana Willson with Parker entered my mind.
“That’s why Aidan was pissed. He’s seen you two come out of the janitor’s closet before, yet it didn’t bother him because he and Lana weren’t friends back then…” Carter said as he put two and two together.
“But it doesn’t make any sense. You two came up with the bet,” I said.
“Yeah, it was fucking hilarious waiting for which one she’d have sex with first, only for one of you to realize she wasn’t a virgin in the first place.” Parker laughed. It all made sense that Aidan didn’t try to kiss her or hit on her; he suspected that she wasn’t a virgin. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Levi push himself off the sofa and march toward Parker. He violently shoved Parker, then grabbed his collar.
“You cunt!” Levi yelled as Jaden jumped up and separated the two.
“Jealous you’re not the only guy who fucked her, Radcliff?” Parker asked as he tilted his head to the side.
“You used her by fucking in the janitor’s closet just so that you wouldn’t tell about the pills!” Levi shouted.
“Remember that time she’d do anything to get out of school, to get away from us—especially him?” Parker emphasized.
“Who?” we asked in unison.
“Benny,” Keene mumbled. It was quiet as the music played in the background. I couldn’t believe she’d do such a thing. She must’ve been so desperate to get away from him.
“She didn’t care about sex at that time. As long as she got her pills and A’s, then she’d be the happiest person in the world,” Parker said. “But now the tables have turned…she hasn’t talked about Yale. She’s applied to colleges in Illinois because he’s here,” he added. Levi grumbled as he removed Jaden’s hand from his chest and lunged at Parker. Multiple punches were thrown as I got up to help Jaden. Jaden held Parker back as I pushed Levi away from him. His blue eyes were dark as he huffed.
“Don’t you ever fucking touch her again!” Levi shouted.
“Can’t help it, she keeps coming back to me!” Parker said, and my jaw tightened. “What’s wrong, Blake? Jealous that two guys fucked Lana and neither of them were you?” Parker asked. I let out a bitter laugh as I glanced around the room. I didn’t realize that a crowd had formed around us. Some held phones up as they waited. I spun around to walk away, then whipped back around and threw a punch at Parker. All sorts of reactions spread throughout the room as people yelled, cheered, and whistled for more. I shoved Parker to the ground as I straddled him and punched him straight in the jaw. No one held me back, so I continued to beat him. All my anger and stress that I felt for the past few weeks suddenly fell out. The fact of almost killing Levi in a street race, almost kissing Lana again, Lana and Benny dating, then seeing the hickey. They weren’t even dating for a week, and they’d already fucked. Now to hear that Parker fucked her last year seemed to hit a nerve. I didn’t know what happened to us. I blinked as I realized Parker passed out. I let out a huff as I stood up and watched the unconscious curly blond on the floor.
“He fucking deserved it,” Carter said as he nudged Parker with his foot.
“Fucking pervert,” Levi muttered.
“Do you know Lana and Benny already fucked?” I asked out of the blue.
“How do you know?” Carter asked.
“The hickey on her collarbone…it was faded, but it was there,” I said. Carter and Levi exchanged looks as I raised a brow. Levi whistled as he glanced around while Carter hummed. “What?”
“Nothing,” Carter repli
ed as his eye twitched.
“Dude, I can see it on your face. You’re the worst liar ever,” I said.
“Lana and I had sex before she started dating Benny. The hickey was from me,” Levi mumbled as I clenched my fists.
“What the fuck, man? Yet you punched Parker!”
“Well, at least she wanted to have sex with me!” Levi exclaimed. I shook my head in disbelief as I glanced at my best friend.
“And you fucking knew,” I said to Carter, then walked toward the door.
“Blake,” he called out, but I ignored him as I pushed open the door, back to the regular party.
