Party Games

by Whitney Lyles

  As he said the words, she hoped he was right.

  Sara felt sweat trickling down her neck as she hollered into the headset. She was connected with James. “Tell them they have twenty minutes till showtime.”

  The prizes for all the best cars had been issued, and she could hardly move inside the club. It was wall-to-wall people, and a line had already formed at the merchandise table.

  A decent crowd at the CD-release party would’ve been a success. A sold-out show would’ve been a mega success. A sold-out show and people standing outside the door to listen was beyond her wildest dreams. And that’s exactly how it was. The car show had attracted tons of people, eager to show off their rides.

  There was only one thing missing—Nick Bones. She hadn’t seen him and hadn’t even had a chance to ask James if he’d seen him. She decided to inch her way around the club. Maybe she’d spot him if she could look around a little bit. She recognized many of her classmates from school, but she didn’t know them very well.

  “There’s the chick who plans all those parties,” she heard a female voice over her shoulder.

  “She’s the party girl,” someone else said. Sara didn’t know their names either.

  She spotted Allie from across the room and waved. Allie had been one of the few people who’d managed to snag a barstool. Shane stood next to her, and Sara thought they made a really cute couple. This was the first time she’d ever seen them together. Both on the tall side, they complemented each other. Allie pointed to Sara, then held up her wrist. They were both wearing their summer of love jewelry. Allie gave Sara a thumbs-up.

  She was about to head their way to say hello, when she saw Dakota squeezing her way through the crowd. She was heading straight for Sara. Quickly, Sara veered to the left. She didn’t have time to talk to Dakota. Furthermore, she was afraid she’d never find Nick Bones if she ended up cornered by Dakota. The party was open to anyone, but Sara had hoped that Dakota wouldn’t even hear about it.

  “Sara!”

  Sara pretended not to hear Dakota. She nailed a few elbows and stepped on several sets of toes as she hurried in the opposite direction.

  “Sara, wait up!”

  She was just making a clean break when she crashed full speed into a firm chest that smelled strongly of something manly. She looked up to apologize. “So sorry—” Her heart skipped a beat. “Oh, hi, Mr. Bones. I didn’t mean to step on your shoe.” He was wearing a pair of vintage loafers and a striped shirt with an exaggerated collar. He was cute in a very untypical sort of way. He had a big nose, but it somehow seemed to fit his face.

  “No problem. You in charge here?”

  “Well, er, uh…yes.” Leah technically was head honcho, but there was no need to explain all this to Nick Bones.

  “I’m looking for someone who can do me a little favor.”

  “Of course.”

  “I’d like to review the band’s album in a magazine that I have, and I really don’t want to have to wait in line for a CD. I have to pick up a friend of mine from the airport after this.”

  “Not a problem. I will get you one right away. I know the band was planning on sending you one anyway—for your column.”

  “Great.”

  She was a couple steps away when Dakota startled her. “Can you get me a free CD too?” she asked.

  Sara apologized. “I really don’t have the power to be giving away CDs. I’m just giving one to him because he’s a critic and a deejay. The band was planning on giving him one anyway.” When she’d gone over the details of this party with her mother, Leah had warned her against giving away any band merchandise.

  Annoyance flashed in Dakota’s eyes. “What if I want them to play at my party?” she said sweetly. “I’ll need a CD for my parents to listen to. I can’t just expect them to shell out money for a band they’ve never even heard.”

  Something told Sara that Dakota was bluffing. All the music for her party was already lined up. Nonrefundable deposits had been made. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  James was standing outside the backstage quarters when she approached. “Nick Bones is here,” he said. “I saw him walk in.”

  “I know!” she couldn’t help but squeal. “I talked to him, and he asked for a CD. He said he might want to review it.”

  “That’s great!” He turned toward the door. “Let me give you a CD for him.” She followed him inside.

