The Lunacy Fringe

After my dad left, Quinn went upstairs to get ready for Aaron's party. Crystal let me use the bathroom in her bedroom to get dressed. Billie suggested I wear my hair up, but she also admitted that she just wanted to see what I looked like with it up. I really didn't care either way, so I pulled it up out of my face and looked myself over in Crystal's mirror.

My stomach was tight with nerves. I didn't know why I was so nervous. I didn't get to go to many parties in Detroit, but that's because my friends never really had parties. The one time they did throw one, my dad wouldn't let me go. So I figured he only said yes now because Quinn was asking, and Crystal always let him go to parties.

It was Felix that made me nervous, and I knew that from the start. I didn't even know him, and he was already making me feel stupid. He had a girlfriend. He didn't even seem to notice I was there half the time. I didn't even know what it was I liked about him. He was attractive, and he loved music, and I liked how he talked to me the few instances when we were alone. But otherwise, I didn't know anything about him. And plenty of people were attractive and liked music and had really nice voices. So that didn't mean anything.

And I did have a boyfriend, which was something I was continuously forgetting. We were a thousand miles apart and hadn't spoken in over a week, but he existed. I just kept forgetting to call. And when I did remember, I found reasons not to. I promised him letters too, and I still needed to start one. I couldn't bring myself to write any words of affection when I couldn't stop thinking about a boy I didn't even know half as well.

"Ruby, are you ready?" Quinn asked from the bedroom.

"Yeah, sorry." I shoved all my makeup back into my overnight bag. Then I opened the door to find him sitting on Crystal's bed.

"You look fine. Don't worry about it." I paused and studied him.

"Why would I be worried?"

"It's my twin telepathy. You seem nervous. I'm just telling you that you don't have to be. Even if you think someone special is going to be there." Then he jumped off the bed and hurried down the hall. I chased after him.

"Like who? The only special person I can think of is Billie, and she doesn't care what I look like. At least, I don't think she does."

"What about Aaron?"

"Aaron? No, I'm not interested in Aaron, and I don't actually think he's interested in me. He's just being nice."

"Okay, how about Felix then?"

"Ugh, no!" I shoved him, and he bounced off the wall, clutching his shirt and laughing.

"So there is a special someone! And it's Felix!"

"I do not like Felix. I don't even know him. I just acknowledge that he has features that most people would find—nice to look at."

"Everyone thinks his features are nice to look at. Hell, I think his features are nice to look at."

"Exactly. Which is why I don't like him."

"It's okay. I won't tell him." He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and led me into the entryway toward the door.

"Jerk," I muttered.

"Brat."

"You guys have a good time, alright?" Crystal called out to us from the living room.

"Thanks, Ma. We will," Quinn replied.

"Try not to come home too late. And be careful!"

"We will."

"Call me if you need a ride, and be good."

"Okay, Mom. See you later."

"Bye, sweetie. Love you guys."

"Love you too." I didn't have an answer for that. I hadn't known her long enough to love her. So I shut my mouth before he shoved me out of the front door. I staggered to regain my balance.

"Asshole," I said.

"You're like totally my new best friend, Ruby."

"I've been here a week," I reminded him.

"I know, but I can tell already. I have a good mind for these kinds of things. It's my telepathy. And plus, I always wanted Jade to be my best friend, but she's a toddler, so that didn't really work out. And we're the same age! How convenient!"

"So I'm your new best friend because we're the same age?"

"No, it's because you're a dork, and sometimes you say funny things. And you talk with this really dry tone that makes people think you don't care, but there's always this level of sarcasm that I, your twin, can detect."

"You're weird."

"See? There it is. It's like you get me and stuff." I laughed.

"You're also a dork," I told him.

"Oh my God, so are you! We're like twins! This is so crazy!"

"Shush. Just stop talking."

"There you go again. Being mean to me all the time. It's not fair that you get to be mean."

"Ugh."

When we got to Aaron's house, Quinn wanted to race me to the front door. But he was taller and already out of the car when he said it. So I chased after him. "That's not fair! You got a head start!" I shrieked. But he'd already ended up in someone's house. I hoped it was Aaron's. And when I opened the front door, I found the living room already full of people. Quinn was nowhere in sight.

I nervously pulled my arms to myself and tried to squeeze my way in. I figured he was probably in the kitchen. I just needed to find one familiar face, and I would be okay. Even if it was only Felix, his girlfriend, or someone else from their little group. I decided that if I found that person, I'd latch onto them until I found Quinn or Billie.

Thankfully, Billie found me first. I heard her call out my name and turned to see her push her tiny way through some people to get to me. I was surprised she even saw me. She appeared at my side, wrapped her arms around my ribs, and squeezed.

"I'm so glad you came."

"Me too. Have you seen Quinn? He kind of ditched me."

"No, I haven't seen him." I smiled as I studied her face and the way she was swaying.

"Are you drunk?"

"I'll have you know—I'm not drunk. I'm just—tipsy! Eee!" Then she spun around in a circle like a ballerina, making her dress twirl around her body.

"Well, if you're tipsy, then I want to be tipsy too."

"Yay! There's beer over here. It's a keg, though. From a party last weekend that hardly anyone showed up to. I just don't know how to tap. So I keep making that guy do it." She pointed at a random friend of Aaron's brother, who just happened to be standing nearby. "I think he's mad at me," she whispered loudly.

"Well—I'll try to help. I don't know how either, but I'm sure we can figure it out." I took her hand so she wouldn't fall over and then led her to the keg. It was in the corner of the living room by the arch that led into the kitchen. I took a cup from the stack beside the pump and attempted to fill it.

"Not like that, Detroit," someone said, sidling up beside me. It was Felix. He reached his arm around me to fill my cup.

"Well, I've always just been able to find someone else to do it for me," I admitted. He smiled. It was a great smile. He held up my full cup, green eyes on mine. I wrapped my fingers around it as he leaned in close to whisper in my ear. My eyes shut. He smelled so good.

"It's a good thing I'm here then," he whispered. Then he shot me another smile and walked away. I stood still for a moment, holding my cup and wondering if he was drunk. And if I was drunk, for that matter. I hadn't had anything yet, but still. I felt drunk. My head felt dizzy, and my stomach was rolling.

"Oh. My. God," Billie said, sliding into view in front of me. She looked much soberer than she had a few minutes ago. I must have had a goofy smile on my face because I felt it fade instantly.

"What?" I asked, bringing my cup to my lips.

"I can't believe I didn't notice it."

"Notice what?"

"You like Felix."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do."

"No."

"Then what was that whole, 'I've always had someone to do it for me' bullshit?"

"That was an idiotic thing to say, wasn't it? I was lying. I've never even been to a keg party before, and I didn't want him to know that." She grinned.

"Don't worry. I won't tell anyone." I sighed and pinched my eyes shut again.

"I do have a boyfriend, though."

"So you admit it? You like him?"

"No, I don't even really know him. It's just that he's just really hot. Like REALLY hot, Billie. And I got all flustered and stupid all of a sudden. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"Well—my diagnosis is that you have a crush." I opened my eyes again.

"I won't get like that again. Cross my heart." She smiled and linked her arm with mine.

"What a load of crap," she said.