Chapter 10 From a Good Family
FROM A GOOD FAMILY
The party at Chelsea’s house was a mass of bodies that pushed and pulled against each other.
The air was heavy with the sweet smell of Red Bull and vodka.
The latest song played through the in-house speakers.
I had only been to Chelsea’s one other time for a Halloween party.
Another time her parents had left their teenage daughter unsupervised.
Chelsea’s parents were like Anna’s and Austin’s.
Rich. They had kids because that was what they were supposed to do.
Anna pulled me toward the kitchen, weaving through the hallways where people were making out, limbs and mouths tangled together for all to see. There was little to do in a small town on a Saturday night other than drink, get high, and have sex in the bathroom with a loon wallpaper border.
“Eek, Anna! You made it,” Chelsea squealed when Anna and I stepped into the Tuscan-inspired kitchen.
The walls were a pale yellow and the cupboards were made of a dark wood.
Wine bottles and ivy were the chosen accessories.
A wire basket filled with stained corks was the centerpiece of this kitchen and all of the houses in this neighborhood.
I wondered if people in Tuscany had American-themed kitchens with apple pie and wire bats filled with used baseballs.
“We have beer, vodka, Malibu, Captain, and of course Liz had to bring this.” Chelsea held up a bottle of tequila. “She always has to bring the most expensive booze.”
“That’s because my parents aren’t cheap like yours.” Liz walked in and grabbed the bottle, then poured it into the red Solo cup.
“I love ya, babe.” Chelsea made a kissy face.
Liz gave Chelsea a cool smile as she sauntered out of the kitchen. Chelsea hated Liz because Liz had slept with Clint, who Chelsea apparently had decided was hers. No one told Clint that.
“Ev?” Anna asked, looking at the bottles. “Vodka or Malibu?”
“Evan.” Chelsea forced a smile and pretended excitement.
“Did you bring that hottie Tristan? I heard you two broke up,” she said over her red cup.
“He sat next to me in math class on Thursday. Poor baby had a little boo-boo. I asked him if he wanted me to kiss it better.” Chelsea did that thing where she sounded like she was talking to a kitten or a baby. I never understood why girls did that.
“They’re back together.” Anna rolled her eyes, pouring some Malibu into the cup. “What the fuck does everyone see in him? He’s not that cute.”
“You’re right, he’s not cute. He’s fucking hot. I have gym with him, and he took his shirt off, and well, well, let’s just say little Tristan isn’t so little anymore. If you know what I mean.” She looked around the room, winking at the other girls.
“No, what do you mean?” I asked, taking the cup Anna handed me. I wanted her to say it. Girls loved to talk about Tristan—and I’m sure me—behind our backs. But to my face?
“Lots of us in this room know. Right, Anna?” Chelsea ran her tongue over her teeth.
Anna flushed before glaring at Chelsea. “Shut up.”
I looked to Anna, then to Chelsea. “Are you telling me you’ve seen Tristan naked or that you slept with him?” I wanted to hear her say it. Neither of them had. This was what Chelsea and Anna did: lied to be more relevant.
“A lady never tells.” Chelsea bobbed her head back and forth, a coy smile crossing her glossy pink lips.
“Who’s a lady? You?” Austin walked in and pointed at Chelsea. “If you’re a lady, I’m the fucking king of England. And don’t listen to her. She wouldn’t know what to do with a dick if one hit her on the side of the head.”
“Fuck off, Austin. You can’t catch a football.
” Chelsea crossed her arms over her padded chest. In the pecking order of tits, Chelsea was below Anna, which was why they were friends.
As if being friends with Anna meant the tit fairy would grant Chelsea a pair.
She could get in fucking line. I had been friends with Anna for longer.
“Because I’m the quarterback.” Austin turned to me. “Ev, can we talk?”
“About what?” I didn’t look at him.
“Us.” He reached for my hand. I pulled away.
“He means…” Jerry said, walking into the kitchen. He made the motion as if he were giving a blow job, his hand and tongue moving.
“Fuck off, Nelson.” Austin flicked Jerry off before stepping closer to me. He reeked of that stupid cologne his mother bought him for Christmas. It was supposed to be some designer brand, but it smelled like bathroom spray.
“We have nothing to talk about.” I tried to step away from him, but Anna was suddenly at my side.
“Come on, Ev, at least hear what he has to say. I’m sure Austin wants to apologize for being an asshole.” She shoved me into Austin.
I glared at her. I should’ve never come. I didn’t belong here with these people. I had nothing in common with them. Including my childhood friend, who now flirted with Jerry.
“I’ll make it quick. Please. You owe me.” Austin flashed me the blue eyes some girls dropped their panties for. Apparently, not Chelsea.
“I don’t—”
“Okay, maybe I do owe you an apology.” Austin took my hand and tugged me down the hall and up the stairs.
Behind the first door he opened, a blonde girl was on her knees in front of Scott, who was drinking a beer and watching the girl.
Austin closed the door and dragged me to the next room, a smaller one with bunk beds and dinosaurs on the walls.
