The Party
She opened the door
to a boy standing outside.
“Welcome to the partay!”
He gave a weak smile.
“Well, come in!” she said,
tugging at his hand.
She handed him
a red solo cup.
“My parents won’t be home
at all tonight so…”
She poured
a clear liquid
into the cup.
“Drink up.”
He grinned.
“Thanks.”
“No problem.”
She walked
through the crowd
yelling,
“Attention! Attention, please!”
The commotion stopped
and all eyes
turned to her.
“First of all,
I want to thank you
for coming.”
Her eyes wandered
through the crowd.
“Tonight
is a night of freedom.”
The crowd yipped.
and she laughed.
She saw the boy
standing
and watching.
The red solo cup
untouched in his hand.
“Who knows
where this night
will take us.”
She saw the boy
walk through the crowd
and hand a girl the cup.
“But it’s all
In the name
of fun.”
She saw
the girl
stumble
and the boy
guide her,
silently,
through the crowd.
“So… um
here’s to tonight.”
She raised a cup
and so did the crowd.
She put a cup
to her mouth
and they did too.
And as they drank
she watched the boy
guide the girl
up the steps.
Her steps.
Until
they disappeared.
She began to shake,
but she continued.
“Thank you, everybody.”
She dismissed the crowd
and the party commenced.
She looked up
from the bottom
of the steps
with a red cup
shaking in her hand.
“Hey, Regina!”
She turned
to see the girl’s boyfriend.
“Yes?” She gave
a toothless smile.
“Have you seen Jade?
I can’t find her anywhere.”
She shook
her head.
“No,
I haven’t seen her.”
