High School Hangover

by Stephanie Hale

  The hand the guys are playing now is particularly agonizing. I want to scream at Leo that Billy is bluffing because he always does that weird nose flick thing and Jeff obviously has an unbeatable hand because he is bouncing his knee so hard that he actually smacked the bottom of the table.

  Leo drops his cards and three pair of eyes turn to me, looking amazed.

  “Oops, did I say that out loud?”

  Leo looks pissed but quickly recovers. “So, you play poker?” he asks, gathering the cards to reshuffle them.

  “A little,” I answer, minimizing my skills a bit.

  “Is there anything you can’t do?” Leo asks. He seems upset, but I guess I don’t blame him since I did mess up their game.

  “Can I get you guys some beers?” I ask as a peace offering. Billy and Jeff grunt something unintelligible that I take as a yes.

  “Get yourself one, too, and hurry back,” Leo urges. I smile at him, glad that he doesn’t seem to be holding a grudge that I messed up their game. The heat coming from the intense gaze Leo is narrowing at me and the fact that I already felt like I could fry an egg on my forehead are finally enough to make me peel off my sweater, ball it up and toss it into a chair. Leo’s mood seems to shift as he takes an appreciative glance of my chest. I grab my empty punch glass and bolt out of the hot, smoke-filled room.

  I walk through the great room, stopping briefly to chat with a few people. I don’t feel quite as awkward as I did when I first got here. More people are approaching me, most to joke about how bad my speech was, some to express their shock that I’m actually here, but everyone seems genuinely happy to see me.

  “Are you having fun?” Erika asks, coming up behind me draping her arm over my shoulders. Hopefully I don’t have B.O. from being so hot.

  “It’s better than I expected,” I admit, although I sort of wish people were dancing. I’ve never danced a day in my life, but I have an unexplainable urge to cut loose. It must be from being cooped up in that poker room for so long.

  “How’s it going with Leo?”

  “We haven’t really been alone, but it’s okay,” I tell her, staying upbeat. She’s probably worried that I’m going to want to go to the movies after all.

  “Don’t be taking off on me,” Erika urges. Something blue catches my eye distracting me from Erika. It’s Jack’s shirt. Two blonde juniors are adoringly sandwiching him on a sofa under the pretense of watching a movie. He is staring at me with a blank look on his face. It really bugs me that he is with those girls, which is completely stupid because I’m with Leo. I quickly look away.

  “Promise me you won’t go anywhere without me,” she says, shaking me.

  “I promise,” I agree, figuring it will be easier to concede. “I’ve got to get back to Leo,” I say loud enough for Jack to hear. I don’t know why but I really want him to know that Leo does like me.

  I bolt outside to Derek’s tiki bar and get three beers, ignoring Leo’s suggestion that I get one for myself. I make my way back inside and drop the beers off in the poker room, then head to the kitchen for a punch refill. I’m feeling better than I did earlier. I think maybe I was just dehydrated or had low blood sugar from not eating anything today, but the punch is helping all that go away.

  When I get to the kitchen, I spin around a few times on the marble floor. I love the way Mom’s dress twirls around my legs. I can’t believe that I’m not tired because today was such a long day, but I feel like I could stay awake for days.

  “How much punch have you had?” Jack’s voice booms, bringing a halt to my twirls.

  I ignore him and dip my cup into the punch bowl to fill it up. I know how unsanitary it is to do this, but I don’t want to waste time looking for the ladle only to be trapped in this kitchen with Jack. I don’t make eye contact as I pass him. Just when I think I’m home free, Jack grabs the cup out of my hand, punch sloshing over the side, and throws it into the sink.

  “What is wrong with you?” I yell at him, grabbing some paper towel to wipe my arm off, thankful that I left my purse with Leo so there wasn’t another incident.

  “That isn’t punch. It’s an energy drink,” he says, looking angry.

  “So what? Those are harmless,” I argue, recalling Erika starting every morning for the last few years with a giant can of energy drink. No wonder I feel so energetic.

  “Some people can have really bad reactions to caffeine overdoses.”