  Backstage was not the fancy dressing room she imagined that Good Charlotte hung out in. It was about the size of her bathroom at home. Crammed with musical equipment and a beat-up couch, the room had grown hot since the last time she’d been inside. The tiny quarters now felt like a sauna. Even though the band members were all preoccupied, they still looked nervous. Tristan was applying his eyeliner in the mirror that hung near a small card table. Ian tuned his guitar on the couch, and the two other members leaned against the table, anxiously sipping bottled water as they worked up the nerve to go onstage.

  James handed her the CD.

  “Good luck, guys,” she called.

  By the time she found Nick again, it was almost time for the band to go on.

  “Here you go,” she said as she handed him the CD.

  “Great,” he said. “I’ll try to check it out.” She crossed her fingers that he’d do more than try.

  She really wanted to watch the show with Allie and Shane, but she didn’t think she’d be able to make it to them in time. And there was always the Dakota hazard looming. If she got trapped by her worst client, she’d miss the show. She decided it was best to stay where she was.

  The show was a success. On the Verge was much more talented than Sara had imagined. Full of charisma, Tristan was a great front man. The crowd fed off his enthusiasm. Squealing girls scrambled for his shirt when he threw it out into the audience. Watching him onstage, one would never guess he’d been on the brink of a rock-star tantrum over eyeliner only minutes earlier.

  Ian, less of an extrovert, focused more on his playing than on entertaining the crowd. He delivered some amazing guitar solos.

  She tried to steal glances at Nick Bones. A smile covered his face for the duration of the show. He didn’t really seem like the type of guy who would bust out the dance moves, but he tapped his feet. He seemed really into the music.

  As soon as the show ended, she thanked him for coming.

  “If the CD is anything like their live performance, I look forward to reviewing it,” he said.

  She wanted to jump up and hug him. The night couldn’t have gone any better.

  “Tell the band I said cheers and congratulations. I gotta run.”

  “Of course.”

  She felt as if she couldn’t get backstage fast enough. She was dying to share the news. The band looked as though they’d just participated in the Olympics. Sweat soaked their clothes, and their sideburns and bangs looked damp. Tristan was already receiving a back rub from a girl who Sara recognized from the audience.

  “I have the best news,” Sara announced.

  They all listened while Sara shared what Nick Bones had said. The information was followed with applause. “You guys were great,” Sara said.

  “Thank you so much,” Ian said.

  “It was my pleasure. You guys made my job easy.”

  He leaned in and hugged her. His body was warm and he felt a little damp, but not in a gross way. She wasn’t sure who pulled away first, but she hoped he didn’t notice how red her cheeks were. As soon as Ian let go, the drummer moved in and hugged her too. One by one, she received hugs from every band member in the room. Ian tossed her a CD.

  “Here. Just a little something from us.”

  “Thanks,” she said. “I don’t mind buying one though.”

  “It’s the least we can do.” He smiled. Looking at his dimples was enough to make her crazy.

  Within seconds the knocks began at the door. It was amazing how putting people under a spotlight suddenly made them popular. Sara was willing to bet that most of the peop
le waiting to say hi to them hadn’t even been friends with them before tonight. But she was happy for the band. They deserved it.

  When James opened the door, a line of people waited. The leader was Dakota. Sara was hoping to avoid her for the rest of the night, but as soon as Dakota noticed her, she acted as though they were long lost sisters. Dakota’s two sidekicks, Cassidy and Mariel, stood on either side of her. Dakota threw her arms around Sara. “There you are!” Sara hugged her back, feeling a little used.

  She looked at Sara’s hands. “Where did you get the CD?”

  “From the band. Look, I really have to run. I have a million things I have to do. We’ll catch up later, okay?”

  “Where’s my CD?”

  Sara pretended not to hear her as she headed off to make sure that the merchandise people had enough change. The band’s parents were selling shirts and CDs, and the table had been swarmed after the show ended. After she broke three twenties at the merch counter, Sara headed off to find Allie and Shane. The parking lot was still buzzing with life. Her mother and Gene were directing traffic, but they paused to congratulate her for a successful event.

