About Mora

Chapter Thirteen

We get to the party around nine thirty, and there's not many cars out front. I've never been to a college party, but I always thought it would be a bunch of kids, and outside events, but it was more quiet.

"Have you been here before?" I ask Zoe.

"Yes, just once."

Zoe holds my hand pulling me inside behind Melrose. "Yo!" I hear a guy yell at us once inside, and Melrose walks up to him shaking his hand. "Hey bro." he says.

The living room where he greets us is dim with a girl, and guy sitting cross legged flipping poker cards on an aged glass coffee table, while the kitchen behind is brightly lit up with a small group of guys playing beer pong with two girls.

"You guys have met Zoe already, and this is Mora." Melrose introduces me to the couple at the coffee table.

"Hi." I say, and I sit down next to Zoe on a brown suede couch that sits low to the floor and the cushion sinks when I take my seat. Suddenly I feel uncomfortable because I don't know anyone.

The guy that greeted us in the house speaks first as he stands next to Melrose. He has tan skin, and sun kissed blonde wavy hair. His eyes are a deep brown. "Hey, Mora. My name is Jake." he leans over the table to shake my hand. "Hi Jake." is all I can think to mutter.

"Want a beer?"

"Hell yes." Zoe chimes in, and before I can answer he's skipping into the kitchen, and is back in a few seconds with two Budweisers.

"Oh man. Budweisers. Do you have anything lighter?" I request.

"Sorry. That's all we have." he responds, and I'm not sure what to say so I just nod at him, and take the beer. Zoe elbows me hard, rolling her eyes at my response. I guess I shouldn't be so rude.

"Dude, deal me in!" Melrose snorts, and pulls a small recliner up to the table where he can reach the cards.

"You guys want in too?" Jake grabs all the cards from the middle of the table to shuffle them. Zoe looks over at me. "Mor?"

"Sure, why not."

After about an hour in, I've gotten to know the majority of the girls there. They all seem really nice. One is a senior at Lake Creek High School, and the rest of them are freshman and sophomores at the community college nearby.

"Deal me!" I say. I'm beginning to feel drunk at this point, so I ask one of the girls to grab me a water. All I can think about now is if my dad is awake for any reason when I get home, I'm dead.

Sometime during the poker game, I look up to see Zoe and Melrose gone, and Jake is sitting next to me on the couch, across from the couple that's still sitting on the floor.

"Shoot!" the girl calls my bluff, and they all laugh at me before I throw my remaining chips into the betting pile. "Well, I think I'm done. That was so much fun!" I manage to spit out. I'm so drunk, and the room is starting to spin. "Jake, have you seen Zoe?" I slur. I wonder what time it is. I start to dig in my purse to find my phone, and I have two texts from Aiden. Once I see his name on my phone, I start to sober just a little but not enough.

Hey sorry about tonight.

I guess you're already in bed. Good night Mora, talk to u tomorrow.

I look at the clock on my phone and it's already twelve thirty. "Shit." I start to get up to find Zoe and Melrose, but when I do Jake grabs my hand and tugs me back down.

"Where are you going?" he smiles over at me, and I fold my face down in my hands. I don't feel good at all. "I have to get Melrose to take me home. My curfew is two." I admit.