***
I let out a sigh of relief as I reached the second floor. It took me ten minutes to get up; I didn’t know why. I only had a few drinks. I looked for a bathroom to wash my hands because I realized there was blood on them. I walked down the halls, and the only thing to be heard were moans or furniture hitting against the wall. I entered the bathroom to see a couple passed out in the bathtub. I shook my head as I glanced in the mirror. My eyes were red and droopy, hair in all directions, face jacked up. I looked like shit. I washed my hands under the faucet and ignored the sting when I flexed my hands. Once I was done, I walked out of the bathroom, only to bump into someone.
“Sorry, dude,” a girl said as she placed her hands on my wrists.
“It’s cool,” I murmured, then looked down at the blonde. Even though she wore a miniskirt and crop top, she was hot.
“I don’t know why, but I have this sudden urge to kiss you,” she said, then rested her palm on my chest.
“Why don’t y—” I cut off when she smashed her lips against mine. My back hit the wall as her hands lingered. I placed one hand on her waist and the other on her ass. As we kissed, I spun around and pinned her against the wall. She moaned against my lips as her arms wrapped around my neck. My hands trailed down to her thighs as I raised them. She jumped up and wrapped her legs around my waist. I removed her hands from my neck as I pinned them against the wall. I kissed down her neck as she puffed. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw an open door next to us. I kissed her again as I placed my hands on her ass while I walked. I went into the empty room and kicked the door shut with my foot. I threw her down on the bed, and she looked up with a smirk. I took off my jacket and shoes to join her.
“You’re a fucking good kisser,” she said as I hovered over her. I smirked as I kissed down her neck. I swiftly pulled off her skirt and no surprise—she didn’t have any underwear. I removed my shirt as she undid my belt. I took off my jeans and tossed them aside. We kissed again, but this time it was more energetic as our breaths filled the room.
***
I blinked rapidly when a pillow hurled toward me. I sat up and saw the blonde anxiously getting dressed. There was a huge commotion downstairs as the music stopped.
“The fuck is going on?” I groaned as I put on my clothes.
“Cops,” she said. My eyes widened, and I quickened my pace. I glanced to the side and noticed that it was one in the morning. The previous event entered my mind as I realized we fucked half an hour ago. The door was suddenly pushed open as an officer ran into the room.
“Don’t move!”
We raised our hands as he ushered us out the room. I watched the many teenagers being escorted out of the house, and my first instinct told me to find the guys. I finally found Levi against a cop car. I jogged toward him with an anxious look.
“Dude, what happened?”
“Someone snitched about the drugs,” Levi replied as he shook his head. “Now they’re taking tests with those machines.”
I followed his gaze to see a bunch of people lined up as a cop used a mouth machine to test for any usage.
“Let’s go,” another cop said as he handcuffed Levi and me.
“What the he—”
“Apparently the person who fucking snitched said we were with Jaden at the time.” Levi shrugged as we walked to a van. The police officer shoved us in the back of the van where we found Parker, Jaden, Keene, Axel, Carter, and two girls. I thought of Austin because he was the only other person with us who wasn’t here.
“Hey, brother.” Axel winked at me. I sat next to Keene as the police shut the doors while the other started the car.
“I need to piss,” Parker whined. I glanced at the two officers in front to see the one drank a bottle of water. Once he was finished, he threw it behind him.
“Piss in this.”
Parker caught the plastic bottle with ease, then observed it. He shook his head as he threw the bottle back.
“The thing that I wanna do will not fit in that bottle,” he said as we groaned.
“Well, keep your shit, because you’ll have plenty of time to get rid of it,” the police officer grumbled. We arrived at the station, and thankfully I didn’t see any familiar faces. We were put into one cell as the police took the girls.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Axel said as he stopped the officer from taking the girls. “There’s still space in here, Officer.” He pointed to our cell. Carter laughed as the officer rolled his eyes and continued to walk with the girls. I leaned against the bars and glanced around the cell, the place I promised myself not to go again.
“What the fuck?” Keene trailed off as he walked toward the bench. We followed his gaze to see a guy in a clown costume. The clown didn’t move; he sat there with a big smile on his face.
“Yo, dude, Halloween’s over.” Jaden inched closer. He was two feet away when the clown turned to him and laughed. It was that annoying clown laugh, as if he’d do something crazy. “Shit,” Jaden said as he threw his hands up and backed away. The clown stopped but still looked at us with that freaky smile.
