The Secret Ingredient to Falling in Love

Chapter 36. Party Hard, Part 1.

I sigh heavily and rub a hand on my forehead, a small headache slowly starting to form. The book mocks me, the words seemingly blurring together. I groan in defeat and slam the book shut, pushing it off my bed and onto the floor. Stupid homework. I grab my phone off my headboard to check the time, my eyes nearly bugging out in shock.

"Crap!" I roll off my bed and rush over to my closet to change out of my school clothes. Stopping for a second, I dial Gina's number then put her on speaker while I try to find a different pair of jeans.

"Y'hello?" Gina answers cheerily, the sound of chewing filling up the silence.

"Gina! Thank fudge, are you ready to go?!" I spot the pair of jeans in the corner and grin happily, quickly grabbing them and putting them on.

"Wha - No?"

I pause and look at the phone with shock, "Gina! Zander is going to be there any minute to pick you up, why aren't you ready?!" I button my jeans and start looking for a nice shirt, scrunching my nose up at the few I pick up first.

"Geez, woman, chill! I thought Zander would've told you himself but I guess the lil' turd didn't."

I frown in confusion, "Tell me what?"

She goes silent for a minute, then finally speaks, "I can't go tonight, I opted to stay home with mom." She sighs sadly, "I'm sorry, S, I wanted to go but she needs me right now."

I smile down at the shirt in my hands, my heart aching painfully for my best friend. "No need to apologize, G, I get it. And hey, maybe I could come over sometime and we can all hang out, maybe even make her favorite cake while we're at it?"

"Yeah, I'm sure she'd like that!" I can basically hear her bright smile through the phone. The chewing starts again and she laughs happily, "But I don't think she would like it if we made a big mess like last time."

I snort back a laugh at the memory of Gina and I having a massive food fight in her kitchen. The floor, walls, and even the ceiling were covered in flour and cake batter. Gina's mom found us giggling on the floor covered in ingredients, and one cake in the oven. She had sighed and shook her head at us, then smiled and told us to get cleaned up while she started cleaning the kitchen.

"She didn't even get mad at us then!"

Gina snorts loudly, "Yeah, until you left. Then I got an earful about it!"

I grin and shake my head, "Well maybe you shouldn't have thrown that first handful of flour."

Her scoff echoes around the closet, causing me to fall into a fit of laughter. "I did not! That was you!"

"That's your word against mine, but we both know who your mom would believe." I smile devilishly and put my shirt on, walking back over to my bed and jumping onto it.

"You're impossible," She groans in annoyance and starts eating again, "These chips are amazing, dude. Like, seriously, amazing."

~•~

"I thought you said it was just a few friends?" Zander grumbles in annoyance as he tries to find a parking spot near the house. There are dozens of cars, teens, and lights everywhere. People are dancing in the yard and filing into the house. I fiddle with my locket uneasily, my nerves bubbling up inside me.