P.S. I Hate You

“Yay,” I sigh in monotone. “Now park already,” I demand as he drives slowly around looking for a spot to park in- looks like the entire school is here, I swear.

“Funny,” Levi responds, rolling his eyes. “Why did I bring you again?”

“I wish I knew,” I respond as Levi finds a spot to park and soon I’m stepping out of his car. “And here we go,” I say to myself sarcastically.

“What?” Levi asks absently.

I glance at him as we head into the house together. “It’s nothing. Now go party,” I invite him. He winks and heads off into the crowd, just the same as usual. I give a few nods and pass a few words with random people I know, and so on.

What to do now? I have been here… oh, how exciting. Twenty-two minutes. No wait, make that twenty-three.

Four hours to go.

I am stoked.

Not.

I sigh, wandering over to the food table. Sure enough, it looks like a tornado ran through. Or, more likely, a bunch of teenagers- especially those football players. Why do people even both at these parties? Nothing stays on the right platter, you know. Might as well just dump it everywhere on a table and people can just grab handfuls and stuff their faces and choke.
Yeah, you’re right. Maybe I do need some more sleep.

I hum absently to myself, wandering through and find an empty lawn chair. I drag it into the shadows so no one’ll see me and be tempted to try dumping some beer or anything on me, and after fixing the chair so I can lie down, I close my eyes, turning away from all the ‘excitement.’

I love sleep. Absolutely love it.

So I hate it when people wake me up.

I groan, opening one eye, feeling some water splash onto my face- I can tell it’s water cause it doesn’t smell funny. It’s Ariel. “Huh?” I ask, sitting up to get off the water. There’s not much- well, not enough to annoy me. Oddly enough, I don’t mind. Which is weird. “What?” I ask Ariel tiredly.

“Join us! We’re going to play games!” She squeals happily, oblivious to the fact that most people would be glaring at her right now for waking them up with water. But only she would actually do that instead of beer. Which just gives her a weird personality- very odd cheerleader.

“Uh, right. No thanks,” I sigh, sitting back down.

“No, no, come on,” she ignores what I say, grabbing my arm and pulling me through the crowd. “It’s going to be so much fun!” she chatters happily. “We’ve got most of the other girls playing too, you know. We’ll be grabbing boys later, no worries,” she winks back at me, dragging me into a crowded room.

There’s no more places on the couches, so she shoves me down on the ground and goes to sit on the edge of some seat. Looking around, I see they’re all cheerleaders and a few other popular girls of course… and some random people. Oh, joy.

“What are we playing?” I ask with a yawn.

“Beer toss!” One girl laughs loudly.

Oooookay, then. “I think I’ll sit this one out,” I say hastily, scooting out.

It’s one beer-related and completely pointless game after another for three hours and twenty-six minutes with forty-eight seconds. Yes, I was counting. I continually considered falling back asleep but realizing how they might decide to cover me in beer, I figure it’s safest to stay alert.

Which is boring. Amusing at first, but just boring.

“Time for Seven Minutes!” Someone shrieks with a clap. I wince and scoot farther back, seeing as they’ve been trying to convince me to play for a while now…

“Play now!” The girl points at me dramatically. “It is so totally time you played, girlfriend!” She shouts with a cheer.

“No thanks,” I roll my eyes.

“Play! Please? Come on!” They all beg me while dragging me on over.

Guess I don’t have much of a choice. And I’m a little worn out right now to even care.
Whatever we’re playing can’t possibly be too bad… right?

I only grunt and don’t see as two girls run off, laughing and all the girls start laughing and giggling and cheering, leaving me absolutely clueless. What were we going to play again?

I didn’t have to wait too long.

Those two girls returned with a hat, smirking. At first I wondered why they didn’t just wear it, but when they set it in the middle on the coffee table, I noticed it was filled with little papers. Looking around the room, I also noticed about four guys had come up.

