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The driveway is lined with cars. The front of the property looks more like a parking lot to a busy mall than the front entrance of a house. Courtney joins me at the back of the car, and together we make the remainder of the walk up toward the house. The music coming from inside pumps so loud I feel like we’re already surrounded by it before we even reach the huge front porch that wraps around the entire house.
Several people are lounging out front, beer bottles and cups in hands. Busy chatter dances around us as Courtney eyes me excitedly before pushing her way inside.
The music hits us like a tidal wave, the sound so loud my first thought is to plug my ears. Court senses my unease and immediately bats my hand away.
“Live a little,” she mouths over the heavy thump of the bass, shimmying her way through the crowded foyer to an enormous sitting area that’s almost the size of the small one story where I live with my mom.
“Tessa Wilson, you fucking bitch.” I hear Bree before I see her. Her arms drape around my neck from behind just seconds before I feel her lips against my cheek. “Muah.” She makes a spectacle out of the whole ordeal in true Bree fashion.
“How the hell did you get this tight ass out of the house?” she asks Courtney, sliding up next to me.
“Good to see you didn’t waste any time,” I tease, pointing out her inebriated state.
“When in Rome,” she announces, holding up the red solo cup in her hand.
Bree is a spitfire, wild and fierce. Her red shoulder-length bob and dark lined eyes are just some of the ways she displays her defiance. While she acts tough and in control, only those of us who really know Bree know that deep down she’s just a product of a really bad past.
“Are we in Rome? Because the last time I checked we’re still in Rockfield,” I reply dryly.
“You can take the sour sap out of the house, but you can’t make her any more fun.” She pouts before laying a hard smack to my jean-covered backside.
“Remind me again why we’re friends with her?” I ask Courtney over the music, hitching my thumb in Bree’s direction.
“You know you bitches love me,” she screams in response, downing the remaining contents of her cup.
“I’m gonna go find Ant. You okay for a second?” Courtney asks, gesturing around the room.
“She’s fine. All she needs is a drink and a hot piece.” Bree knocks her hip against mine.
“Leave me with this one and who knows where I’ll end up,” I say to Courtney, shaking my head on a laugh as I allow Bree to link her arm through mine and drag me out of the room.
We weave through several people crowding the hallway and then into the large gourmet kitchen. There’s only a handful of people inside, refilling drinks and grabbing snacks. Thankfully the music isn’t quite so loud on this side of the house and while I can still hear it, it’s not the only thing I can hear.
Two kegs are set up along the large island in the middle of the room, and there is just about every variety of liquor lining the top of it. Bree refills her cup from the keg before pouring me a drink, shoving it in my hand the moment it’s full.
“Cheers, bitch.” She smiles, tapping her cup against mine before taking a long drink.
I take a small sip, trying my best not to cringe. I’ve never been a fan of beer. I’m not much of a drinker normally. That’s more Bree’s style than mine. Not that I’m opposed to having a good time, I just don’t like to get too inebriated. I know how some of these parties go down.
“Where’s Blake?” I finally ask, surprised to find them not attached at the hip. He rarely lets Bree out of his sight which in my opinion is a little weird, but she seems to like it so I don’t give her a hard time about it.
As if he can sense my question, he appears in the doorway of the kitchen not seconds later, his eyes bloodshot and glazed over.
“Where the fuck have you been?” He approaches Bree, purpose in every step.
Blake is not what you would classify as a big guy, but there is something very intimidating about him—possessive even. I can see the attraction for Bree; she’s always had a thing for the bad boys, and Blake is definitely that.
“Babe.” Bree smiles, pulling him to her the moment he reaches us. “I was looking for you, and I found Tess instead.” He barely acknowledges my presence before he leans in and says something to Bree, his voice low enough that I can’t hear his words.
A wide smile slides across my friend’s face and just like that, I know I’ve lost her.
“I’ll be back, Tess, okay?” she half promises seconds before Blake is leading her out of the room.
Well, there goes hanging out with my friends tonight. Not like I didn’t know this would happen. This is what always happens, which is why I usually avoid these types of situations.
Knowing there’s nothing I can do about it now, I down the beer in my hand, hoping to somewhat calm my nerves, and then toss my cup in the trashcan. Deciding to go hunt down Court, I’d rather play the third wheel than stand around by myself, I head back in the direction of the living room.
A few of the girls I know from school stop me on my way, asking about my summer and making small talk. By the time I reach the living area a good thirty minutes have passed, and yet by the amount of people now crowding the space, you would think I’d been gone two hours.
