5. A Little Fun
Saturday morning passes by, and I wake to the incessant tapping of Brandy’s finger on my shoulder. I roll over briefly and groan.
“Sorry, Lainey. I was just wondering if we were planning on getting up today.” I assume by the tone of her voice and the bright-ass light coming through the dorm window that it’s around noon. I throw my covers over my face and turn back to the wall. That doesn’t stop her though.
“I ran into Cameron in the dining hall, and he invited me to a party at his place tonight. His parents are away on an anniversary trip. He wants you to come, too.”
“Shhhhh.”
“Buddy system, Lainey. I’ll only go if you do.”
“I guess you’re not going.”
“Buzzkill. Come on! I’ll do your homework for a whole week.”
Shouldn’t you be doing your own homework before mine?
I groan.
“Fine. If you come tonight, I will not bug you about the list or any parties for a week.”
I reach over to Brandy. “Promise?”
She shakes my hand. “Promise.”
We’ll see how long that lasts.
I fill all my free time with work. I got a great story idea that I need to bust out before Cameron’s lame party.
Once it hits six in the evening, my story is done, plus a short paper for my English class. It’s about myself, so it was a piece of cake.
On the other hand, Brandy spends hours looking for the perfect clothes and makeup to wear.
“When does this thing start?”
“Cameron wants us there at nine to help set up. It starts at ten.”
“Do we really need to stay?” I ask desperately.
Brandy launches a shirt at me, but I let it collide with my gut and hit the ground.
“I’m not wearing your clothes,” I tell her, throwing the shirt back at her.
“I threw it at you because you were being depressing. Please try to have fun today.”
Not likely.
Somehow, Brandy convinces me to allow her to do my makeup. She sprays four spritzes of setting spray on my face and hands me a small mirror. The Lainey who stares back at me is way hotter than I have ever seen her. Her brown hair is straightened and rests over her chest. Her eyes are surrounded by black liner and gold eyeshadow, her blemishes completely covered up. I actually look good.
I sloppily let a smile loose, and Brandy claps. “You like it! That totally goes with that black blouse and jeans. Who would have thought you owned?—”
I hold my hand up to her. “All right, I get it.”
We both gather our personal belongings and are on our way.
It takes forty-five minutes to get to Cameron’s house. It’s interesting because I’ve known Cameron for years, and he dated one of my best friends, yet I have never been to his place. Let me just say, it’s very California but doesn’t scream billionaire. Once we are invited into his house, Cameron places us on snack-table duty.
Before taking orders I take a look around. I instantly pick up the tan, brown color palette. Not the prettiest setup, but it offers a familial warmth. Beige walls with hazelnut trimmings. A dark wood staircase that sits right by the entrance and the family room. A copper leather couch, a slightly darker coffee table, and hardwood floors. Farther down is a visible kitchen island of the same shade and the fan?—
“Just set up a snack station. Bags of chips, dip. I am gonna leave the alcohol in the fridge. Put covers on the tables. I can’t risk them getting ring stains or scratches,” he instructs, interrupting my analysis of his home.
“Good thing you’re throwing a rager then. What even is the point?” I retort.
Cameron grins, exposing his straight, white teeth. Damn. “Funny girl. Just help Brandy, okay?”
I bring my hand up to my forehead and salute him. “Sir, yes, sir!”
After Brandy and I do our chores, I spot Cameron sitting on his ass scrolling through his phone at the kitchen island.
“Hey! Lazy ass, we’ve finished. Any other orders?”
He steers on the stool to face me. “Thanks.” He exhales. “Just chill until people come.”
“And what the hell am I supposed to do? I don’t even want to be here.”
He shrugs. “Figure it out, and dial down the attitude. I didn’t do anything to you.” He pushes himself off the stool and nearly exits the room before turning back. “Also, your brother’s coming with a bunch of upperclassmen. Can you handle that, baby girl?”
Those two words would usually make my skin crawl, but the way he says it makes my cheeks go hot. Why, God why?? Thank the Lord he walks off before he sees his words affect me.
An hour and a half passes until actual guests start to come by. Among them is not one single face that I recognize, or maybe there are too many to decipher one person from another.
Someone starts playing loud music through a speaker, and I jump back. I look around. Brandy and Cameron are gone.
A couple of minutes pass, and there’s a light tap on my shoulder. Tamara. The girl I played Uno with at Mikey’s gathering looks at me. She smiles. “I knew it. It’s you. Lainey from Uno.”
I nod.
“I didn’t think you would be here,” she goes on. “I’m glad to see you though. A couple of my friends have set up shop upstairs for Mario Kart in Cam’s game room. Do you wanna join?”
Seeing as she’s the only person that I recognize here, I don’t really have a choice. “Sure.”
Without looking back, I follow her up the stairs and into the room. It’s smaller than the giant one that I pictured in my head. It’s shaped like a square and painted completely red with acoustic panels lining the walls to keep in and absorb sound. There is a group of people seated on a long couch and a few on the floor. Most of them guys.
