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“Here is what I suggest,” Laurie continues, in her most grown-up voice. “Let’s just see how things shake out. I mean, other guys will be there too. Vanessa’s boyfriend is bringing some of his friends. Maybe I'll meet someone better than Kyle. Maybe you'll. Either way, no boy is worth ruining a friendship over.”
“I agree, Laurie.”
“Pinky promise?” she asks, offering her pinky up.
“Pinky promise,” I reply, linking my right pinky with hers.
Mona put a $20 bill in the envelope with the faux birthday card for Vanessa. Laurie has already told me that this will be our spending money. We're wearing mini jean skirts and halter-tops.
Mona drops us off at the Video Palace, telling us she will be back at 11 p.m. sharp to pick us up. Once inside, the music is blasting. A taller, blond girl approaches us almost immediately--Vanessa. She has more make-up on than even Laurie. I guess her to be sixteen years of age at least. They click immediately, giggling at what they pulled off. Laurie introduces me to Vanessa, and then quickly asks if the guys are here yet.
“They’re out in the car waiting for us,” Vanessa answers, smiling mischievously.
“Cool,” Laurie says, turning to me. “C’mon Ty, we be partying!”
“You mean we aren’t staying here?” I ask.
“No way,” Laurie replies. “You heard Vanessa; the guys are out back in the car waiting for us."
“But who is old enough to drive?” I ask.
“Vanessa's boyfriend, Justin,” she responds.
“Oh Laurie, I don’t know. I don’t think this is a good idea. Your mom might find out. She’ll tell my mom. We’d both be in a lot of trouble.”
Laurie looks at me as if I've grown two heads.
“What are you worried about?” she demands, incredulous that I'm not gung-ho on the whole idea.
“Do you really think either of our moms gives a damn about where we are or what we're doing?”
“Why wouldn’t they?” I ask.
Immediately her whole demeanor shifts. I feel like I'm from another planet by the way Laurie is staring at me. She lashes out. “What exactly do you think DATE night is?”
“Look,” I hiss, embarrassed because it's obvious that Vanessa can hear everything we say. “I know that both of our moms have their dates over. I don’t think about the sex part. That's their business.”
“You're really clueless aren’t you, Tylar?” she asks without venom in her voice this time. It was if she suddenly feels sorry for me. I’m not sure which is worse. “Here’s the deal,” she continues, “What we have waiting for us in a car are several really, really hot guys, including Kyle. Vanessa’s guy, Justin, is driving. They are willing to take us to a house where we can get a buzz going, and then you know, whatever happens, happens. Are you in?"
“I don’t think so, Laurie,” I answer firmly.
“Well, now what?” she asks, throwing her arms up, totally exasperated with my ignorance and my unwillingness to follow.
“Hey, not to worry,” I respond lightly. "My house is four blocks from here. I'll go on home. Just tell your mom I didn’t feel well and left Vanessa’s party early and went home when she picks you up tonight.”
“But it’s your mom’s DATE night,” she whines, emphatically. “My mom will bust my ass if she finds out.”
“That’s too bad,” I reply. “I just know that my mom wouldn't appreciate my going with you and this group and getting involved in that kind of stuff.”
“Oh really?” she snickers, not attempting to hide her amusement. “Let me know how that works out for you, Tylar,” she snaps. She turns on her heel and walks out with Vanessa. I can’t believe that Laurie just put me in this position. What's happened to her?
Once I reach our house, I unlock the front door and quietly let myself in. It's only 8:30 in the evening; not even dark yet. I notice the dining room is dark. I can see that the dinner dishes are still on the table, left exactly as they were when Mom and her boyfriend finished dinner. I step into the kitchen and switch the lights on. An empty bottle of wine is on the counter. It looks like Mom cooked her infamous roasted veal with baby red potatoes and spinach salad. All the candles are snuffed out.
I go ahead and fill the kitchen sink with soapy water. I can kill some time downstairs by doing the dishes. Hopefully it will also serve to soften the blow when Mom finds out I came home.
By the time I finish it's shortly after 9 p.m. I decide to watch some television in the den off of thekitchen. I turn on the television and catch the end of a movie. By 10 p.m. I really need to pee and go to bed. There's no getting around it. Hopefully, mom and her boyfriend are now asleep. I haven’t heard them upstairs. I make my way quietly up the thickly carpeted stairs.
I go into my room, careful to be quiet, discarding my jean skirt and halter-top, putting on my favorite silk plum shorts and matching camisole pajama set. I really need to wash all of the make-up off of my face so that Mom doesn’t see it in the morning, but my first priority is to pee. I pad quietly down the hall, past the closed door to my mom’s room. All quiet so far.
