“Yeahh!” he shouted as everyone cheered.
Ugh, I couldn’t believe this was the guy Tia had a crush on. I couldn’t believe this was the dude who flirted with me in the school parking lot and in the hallway. I went upstairs before he caught sight of me. When I got back up there I couldn’t find Tia in the crowd, and no one was talking to me.
“Let’s go the party, Anna. It’ll be fun, Anna,” I muttered to myself. I shook my head. But I wasn’t there just for me. I took the journal out of my bag and walked outside to the back deck. Thankfully everyone was busy inside, so there was no one around. I fished around for a pen and started writing everything I could see, hear, and smell.
“This is for you, buddy.” I smiled as I wrote it all in. From the shoe field, to the sour smell of spilled liquor. From the boisterous game of beer pong, to the overly long hugs and the warm temperature making everyone sweaty. I described the people I could see dancing through the window and the loud hip-hop blasting through the speakers in the living room. I made sure to include the sight of crushed paper cups and beer cans. The last party Clay had “been to” was Tia’s childhood birthday. I wanted him to know what a real party felt like, even if I knew he would hate it.
“There you are!” Tia found me outside.
“Hey, hey.” I looked up from the journal. “How you doing?”
“Girl, I’m feeling—”
“Tipsy?” I caught her elbow to help her walk straight. We both broke into laughter. “I’m glad you’re having fun.”
“What are you doing with the journal? Are you trying to go back again?” Tia asked, concerned.
“No. I’m just writing down what’s going on in the party. I want Clay to enjoy it like we are.”
“That’s the cutest gift ever.” Tia smiled. “He’s lucky to have someone like you.”
“Blah, blah, blah.” I blushed and put the journal away.
“Wanna go inside?” She grabbed my hand and pulled me in without waiting for an answer.
Suddenly Travis barged up from the basement and screamed at the top of his lungs: “Everyone out! The cops are coming to break the party up!”
Before I had the chance to look back, Tia grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the front door.
“Can we go home now?” I asked as we made it to the front deck.
“No!” Tia replied. “This always happens. It just means we’re going the field. It’s called a field party in case you haven’t heard of it,” she laughed with a hint of drunken sarcasm.
I rolled my eyes as she climbed into the truck. I got into the driver’s side and as I backed up, Bobby came running out the front door shouting, “We’re going to the field!”
“What? You’re leaving? Isn’t this your grandparents’ house?” I yelled at him.
“They don’t get home until next week!” Bobby yelled back as he and some pals jumped on their bikes and darted down the highway.
I shook my head and rolled up my window. “These boys are too much.”
“Girls, get in the back!” Tia said as Taylor, Lucy, and Laura ran down the steps and climbed into the bed of the truck.
“Who’s the chauffeur now?” I grinned.
“Lets go before they get here!” Tia squealed.
I made sure not to speed, considering there were three more people in the back of my truck. Once we got to the field I could see everyone else pull up, some in cars, others on bikes.
“You guys go enjoy the fun; I’m gonna stay here and give the journal a bit of an update.” I smiled.
“Whatever you say.” Tia jumped out. “Come on!” she called to the girls in the back as they hopped off and ran into the field.
I sat, describing what a field party looks like. I had a feeling Clay would hate it as much as I did, but I found humour in how ridiculous all of it was. When I finished I made my way out to the field. I expected to see more beer pong and shenanigans, but to my surprise a lot of people were just lying in the grass, looking into the sky, talking and laughing. It looked calming. Tia and Laura were leaning against a tree taking selfies with the flash on, sticking their tongues out with funny faces, while Lucy and Taylor pointed to the sky, deep in conversation.
“Hey, you found us!” Laura used her phone flashlight to call me over.
“I guess so.” I sat down by them. “So this is a field party, huh?”
“This is it.” Tia sat up and leaned on my shoulder.
“Maybe this isn’t all that bad.”
“Oh, yeah? Not macho men crushing beer cans on their heads?” Taylor laughed. “I can do without the toxic masculinity.”
I laughed at that.
“Speaking of toxic masculinity, here comes dude-bro one-oh-one.” Tia pointed to Bobby, who was walking towards us.
“Anna!” he called. “I saw you walking over and I just wanted to say hi.”
“I’m sure you did,” I replied. “Can we help you?”
“Yeah, Bobby. Can we?” Tia looked up directly at him.
“Shit! Why are you here?” Bobby took a few steps back.
“I’m Anna’s plus one, dummy.”
Bobby looked at me with a face of full of betrayal. His jaw dropped and his eyes looked almost tearful. I shrugged; I wasn’t sorry to be the ultimate disappointment for dude-bros. He looked back at Tia and said, “I would have declined if I knew she was going to bring you.”
“Yeah, well, we’re in a public park now, asshat.” Tia stood up and walked towards Bobby. He backed away.
“Okay, okay!” he said. “Just…don’t do what you did last time.”
Tia narrowed her eyes. “Don’t give me a reason to.”
I was really enjoying what I