“Let the game begin!” One girl sang out off-key and I heard some hoots and more giggles.
Ashlynn was appointed ‘captain’ or whatever and grabbing a bottle, she spun it around, landing on Ariel who squeaked with embarrassment. The girls again cheered and it made me wonder if they could do anything else.

Then I decided I didn’t really want to think on that. I might get a headache. That is, a worse one than I’m already getting. “Go! Go! Go! Go!” The girls cried as they blindfolded and finally Ariel entered…. A closet.

You have to be kidding me.

The other girls crowded around as Ashlynn shoved her hand in the hat of papers and finally pulled one out. She took her time, bringing in the drama as she brought out her hand and slowly opened the crumpled paper.

“Max.” She said simply.

The girls squealed and laughed, looking over to the guys.

I watched as two of the guys left and brought the guy named Max who looked a little drunk and very confused. Nonetheless, the two guys opened the closet, shoved him in and shut the door.

“Timer!” Ashlynn announced, and set it for seven minutes.

This was our version of seven minutes in heaven.

I am in so much trouble. So how do I escape this?!

My brain began running past sixty, thinking of a way out of here. These girls may have been cheerleaders and a tad drunk and happy, but their eyes still worked too well, and they had those four guys over at the stairs… trapped?

“OOoooOOOoo.”

I look up, blinking. It’s been a while now, and Ariel’s out and all. Is the game over? My hopes die like the dead, seeing the bottle pointing at me.

I’m going to die.

“Um…” What to say, what to say? “I uh, have to be going, I’m late…”

“No! You can’t!” “You have to go!” “Come on!” “Boys!” That gets them laughing. Oh yeah, I’m so glad I can make them all laugh. All the girls crowd around, chattering how they have someone new for this finally and it’s so ‘exciting’ and ‘dramatic’ and I’m ready to kill myself as they blindfold me and I suddenly find myself in the closet.

It’s empty, but it’s not helping.

I quickly snatch it off with shaky fingers and feel around, trying to notice my surroundings as I notice my heart picks up speed.

It’s a… a um, really small closet. Really, really small. And I think the air is sort of dying in here, cause my throat keeps catching. It feels like its forever before something finally happens.

The door opens, only to have another figure come in. “Wait!” I cry but the door closes.

Crap.

But wait a minute…

“Williams?” I ask suspiciously.

The figure groans. “Shiloh?”

“Kill me now,” we both end up saying together.

“You first.”

“No, you.”

“Get out!”

He tries for the doorknob and swears.

It’s locked.

I try to take a deep breath and it comes out shaky. “You have to be kidding!” I say, my voice getting a little shrill.

“Afraid?” He smirks. I may not be able to see it, but I know it’s there.

“Shut up, I am not!” I snap, going to the farthest corner… which isn’t that far away. I’m still practically touching him. He tries inching away too, but it’s not any farther.

Less space. Less air. I groan, rubbing my temples. “Guys!” I shout, slamming the door. “Come on, this is NOT funny!” I shout.

Caleb chuckles. “Moody much?”

“I’m sorry I didn’t know you liked getting trapped in closets with me,” I return.

“I don’t,” he defends himself.

“Then get us out!” I cry, throwing up my hands.

Ow- one hits a shelf, the other hits the wall.

It’s so close and my breath catches again.

And again.

And again.

I think the room is spinning.

I stumble against the back wall, slumping down and trying to catch my breath.

“…Kiley?”

“Go away!” I mumble, feeling sick and very lightheaded.

Pause of silence. “Are you claustrophobic?”

“Maybe I just hate you,” I mutter, and fall against the wall and I’m on my knees, hyperventilating in the dark tiny closet. I swear the room has gotten smaller, I’m practically at Caleb’s feet- and I’m sure he likes that.

He’s probably laughing, but I don’t think I can really hear him that well. All I hear is some ‘swooshing’ and my breathing and my heart is nearly jumping out of my chest. “I can’t breathe,” I manage between pants of trying to get air, and my heart hurts just like my head.

I feel arms lifting me just as I feel my head blow.