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