This Moment was Held for Me

As soon as we pulled up to the party venue I gasped. And I wasn’t alone because everyone else was in awe of the set up. David, one of the richest kids in our grade, was throwing the party and had invited everyone and anyone from school. People were spilling out from his house and onto the lawn. There was music blasting from every room, and I could spot a DJ and dance floor set up around the back of his house. Inside, there were people and drinks everywhere. Toby grabbed Amanda, Sarah and I all drinks from the counter.
“There are so many people!” Sarah said.
“It’s insane!” Amanda agreed.
I sipped gingerly on my beer. I was nervous, which wasn’t often the case when it came to parties.
Amanda squealed at me, “I just realized this is the first party you’ve been to for ages! And the first party we’ve been too alone since..forever!”
I laughed at her. I did admit that the past few parties we’d gone to had been thrown at Gerard’s house or their friends…
I gulped a few more sips of my beer to fade my nerves away.
“Hey,” Toby said jokingly, “Not too fast! I’m keeping you out of trouble, remember?”
I smiled at him, “Sure sure.”
“Wanna go outside?” he suggested to us all, “It’s really loud in here,” he said.
We all nodded and followed him through a corridor which led out onto the lawn. I was right, there was a DJ and a dance floor which was surprisingly packed with couples grinding each other already.
“I’m gonna go for a smoke,” Sarah told us once we were outside.
“Cya ‘round,” Toby called out to her. I thought it was nice that he was still sticking around Amanda and I. I had finished my first beer by this point and was craving something stronger.
“Amanda?” I asked her despite her preoccupation with her phone.
“Mm,” she said shoving it back into her pocket.
“Do you by any chance have some vodka with you?” I said with a grin.
“Oh yes,” she nodded with a grin to match mine, “I’ve definitely missed partying with you.” She rummaged in her bag until she found a bottle filled with clear vodka.
“Want some?” I offered Toby.
“Nah,” he said blowing out some cigarette smoke, “I’m good.”
I shrugged and took a few swigs myself.
“Good stuff, hey?” Amanda asked me. I offered her the bottle with a nod.
I soon felt its effects as we continued to share the bottle together. Toby eyed us with a smile.
“Not so fast,” he said laughing at us, “And I can’t believe you drink that stuff straight,” he added with a face.
“It’s my favourite!” I said excitedly to him as I pulled on his hand, “You should try it!”
“I’ve tried it before,” he said, still smiling.
“No!” I said, still holding his hand, “I bet you haven’t tried it straight from the bottle like this!”
He looked down at me before finally sighing sarcastically and quickly taking a sip from the bottle.
“There,” he said with a grin, “That was gross.”
“Now we’ve shared germs!” I gasped with a smile.
I heard Amanda giggle beside me, “Shit! Germs!” From the sound of her voice, I could hear that she was drunk; and was on some level aware that I was beyond my sober state too.
We continued to stand there and drink. I didn’t realize, but when I looked down at my hand it was still clasped with Toby’s. I didn’t care enough to pull away. I just took another sip and squeezed his hand tighter. It was my own personal rebellion against a certain black haired boy called Frank.

After an hour of being at the party, Amanda and I were stumbling around. We had lost Toby in the crowd, but it didn’t matter because we were content to hold hands by ourselves and giggle drunkly.
“I need some fresh air again,” she moaned.
“Okay!” I giggled to her as he made our way outside again. We had been moving indoors and outdoors all night. It was either too cold outside, despite the outdoor heaters, or too hot inside because of the amount of people squished into one room. Amanda led us outside and continued walking over to a fence that we had leaned on earlier. Suddenly, she stopped dead in her tracks.
“Little fucker!” she cursed angrily.
I couldn’t see over her head as I was standing behind her, “What?” I asked her.
I pushed past the people beside me so I could stand at her side. It was then that I noticed Gerard standing against the fence, beer in hand, talking animatedly to a guy with piercings.
“What the hell,” I said.
“He can’t make it to graduation, but he can make it to some fucking high school party?” she said still standing in one spot. He hadn’t noticed us. Amanda then stomped over to him, pulling me behind her in tow.
“Oh,” she said angrily as she reached him, “Hey fucktard! Didn’t see you there!”
I loved Amanda’s new approach to anger.
Gerard stopped his conversation and looked down at Amanda with a smile, “Hey baby!” he said happily ignoring her insult.
“Don’t hey baby me,” she said with her arms crossed.
The guy beside Gerard walked away leaving Gerard alone to deal with Amanda.
“Where have you been?” she demanded.
I could spell strong alcohol on his breath.
He frowned, “I called you to tell you all this.” He was slurring too.
“Oh really?” she said in disbelief, “When?”
“At least 3 times earlier this afternoon.”
“And what did you say, idiot? Sorry I couldn’t make it to graduation? Or did you forget?” she said through gritted teeth.
“Of course I remembered. That’s why I called. We had a gig downtown with a serious producer. I left you a message to apologize. I said I’d meet you here.”
I looked away realizing that this was probably a private couple moment where they needed to sought their stuff out. Although, I did want to give Gerard a verbal beating myself. It was then that I saw yet another sight that made my stomach flip.
Frank. And he wasn’t alone.