  I ignore him and move to fill up another cup. “I can handle caffeine. I once drank an entire six-pack of Mountain Dew to stay up studying.”

  “This isn’t the same. I’ve been watching you. You’re already flushed, fidgety, and hyper.”

  “Jesus, McAllister. Stalker much?” Leo says from behind me. He drapes a heavy arm across my shoulders, weighing me down. I don’t complain even though it’s a little harder to breathe now. “Is he bothering you?” Leo asks me. I shake my head no because even though Jack drives me nuts, I don’t want Leo to hurt him.

  “I was telling her that this isn’t punch, it’s an energy drink. She’s drinking so much it’s going to make her sick,” Jack says.

  Leo raises his eyebrows a little then turns to me and asks, “Do you feel sick?”

  “Not at all,” I assure him. Leo reaches into a cabinet and pulls out a giant mug. It must hold close to sixty-four ounces. He fills the entire thing with punch then snaps a lid on the top and sticks a straw through the hole in the lid and hands it to me.

  “That should hold you for a while,” he says, putting the straw to my lips. “I don’t want you tiring out on me before we can be alone.”

  Alone. He said alone. I take a few sips obediently, not meeting Jack’s eyes.

  “Fine, she’s your problem, Doolin,” Jack snarls, storming out of the kitchen.

  I’m the problem? Oh, that’s rich. I guess I should be happy that he finally seems to be coming to his senses and staying out of my business, but something inside me wants to go after him. I take a few more sips of my punch hoping the feeling will go away.

  I follow Leo back into the poker room even though it is truly the last thing on earth I feel like doing. The guys start a new game and I entertain myself by building an Empire State Building out of empty beer bottles and cigar boxes. It’s not exactly my best work, but in my defense, I didn’t exactly have quality materials to work with. I take a long sip of punch only to hear a sucking noise. Somehow, I’ve managed to drink the entire mug without realizing it. My heart races remembering what Jack said about some people’s reaction to caffeine, but then I realize that I’m not acting any differently than I normally do. Besides, my personality is too strong to be influenced by something as weak as caffeine. I stomp my heels on the wood floor, suddenly feeling like I just can’t sit still another minute.

  “I want to go swimming,” I tell Leo, unable to stand the kiln-like temperature of this room any longer.

  “In a minute. Why don’t you get yourself more punch?” Leo suggests, shaking my empty mug.

  “I want to go swimming, now,” I repeat, standing up. Before Leo can protest, I unzip my dress and let it slide to the floor. I have no idea what possessed me to do that, but I feel so much cooler that I don’t even care.

  I’m wearing nothing but my bra, panties and Mom’s ridiculously expensive heels. Billy and Jeff gawk at me, their stinky cigars actually falling out of their mouths and onto the table. If this is going to be the last night I ever spend with Leo, I want to make it a fun one. Besides, even in my bra and panties, I’m still wearing more than most of the other girl’s bikinis. Leo still hasn’t said anything but is staring at me like I’ve lost my mind. A Cheshire cat-like grin comes across his face and he darts up from the table.

  “Let’s go swimming,” he yells, hoisting me on his shoulder and carrying me through the house like a prize buck.

  I’m laughing uncontrollably and slapping Leo’s butt as he hauls me through the house. I have to admit the drink must be giving me a bit of liquid courage because I can’t
imagine I’d be doing this if I’d been nursing a glass of ice water all night. It’s not like I’m doing anything wrong. I’m finally having a good time, just like all these people have already been doing for the last four years. I finally understand how much fun my classmates were having in all those Facebook pictures. Maybe I’ll even get tagged in a few tonight. I’m tired of being the girl who never gets tagged.

  Even upside down I can make out Jack’s furious expression and his comment, “You’ve got to be freaking kidding me,” as he spots my lace-covered behind. Luckily, Leo doesn’t waste much time getting outside. Several people follow us out chanting for Leo to toss me into the pool. He walks up to the concrete ledge surrounding the pool and bends his knees, readying to heave me in.

  “Put her down,” Jack demands from behind Leo. I raise my head up to see Jack storming toward us, his blondetourage trailing close behind him. I drop my head back down, exasperated.

