Pretty Girl

It probably wasn't a good idea but I dumped the two bottles of little white pills down the toilet and watched them swirl down the drain. I wasn't going to let drugs control my life, even if it was prescribed.

Even though I've only been twenty-four hours clean of any sort of medicine, I felt different. I was feeling good today. I wasn't under some spell that kept me from feeling too much.

Teddy didn't stay the night, I didn't need to him fight off any demons that lurked in the night, but that didn't mean I didn't miss him. My mom and Frank weren't on speaking terms. That meant that for once in a long while, the house was silent.

I was already dressed and in the kitchen sipping from a bottle of water when Teddy came waltzing in. I watched as he bypassed me and made a beeline to the guest bedroom that I had taken over when we moved in. I smiled to myself and waited until Teddy walked back into the kitchen to say something.

"Surprise!" I put my hands in the air, presenting myself as if I was a present.

Teddy smiled but I could see the confusion in his eyes. "What?" was all he could say.

It probably wasn't just the fact that I didn't need a wake-up call this morning, but also the way I looked. I wasn't wearing my normal baggy sweatshirts. Instead I was wearing a silky tunic, maroon leggings, and a leather jacket. I also took time in doing my hair. Taking the time to curl it loosely and making it look and feel soft, instead of limp and sad. But most importantly, I was smiling.

"How do I look?" I smirk, closing the distance between us. I wrapped arms around Teddy's torso, leaning my head back to look up at him. Teddy follows me, putting his arms around me until his hands rest at the small of my back.

"Beautiful, but I think you look beautiful every day."

I do something that I hadn't done in a long time. I reach up on my lip toes and touch my lips with Teddy's momentarily. I used to do this a lot when we first started becoming friends; he was my rebound to every guy that broke my heart.

"What was that for?" Teddy asked with our lips still pressed together.

I could smell his minty, fresh breath and I smiled, kissing him once more before offering up an answer. "A thank you for everything you've done for me."

"I think that deserves more than a kiss, but I won't get greedy," Teddy joked as we stepped away from each other as my mom walked into the kitchen.

She must be going through the same changes I was. She looked well put together and not at all hung over. "Don't let me stop you," she winked at Teddy. Even though we've both told her that we had a platonic relationship, she seemed to think otherwise. "I think Emma and I are going out to dinner tonight and maybe catch a movie. Do you guys want to join?"

I shake my head; I had other plans for our Friday night. "No, we're going to hang out with some friends tonight."

"Well, have fun guys," she kissed the top of my head and headed back upstairs with his mug of coffee.

It wasn't until we were in the privacy of Teddy's old junked up car, did he ask about our plans.

"So what are we doing tonight?"

"Courtney Doomer's parents are out of town for their twentieth wedding anniversary and she's having a party. And since I have a way with Dale, she gave me money to get the alcohol," I smirk pulling a wad of cash out of my purse.

"Dale the creepy cashier clerk at the liquor store? What way do you have with him?" Teddy cringes.

"I caught him and a certain underage someone engaged in sexual activity and to ensure I stay quiet, he doesn't card me."

Teddy laughed but didn't say anything until he pulled into our usual parking spot in front of our school. "Would it be cool if I asked someone to come with us?"

"Who?" I look at him curiously.

"A friend of mine from one of my classes."

"A girl friend or a boy friend?" I proceed to question.

"A girl friend."

"Is she a friend or a friend?"

"Why does it matter?" He says defensively.

"It doesn't, I'm just curious. Sure she can come. I still get shotgun."

**

I didn't see Teddy at lunch; I figured he got held up in one of his academic classes. When school finally let out, I found him standing at his car talking to a pretty looking girl that made me stop in my tracks.

I watched as Teddy obviously said something funny because the girl threw her head back and laughed, causing his dark, thick hair to tumble down her back. She was taller than me, but only by a few inches. I was envious of her tanned skin and Latin curves.

I tried my hardest to hide my jealous and made my way to the car. "Hey, Teddy. Who's this?"

"Claire, this is Adria."

"Hi, I'm Claire," I say in an almost obnoxiously chipper voice.

"Teddy was just inviting me to a party you two are going to. I just have to go home and change."

Adria didn't live far from my house so after we went to her house we were going to go back to my house so Teddy and I could drop off our books. The drive was only fifteen minutes, but that's all it took for me to decide that I didn't like the bitch. Yes, bitch. Because that's what she was.

Adria didn't invite us into her house and I was glad because I didn't want to get out. When she came back outside moments later I nearly choked on my own spit. Even though it was early November and chilly, Adria came out in shorts and a see through lace top and only her bra underneath.

Adria followed Teddy and me inside my house even though I didn't invite her in. She even followed us all the way into my room and plopped herself on my bed and began to look around.

"Sorry about the mess, Teddy doesn't like hanging his clothes up," I mumbled as I set my books on my desk and Teddy put his backpack on the back of the chair.

"Why do you have your clothes here?" She asked Teddy.

"He sleeps here," I said before he had a chance to answer.

