Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 60309 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 241(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60309 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 241(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
“Someone should probably watch out for you,” Vada says to Nona into a sip of punch. “Are the fists coming out?”
“No, but the pinchers are.” Winona playfully pinches Vada’s bicep and cheek, and the girls start laughing while Vada squirms.
I miss something that Vada says to Audrey mid-giggle.
“Pardon?” Audrey asks like she’s a part of a monarchy.
“Are you going to try it?” Vada wonders.
“I was waiting for Kinney,” Audrey says.
“You go ahead.” Though, I do grab a cup.
Audrey gulps the punch, grinning.
“It’s your pre-birthday bash,” Winona says. “Let loose. Live free. Whatever you want. You shall be protected under this coven of chaos.”
I fill up my own cup. Just a little. “My favorite kind of coven.” My heart hammers in my chest. If I don’t try it—I’ll never know.
Winona watches me scoop punch, her smile descending just a little, but when she sees that I see, her smile returns and it feels magnetic, genuine. If you’re not a dick or total asshole, she’s always good at making you feel good. It’s a real gift.
Audrey pours water into another cup for her, and the four of us hoist our drinks in the air.
“To the smartest, coolest Cobalt,” Vada proclaims.
“To the true peaceful plankton in the sea,” Winona decrees.
“To our best friend for life,” I join in.
Audrey is beaming. She takes a big breath. We clink drinks and say, “To the last of us turning fifteen.”
During the Party
Music thumps softly outside, snow covering the ground, but the heated patio remains warm. It’s where I’ve sequestered myself with my untouched party punch. Yes, I didn’t sip after our toast, and my friends didn’t care.
I keep glancing at the punch like the Skittles are miniature eyeballs floating at the top.
A small gathering of Dalton students hang around the pool. Some play “party punch” pong, and a couple gossip at the outdoor fireplace. Audrey and Vada take on two other girls from our grade at punch pong. My best friends are losing—and it’s frankly hard to watch.
“Sip!” the crowds shout instead of “drink” to remain on theme for the sip-in-snow.
No one has their phone whipped out to film. Audrey, Vada, Winona, and I spent three hours combing through a yearbook to fine-tune our guest list, so I’m not that surprised that our friends here have manners.
Plus, they’re all prep school students who want to get into Ivy Leagues. One video of them underage drinking could ruin their entire future. No one wants to risk that just for a thirty-second memory of tonight.
I hang back by an artfully trimmed bush and stare at my phone. Bethany’s Instagram is popped up, and I could DM her and invite her to the sip-in-snow. The girls encouraged me to invite her—and I said I’d think about it.
I’m still thinking.
Thinking that she’s so much cooler than me. Stop, Kinney. Yeahyeahyeah. Putting myself down is just something I’m good at, and no matter how hard I try to be nicer to myself, it’s just a struggle. I don’t know…it’s like I give shit to other people, so if I don’t give shit to myself too then that just makes me even more of a bitch. Right?
I wish someone had the answers for me.
Absentmindedly, I take a sip from my drink. The taste is overly sweet, and my cheeks pucker. Truth: I can’t taste anything other than Cherry Fizz and lemonade. I guess that’s the fucking point. Before I can second guess, I dump it into the bush beside me and set the cup on a planter.
“Didn’t like the punch?” Xander asks, approaching with his own cup.
“It tastes gross,” I say. “Like drinking a Fruit Roll-Up.”
He shrugs like it’s whatever.
I watch him for a second. It’s still weird he came here. He’s been invited to a lot of parties growing up, and if we had any additional friends besides family, he’d never really go. I think he mostly hung out with Ben’s friends back when Ben invited him to soccer games. Or maybe it was lacrosse. It’s not like I was invited. So yeah, Ben sucks for leaving me out, but he’s not the only one who’s left me off invite lists for being “too young” and whatever.
Anyway, the fact that Xander is here right now is big.
And not just here at the party.
But here.
Emotions start barreling through me, and I almost regret throwing my drink away. Ugh, I have nothing to do with my hands, and I feel exposed. I glance hurriedly across the patio, noticing lots of the girls looking this way. At my brother.
He’s a spectacle. Always.
I sidestep in front of him and click back into my phone. “While you’re here, I could use your help,” I say, making a quick diversion so he doesn’t notice all the stares.
Maybe he still does.
But it makes me feel better knowing I’m doing something.