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Chapter Three

MALLORY

S weaty bodies push up against me as I move through the crowded party. The music's bass beats through me, making my bones vibrate with excess energy. Alcohol strums through my veins, making my vision blur around the edges, and my anxiety calms from all of the people surrounding me. Bodies writhe together, so close you can’t tell where one ends and someone else begins. My skin itches as clammy hands touch my arms, trying to get my attention as I shove through the crowd. A large body jostles me, and my red solo cup tips from my hands and splashes to the floor, soaking my pink holographic wedge feet. Rolling my eyes, I forget about the mess and continue forward into the kitchen, spotting Lisa and Stacy lounging against the marble counter with their own cups tilted up towards their lips. When they spot me, they enthusiastically wave me over, jumping up and down like a couple of kindergarteners. Lord knows why I actually tolerate them, but just like momma always said, who you are seen in public with will always matter more to your reputation than who you see behind closed doors. I know dealing with them is for the better, but I would much rather be lounging in bed in a ratty oversized T-shirt with Rue watching some terrible movie. But instead I’m here in this skimpy dress playing the part my momma taught me to be: a powerful socialite.

My hands reach out to Lisa and Stacy, gripping their sticky fingers in mine as I tug them in for a hug. Their alcoholic breath wafts in my nose, sweet scents of peach and pineapple with the spice of rum assaulting my senses. “Oh my god, I’m so glad you two are here!” I squeal in fake delight as I clutch their bodies close to mine. “I’ve been looking for you guys everywhere!” Giving them my best million-dollar smile before kissing them both on the cheek and stepping away. Lisa reaches behind her and grabs an empty red solo cup, her hand swaying as she hands it to me.

“You have to try that punch, Mally!” She points at the big storage container on the island full of jungle juice as I resist the urge to roll my eyes at their pet name for me. I’ve always hated being called Mally, much more preferring the nickname Mal that my real friends use. I turn towards it, gripping one of the ladles, and pour a few heaping spoonfuls into the cup, snagging a few cherries and pineapples as I go. I cautiously take a sip and wince at the amount of alcohol in this, but smile at Lisa all the same. “See, I told you! Isn’t it good? Probably the best I’ve ever tasted!” She says as she leans back against the counter again.

“What have you been up to today, Mally? We missed you at study group.” Stacy finally pipes up, eyeing me with suspicion. Stacy has never actually liked me. She’s always been jealous of my success, whether it's with my grades, money, or the cheer team. Sometimes I feel like she’d gladly crawl into my skin just for a day of being me.

“I had a killer headache after class, so I headed back to the dorm for a nap, sorry guys!” The lie spills out of my lips effortlessly, but it was way easier than telling them I rushed home to get ready for the party with Rue. She hated every second of it, but I insisted on helping her get all dolled up, not that she actually needed the help. The girl is a smoke show all on her own.

“You should really get those headaches checked out, Mally. You seem to have them a lot; what if it’s something really serious?” The crease in Stacy’s forehead looks as deep as the Grand Canyon with her fake concern. I nod my head, telling her that I will be sure to get it checked with my family physician.

We continue chatting about mundane things until Stacy spins me around with a frantic look on her face. “Look, it’s Jason!” Her squeal of surprise pierces my ears, making me wince at more than just the sight of my ex-boyfriend. “I can’t believe he’d actually show up here, and with her of all people! Mally, you’re so much prettier than she is.” Stacy rolls her eyes so hard I fear they may pop out of her skull. What Stacy doesn’t know is that Jason didn’t break up with me like everyone thinks. I broke up with him because of his vile behavior, but no one believes the girl in these types of situations, no matter how popular she is. Hanging on Jason’s arm is Hannah Stanley, the girl he’s been flirting with throughout our entire relationship.

“Mally, why don’t we go outside? You don’t have to see this,” Lisa suggests in my ear as she grabs my hand. If I’m honest, I couldn’t give two shits about seeing them together; they deserve each other. The last time I saw him, he was balls deep in Hannah after I turned him down. He was drunk, and I was not losing the last thing that I could actually control in my life to him when all he cared about was getting his dick wet. So of course he retaliated and slept with Hannah during a party. I promptly stormed out and sent him a text telling him it was over after that.

“Yeah, let’s just go out back.” I say to Lisa as I tug her towards the door. Stacy is eyeing Jason like he’s a piece of meat before she finally follows us out the back door. She’s always had a thing for every guy I’ve dated, and I always pretend not to notice. We head towards a tree at the edge of the yard. While Lisa and I lean up against it, Stacy stands in front of us, telling us about the newest gossip she heard today. Her words float along the cool breeze as she talks, almost lulling me to sleep until Lisa pinches my arm and winks at me. She knows how much I despise Stacy, because she too despises her, but her momma is just the same as mine. Both of us are forced to live the fake lives that our mommas created for us.

I down the rest of my drink and excuse myself so I can go throw away my trash at the other end of the yard. Pushing through the human obstacle course is a challenge in the outfit I decided to wear tonight. After tossing the red cup into the trash can, a loud scream erupts from the house. My head whips to the side to see what’s going on, my vision turning blurry from the sudden movement and alcohol streaming through my system. Scream after scream echoes through the air as bodies frantically rush out of the house, tripping over each other to get free of its confines. I turn back towards Lisa and Stacy, and their expressions mimic my own utterly confused one. We all start to walk towards each other, but the mass of bodies leaving the house separates us. The sea of bodies pushing me further into the woods surrounding the house. My feet trip over fallen branches, and I curse my choice of shoes, but I hadn’t exactly planned on trekking through the woods this evening.

I stop once I’m about to and catch my breath while looking at my surroundings, trying to find Lisa and Stacy or even Rue at this point. A boy I’ve seen in one of my classes comes rushing at me with a frantic look on his face, and I yell at him to see what’s going on. He’s in such a hurry to flee; he knocks me down and doesn’t even stop to help me up. “What the fuck!” I yell at his back. Picking myself up, I start walking in the same direction that everyone else was going, but quickly realize I’m lost and no one is around to help me. “Hello! Is anyone there?” I scream out towards the treetops, but only silence answers me. I pull my phone out of my tiny pink clutch, holding it up towards the sky, hoping for a small glimpse of cell service, but the “no service” sign is what stares back at me instead. With a huff, I keep walking, turning the flashlight on so I can see where I’m going this time, but my heel sinks into a hole, making me topple over an unseen cliff edge. My body jolts through the dark air before it collides with the ground again, bouncing me down a hill. My hands claw at the ground, trying desperately to grab onto anything to save me, but everything slips through my fingers like silk. My hip collides with a hard surface before my head smashes into it next. Vision dimming, I look up at the sky. The twinkling of the stars is the last thing I see before darkness invades.