Chapter 37 Jesse #2
I grab Penny’s car keys and hope no one wakes up when I start the engine. I have no idea how I’m going to drag his ass out of there, but I do know that tomorrow I’m going to remind him how much he owes me.
Looks like I’m attending this party after all.
Sweat drips down my neck as I crank the windows of this old car down all the way.
I drive as fast as I can, but there are cars lining the street a block away from the party and the heat is making me more agitated than usual.
There’s a random open spot, so I parallel park Penny’s car sloppily, knowing damn well this isn’t a legal spot.
As I slam the car door shut, I don’t look up at my father’s house across the street.
I don’t need to look to know there’s nothing but rotting white clapboard and a yard that’s never seen a lawn mower.
The absolute shit show comes to life before me as I sweatily jog down the street, pushing my hair back off my forehead, cursing under my breath.
Colored lights flicker from every open window of the house like this is a full-on rave.
It’s not like I haven’t seen this all before; there’s been rowdy house parties on this street since my dad moved us here.
Pausing at the edge of the yard, I scan the yard for Danny or Tyler, but I don’t see them.
A can of beer rolls down the slanted front yard before hitting my foot, and a girl I recognize from school comes running after it, falling to her knees as she grabs it, holding it up like a trophy.
Someone cheers from the front porch, and I quickly peel my eyes away, checking my phone for messages, but none have come through.
If Danny’s inside chugging beer, I’m going to beat him up first… then drag his ass home.
Weaving my way through the crowd on the steps, I keep my head down, though it’s hard to be 6’4” and not get noticed.
Everyone looks stoned, barely noticing me, though. Two kegs are tapped in the living room, and someone is guzzling beer straight from the hose.
The music is so loud I can’t hear myself think, the bass rattling the bones in my chest. Some girl falls on me, and I gently nudge her back upright into her friend and keep moving.
Where the hell is Danny?
I see the staircase in the corner of the living room and shove my way through the sea of people reeking of weed and booze.
My pulse quickens as I climb the steps. But at the top, a fight breaks out, and I’m caught in between two guys who were on the varsity football team.
It’s a blur of arms and swinging fists, and someone knocks into my chest, hard.
I gasp for air, purposely flattening myself along the wall, sliding down the narrow hallway.
They tumble past, thudding down the stairs.
“Oh my god, Jesse!” A girl from school claws at my shirt, and I take her by the shoulder, pivoting around her gently.
That’s it, Danny is so dead when I see him.
And just as I feel a force behind me, and get knocked to the ground, I see him in the room at the end of the hallway.
The bathroom.
Slumped against the yellow tub.
Tyler’s standing there, too. He catches my eyes, fear and relief flooding his ghastly face. “Dude, thank fuck you’re here. I don’t know what happened.”
I stand and rush into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me, locking it. I squat down in the tight space between Tyler and Danny. This bathroom has carpet that looks like mud and smells worse.
“Danny, can you hear me?” I grip his shoulders roughly.
With barely the push of a finger, he leans back against the wall, amber eyes rolling up to mine.
“Jesse…you came…” His speech is slurred, but he’s with it enough to know I’m here.
I glance up at Tyler. His eyes go wide, and he shrugs, twitching his foot back and forth.
“What did he take?” Between the music blaring, people scream-talking in every corner of this house, and my pounding heart, I have to yell to be heard.
“I don’t know.” He rubs the back of his neck. “He rolled a joint when we got here, but I don't think he even drank. Sean and him took a tablet together, maybe powder, I don’t know, man.”
“Where’s Sean?” I stand. I’m going to beat his ass.
“I told you, he passed out in a bedroom like an hour ago. He was more fucked up than Danny.”
Grunting, I pull on my hair, feeling like the peeling walls are closing in on me. I resist the urge to punch a hole in one of them. This is worse than I thought.
“Whatever everyone took was probably laced,” I shout out of pure frustration.
Tyler mumbles something, then leaves the bathroom in a flash. I shut and lock the door again. I did not sign up to be a babysitter tonight.
