Elitism

It was Friday and I was pretty stoked. I was going back to my hometown to see my friends. I couldn’t wait that I was watching it closely, pushing it to go faster. When the last bell rang, I raced out of there and completely ignored Riley as I ran past her. I didn’t have time for her. She wasn’t important.

When I got home, I was packing some stuff in my beat up duffel bag. While doing so, Lauren felt the need to invade my personal space and bother me. I didn’t like being bothered unless it was an emergency.

“Knock much?” I said while I grabbed a few more things from the dresser.

“So here’s the thing,” she started. Oh Jesus. “I have a problem.”

She didn’t continue and I wasn’t sure if she was pausing for effect or if I was supposed to say something. Instead, I stopped what I was doing and turned to her because if one thing I learned about Lauren was she liked the full attention. I didn’t have to give it to her, but talking to her had become an entertainment for me. She was so melodramatic about everything.

“I have a boyfriend, “ she started again. Of course she did. Wait, what? She was 13 years old. Actually, I shouldn’t be the one to talk.

“I can see how that’s a problem,” I said as I crossed my arms.

She rolled her eyes. “Let me finish. I really like him. And… I accidentally cheated on him.”

Did she really just say that? You know what, I didn’t even want to know what her definition of cheating was. So I just played along.

“Well, there’s your problem.”

“What?” she said confused.

“You said accidentally.”

She groaned and smacked her forehead. “I can’t have one straight conversation with you.”

Right back at you, kid.

“Not when you say things like ‘accidentally’ in a cheating situation.” I said deadpan.

“I came to you because I thought you could help me out as your sister.”

“No, you came to me unaware of my honesty and bluntness and you clearly can’t trust yourself to make rational decisions.”

"Well?" she said impatiently.

"Break up with him."

"But I like him,” she whined.

"Then don't."

"What if he finds out?"

"So be the one to tell him."

"He'll break up with me."

"Problem solved."

"Really?" she said annoyed.

Now I was getting annoyed. I wanted to leave sooner than later.

"You can save both the heartache and end it now, or you can go through the drama and end it later. Either way, you're still fucked. But if you tell him and he forgives you, then he’s fucked and I feel bad for him."

"I hate you,” she glared at me.

"It's what you get for the truth. Now get out.”

She actually turned and stomped out of my room. I had no words. When I was her age, I couldn’t afford to be carefree and all attitude. If you wanted to survive on the streets, you had to be tough, even if you were breaking on the inside. Respect went a long way.

I was on the road back to my hometown and I had to be careful not to speed despite my excitement. I was going back to my comfort zone where I was familiar with everything that went around and I fit in with the others. This was my world.

My stepmother and I went shopping one afternoon, which resulted me skipping last period and it was her idea, and she bought all sort of new clothes. Of course, they were the expensive kind that I simply couldn’t afford even with one-month worth of working. I accepted them all graciously.

However, I had swapped my new clothes for my old ones. I was wearing my favorite black ripped jeans, with my black leather boots and a light sweater that hung low and revealed my shoulders a little bit. As always, my hair was in a messy bun and I didn’t bother to comb it.

The only thing that would stand out would be my new car in this neighborhood, but I wasn’t worried. Everyone pretty much knew me and I gained their respect, so I liked to believe my car was safe.

I pulled into Sharon’s driveway and immediately; she came running out with a big smile on her face, which put a smile on mine. I turned the car off and got out to meet her with open arms.

“It’s so good to have you here again!” she said.

“I’m happy to be back,” I said.

“The whole gang is here. Come on,” she turned and went back inside where I followed her down the basement and met with the rest of my friends.

On the L couch was Killian at one end, Sharon’s boyfriend who she rejoined by his side, and Kim at the other end sprawled selfishly with her pink hair and one too many piercings.

On the love chair by the small window was Eli, just chilling with his feet on the coffee table, who always travelled back and forth between reality and his world.

On the stools by the mini bar behind the couch was Brad, the boy who knew how to throw a freaking good party, and Henri, my best friend. Every day, I was thankful for these people to have walking into my life. I would do anything for them.

“Hey, Spencer, have you read Aggressor Six?” he said randomly.

“No, Eli. Nobody reads dead people stuff anymore.”

“It was written in 1994,” he said dumbfounded. “By Will McCarthy.”

As if telling me the author would help me know what Aggressor Six was.

“He’s reading anything after 1990 now,” Kim filled me in. I nodded and chuckled.

“Anyway, in other news,” Sharon said, changing subject, “Brad is throwing a party tonight.”

I grinned. “Sweet!”

This was exactly what I needed.

You couldn’t miss the loud music coming from down the street. I had reached the dead-end and saw a bunch of cars parked around the open circle. I parked my car behind Brad’s where he had specially reserved for me.

“Party in the house!” Brad yelled when he saw entering his house. He was very drunk. I smiled at his charming welcome and gave him a hug.

Walking into a house party sober had made me realized how much had changed in such a short time. Since I moved in with my father, I hadn’t had a drink. Not once. I used to drink with my friends all the time. Eli thought he was badass trying to rob a liquor store, but ended up paying for it in the end. Everyone laughed at him.

No wonder I was agitated half the time. This, right here with my friends, this felt like home. One my non-close friends walked pass me, but not before handing me an open beer. I nodded at him and he was gone. I chugged half the bottle before stopping.

I spotted my ex-boyfriend with his arm around a girl I recognized, but couldn’t remember her name. He saw me and I gave him a smile, which he returned one. I waited for my heart to flutter, but nothing. It felt so good to finally be over him. I had never felt more relaxed than this moment right here since my mom went to jail.

A part of me dreaded going back. I didn’t have the best life here, but I had the best support from my friends anyone could have asked for and I wouldn’t change that for anything, not even for a better life with my father.

I downed the rest of the bottle and went to get another one in the fridge. I found Sharon in the backyard in a make out session with Killian. I bravely interrupted them and dragged her to the side of the pool with me as we stripped down to our bras and underwear, just like old times, and jumped in. Soon enough, Killian, Eli, Henri, and Kim joined us.

I had so much fun; it was easy to forget everything else in life.