Chapter Four
I t’s the weekend and Kelsey and I are getting cabin fever. We can only spend so many evenings holed up in our room. Kelsey bounds into the room, full of energy.
“We’re going to a party at Alpha Phi Delta tonight! It’s on Frat Row,” she announces.
“A frat party?” I say, raising an eyebrow. “Are you sure we want to dive into that scene already?”
“Oh, come on, Hailey! Live a little! It’ll be fun! Besides, we need to meet people who don’t live in this building or the weird guy that sits next to me in math class,” Kelsey urges, her eyes sparkling with excitement. I hesitate for a moment, then shrug. Who am I to deny my best friend this one thing? Plus it could be fun.
“Alright, let’s do it. But let’s promise each other to stay together and leave if things get too crazy.”
“Deal!” Kelsey says, clapping her hands. “Let’s finish getting ready!”
We spend the next hour getting dressed and doing our hair and makeup. I opt for simple—a pair of jeans, a crop top, and Sambas. Kelsey, always the fashionista, wears a trendy dress that makes her look like she just stepped off the cover of a magazine. Her strawberry blonde hair blown out to perfection, lips glossed and with the perfect golden tan.
“Ready?” she asks, giving herself one last look in the mirror.
“Ready,” I confirm, feeling nervous.
Our walk to Frat Row is filled with the buzz of weekend energy. Students milling about, heading to various parties and gatherings. The air is alive with the sounds of laughter and music. As we approach Alpha Phi Delta, the party is already in full swing. The thumping bass of the music can be heard from down the street, and a crowd of students is gathered outside, chatting and laughing.
“This is it!” Kelsey says, grabbing my hand and pulling me toward the entrance.
A guy is sitting on a stool at the door and he eyes us as we walk in but doesn’t speak a word. I find it odd but maybe he’s their security. The house is packed, the living room transformed into a makeshift dance floor with strobe lights and a DJ in the corner spinning music. People are dancing, talking, and having a great time.
Kelsey and I navigate through the crowd, making our way to the kitchen where drinks are being served. We grab a couple of cups of punch and toast to our first college party.
“Here’s to new adventures!” Kelsey says, raising her cup.
“To new adventures,” I echo, clinking my cup against hers. We spend the next hour mingling and dancing. Kelsey’s outgoing personality makes it easy for us to meet new people, and soon we were talking with a group of students who seem just as excited about college as us.
I don’t know if it’s the fact that I’m a lightweight or the mixture of all the bodies in the room combined with the dancing but all my worries seem to slip away as I dance to the beat of the music and enjoy this night.
Now that we’ve been here a few hours, Kelsey’s hair is starting to stick to her forehead from sweat and my feet are aching. I’m about to tell her that I can’t handle these archless shoes any longer when someone taps my shoulder. I turn around and a girl is there. I give her a hesitant smile.
“Hey, you’re Hailey, right?” the girl asks, stepping up to me. She has bright blue hair and a friendly smile.
“Yes, that’s me,” I reply, curious.
“I’m Cindy. I think we’re in the same English class,” she says. “Nice to meet you!”
“Nice to meet you too, Cindy,” I say. I’m not really sure what else to say. It could be all of the drinks I’ve had or the fact that I’m tired but I can’t think of conversation so I go with the first thing I can think of. “Are you having fun?”
“Totally! These parties are a great way to unwind. Have you met anyone yet?” she asks, gesturing to them with a wave of her arm around the room.
Kelsey who’s been watching the interaction between Cindy and I introduces herself and soon we are all talking like old friends so much so that I’ve found my second wind.
The person they have DJ’ing the corner of the room plays a mix of popular songs, and before long, Kelsey drags me onto the makeshift dance floor. We dance and laugh, caught up in the rhythm of the music and the energy of the party. The living room is a swirl of lights and movement, and for a while, I forget about everything except the fun we are having.
After a particularly energetic song, we take a break and head back to the kitchen for some water. As we are catching our breath, Kelsey nudges me.
“This is amazing!” she says, her eyes shining. “I’m so glad we came.”
“Me too,” I admit, feeling a rush of happiness.
As the night wears on, the party grows louder and wilder. People are getting more drunk, and the energy is shifting from fun to chaotic. Kelsey and I are dancing again when a guy who has clearly had too much to drink stumbles over to us.
“Hey there, pretty ladies,” he slurs, leaning uncomfortably close. “Wanna dance?”
“We’re good, thanks,” I say politely, trying to steer him away. But he persists, grabbing Kelsey’s arm. “Come on, just one dance.”
“Hey, let go of her,” I say, stepping between them.
“Back off, dude,” a deep voice says from behind me. I turned to see one of the guys I had met earlier at soccer, Tyler, stepping in. “They said no.”
The drunk guy scowls but eventually backs off, muttering under his breath. I breathe a sigh of relief.
“Thanks, Tyler,” I say, grateful for his help.
“No problem. You two okay?”
“Yeah, we’re fine,” Kelsey says, rubbing her arm. “Maybe it’s time we head out, though.”
“I can walk you guys back to the dorms,” Tyler suggests.
“That’s sweet of you. I’d like that.” Kelsey tells him, flashing him her sweetest smile.
We make a beeline for the front door. As we step out into the cool night air, I feel a sense of relief and contentment. The party had been an adventure, but I was glad to be heading back to the safety of our room. The walk isn’t far and it doesn’t take us long to get there.
“Thanks for walking us back, Tyler,” Kelsey says as we reach our building.
“Anytime,” he says. “You two take care, alright?”
“We will,” Kelsey says, giving him a hug. “Thanks again.”
We watch from the entrance of Hamilton Hall, as he heads back toward the direction of the party, then we make our way inside. As we climb the stairs to our room, Kelsey looks at me with a tired but happy smile.
“That was quite a night,” she says.
“It sure was,” I agree, feeling the exhaustion starting to set in.
“Tyler’s cute,” she says.
Before I can even reply we’re both giggling and laughing until my cheeks hurt. And as I go to bed, I still have a smile on my face.