“Girl, please come out with me tonight,” Delilah begs as she flops down onto the couch in my living room area. “I know that you hate going to parties, but it’s my birthday this weekend and it would mean the world to me if you came out. Even if it’s just this one time.”
Sitting down on the loveseat opposite of her, I pull my legs up and tuck my feet underneath me. “You really know how to lay on the guilt, don’t you?”
Delilah bats her fake eyelashes at me, smiling sweetly as she gives me puppy dog eyes. “I wouldn’t call it guilt. I just know how to be persuasive. And let’s be real, when was the last time you went to a party?”
“Um, I think I went with you to one at the beginning of the year and it was a goddamn shit show.”
“Oh yeah,” Delilah mumbles, scrunching her face up. “Derek got really trashed and tried to kiss you, didn’t he?”
My eyes widen and my nostrils flare. ‘Oh no, he successfully kissed me without my permission and was a dick when I turned him down. Remember how much shit he talked?”
Delilah nods, giving me a sympathetic smile. “Yeah, I’m sorry about that. I mean, I kind of thought he had a thing for you, but I didn’t see that coming at all.”
“Don’t forget about the fact that you got blackout drunk and puked in my car too.”
Delilah winces, a frown forming on her face before she breaks out into a string of laughter. “Okay, yeah, that night was a complete shit show. But, you were, like, the best at taking care of me, so I’m forever grateful to you for that.”
Thankfully, I don’t really drink. I had a nice buzz that night off of two drinks, but I could still function. I was possibly the only person at that party who was coherent enough to act like a normal human being. Things were going well until Derek tried to make his move, and then Delilah getting sick was just the icing on the cake.
I knew it wasn’t my scene before that night, but the chain of events confirmed that I was not cut out for college parties at all. There was a part of me that wanted to let loose, just one time while I’m here, but at the same time, I don’t really want to get to the point that some of these kids get to.
“So, will you please come?” Delilah tries again, rolling onto her side on the couch as she props her head on her hand. “I promise I will behave and Derek knows to stay away from you after that night.”
Staring back at her, she gives me a look of desperation, and I sigh in defeat. This is part of my problem—I have such a hard time telling people no for the fear of disappointing them. “Fine, I will go.”
“Shut up!” Delilah quickly sits up, a smile consuming her lips as she claps her hands together. “You’re really going to come with me? I promise you won’t have to babysit me this time.”
“Yes, I will come. And no, you aren’t dressing me. I’m going to wear what I want and do what I want while I’m there, okay?” I warn her, narrowing my eyes. “Our college experiences don’t have to be the same, but since it’s your birthday and you’re practically leaving me no choice, I’ll go.”
Delilah quickly jumps to her feet. “You’re the best, Aspen,” she beams at me as she digs her keys from her purse. “I’m going to head back to my dorm and get ready. Did you want to meet me on campus and we can walk there since it’s only, like, two blocks away?”
“Sure, that works,” I tell her, smiling back as she practically skips to the door. As much as I don’t want to go, there’s a part of me that is a little excited. The thought of going out makes me a little anxious, but maybe my best friend is right. Maybe I do need to broaden my horizons in terms of my college experience.
After all… life is too short.
And like Cam said, you never know when something is going to happen that could take it all away from you.
Settling for a light gray oversized sweater, I pair it with some black leggings and a pair of black Vans. It’s still cold in Vermont at this time of the year, so I make sure to grab my winter coat and shrug it on. I only applied my normal amount of makeup, since I’m not going to the party to impress anyone. If anything, it’s just to make myself feel a little more human.
Grabbing a beanie, I pull it down over the top of my head. I’ve been blessed with long black hair that has its own natural waves. It’s nice because it’s low maintenance so it doesn’t require me to regularly style my hair. On special occasions, I might straighten it or throw in some curls, but this isn’t a special occasion.
It’s a college party where everyone’s going to end up getting trashed, except for me. There are a few rare exceptions at these parties, but most of those people just smoke weed instead of drink, so we still end up on different levels. I don’t plan on getting drunk, but a drink or two is definitely in my future.