“Didn’t think Chelsea was a T-Rex kinda girl. Leave the door open.”
“Why?”
“Because I said so. Now let’s hear it. Say you’re sorry, and we will both move on.”
Austin stepped away from the door. “What if I don’t want to move on?” He was almost drunk. I could tell his left eye always seemed to want to close. As if it didn’t want to witness the stupid things he was about to do. “Why’d ya dump me? I thought we had something special.”
I snorted a laugh. “I gave you a hand job. That’s not something special.” The dinosaur clock on the desk read eight-fifteen. Please don’t let Tristan have to work late tonight. Please.
“Seriously? That’s how you are going to play this? You think that your druggy boyfriend can give you what I can?” He stepped closer. “Or is that what you’re into? You like it a little rough. I heard he forced a girl to give him a blow job. Is that what you want me to do? Force you?”
“Fuck you. This is done.” The night I had seen Tristan with that girl, I wanted to prove I could be just as careless, so I messed around with Austin. But as soon as I felt his mouth on my neck and his hand up my shirt, I couldn’t. “I’m leaving.” I tried to brush by, but he grabbed me.
Austin moved closer to me. I could smell the whiskey on his breath. “Come on, Ev, you know you want to. I’ll let you suck me off all you want. I won’t even hit you like Anderson does.”
“You are fucking disgusting. Now let go of me.” I tried to pull away from him. I tried to stay calm. Austin wouldn’t do anything; he was from a good family. And boys from good families don’t do bad things.
His grip tightened. “Come on, just once. I won’t tell anyone.” He licked his lips, looking me up and down.
“Evan?” Tristan called from the doorway. “You okay?”
I had never been so happy to see Tristan than at this moment. “Tristan.”
“She’s fine. We were just talking. Why don’t you go do what you do best, Anderson, and leave?”
“Evan, is that what you want?” He leaned against the door, his hat on backwards. The swelling above his eye had gone down.
“No.” I yanked my arm away from Austin. “And stay the fuck away from me. You are fucking disgusting.”
“Fuck you, whore.” Austin laughed. “That door has bigger tits than you.”
“What did you say?” Tristan pushed off from the door.
“Don’t.” I pressed my hands to Tristan’s chest. I could feel the muscles under his shirt tense. His busted face made him look dangerous. “He’s not worth it.”
“And neither are you,” Austin called. “I did you a favor, Evan. You were lucky to be with me.”
Tristan looked down at me. I could see the fight burning in his eyes. I should have let him beat Austin’s smug face in. Let him even the playing field. “He’s not worth it.” Behind me, Austin was still cocking off.
“No, but you are.” Tristan smiled.
Before I could stop him, Tristan had Austin slammed against the wall. Austin played football. A physical sport. But he hadn’t been fighting for his life since he was ten. Hadn’t been fighting with a man twice his size.
“You want to say that again?” Tristan slammed Austin against the wall again.
“Fuck you.” Austin tried to push Tristan off, spilling his drink.
“You’re not my type. Touch her again, and you’ll be lucky to ever walk again, let alone play pussy ball. Do you hear me?” Tristan had Austin around the neck.
“Tristan.” I touched his arm. “Please, let’s go.”
Tristan let go of Austin, who bent over, coughing. “Watch your ass, Larson.”
Tristan took my hand, and we started to leave. But Austin couldn’t let it go. He couldn’t let Tristan have this one. Austin had plenty. He had loving parents. Money. Safety. He could give Tristan this one. But he didn’t. He grabbed Tristan by the shoulder, whirling him around.
“Watch your ass, Anderson.” Austin smirked, punching Tristan in the mouth.
I cried out, catching Tristan. He looked at me, his eyes dark as he ran his thumb over his bottom lip. It now matched the top one. My heart broke for him at that moment. He had become everyone’s punching bag.
“I’m sorry.” That was all he said when he stood.
“You wanna go? Let’s go.” Before Austin could respond, Tristan punched Austin in the stomach.
As Austin bent over, Tristan punched him in the face, and Austin stumbled back.
I should have stopped Tristan. But watching him was beautiful.
The way the muscles in his arm flexed. The tendons in his forearm twisting over bone.
The way he got to win. To get the last punch.
“Oh my god.” Chelsea and Anna rushed into the room, followed by a few others.
“Get off of him,” Chelsea screeched.
Two other guys rushed in and tried pulling Tristan off of Austin, who was on the ground, screaming for help.
“Evan, stop him. He’ll kill him.” Anna shoved me. This was her fault. She shouldn’t have suggested I go and talk about things with Austin. I pushed through the two boys trying to pull Tristan off.
“Tristan.” I grabbed his arm as he pulled back. “I want to leave.”
Tristan stood and spat blood on Austin. “Stay the fuck away from her. You little bitch.”
Anna rushed to Austin, cooing, and yelled for people to get ice and water. “Call the cops on him.”
“Right, call the cops and see what they’re more interested in. All the drugs or all the underage drinking.” I pulled Tristan out of the room and down the stairs.
We burst into the night air. I giggled and laughed as we raced towards Tristan’s car.
It was either that or I would cry.