  Allie greeted Sara with a hug. “Ian is so cute!” she whispered in Sara’s ear.

  They walked around the remaining cars, sipping sodas. Looking at all the cars made her more anxious for her driver’s license. Five more days! Her father had told her that as soon as she passed the test, they could go test-drive used Honda Civics.

  All kinds of people from school came up to tell her what a wonderful party it was. Two girls from her drawing-and-painting class joined them for sodas, and she ran into a couple of friends she’d made at surf camp last summer. Unfortunately, her busy schedule had forced her to lose touch with them. She had a blast walking around the car show with the group. She wished she could throw parties like this all the time. It was fun to socialize and be around people her own age.

  “Are you going to the after party?” Allie asked. “I hear it’s kinda far. But you can ride with Shane and me.”

  Sara shook her head. “I wish I could. I have to stay and wrap things up here.”

  The remainder of the evening sent her in all kinds of directions. Little by little the crowd dissipated and soon the parking lot was a ghost town. Her only regret of the evening was that she never got to say good-bye to Ian.

  Ten

  Her phone rang at the crack of dawn the next morning. “Dakota,” she whispered to herself. Couldn’t she just have a few minutes to bask in the afterglow of the successful CD-release party?

  “This is Sara.” Her voice sounded groggy.

  “Good morning, new best friend.”

  Best friend? Was she still asleep and trapped in the midst of a very bizarre dream? When she heard Figaro purring next to her, she knew this was no dream. What did she want?

  “So, I have something I need to add to my list of party requests…” Bingo! “I need a favor from you. A big favor. And this…this is more important than anything else. After the disappointment my family and I have suffered over my crown, I think you owe me this one.”

  “Okay.” Sara didn’t know whether to laugh out loud or tell her to go find someone else to plan her party.

  “I was thinking about it last night at the after party, and I just can’t show up to my own party without a date. That’s so…I don’t know…pathetic. Showing up dateless is something a party planner would do—not the birthday girl.

  “So, are you going to help me with this?”

  How could Sara answer this one without starting World War III? “I’m really more focused on planning the party…”

  “Good. I’m glad you’re on board.”

  “Uh, but I—”

  “So I’ve found the perfect date for myself and you have the power to set me up with him.”

  She had the power? It was nice to think that she had power, but she was totally inexperienced in the matchmaking arena.

  Dakota continued. “I want the guy from the band.”

  Tristan was perfect for her. If she’d been asked to create the perfect guy for Dakota, she couldn’t have made a better match. If Tristan was all she wanted, it wouldn’t be a problem. Dakota seemed like she was totally his type too. This would be easy, and best of all it might give her an excuse to see Ian, too. It was great. “That shouldn’t be a problem. As far as I know he doesn’t have a girlfriend.” Maybe just ten, she thought.

  “I just knew the moment I saw him I had to have him.” She spoke of him as if he were a Louis Vuitton handbag that she planned to purchase. “I can’t remember his name, but he’s so different from all the other guys I’ve dated. After he gave me a CD, he told me that something I said was really insightful. I mean, no guy has ever commented about my thoughts before. They usually just love me for my body and my looks. And even though I only talked to him for a grand total of five minutes, I really felt a connection with him. He’s so talented. I mean, the way he plays the guitar. What a real talent he has. How many people can claim to do that?”

  The words left skid marks across Sara’s ears. Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Slow down. “The guitar?” she asked.

  “Uh, yeah. Duh. You didn’t think I was talking about the drummer, did you? I wouldn’t touch that raggedy-looking specimen for ten million dollars. I mean, I think the guy probably has a colony of rodents living inside his ’fro. And the lead singer. Well, he’s cute, but he kissed Ashley Thompson behind an oak tree last night at the after party. From what I understand, they both woke up with a raging case of poison oak this morning. And I’m really looking for someone deeper anyway. I’m done with jerks. As I approach this new milestone in my life, I’ve grown wiser and older. It’s a new me. I’m starting over, and I want to start over with the guitarist from On the Verge.”