“We’re going home. Can you stand?” I ask, staring at Danny.
His chin drops to his chest, like his head is too heavy to hold up, and he lets out an empty laugh. “Dude, I can’t even feel my legs.”
Fuck! I bang on the wall so hard it dents.
Turning on the sink, I try to get the water cold, but it’s no use, it’s nearly 100 degrees outside. Inside, it feels hotter. Doesn’t matter, I cup as much water in my hands as I can and splash Danny in the face.
I have to wake him up enough to get him out of here. I’m not sticking around to see how much worse this night gets.
“Is Penny here?” he mumbles, and my heart sinks. I have to get back before she wakes up.
I go to grab my phone, making sure Penny hasn’t texted, but my pockets are empty. Against my better judgment, I drop to my knees searching the ground. “Shit, I lost my phone.”
“It’s fine, man.”
“No, it’s not,” I spit back, losing my cool.
Danny peers up at me, his head lolling back against the wall, legs bent in front of him. He’s wedged between the wall and the toilet like a sick child.
“I didn’t bring your sister,” I snap. “I’d never let her be caught dead in a place like this.”
“Thank God.” To my surprise, Danny smiles at me, his eyes half closed. “Penny’s too good for this shit anyway. She’s got a future.”
I reel in my anger momentarily, squatting down next to my best friend. The one who talked to me when I was the shy new kid, the one who brought me into his house, literally made me his brother. The one who introduced me to his twin sister. I have her because of him.
“The fuck you talking about? You’ve got a future, too.”
“Nah…” He closes his eyes. “She’s the smart one.” He shrugs, and my heart sinks. “I was always going to end up like this.”
I bite my lip, shaking my head. “You’re wrong.” I grit my teeth. “Now shut up, because we’re going home. Even if I have to drag your dumb ass through this house.”
“Hey.” Danny looks up, hooking his finger to call me close. He looks so pale. “Don’t tell my sister how fucked up I am…okay? It’ll break her heart…” he says before his eyes fully close.
I shake him, and he mumbles something.
Fuck fuck fuck. Danny’s a lot smaller than me, but I can’t carry him through this crowded house without a battle.
Someone bangs on the door just as I consider the options.
“Cops!”
Several people scream, and all the blood rushes from my head.
“Motherfucker!” I scream, glancing at my friend. I can’t leave him here like this.
Chaos ensues outside the bathroom, so I jump on the tub ledge to glance out the tiny window overlooking the backyard. People are drunkenly scattering as blue strobes light up the street. The music cuts abruptly downstairs.
I’m pretty sure almost everyone in this house is underage.
And on drugs.
I jump back down to Danny and slap his face, hard. His eyelids pop open.
“The police are here, and we have two minutes to get the fuck out,” I shout, my limbs buzzing with fear.
He’s in a daze, but he nods, and with every bit of adrenaline, I pull his arm around my shoulder and boost him up until we’re both standing.
“Wait, wait,” he slurs and nods back toward the tub. “Grab my backpack. My money and shit is in it.”
Without thinking, I lean back and sling one strap of his backpack around my shoulder. I unlock the door and pull him into the hallway. Stern voices sound from downstairs.
“We’re going to have to hide.”
I shove the bedroom door open to the right of us and drag Danny in.
There’s a huge bed in the corner of the room, and Sean’s passed out face down. Next to him is a closet. Unless I want to throw myself and Danny out a second-story window, we’re about to hide in a fucking closet.
But before I get to the doors, a blinding stream of light hits my back, and time stops.
“Freeze!” A commanding voice fills the room. “Put your hands up and turn around slowly.”
“Danny, you have to stand on your own,” I grit out between my teeth.
Danny doesn’t say anything.
I spin slowly, my hands up, and he stays standing beside me, swaying but sobering up quickly.
I look straight into the eyes of the police officer, but a buzzing glow pulls my attention to the floor right behind them.
It’s my phone, and it’s ringing.
Penny’s face lights up the screen.
She’s calling me, and I can’t answer.
My heart splits in two, bleeding out, and everything after that doesn’t matter.