Before I Fall Page 0,37
Aaron Stern is, like, holding him above the keg? Completely upside down.”
“That’s what a keg stand is, duh.”
“Rob Cokran is so hot.”
“Shhh. Oh my God.”
One of the girls elbows the other one when she notices me. Her face goes white. She’s probably terrified: she’s been talking about my boyfriend (misdemeanor), but, more specifically, she’s been talking about how hot he is (felony). If Lindsay were here, she would freak out, call the girls whores, and get them booted from the party. If she were here she would expect me to freak out. Lindsay thinks that underclassmen—specifically sophomore girls—need to be put in their place. Otherwise they’ll overrun the universe like cockroaches, protected from nuclear attack by an armor of Tiffany jewelry and shiny lip-gloss shells.
I don’t have the energy to give these girls attitude, though, and I’m glad Lindsay’s not with me so she can’t give me crap about it. I should have known Rob wouldn’t come back. I think about today, when he told me to trust him, when he said that he’d never let me down. I should have told him he was full of it.
I need to get out. I need to be away from the smoke and the music. I need a place to think. I’m still freezing, and I’m sure I look awful, though I don’t feel like I’m going to cry anymore. We once watched this health video about the symptoms of shock, and I’m pretty much the poster child for all of them. Difficulty breathing. Cold, clammy hands. Dizziness. Knowing this makes me feel even worse.
Which just goes to show you should never pay attention in health class.
The line for both bathrooms is four deep and all of the rooms are packed. It’s eleven o’clock and everyone who has planned on showing is here. A couple of people say my name, and Tara Flute gets in my face and says, “Oh my God. I love your earrings. Did you get them at—”
“Not now.” I cut her off and keep going, desperate to find somewhere dark and quiet. To my left is a closed door, the one with all of the bumper stickers plastered to it. I grip the doorknob and shake it. It doesn’t open, of course.
“That’s the VIP room.”
I turn around and Kent is standing behind me, smiling.
“You’ve got to be on the list.” He leans against the wall. “Or slip the bouncer a twenty. Whichever.”
“I—I was looking for the bathroom.”
Kent tilts his head toward the other side of the hall, where Ronica Masters, obviously drunk, is hammering on a door with her fist.
“Come on, Kristen!” she’s yelling. “I really have to pee.”
Kent turns back to me and raises his eyebrows.
“My bad,” I say, and try to push past him.
“Are you okay?” Kent doesn’t exactly touch me, but he holds his hand up like he’s thinking about it. “You look—”
“I’m fine.” The last thing in the world I need right now is pity from Kent McFuller, and I shove back into the hallway.
I’ve just decided to go outside and call Lindsay from the porch—I’ll tell her I need to leave ASAP, I have to leave—when Elody barrels into the hall, throwing her arms around me.
“Where the hell have you been?” she screeches, kissing me. She’s sweating, and I think of Izzy climbing into my bed and putting her arms around me, tugging on my necklace. I should never have gotten out of bed today.
“Let me guess, let me guess.” Elody leaves her arms around me and starts bumping her hips like we’re grinding on a dance floor. She rolls her eyes to the ceiling and starts moaning, “Oh, Rob, oh, Rob. Yeah. Just like that.”
“You’re a pervert.” I push her off me. “You’re worse than Otto.”
She laughs and grabs my hand, starts dragging me toward the back room. “Come on. Everyone’s in here.”
“I have to go,” I say. The music back here is louder and I’m yelling. “I don’t feel good.”
“What?”
“I don’t feel good!”
She points to her ear like, I can’t hear you. I’m not sure if it’s true or not. Her palms are wet and I try to pull away, but at that second Lindsay and Ally spot me, and they start squealing, jumping all over me.
“I was looking for you for ages,” Lindsay says, waving her cigarette.
“In Patrick’s mouth, maybe.” Ally snorts.
“She was with Rob.” Elody points at me, swaying on her feet. “Look at her. She looks guilty.”
“Hussy!” Lindsay screeches. Ally pipes in with, “Trollop!” and Elody yells out,