As we enter, Tamara announces our presence, and everyone looks at us. I can now make out one of the faces as my brother, David. Instead of saying anything to me, he just raises an eyebrow, probably surprised that I’m even out after dark.
Tamara insists that the people on the couch make room for us, so two of the guys reluctantly give up their spots for us and crouch on the floor.
“I haven’t played Mario Kart in such a long time,” I say.
Tamara chuckles. “Then maybe I’ll beat you this round.”
“I was gonna play this one,” an unfamiliar voice reminds the room.
“Good thing up to four people can play,” Tamara says mockingly in response.
“So, it’ll be me, Lainey, and?—”
“I’ll do it,” David interrupts. “I won’t even have to try to beat you.”
Yeah, okay.
The one who complained earlier also volunteers, and we start the game. Two and a half races in and there’s a knock at the door. I avert my eyes, and I find a group of guys by the doorway. There’s a handsome blond one closest to the entrance. He leans on the frame.
“Sorry,” the blond one laughs. “Didn’t mean to shit on this nerd fest, but David is needed downstairs.”
David gets up without a word, however as they make to leave, the blond one looks at me and smirks. At first, it’s creepy, but then I realize this is the first time a boy has bothered to take a second glance in my direction.
“Hey, Lainey.” Tamara’s voice brings me back. “You’ve just fallen off the Rainbow Road and into the abyss six times in a row.”
A switch is flipped inside me, and I feel the urge to go downstairs and maybe catch a glimpse of that blond boy again. There is something about him. I have no idea what, but my body feels it.
My driver just passes the finish line, and I hand the controller to one of the guys and excuse myself.
It’s amazing how many people are here now when there was barely anyone when Tamara and I went upstairs.
I stop on the last step and take a look around at all the people. They’re dancing, talking, drinking, smoking, and making out.
“Hey,” Cameron says out of nowhere. He turns to meet my gaze from someone he’s talking to by the landing of the steps.
“Ew. Stalker much?”
His friend walks off.
He laughs. “I was kind of waiting for you to come down.”
I ignore that. “Did you ditch Brandy?”
He tilts his head. “She actually ditched me.” He raises a judgmental brow. “Are you just gonna chill on that last step forever, or do you wanna join the party?”
“Not if you’re going to be bugging me all night,” I retort.
Cameron licks his lips and shakes his head condescendingly. “Please. I have a life, Coleson. I just don’t want you to be alone here or feel out of place.”
Ha! Eat me, Leary!
I leave him and walk into the kitchen, surreptitiously searching for my brother’s posse. I spot the blond boy getting a beer from Cameron’s fridge, and I watch him pop the cap off with no effort. Before I can process him turning to face me he’s already looking. He takes a single gulp of the beer and walks up to me. My stomach jumps. What is this?
“Did I just catch you staring?” Oh no, he sounds cocky. My cheeks go warm, and he scoffs. “I guess we”re even, you did catch me staring.”
No response comes for me.
“Are you gonna say anything?” he asks. “Your name? If you liked what you saw?”
I apologize out of habit and introduce myself. “Lainey Coleson.”
His eyes widen, and he almost looks surprised. “You’re David’s sister.”
I nod, even though he wasn’t asking a question.
“Well, that kind of makes you off-limits, doesn’t it?”
Something comes over me, and I don’t take full responsibility for the words that come out of my mouth. “Says who?”
He chuckles. “Says the bro code. I know your brother.”
Bro code, freakin two-year-olds.
“Oh, never heard of you.” He pulls his brows together and I grin. “What’s your name?”
He takes another sip from his bottle and sighs. “Stef.”
“Is that short for Stephanie?” I joke.
“Funny. No. Just Stef.” He shifts his weight onto one of his legs. “Is your name short for like Lainatha or Lainifer?” he quips.
“Uh-huh,” I say sarcastically. “Yeah, Lainifer.”
One corner of his lips turns upward. “Very weird.” There’s something about his smile that sends a chill down my spine.
“Thanks.” I play along.
He clears his throat. “It’s a shame you’re David’s sister. See ya.” He salutes me and turns to leave, but something comes over me.
“Why? You can’t even talk to me?”
“It’s a shame because you’re hot.”
My heart drops to my toes.
What? Hot? Where?
I take in a deep breath and try to process what he said.
“We just met.”
He turns back to me and then bites the inside of his cheek. “So you”re one of those.”
“What?”
He coughs into his fist. The cough sounds suspiciously like the word tease. “You dress all sexy and don’t put out,” he explains with a nice touch of sexism.
My cheeks go warm and red. “You can go,” I spit back.
He shrugs. “Ya know. Now that I’m giving it a second thought. You being David’s sis may not be a problem after all,” he says with a wink and walks off.
I whip around to see Cameron by the stairs where I left him, and he nods like he expected this interaction to go as it did.
