DARK CRESCENT

Party's Over

              Shyla's graduation party the next night was out of this world. Every room of the house was full of people. Finding nothing else to do on a Saturday night I decided to make an appearance with my friends Roland and Mason from the coffee shop. The bonfire area and back deck were crowded, even though it was May, and the weather was well under eighty degrees. I'd even wore one of my thinner hoodies. A blood red one I'd gotten two Christmas's ago from a Great Aunt I hadn't seen since I was a toddler.

                I had a mid-shift that afternoon and didn't have time to change, so I still reeked of espresso and caramel. I was still dressed in my work pants but had put on a red long-sleeved t-shirt from my trunk. I pulled my hair into a ponytail at the nape of my neck and secured it with one of my mom's hair-ties. Roland and Mason of course took off to do their own thing, while I wondered around the backyard, watching everyone party, drink and live their best lives. I couldn't help but laugh at how vapid these people were.

"What's so funny?"

             I turned to see Maggi. She was dressed in a black Led Zeppelin t-shirt that looked manufactured to be a crop top. She had on a pair of wide, baggy, grunge pants, with black suspenders and black and white Vans sneakers. She had her hair pulled up into a ponytail on either side of her head. Her nails were painted black except for her red painted middle fingers, and she was holding a red solo cup in her hand.

"Oh hey, nothing I was just thinking about something" I shrugged.

"Well look at you deciding to be social tonight" Maggi grinned.

"I wasn't doing anything else" I shrugged.

"Ready for graduation next week?" Maggi asked.

"Are you?" I parried.

"I'm a Junior actually" Maggi smirked.

"Really?" I smiled. "I would have never guessed you were a lower classman."

"I would have never guessed you were the sociable type."

"I'm usually not. I pride myself on staying in the cut. But what brings you to the land of the teenage dirtbags?" I asked shoving my hands into my pants pockets.

Maggi's bright eyes immediately dropped, and she exhaled.

"Nasty break-up. Shy and Liv made me come out so I could clear my mind" Maggi explained.

"Fair enough" I nodded.

Mason's massive, beefy hand, gripped my right shoulder, startling me a little. I turned my head to look at him.

"They've set up the beer pong table" Mason explained.

"And?" I shrugged.

"And I need you with me on this" Mason said.

"Why do you need me, where's Ro?" I questioned.

"He's upstairs somewhere" Mason informed.

"But I hate beer" I muttered.

Mason gave me a disapproving scowl.

"Hey, just go with your friend I have to go find out where the girls went anyway" Maggi insisted.

"Okay, I guess I'll see you around then."

"Yea sure" Maggi said.

And just like that she vanished into the crowd of adolescent noise. Just like she had at school.

I scrubbed as much of Olivia's lip-gloss off as I could, but my lips still looked oily. I placed the washcloth on the sink and looked at myself in the mirror. What was I doing? I know I liked Olivia, but I didn't know if it was enough to push this relationship further. I'd been with her almost every day this week when I wasn't at work. There was some chemistry, but not enough to make a big bang. The bathroom door swung open with a click. I turned around to see Maggi entering the bathroom. We shared identical confused expressions.