Reckless Play | ✓

11. The Party

On our way to the party the girls took on the job of filling me in on everything that was Taylor Brooks. The ride to his house took less than twenty minutes and by the time Hannah entered the gated community he lived in I had already learned the following things about him:

1- He played football for the school team.

2- He played the position of wide receiver (as if I knew what that was).

3- He had a brother who was a junior and also played for the team.

4- He had just come back from a short trip with his family---That's why I hadn't seen him around before.

5- Apparently he tends to travel a lot.

6- He came from money.

7- According to Layla he lived in a mansion---Hannah on the other hand claimed he didn't.

8- He used to throw parties when his parents were out on business.

9- He was sociable and had a sense of humor.

10- They'd been friends with him since elementary school and sat together at lunch with James and Ryan, but last year he started joining the jocks---as Hannah put it.

11- He had pretty good grades.

12- He was the epitome of the perfect child.

I was awed at him at first, but then I realized no-one's life was that perfect. Making everyone think of you as the perfect child was the easiest way to hide what was really going on in your life. I've seen that at school before, teenagers trying to please their parents or get their attention while struggling with their feelings and burdens. I didn't know if Taylor counted in that category, but I wasn't going to rule it out yet. We were still on the get to know each other stage---we talked twice counting the time he invited us to the party---so it wasn't like I knew everything about him. Obviously I didn't since Hannah and Layla had to brief me in.

I stared through the windshield as Hannah pulled in on a small space between a cherry red Honda Fit and a blue Hyundai Elantra that looked like they had rolled right out of a store.

I fidgeted feeling uncomfortable all of a sudden. I'd never fit in with this people. What had I been thinking coming here as if I was one of them when months earlier they were the ones that bullied me at the school halls?

I heard a whistle and saw Layla was looking the same way as me. "Those are pretty damn good rides."

Hannah shrugged, "They must be his neighbours'"

We got out of the car and I followed them as they moved through the parked cars to the direction the music came from, all the time reminding myself to enjoy this experience, to let out the real me and not hide.

I tripped over my feet as we reached the circular driveway and my eyes caught sight of the fountain that stood in the middle of it. Who owned a house with a freaking fountain in the twenty-first century? It looked something out of Richie Rich.

"Hate that stupid fountain." Muttered Layla as a gentle breeze landed a few cold drops on our face.

We hurried past it and my jaw dropped when I faced the house.

Layla was definitely right. I wouldn't call it a house, it was a mansion.

It had upper and lower balconies with giant pillars on the front. White marble steps lead to a dark wooden door with huge window panels at the sides. I was so entranced by it that I almost missed the figure that stood to the side.

"Babe." James said, meeting us halfway and dropping a kiss on Hannah's lips. "We won't be driving separate cars ever again. What happened with you? I was worried."

I sigh. "My fault."

I might as well own it right?

"Blah, blah, blah let's go inside. Gotta find the owner of that Elantra and ask him to take me for a ride." Layla said, walking into the house and dragging me along.

James watched her with a confused expression.

I laughed.

***

The interior of Taylor's house wasn't at all what I expected.

I'd thought teenage parties were wild. I'd imagined red plastic cups scattered around, music blasting, drunk guys groping girls in short skirts, but none of that matched the picture I got as soon as I set foot in his foyer.

To say that the music wasn't hurting my ears is enough for you to picture it.

My gaze scanned over the group hanging out on the couch playing spin the bottle chatting and laughing. Then roamed around, taking in the surroundings, from the pristine oriental rug across the hall, to the china vases by the fireplace. The house was magnificent. On the cream walls hang a collection of pictures all from different cities around the globe. I walked towards them absolutely captivated, leaving Layla to wander by herself. She didn't waste time, heading towards the backyard with a last "We catch up later."

I nodded my head and let my feel lead me to the wall that had caught my eye. They were family pictures and they ranged in age, from left to right. Some of them showed a tall man with a blonde woman and two brown haired boys, others were just of the boys a few had just one of the two. One of the photos caught my eye, three brown haired kids making faces to the camera a beautiful view of the mountains at the back. My mind immediately singled Taylor out of the three of them. He was standing in the middle of the other two kids. It was difficult to distinguish wich one of them was his brother, they all shared the same features just the hair was different. Taylor's was cut in a disheveled fringe that looked like he'd had a fight with the scissors.

I couldn't help but laugh.

"Gosh! Don't look at those. They are embarrassing."

I turned around to see Taylor with a drink in one hand and a smile spreading across his lips. I smiled back. "If you don't want random people looking at them then maybe you shouldn't hang them on the wall of the foyer."

He took a few steps until he reached me and took a sip of his drink before replying, "The thing is, I didn't hang them there, my mother did and until I find out how to bribe her they will continue to display their ugliness for everybody to see."

I laughed. "They aren't ugly. I think you look cute."

He shook his head disapprovingly. "Cute? Did you see that fringe? It's an insult for every scissor around the world."

I looked back at the picture and couldn't help but chuckle. He was right.

"You've seen enough already, let's head to the back before you catch an eye disease." He said before tugging on my arm and walking towards the kitchen. I smiled and let him lead me.

The first thing I saw as I entered were the bottles stocked to the side of the breakfast bar. They were all colours and sizes. I let my eyes wander around and spotted a few people from school and then the crowded backyard.

No Ryan. I found myself pointing out. Then I scolded myself. Why did I care where he was? It wasn't like I was here for him anyway.

Right. Keep telling yourself that.

"What would you like to have?" Taylor asked me as we slipped through a group of people that were gathered near the bar.

Leaving all thoughts of Ryan aside I focused on the now, ready to have my first high school party experience.

"Whatever you think is good."

He smiled. "Coming right up."

***