First Kiss (Heavy Influence) (54 page)

             
We all laughed our heads off at the thought.

             
Jake finally arrived and his eyes roamed around and I knew he was looking for Mike and Aly. I wondered what game he was playing and how he could tolerate Mike being with Aly, when he clearly was still in love with her. The whole thing seemed sick, more than anything I would have been able to handle.

             
Poor Mike.

             
The DJ’s beats pulsed through me. I watched as my back yard began to fill with people. The six commercial sized heat lamps placed around kept the growing crowd warm. Thankfully my parents were on their way to their own New Year’s Eve festivities, because I needed to calm down. I found one of my fringe friends all the more willing to knock back a shot of tequila with me.

             
I was nervous about having Jake and Scott in the same room and apprehensive about Mike and Aly. I searched the thickening crowd for any of them. A soft blow in my ear sent my hand flying back into Scott’s face and his beer sloshed out all over the front of him. I was so involved in my search that I didn’t realize he and his friends had arrived.

             
“Oh my god, Scott, I’m so sorry!” I laughed and apologized profusely. “I thought maybe you were some drunk d-bag trying to be cute!”

             
“It’s cool.” He held out his arms and tugged on the front of his jacket, leaning over trying to keep the droplets of beer from falling onto his pants. “Got a towel?”

             
“Yes! Of course I do, come on,” I said loudly over the music. I could barely hear myself.

             
He towered over me, handsome and golden. He and his friends followed me through the crowd and low and behold I spotted Mike, finally. It was hard to recognize him with his new hair color. He was chatting up a new chick from school, Carina Herzkova, another underclassman. She was new to America & barely spoke English, but she was supermodel hot with her ice-blue eyes and her long limbs and long dark wavy hair. A tinge of insecurity ran through me. She stood out for sure and I glanced back at Scott to see if he’d be checking her out, as sure as Jake would always do, but he was staring at me and smiled when our eyes met.

             
“You have a nice home,” he said leaning in closer, placing his hand on my back. His cold fingers pressed into my neck and it made me tingle.

             
A barrage of people kept coming by saying
hello
and
thank you
and
what a great party
. I waved and smiled. Leading them into the kitchen I grabbed a white dishtowel from the neatly piled stack next to the refrigerator and handed it to Scott.

             
“For your jacket. I’m really sorry, do you want some soda water?”

             
Scott laughed, patting and rubbing at the spots. “Nah, this jacket’s had more beer and booze spilt on it than any other. It would feel neglected if it didn’t have a little at each party.” He teased and walked over, running his hands under the kitchen faucet.

             
I sighed, feeling a little nervous. “Thanks for coming.”

             
“Of course, it was either some other party with people I see all the time or this and well, this definitely seemed more interesting.” His eyes flirted with mine, and my heart skipped.

             
I was about to suggest that we move into the other room where there was more privacy when Mike appeared. “Hey, what up?” He nodded to Scott and I. I was beyond irritated with his timing.

             
“Hey. Um, Scott this is my friend Mike.” I felt awkward which was uncommon for me. “Where’s Aly? You know, Jake is here.”

             
“Hey man,” Scott said and extended his hand. Mike blinked weirdly at the both of us, like he thought it was odd. Maybe it was at a party like this, but I admired Scott for trying. Mike quickly shook his hand, but basically ignored him. “Aly’s on her way with Modern Family.”

             
Scott glanced between the two of us, looking confused and I decided to explain. “This guy, who goes to school with us is gay and he’s hanging out with some people we know, whatever…. And my ex’s former girlfriend is now hanging out with Mike. It’s confusing.” Scott just shook is head and drank his beer as Mike rambled on, sounding like the shallow idiot I knew him to be.

             
“When Aly gets in here you better find Jake and tell him he needs to leave,” he said, leaning into me so no one else would hear. He was on something, I could tell because his eyes were dilated. My insides grew stiff and I wondered if Scott was a partier like that. I watched Mike for a moment more closely and he took out his phone from his back pocket. “She’s here, I’m gonna grab her.”

             
I shook my head as Mike left us.

             
Scott came closer to me with a crafty grin peaking at the edge of his lips. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a flask. “Want some?”

             
“Absolutely,” I said and I surprised myself by kissing him and his lips felt nicer than they did the first time. We lingered close for a moment longer and I reached over grabbing the flask out of his hand. “I’ll take a little of this, too.”

             
“Are you gonna introduce your friend?”

             
Jake’s voice reverberated through my ears and Scott turned to face him. I was in an altered universe and I could barely eek out an introduction. “Hey, yeah, this is Scott Hutchinson.”

             
“Sup, man. I’m Jake.” He nodded, casually and smiled mildly.

             
Jake barely looked at me and at that moment I realized that he surely would never be what Scott already was to me. Scott was one hundred percent into me, more than Jake ever was in our entire relationship.

             
“Wait, I know you. You’re in that band. Rita’s Revolt, right?”

             
“Yeah.” A smile jumped to Jake’s lips. “That’s it.”

             
“You guys played at my school last year when I was a senior at PV.”

             
“Cool.” Jake blinked plainly obvious his mind was on something else and looked at me. “I’m looking for Bobby, he said he was here, have you seen him.”

             
If things couldn’t get more dramatic, “They’re right behind you.”

             
Then Mike and Aly came in the room from around the corner.

             
“Oh shit here we go.” I whispered to Scott.

