One of us did it.

t have slapped that statement off her mouth if I'm n

oth her hands hiding behind her. "And Jeremy is ta

y, or if she thinks I'm such a horrible person. "I wonder why he w

she utters, and her voic

say and take my leave. I don't bother carrying my math textbo

eans. Finally, We drive back home carrying our luggage of cheap but beautiful clothes. The burning sun has been clouded by a dull grey sky. When we get inside, I see Mom and Mr. Langford in the living room laughing about a show they are watching. Thei

" Mom says, her voice cle

mile on his face. "Where are you both coming from?" Even i

ack's birthday party, so we thought we might be needing a makeo

ts up. "Today is his birthday?

hout being disrespectful. "He's turning sixteen, Mom. Si

" she

upposed to come home

that will be full of a bunch of high school students, what could possibly go wro

stand like a stranger, watching my sister and mother try to convince my s

giving it a heavy thought. He then looks a

Charity

es her muscles

t ready," Charity says, all

arity!" Mr. Langford calls Ch

he turns

k I need someone watching over me every minute? Charity is just a year and eight months older

nt considering my skin tone, then I smear pink lipstick and apply lip gloss on it. I look beautiful, but there's one problem. I place my hand on my hair which is roughly in a ponytail. I can't think of anything to do with my hair so I insist

ryone will find

's response makes things more suspicious. His voice is calm, as

sing position. I do not think I've ever seen Mom leaning on Mr. Langford's shoulders, or Mr. Langford stroking mom's hair. Mom rais

I puff out my cheek and press my lips against each othe

Uhmm...I was just hop

rds me. "How do you want it? Side bun? Side pon

ut I never give her a chance. I always go for a simple ponytail or a cornrow which doesn't look bad on me. She presses

'd look beautiful on cornrows, mo

le. "No you do

ughs, walking me out of

apply some gel on my frontal, and I must

her because of the hast in her voice. Charity has always been a party gr

her waiting, " Mom says from behind me. I sm

a!" She sh

she tears down the house

aces her hand

up from my dresser. "She's i

ely," she

he stairs. Even in a dusky room, I can still see her glaring eyes. "Arrgh!" She groans as she marches out of the house, slamming the door hard behind her. What the hell is she so worked up about?

e anything to worry about because they can solve any issues with the snap of their fingers. Driving through the boulevard of Freeman's Lane, the tall trees flatter and b

laying from inside the mansion. And I see tons of people hovering outside the house.

others in the driveway. "It's sure going to be a fu

r, and we both

a concert where blue, green, and red lights flash across the hall. Funny enough, there's a bar, like a classic bar. Has there always been a bar in the living room where the counter is two meters long? Or do they always have that much vodka

make my way to the counter. "Here are your shots mah ladies." he hands over two shots of whatev

ile that seems to lug out his dimples. "Not really. I think I can do a lot better without the help of two maniacs," he says

st two blocks apart. "Don't you think that

and I probably see him every day, but each time, I'm amazed by how handsome he is. I mean, I love his red lips even if he thinks they are too red to attract attention. A

me with his pupil squinted. "Arianna Langford, in a dress? A min

e too. But Charity

ng," Matthew says, cleaning the mess

doing here a

y." He picks up two bottles of vodka from

u doing...here." I press

bottle on the shelves nicely, th

adequate parent he has, aside from a drug dealer gangster of a father who everyone is so scared of. I try not to think of how partial Mr. Langford is for n

rd. I'm so s

ring to pay five thousand dollars f

ve thousand dollars for bar

" he

an amount of money. Why did he even ask Mattew? Of all the jerks he could ask wh

meone yells a

watch her sashaying toward us looking like a real-life Barbie. She swings her hips in her pink skirt that's a little below her

leaves her mouth open. "What happened? I thoug

ttew gulps. "But you see..." he pauses, with his demonstration finger hanging in the air. "

call-ed?" She spe

promise it will never repeat

ng hair behind her and her pupils meet mine. "Ohh, look who we have here." She locks her fingers together and dr

er get tired of leering at your body." I bring my face forward. "Yo

liments for one night." Matthew s

owl at Alisyn. As I'm about to take a step, Zack j

tey?!" His voice appears to be lou

g love it!" His d

id?" Matthew says, and I tilt my head behind me and see him mi

s my stank eye. All of a sudden, Zack and Alisyn are close buddies. I can vividly remember Alisyn competing with Zack on who drives the most flashy cars in s

appy birthday to

one w

ate this kind of lavish party he's throwing himsel

e smirks. "Who wants to go home with some TREASURESss, " He pronounced the word with a low deep voice, sounding like a villain. Everyone might be confu

Mattew says. I wonder what d

unt inside this Mansion." He o

ell? A treasure hunt at a birthday party, not just any party, but Za

everyone has. If you find it, you've found me, and you know what I'm made of... " just

ing to think I underestimate

rst," Zack adds, and my eyes bulge. Need I sa

ys and chunks his booze again. Alisyn and I share a gaze, de

over the microphone, then jumps down into the scampering crowd. Ever

with Ten thousand dollars i

head, "buy a bar full of li

ut I'd rather do a brain surg

k he's sweet to come up with so

earing the strangest things. "He's not Jeremy, in cas

rcing my feet. The pressure of the crowd presses me to the co

aces his hand on top o

eyes gazing at my feet which have

ad, I see Zack striding towards me. "Wha

, not sure what h

e taps the back of his

tally confused.

at me like I just got discharg

to be treasure hu

'm supposed to be partying, not looking

it like it's meant for me. I might have thought

?" I

ten thousand dollars from me?"

u've used and dumped in the past 24 hours?"

s his head. "Can you just participate, for me..." he practically

a perfect pr

what I

tter, shak

rule number 2?" He sa

u gonna use th

nd to backstab me. There's this rule for friendship I

ll each other ever

s help a friend in

'm beginning to regret e

eft me with no ch

might not look serious, but I know he is. I also missed those times we used the rules for our selfish gain. For one time I made Jeremy

rned upside down but right now it has been transformed into a typical mess. I see teenagers throwing things out from the cupboard, not minding the plates smashing on the floor. God! Even the refrigerator? They throw out fresh food and fruits mindlessly lo

hrugs his shoulders and opens his palms. I

t a gasp or I think I did. The person before my eyes is Jeremy, though I can't see his face because he's facing the shelf. But I can tell by his shiny dark hair in a low ponytail. Even amid a monster, I can't help but notice how messy Zack's room is. The bed sheets are halfway to the ground, while the pillow litters on the floor. And the night lamp has been shatter

remy say without