Pulling onto campus, I find a parking spot near the dorms and send Delilah a text, letting her know that I’m here. As I walk through the cold toward her building, she meets me on the sidewalk out front. Delilah isn’t dressed for the weather and is definitely in her full-on party attire. She looks like she should be going to a party in the summer, with a short bodycon dress hugging her curves.
Her long legs are bare and her heels add a few inches to her height, which has her standing almost a full head taller than me. Delilah put on her nighttime makeup with a heavy smoky eye and she has contoured the fuck out of her face to create the illusion that her cheekbones are higher than they actually are.
Don’t get me wrong, she’s a goddamn bombshell and I would never judge her for the way she dresses or the makeup she wears. It just shows the stark contrast between the two of us. You wouldn’t think so if you saw us during the daytime, since we’re practically two peas in a pod. But when it comes time to party, we couldn’t be more opposite.
Delilah pulls me in for a hug and we begin our walk toward the party. She goes on about how she hopes that Alexander is here tonight. We both have a class with him and Delilah has been talking to him for a little bit, but nothing has happened between the two of them. She’s had her sights set on him for a while and I know she wants to take their friendship to the next level.
It’s hard to miss the house as we walk up to it. It’s already crowded outside, with a group of people on the front porch along with another in the front yard. They’re all drinking, like it doesn’t matter if the cops show up and find everyone is underage. Shaking my head, I follow Delilah in through the front door. It’s completely packed inside, with the lights dim and the loud bass of the speakers pounding through the house.
I have to hand it to some of the students here. They really know how to throw a banger, even if it isn’t my scene. Delilah grabs my hand, leading me through the sea of people dancing and drinking until we reach the kitchen. In the center of the room, there’s a keg and she grabs two plastic cups, filling them both with the frothy beer before handing one to me.
My lip curls up in disgust as I look at the dark yellow liquid sloshing around in the cup. “You know, I really kind of hate beer.”
Delilah laughs, rolling her eyes at me. “Yeah, I know. You hate anything that could be remotely fun. I’ll be honest, though, it does taste pretty disgusting, but it gets better the more you drink it.”
“I said I would drink, I didn’t say I was going to get trashed like you do.”
Delilah shrugs. “Whatever. You letting loose a little bit is still a win in my book. Now, come play beer pong with me if we can get on the table.”
She wraps her hand around mine and I take a sip, needing the liquid courage as she drags me through the house. We end up in a random room that has two tables set up, each one already in the full swing of games as people toss ping pong balls into the cups. I’ve played a few times and tend to get a little competitive, even without drinking.
Delilah tells the one guy that we’re playing next and he reluctantly agrees, although I’m sure there’s already a list of people waiting their turn. Delilah has an uncanny way of getting her way through various forms of manipulation. Lifting my beer to my lips, I take another sip of the liquid, regretting it as I taste the bitter flavor on my tongue.
“Drink up,” she shouts over the loud music that plays in the background. “I’m going to go get us two more cups, because you know we have to drink during the game.”
“Do I really have to?” I groan, my shoulders sagging. I hate the taste of this shit and really don’t want to drink any more. “I’ve played before without drinking.”
Delilah rolls her eyes. “Suit yourself,” she says, waving her hand as she spins on her heel. “I’ll be right back.”
Standing off to the side of the table, my eyes scan the room, noticing different students that I’ve seen on campus or in class. A loud laugh sounds from the doorway on the opposite side and my stomach drops as I see Cameron and Asher, another hockey player, come strolling into the room. Two other guys from their team trail behind them.
Cam pauses, his gaze meeting mine, and he raises an eyebrow in curiosity. Tilting my head to the side, I offer him a nervous smile, shifting my weight on my feet. He stops for a moment, assessing me from across the room as I lift my beer and take a long swig. I didn’t feel the need to drink until this moment.
But I have a feeling I might need more alcohol than this to get me through this party.