“Yeah, err…he’s a weird one,” the police officer who sat at his desk opposite us retorted.
“I hate clowns,” Carter said as he stood next to me. “Dude, guess what I just found out?” he asked as we crouched down to sit on the floor.
“I don’t know, but I think you’re gonna tell me,” I said.
“Jennifer Brighton is a lesbian,” he said as I raised a brow.
“That’s not true. She’s friends with Kelly. Probably fucked you more than once, and maybe even that clown,” I said as Carter shook his head.
“Dude, I saw her making out with a chick at the party.”
“Maybe she’s bi.” I shrugged.
“Yeah…if she is a lesbo, I wanna ask her if she ever liked my di—” Carter cut off when the clown laughed again. We watched as he threw his head back and laughed like a psycho.
“Dude, shut the fuck up,” Parker groaned as he took a piss.
“Why are you in here?” Axel asked as he stared at the clown. The clown didn’t reply; he just laughed even louder. Axel threw his hands up in defeat as he leaned against the wall. From the corner of my eye, I saw Levi walk toward the clown, a pissed look on his face as he raised his fist. He must have still been angry from earlier.
“Whoa!” Jaden exclaimed as he blocked Levi from the clown. I stood up and dusted off my clothing.
“Hey, don’t start, boy,” the police officer said as he propped his feet on the table.
“Why can’t you take him to another cell?” Keene asked.
“I’m not going near him,” the officer replied as he shivered. Loud footsteps were suddenly heard as I spun around. I placed my hands on the bars as I tried to peer through. A familiar man who wore a suit stepped into the building. Axel stood next to me as he put his hands on the cell.
“No way,” he mumbled as the guy looked at us.
“Fuck,” I muttered as he smirked and walked over to us.
“The Gunner brothers, nice to see you again.”
“Officer Kale, what are you doing in Illinois? I thought you only work in Minnesota,” Axel said as I glared at the guy who I hated back in Minnesota.
“I moved, and that’s Detective Kale now,” he said, then turned to me. “I’m watching you, Gunner.”
I watched him walk off and immed
iately ran my fingers through my hair. He’s the cop who always busted me back in Minnesota. While I waited for someone to bail me out, he’d sit in the cell with me and talk. I hated him.
“All right, you boys get two phone calls,” the police officer said as he handed Levi the card for the phone. We watched as Levi walked over to the phone in the corner of the cell and put the card in. He put in the number and placed the phone to his ear.
“Who you calling?” Carter asked.
“Someone who owes me a little favor,” Levi replied with a smirk.
Chapter Ten
Miranda
I covered my face with my hair as I laughed and looked at Marcus, who smiled at me through my laptop.
“Can you blame him? It’s a good show! It even takes place in the eighties,” I said, since we talked about Liam’s addiction to Stranger Things.
“True, true,” Marcus said as he pulled off his shirt and sat on his bed.
“Ooh, are we getting to that part of FaceTime?” I asked and looked at his toned abs. He chuckled, then ran his hand through his curly brown locks. Marcus’s bright expression changed when he frowned. “Baby, what’s wrong?”
“It’s just weird…that detective at Lana’s house,” he mumbled.
“Why would he ask you, though?” I tilted my head. Marcus shrugged, then looked into the distance. “Is there something I need to kn—”
“Oh, wait! That day in the cafeteria when Aidan and Lana were fighting, then she took out the pills,” he began. “I was the last person to touch it because I threw it away in the trashcan, remember?”
“Then how the heck did it get there? At a freaking crime scene?”
“Maybe when the garbage collectors were emptying the trashcans it fell out when they got to the alley.”
“Yeah, maybe…” I sighed, then looked at him. “Hey, err…thanks for covering Lana, though. I appreciate it, babe.”
“Anything for my girlfriend’s best friend.” He bit his lip.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s just—Nick and Benny seemed quite surprised when that detective questioned me.”