             
Scott’s eyes grew wide. “Jake’s your ex?”

             
“Something like that, yeah.” I murmured.

             
The tension in the room grew tight as Mike stared down Jake. Aly wouldn’t make eye contact with anyone by Marshall. She was in way over her head and I actually identified with her. I no longer saw her as the opposition. Jake ignored Mike, not an iota of an acknowledgement. He just stared at Aly and smiled, smugly. “I guess this is my exit. You know, before one of you call the cops and all.”

             
“Yeah, you wouldn’t wanna fuck up your probation.” Mike snarled.

             
Jake turned a death stare onto Mike and pointed viscously in his face. “Fuck you, asshole.”

             
Aly glanced at Mike and alarm filled her eyes. She grabbed his arm in a silent plea to let Jake’s attack slide. I looked at Jake for his reaction and his eyes narrowed on Aly’s hand on Mike’s arm. It’s as if we were all in a bubble, frozen for a moment in time. I waited for someone to throw the first punch. Scott squeezed my hand, urging me to say something.

             
“I don’t need this shit going down in my house people.” I tugged at Scott’s hand and he held it tight as I led him away from the spectacle. We rounded the corner into an empty hallway. “I’m sorry. Maybe some day I’ll share the entire story.”

             
Jake came up behind us. “I’m outta here. Happy fucking New Year.”

             
I gripped Jake’s arm as he passed. “Please don’t go. It’s New Year’s Eve. I’ll talk to Mike.”

             
“Rachel, I don’t want to be here. No offense. I just wanted to say hey to everyone. I have a another party to go to anyway,” he said, pulling away from me.

             
“Really?” I questioned skeptically. “Whose the lucky girl?” I teased him, not expecting him to really have anywhere to go.

             
“Eva James. She’s having a party at the SoHo House.”

             
My stomach hit the floor. It never occurred to me that Jake would ever have anything else going on. I told Scott I’d be right back and went searching for Mike to tell him that Jake left and ran into him as I went out into the backyard. The music was thumping and he yelled in my ear.

             
“Did Jake leave?”

             
I nodded yes and regarded the crowd and their happy, drunk faces. I pulled out my phone and took pictures of the crowd. I turned, wrapping my arm around Mike’s shoulder, pressing our faces together. “Say cheese!” I yelled and held out the camera phone and the flash blinded me. “Where’s Aly?”

             
“She went inside with Marshall.” He shook his head. “You’re sure Jake left?”

             
“Yes, apparently he’s going to see Eva James! As in he’s seeing her, he’s going to her party!”

             
“The singer?” He asked, doubtful.

             
“Yeah!” I said, enthusiastically.

             
“Thanks for the info,” he paused, nodding, considering his next words. Mike leaned in closer to me. “Hey, can we use your room?”

             
I backed away and chuckled a bit. “Yeah, but for what? Whose we?” I asked, curious. Wondering if he was gonna get high and who with. “Aly and I, so we can be alone.”

             
“You can use one of the guest rooms.” I directed Mike and turned to leave. I pushed my way through the crowd, looking for Scott. I decided I couldn’t worry anymore about any of them.

             
Just as I found Scott and his friends in the same spot I’d left them, Sienna came through the door into the kitchen. “Rachel! Is your friend here?” She winked and strutted toward me.

             
I shushed her, frowning. “Stop it!” I giggled and looked over my shoulder to see if Scott heard her. “He’s right over there, the tall blond.” I pointed, discretely, over my shoulder.

             
“Ahh,” she said in a low voice. “He’s cute.”

             
“Yeah, he’s so unconcerned about anything too. Super mellow. I like him.” I admitted. “Wanna meet him?”

             
I turned pulling at Sienna’s hand and Mike stopped me. I sighed, irritated. Aly was standing behind him. “What now?”

             
“Where’s the vodka?”

             
“Hold on,” I said, tritely to Sienna, rolling my eyes at Mike and then at Aly. She was too close to me and I didn’t like it. “Come on.”

             
I walked into the empty dining area and opened the hutch, grabbing the half full bottle of Grey Goose vodka. I watched as Mike filled two red cups.

             
“Thanks,” he slurred.

             
“Can you hurry?” I tapped my foot and leaned against the wall.

             
Mike stopped pouring and grabbed the bottle top from the dining table and slowly screwed it back on. He stared long and hard at me as if he was mad at me. “You know, this whole thing was your idea.”

             
I sighed heavily. “Are we gonna go through this again?”

             
He licked his lips and his face twisted wickedly, chuckling. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a little packet of pills. “This is it. This is the end. The story stops here. Sorry you didn’t get what you wanted, but I’m getting what I want.”

             
I expected him to pop the pill in his mouth, but instead he cracked it open, pouring its contents into one of the cups and stirred it with his finger. “What are you doing?” I asked, troubled, knowing exactly what he was doing, but hoping I was wrong.

             
“It’s just a little something to help her relax. She keeps telling me she’s nervous.”

             
“Mike, you can’t give her that.” I insisted. “She’s already relaxed enough, she’s drunk.”

              Mike tried to move past me and I stepped in front of him. He turned and placed the cups back on the table and to my horror he pushed me against wall by my neck, breathing his boozy bad breath in my face. “I’m so sick of your shit, Rachel.” He whispered, close to my ear and released me. “You fucking started this, with your whining and crying about Jake and how you wanted to get him back. Don’t you fucking stand in my way.”