Be Together for One More Night

I hated myself for leaving him there. His face made a crack in my heart. Why couldn't I just have stayed put and given him the valid reason why I can't get married to him? Because I'm a total coward, would be your answer.

I pushed my bedroom window open and sat on the window sill, letting one leg dangle out of it, the cool night air making my bare skin tingle and break out in goosebumps. I glanced across at the open bottle of wine I'd stolen from the cabinet downstairs. I grabbed it and swallowed a mouthful, letting it wash away the memories. I wanted to forget me and Kyle ever happened. I'd hurt him in ways no one had hurt him before and I despised every bone in my body for it.

I swallowed another mouthful of the dark red liquid and placed the bottle down. I don't know how my mother could stand to drink bottle after bottle of the stuff, it tasted vile. I reached across to my bedside table and picked up the packet of cigarettes, pulling one of the sticks out and holding it in between my gloss covered lips. I grabbed my lighter and let the flame burn the addictive tobacco.

My leg dangled from the window, and I leaned out slightly, letting the smoke out into the cold atmosphere. My addiction was still a secret from my parents. If they knew, they'd kill me, even though I was eighteen years old.

"Isla?"

"What do you want, Turman?" He was standing on the pavement outside the house, his body illuminated by the dim glow of the surrounding street lamps.

"You."

I sighed. "Caleb, seriously, no."

He laughed. "Joke. Isla. God, has he sucked away your sense of humour or something?"

"Something like that," I sucked on the cancer stick, slowly releasing the intoxicating fumes from my lungs.

"I think you should come with me tonight. I'll show you what a good time really is."

"Where are you thinking?" I stubbed the cigarette out and let it drop to the floor a few feet below me.

"There's a house party at some kid's house."

"No. I'm not in the mood for immature parties. Especially the ones where the kids pretend to make alcoholic punch, play spin the bottle and make out in pools."

"It's more hardcore than that, Isla. Trust me on this. There will be real beer, and maybe other stuff. Things to make you forget Kyle Burns ever existed."

I grabbed the bottle and glugged half of it down, leaving it on the window sill and slowly made my way down the drain pipe, before I dropped onto the grass and ran across the garden to where Caleb was waiting. "You're lucky you know what buttons to push, Turman, because if you hadn't used that last line, I would totally be sat in my room drinking my mom's wine."

"Well you have good taste if you choose me over a bottle of cheap wine," he slipped his arm around my shoulders, which I shrugged away. I didn't need his pathetic attempts at comfort. I didn't deserve it to say the least.

We didn't have to walk far to find the party. Kids from our school and various other schools were staggering around the front garden, some were having a water fight with a hose pipe, and others were throwing various different drinks at each other, making their clothes, hair and skin sticky with alcoholic substances. Others were laid in the grass with their partners, kissing, or doing other things, whilst having things thrown at them and being told to 'get a room'.

I felt sick at the sight of the couples. That was me and Kyle once, and I knew that we hadn't officially broken up, but I knew he'd be happy to never see my face ever again.

I followed Caleb up the garden path and into the house, leaving the commotion outside. Inside, it was much calmer. People were sat around, sipping lethal cocktails, some were puffing on cigarettes or cigars, and others were attempting to drunkenly dance in the living room.

Caleb led me into the kitchen, where there seemed to be a gathering. Three other boys I'd never met before were stood around the kitchen counter, along with another girl, who I'd seen at school, but I didn't know her. She shot me a dirty look at the sight of me with Caleb.

"Turman, glad you could make it, and who's the girl?" One of the guys asked.

"Isla. She wants me, bad, you can tell," Caleb informed them.

I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists. I don't know why I tolerated him whatsoever. But I guess he was one of the few people that actually bothered with me at school these days. One of them who pretended to care.

"Isla Hughes, right? I thought you were dating that guy, the one with the blond hair," the girl said, her high pitched voice made me cringe.

"I was," I mumbled, reaching for a shot glass and swallowing the contents.

"So are you two joining us tonight then?" A second guy asked, producing a clear plastic packet from his pocket, that held a few tiny white tablets.

My first instinct was to panic, and question what it was. It had to be illegal. Something you definitely wouldn't get on prescription from your doctor. Caleb's words rung in my mind, things to make you forget Kyle Burns ever existed. Fear coursed through my veins as the guy opened the packet and started handing out the pills. He finally got around to me in the circle and I took a small step back. "I don't know," I said.

"Isla, it's one pill, it won't kill you," Caleb reasoned.

I nodded, biting my lip, holding out my palm and letting the guy drop the pill into my hand. It won't kill me. I threw it into my mouth and swallowed it, not even sure if I'd done that right or not.

It won't kill you. Famous last words, Caleb.