The music in the room increases in volume suddenly, and people start to cheer. I inch closer to the source of the noise. Cameron’s eyes dart to the coffee table in the living room, and we watch as Brandy throws her shoes across the room and is helped onto the surface of the table. She holds her hands in the air, and the liquid in her plastic cup splashes everywhere. Both Cameron and I are fixated on the scene but for completely different reasons.
Brandy dances the way a stripper would by a pole. She drops to a squat on the table and starts moving her body. I should do something. But there’s a rowdy crowd surrounding her, and guys are tossing money toward her now.
I force myself through the crowd of people. When I reach the front row, I attempt to catch her attention, but it’s no use. It’s too loud in here. I extend my hand and pull on her, which I suppose to a drunk person is not exactly as gentle as I think it is because she stumbles and nearly falls to the ground. The crowd parts like the Red Sea.
“Hey!” Brandy says.
I wrap my arm around her to steady her.
“Lainey,” Brandy says. “What are you doing?”
I let her go when we leave the most active part of the house.
“I was having fun. Did you see?”
I ignore her and roll my eyes. Cameron spots me, and I give him a dirty look. All he does is raise his eyebrows and walk off. Screw that guy.
“Why did you do that?!” Brandy shouts in my ear.
“You were dancing like a stripper. Brandy, that was weird. I’m sure there are a crap ton of creeps at this party, and I thought it best to get you down.” At that, Brandy squints her eyes at me. I look at her alcohol-soaked top. Maybe Cameron will have something for her to borrow.
I lead her upstairs and slip into the room that I assume is Cameron’s. To my surprise, he beat me there. He catches my judgmental glare and smiles. “I thought Brandy could use a fresh shirt not covered in booze.” He pulls out something blue and tosses it my way.
“Thanks,” I say out of habit.
The smile I get in return seems genuine, and for some reason I can feel my body temperature rise. “Anything for you,” he says softly and shuts the door behind him. Anything?
“How much did you drink?” I ask.
Brandy shuffles to Cameron’s bed and flops onto it. “Not a lot. Get off my back, Mom.”
I heave a sigh. “The point of the buddy system is to protect each other,” I remind her. “That was a potentially dangerous situation.”
“Key word being ‘potentially,’” she mumbles into the mattress.
I spend many minutes talking Brandy into changing her shirt. She insists she looks better in the one she has on now, but I really couldn’t care less about that.
“How much have you eaten?” I ask her.
Rolling over, she squints her eyes sleepily and responds quietly, “I had a few chips.”
“Let’s get you some more food to absorb that alcohol. We don’t want you getting sick tonight.” She shakes her head in protest, but I pull her up and carefully lead her to the kitchen.
Cameron is at my side suddenly. My heart jumps and a gasp escapes me. All Cameron does is laugh. It’s quiet but the part of me that’s aware of his good looks can’t help but think it’s cute. Noo!
Brandy sits on an island stool, and Cameron leans close to my ear. “Those losers are eyeing Brandy like a piece of meat,” he says. The last thing I should be concentrating on is his shoulder pressed up against mine but…
I put on my I hate you face and bump him away softly. “Okay, well can you be useful? Brandy needs food.”
“What are you looking for?”
“Banana? Bread? Crackers? Use your brain.” For a moment he just stares at me, and for a moment I feel bad, but then I remember. He’s a dirty cheat who doesn’t deserve my sympathy. If he did it to Kylie, he’ll do it again.
He shakes his head then rummages through his kitchen for exactly what I asked from him. He gathers a banana, a box of salty crackers, and a bag of white bread. He places all of them in front of Brandy.
“Thanks,” I accidentally tell him.
Brandy groans. “You want me to have a bread-banana-cracker sandwich?”
“Yes, eat up.”
I watch her until my attention is pulled toward Cameron, who is beside me again.
“We’re good now,” I say dismissively.
Cameron’s throat bobs as he swallows. When he crosses the island to stand in front of me, we are face-to-face and only a foot apart. “Are we going to talk about why you hate me so much?” His voice is soft.
“No,” I say harshly. “Bye now.”
He goes without another word, but my chest tightens with guilt as I watch him disappear into a crowd of people. I shake the feeling off and turn back to Brandy. “When you’re done, we should go.”
“No. I wanna stay.”
“No, Brandy. According to you, a party means get drunk and strip on tables. You’ve accomplished that, so we’re done.”
She nibbles on a cracker. “That’s not true, I don’t have a plan when I go to parties. Maybe if we made one this wouldn’t have happened.” Right. This is somehow your fault, Lainey.
“That stupid list is a reckless idea.”
“But—but hear me out. We come here with an incentive, we do what we came here for, and we leave.” She offers me a hopeful grin.
Even her talking about this list thing again is killing my brain cells. “What’s the point?”
She swallows. “To gain experience. To make friends so college is more than just academics. Don’t you want to have fun?”
It was not so long ago that I said “no”—actually since she promised me she wouldn’t bug me about parties and that stupid list. I knew it wouldn’t last.