  “Piss off, McAllister,” Leo says, but gently stands me upright. I weave back and forth almost falling into the pool when Jack grabs me.

  “Look at her, she’s completely out of it,” Jack yells at Leo. “Is this how you like your women, Leo?”

  I pull away from Jack and bury myself against Leo’s chest. “I was dizzy from being upside down,” I defend myself, although that’s not entirely true. Why can’t Jack just disappear? He’s got the blondes, what could he possibly want with me? It’s like he doesn’t want me but he doesn’t want Leo to have me either. It’s enough to give a girl a killer headache like the one I’m starting to feel coming on.

  I feel a hand on my arm and look up to see Erika wrapped in a towel, her bikini straps peeking out the top of it. “Everything okay?” she asks, concern on her face.

  “Oh my God,” I yell, suddenly furious. “You tracked down Erika, like I need a keeper or something?” I scream at Jack. I have so had it with him butting into my business.

  “He was worried about you,” Erika defends him.

  “I’m fine. I’m having fun.” Am I really that boring and predictable that everyone freaks out the minute I cut loose? “Isn’t that what you wanted?” I remind her.

  She nods, biting her lip nervously. “You seem…kind of weird…” she trails off. She exchanges a quick glance with Jack, which infuriates me. The last person I need worrying about me is Jack McAllister. When I look at him all I can see is a bright red B glaring back at me.

  “Maybe your friends are right, Laney,” Leo says, stunning me. He steps back and gently pushes me out of his arms. “We can always catch up later,” he says, and then he’s gone before I can even say a word.

  Jack grabs a towel off the back of a lounge chair and drapes it around me. I want to throw it down and stomp on it, but the reality that I’m standing here in my underwear is starting to hit.

  I can’t believe it. I’ve dreamed of being with Leo for two years and I was so close to getting what I wanted. He’ll never want anything to do with me now. Something wet runs down my cheeks. Tears? I never cry. I don’t understand what is happening. I’m so confused. I just wanted to go swimming.

  Erika doesn’t say anything but pulls me in for a hug. Jack won’t make eye contact with me and slinks off, his mission of ruining my night complete. I’ll be alone while Erika hooks up with Ronnie, and Jack is having a ménage a trois. Perfect.

  *****

  I assure Erika I’m fine so that she will quit fussing over me and make her way back to Ronnie. The truth is, I’m anything but fine. I decide to take a swim since I am already practically naked. There is no way I am squeezing back into Mom’s constricting dress. Besides, no one can see me under the water anyway.

  I’ve already swum about fifty laps across the pool, but I still can’t seem to burn off this extra energy I have. I kind of have the urge to get out and run around Josie’s house about twenty times, but I figure I don’t need that kind of attention so I try to focus my energy on underwater running instead. I guess I’m ready to admit that the punch has had a teensy bit of an effect on me. I don’t ever remember feeling like scaling a hundred story building after drinking Mountain Dew but I’m pretty sure I could do it now. I also felt like one of those rotisserie chickens I was so hot, but the pool helped with that. I’m definitely going to stay away from that punch.

  I have the entire pool to myself because everyone else is talking, drinking, or making out. I watch Ronnie lean over and gently kiss Erika. I know I should be happy for her that she’s getting her guy, but I want to swim up and splash them. The urge intensifies when I see Leo leaning toward Amelia Brown, the rumored easy girl, and conspiratorially whisper something in her ear. Amelia has the nerve to look my direction and snicker. I dunk my head under water while fantasizing about doing the same to Amelia.

  I hold my breath until my lungs feel like they are going to burst then I bust through the surface and swim as far away from Leo and Amelia as I can. I know I shouldn’t even care since he was obviously able to move on so quickly, but I do care. Tonight was my one chance with Leo. Now, thanks to Jack McAllister, my shot with Leo is completely blown. I dive through the middle of a neon green inner tube and scream underwater so no one can hear me.

  I resurface for a breath while peeing in the pool because there is no way I’m getting out in front of everyone in wet, see-through panties and bra. I backstroke to the other side of the pool just in case there is any truth to that pee turning blue in the pool nonsense.