  She wanted to be set up with Ian? And she wanted Sara to do it? This had to be a bad dream. Sara sat up in bed. What could she say? No, actually I have a little thing for the guitar player, so I won’t do it. Dakota would never quit laughing. And did Sara really have a shot at Ian anyway? Sure, he was flirtatious, but so was Blake. Maybe Ian was just a friend, like Blake. And tons of girls probably wanted Ian, so why would he like Sara?

  “I thought you wanted On the Verge to play at your party,” Sara said. “How will he be your date if he’s in the band?”

  “Uh. No kidding. That would never work.”

  “Then who would you like to play at your party?” Sara thought that changing the subject might just make the entire situation with Ian go away.

  “I don’t know. It’s not important now. Just hire that deejay who teaches hip-hop. What’s important right now is setting me up with the guitar player. So, I was thinking that we need to have a little soiree. We can have it at my pool house. My parents are going to be in the Bahamas all weekend. I’ll let you organize.”

  Sara thought for a moment. The last thing she wanted to do was call Ian on Dakota’s behalf and organize a little “soiree.” “I have his manager’s number,” she suggested. “Why don’t you just call him and ask for Ian’s number? That’s his name, by the way—Ian. Then you can just invite him yourself.”

  “Ugh, are you kidding me right now? I can’t do that! That is so against the rules. No guy wants to be chased, dummy. The girl is much more desirable when she seems less accessible.”

  Maybe Dakota was right. Every guy at school was in love with her, so she must know a thing or too about snagging them.

  “Dakota, don’t you think it’s going to look weird if I call him? That just seems so…I don’t know…second grade.”

  “Why? He doesn’t have to know what we’re up to. All you have to do is get him here and I’ll do the rest.”

  “What if he says no? What if he doesn’t even want to come?”

  “I’ve already thought of that.” She paused before continuing. “Tell him my father has a vintage fifty-seven Gibson Les Paul that needs to be tuned. He can tune it and even play it if he wants. Trust me, he’ll be here.”

  “You
have a guitar?”

  “No, but Ian doesn’t have to know that. Don’t say anything, but I’m bidding on eBay right now. I’ll have that fifty-seven Les Paul by the weekend.”

  “Oh.” Sara couldn’t say anything even if she’d wanted to. She was speechless.

  Later that afternoon, Sara headed to the kitchen. She could hear her mother and Gene. She imagined that they were either having a splash or discussing their next getaway to Palm Springs. It would be the perfect time to tell her mother that she was finished with Dakota’s party. The responsibility was all her mother’s now. If she quit, then she wouldn’t have to deal with Dakota’s demands. She wouldn’t have to call Ian, and this whole miserable situation would be over with. As far as she was concerned, a line had been crossed. She didn’t mind hunting down jewels-to-the-stars, but she wasn’t going to call Ian on Dakota’s behalf. And it wasn’t even because she liked him. It was because this wasn’t elementary school, and matchmaking wasn’t part of the job. What had happened to the days of answering phones and booking appointments?

  She found Gene and her mother hovering over a pile of tile samples.

  “I love the mosaics,” Gene said. “I’m a freak for those earthy colors. And with the stainless appliances, this place is going to be a page out of Better Homes and Gardens.”

  “I’m not sure.” Her mom held a piece of stone. “I’m still debating over granite.”

  “Granite schmanite.” Gene waved a hand. “You place one hot item on it, honey, and it’s going to look like the inside of an eighty-year-old Crock-Pot. In five years, all this granite is going to be like shag carpets.”

  Sara thought their conversations were so boring sometimes. What a horrible way to spend your afternoon, she thought. Discussing countertops? Who cared?

  “Oh good, we thought you were still asleep!” her mom said as soon as she noticed her. “We need your opinion on something.”