"You sleep in this room, with Claire?" I could hear a bit of jealously in her voice. That made me smile.

"Right where you're sitting," I answer again before Teddy had a chance to. "You're staying the night tonight right?"

Teddy looked at me as if he wanted to punch me in the face. "I don't know, we'll see," he mutters.

"He might just find himself in my bed tonight, if he plays his cards right," I hear Adria say as I began to walk out.

"Gross." It slips out and is heard before I have a chance to take it back.

Teddy made me sit in the back on the way to the liquor store. He claimed that Adria was getting car sick sitting in the back but I knew that was bullshit and it was his form of punishment. Dale was sitting on a stool behind the counter when Teddy and I walked into the liquor store. I had told Adria that he wouldn't sell to us because he didn't know her, but that was bullshit too.

"Dale! We have a large order, hope you're ready for it," I pull the wad of cash and a list of alcohol from my purse.

"Shh!" He puts his finger up to his lips and looks around frantically.

"Don't worry Perv, it's just us in the shit hole. Now back to work, think we can get the friends discount?" I ask sweetly.

"We're not friends," he spat as he looks over the list.

"Of course not. I don't associate myself with scum," I spit back at him.

"Are you supplying this for some party?"

"No, I'm wallowing in self-pity tonight because I had to walk in this place."

"Claire," Teddy says harshly. I whip my head back at him and give him an evil glare then turn my attention back to Dale who was getting up from his resting spot to retrieve the different bottles of alcohol.

All of the bottles of alcohol was placed into two separate boxes that Teddy and I carried out to the car, Dale rolled a keg of beer out behind us.

Once everything was in the car I turned back to Dale and said, "Have fun jacking off tonight."

"Have fun choking on this loser's small penis," he said pointing to Teddy who was getting into the driver's seat.

"I'll make sure to send you pictures," with a wink I climbed into the back of the car and we sped off.

Courtney, like Teddy, didn't live in the neighborhood by the school. They lived closer to the rivers. Teddy lived right near the water and Courtney lived a couple miles with trees isolating her house. It was the perfect place to host parties at since there weren't any neighbors to call the cops on us.

I got tired of sitting in the back, and luckily for me the arm rests in Teddy's old junked up car folds up to turn the front into bench seating. I quickly folded them up and climbed over the seat, hitting Adria in the face with both my butt and foot, before they could protest.

"Hi," I say wide-eyed at Adria then to Teddy.

"Did you take your medicine this morning?" Teddy mumbled under his breath.

"Of course," I lied.

I continued to annoy Adria and Teddy, but most Adria, until Teddy was pulling up to the front of the house. Courtney was sitting on the front porch with a few of my other friends from school. They were considered the popular group. Thy were mostly good looking, athletic, as well as smart. I didn't know how I fit into this group but somehow I did. In my opinion, Teddy would be better qualified than me but they still consider him my nerdy side kick that follows me around like a lost puppy. What they didn't know was that I'm the one that's lost.

"Hey, did you guys get everything all right?" She asked as all three of us climbed out of the front of the car.

"Yeah, Dale and I go way back. No troubles at all."

"Good, who's this?" Courtney asked bluntly while smiling at Adria.

"This is Adria, she's Teddy's friend but I have a feeling that after tonight she'll be my friend too, isn't that right?" I ask, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and gave her a sort of sideways squeeze.

"Best friends," Adria said with something vicious in her voice.

**

The party was in full swing. And though I wasn't allowing myself to drink, that wasn't going to stop me from having a good time. I mingled with friends and strangers. Only when Courtney got really drunk and suggested some of us play the famous party game of suck and blow did things really get interesting.

"Okay so to the people who don't know how to play the game, it's simple. You move a card around the circle with just your mouth and if that card falls while your passing it to the other person you have to kiss them," Courtney said with a devious smirk on his lips.

"How long does the kiss have to be?" someone in the group of people asked.

"Thirty seconds but if you keep fucking it up your time gets increased."

I knew that I wanted to play and I knew who I wanted to stand by. I found Teddy immediately, sitting on the couch with an intoxicated Adria. I grabbed both of them and led them into the office we were playing in.

The first three rounds, no one messed up. But I knew it was because people didn't want to be the first to break the ice, and I was more than stop all the tension. When it got to my turn to blow the card and for Teddy to suck, I blew too early and watched the card fall to our feet.

I gave a playful smile to Adria who was glaring at me before pulling Teddy's lips down to mine. Our lips met then our tongues began to intertwine together. Absentmindedly one of Teddy's hands cupped my face and the other went around my waist. He always seemed to forget himself when we kissed, and most of the time so did I.

I broke off our kiss well after the thirty seconds was up. There were cat calls and cheering before we started the game back up. As soon as Teddy got the card from me and turned to give it to Adria, she was kissing him and the card slipped from his mouth. That bitch.

One guy asked to switch places with Teddy as a joke once Adria backed away but I didn't think it was funny. This girl was going to take my Teddy away from me and I wasn't going to let that happen.