  I lean my head back against the concrete lip of the pool and close my eyes. I’m fantasizing about what it would have been like if Leo would have kissed me. Fantasy Leo’s lips are almost on mine when something cold and wet pelts my forehead forcing my head to snap up. I look down to see a hot dog floating in the pool.

  “I was making sure you weren’t asleep. It’d be a real shame if you drowned,” Jack shouts from his post behind a huge stainless steel grill. I narrow my eyes at him and fling the hot dog in his general direction, but he looks blurry, probably from the heat coming off the grill. The hot dog bounces off a junior’s totally fake boobs and lands in her lap.

  “Hey,” she yells at me.

  “Sorry, my bad,” I say. Err…freaking Jack. I don’t even have to look up to know that he is laughing at me. He got exactly what he wanted. He didn’t want me, but he didn’t want Leo to have me either.

  I want to hold his head underwater long enough to wipe that smirk off his face. Why does he have it out for me so bad, anyway? I’ve never done anything to him besides get him a good grade.

  Leo strides confidently by me without so much as a backwards glance. He slips in the back door, and a few seconds later, Amelia follows his same route. My mind may be racing a bit and my body going a hundred miles an hour but my heart knows what this means. I’m crushed. My devastation is even worse when I realize Jack is watching my face. I stare back at him, tears threatening to escape my lids. I dive underwater until I can get some control over myself.

  A few minutes later, a bloodcurdling scream cuts through my pity party. Josie bolts out the back door, crying and screaming about something. I guess I should be worried but I can’t make myself care.

  “Josie, what’s wrong?” Jack yells.

  “Mimi is missing,” Josie shouts, flailing around in the yard like she’s walking over hot coals.

  I don’t particularly care who Mimi is so I turn away from Josie because all of her bouncing is starting to make me quite nauseous.

  Jack drops his spatula and rushes over to Josie. Jack must fancy himself a knight in shining armor. The thought makes me giggle, which I hide with my hand, because I don’t want everyone thinking I’m some kind of psycho who thinks it’s funny that a girl is missing.

  Within seconds, I’m alone outside. Apparently I’m the only person who didn’t volunteer to join the manhunt for this Mimi person. Hopefully this new emergency is putting a kink in Leo and Amelia’s make-out session. I bet she’s kissing Jack, I mean Leo, right this second. The very thought is disgusting. I mean, she didn’t
even get on the honor roll last quarter. I would have thought Leo would be more discriminating. I lean over and throw up next to the pool drain.

  Holy crap, that was nasty. It was all red from the punch. I can’t believe I puked in Josie’s pool. I’ve got to get out of here before everyone figures out it was me. I swim over to the ledge and try to pull myself out but my arms are too weak and I slide back into the pool.

  I’m about to give up when I see a pair of muscular arms reach out and effortlessly pull me from the pool.

  “How about that alone time?” Leo asks seductively, giving me a look that makes me feel like I’m under a spell.

  I’m so stunned I can’t speak. He came back for me. He picked me over Amelia.

  “Let’s go, I don’t want to share you with anyone,” Leo urges, grabbing my dress and purse. I’m trying to focus but I can’t tear my eyes off Leo’s shirt that seems to be moving. Whoa, definitely no more punch for me. I force myself to stop watching because I’m afraid I might puke again. I steal somebody’s towel and disappear out of the yard with Leo. We sprint across the street and up his driveway, past the moving van that I saw earlier, and duck inside a back door.

  “Wait here,” Leo urges me, disappearing down a long hallway.

  My teeth are chattering so bad I’m afraid they’re going to crack and break off, which is weird because I’m not even cold. My stomach lifts and drops like I’m on a roller coaster and I’m terrified that I might throw up again. I guess I’m nervous because this is the first time I’ve ever been alone with a guy in his house.

  Erika’s warning about not leaving without her annoyingly runs through my mind. I block it out by telling myself that Leo and I have known each other since kindergarten, even if we’ve technically only talked about three times until today. I mean, hello, if Leo had impure intentions, I’d know it. I’m the smartest person I know.