Believe Me ✔️

[3] The Party

Two Hours Before

Midnight.

I'm not sleeping. Instead, I'm hunched over my desk trying to fizzle out some last-minute motivation to write this stupid book report. I had decided to work on it hours ago, but with the music blaring downstairs I can't conjure a single coherent thought. I felt guilty after spending hours on my phone. Nine is when the party started and even three hours later it's somehow louder and crazier. Cars of parked, lining down the street, some parked wrong. Sad that some of those drivers are here drinking tonight, probably. I repeatedly bang my head on the desk, hoping I can shake out three paragraphs worth of thoughts, but now all I have is a headache.

The thought of calling the police and reporting a noise complaint has crossed my mind a thousand times. Tyler would never forgive me for that. Angry, I push my chair back, the legs scratching against the tile, and I unlock my door and storm downstairs. Woah. This place is packed, wall to wall. How many people does Tyler know? I don't recognize half of these people. Some are freshman and sophomores that I've seen in the halls and the rest are juniors, seniors, and college freshman that peaked in high school. Why can't they just home? I navigate myself through the crowd trying to find my idiot brother.

I spot Tyler by the window talking to a girl with bright purple hair. "Tyler!" It's no luck; he doesn't hear me. I walk over and tap him on the shoulder, hard, about ready to scream at him when he hugs me.

"ADDY!" Tyler's arms tighten around me as he spins me around. "Hey! Are you finally in a party mood?"

"What? No!" I shout over the music. "I need you to turn down the music! I'm trying to do my homework and I can't concentrate!"

He shakes his head, slurring, "No homework. Homework is for losers. Party!"

I roll my eyes. "You're drunk, moron. Nothing I say is going to make sense to you."

Tyler hugs me again and I don't hide my frustration. "I love you so, so much," He whispers in my ear and burps. I push him back. "You know? You are the best sister ever. BOOP!" He raises a finger and taps my nose.

"Can you please turn—" Someone steps in between us, cutting off my sentence. I look up to see Eric. We had a class together last year. "Can I help you?"

"Addy!" He cheers, raising his red plastic cup in my honor. "Welcome to the social life. I haven't seen your bedroom since we did that science project together." I smack his hand away as he ruffles through my hair. "When do I get to see it again?"

Boys sure do get confident when they're drunk.

"NO!" Tyler grabs Eric and pulls him away from. "Like I told everyone, Addy's room is off limits. Okay? Now go swim or something. Stay away from my sister." Eric winks before heading outside. Before I can talk to Tyler again, he's already back by the window flirting with Purple Head.

"UGH!" I stomp my feet on the ground. Walmart seems like a good idea now. I turn around and head upstairs. Paul steps in front of me, blocking the staircase with his arm. "Fuck me," I mutter underneath my breath.

"Cute jammies." He gestures to my blue gym shorts and black tank top.

"Move." I try to walk past him, but he steps in my way again. "I said move, Paul."

"The party just started, Addy." Paul tries to hand me a red cup. It's filled with beer. "Why don't you loosen up and have a drink with me?"

"Aw, thank you, Paul." Sarcasm drips from my words as I take the drink and throw it in his face. He stands there, stunned. "I don't want anything from you. Now get out of my way." I shove past him and run upstairs.

Halfway up, I hear Paul say, "What a bitch."

I slam my bedroom door shut and punch the wall a couple times. My knuckles start to sting. God, he pisses me off sometimes! My head pounds with a headache and I cover my ears, trying to blast the music out. If I hadn't lost my headphones last week, I'd be listening to my own music. I need to finish that book report now. I won't have any time tomorrow because I'll be stuck cleaning up Tyler's mess. This headache needs to go. Opening my desk drawer, I search through the junk until I find some painkillers. I shake a handful in my palm, staring at the little white capsules, and my mind runs with a million thoughts. Control yourself, Addy. I put all but two back and quickly down them with water. I glance at the label and freeze. These are sleeping pills. Shit. My therapist warned me about keeping those two together. My mistake.

I might as well stay up until it kicks in. I look back and forth between the book and my laptop, making notes and starting on the report. An hour passes and I'm finished. I don't have memory of writing this. I zoned out the entire time. Whatever. It's finished now. I click the big 'SUBMIT' button in the corner and shut my laptop. Bedtime. I crawl into bed, switching off the lamp, and drop face first into my cool pillow, flipping over and around until I'm comfortable: on my stomach, one arm under the pillow, the other beside my face, and my right leg bent. I peek an eye open and look over the side of the bed, making sure my angel nightlight is on. I never sleep without it. I look over at my alarm clock. The red lights glows 2:43 AM. My eyelids grow heavy and shut.

The door creaks opens.

What is he doing in here?

The door shuts.

What is he doing to me?