We've Got a Big Mess on Our Hands

When Brendon, Spencer, Cass, Brent, Ryan and I got to the supermarket, I pulled a trolley out and wheeled it into the store.

I walked around at a pace, when Brendon caught up with me in the drinks aisle.

"Woah, slow down Raine," he laughed, linking an arm through mine.

"Sorry, but you know I can't walk slowly," I grinned. He nodded.

"I do. Like a steam train, you are."

I was distracted by the flavours of squash beside us.

"So, what one would be best for making the punch?"

"Uh," Brendon looked at them all, seeming pensive. "That one?" He pointed at a flavour in the middle of the shelf. I snatched up two cartons of it.

"Thanks." I started off again, this time waiting for all of the others to catch up.

"Jesus, Raine, you'll be taking part in the next marathon at this rate!" Brent exclaimed.

I raised an eyebrow, before letting out a giggle.

We soon finished shopping and went to the check-outs. We had a very mundane woman serving us, with grey hair, a horrible striped blue pinafore and tiny, circle-framed specs. Even I, with my massive, bright purple square glasses - very '80s like - and my over-sized lilac sixty-nine-dollar teeshirt and cropped pants, looked a million times better.

We left the store, and there was an excited buzz surrounding all of us. We walked back to Brendon's quickly, and he helped me prepare the food and drinks for the party.

We had an hour to spare at five so we all sat around the livingroom. Brendon's mother came in and told us that she and Brendon's father were going to stay at a hotel overnight, so we had the house all to ourselves.

"Have fun and tidy up afterwards," she chuckled before leaving.

We chattered away, occasionally stealing niblets of food, until at six when our friends arrived.

After the party

The house was in an absolute tip. Glancing around the livingroom where Brent, Spencer, Ryan and Cass were all lying out cold, I sighed. I started to pile up all the plates and cups, before taking them all through to the kitchen. Getting rid of the uneaten food, I ran a basin of hot water, and began washing all the dirty crockery.

"Raine?" Brendon came through and stood beside me.

"Yes?"

"Let me help," he said softly, not wanting to wake the others.

"I'm fine, honestly."

"It's my house Raine. You shouldn't be cleaning up for me."

I chuckled.

"If you're so insistent then okay." I stepped back and dried my hands. "I'll clear the streamers and everything away though," I stated firmly as Brendon took control of washing the dishes. He simply nodded and I headed back into the livingroom silently, gathering all of the coloured string and party poppers and banners up, dragging them to the kitchen. I pushed my foot down on the peddle of the bin, and watched as the mess of decorations meshed together as they slid down the sides of the bin bag. In the end, when Brendon and I had finished tidying up, we only just managed to wake Ryan, Spencer and Cass so the four of us could go home and sleep.

"See you tomorrow, man," Ryan murmured sleepily as he leaned against me while we exited Brendon's house. Cass held Spencer up, and we called for a taxi.