I Said No

Chapter twenty six

'Hotel party!!! Tonight. Everyone's invited,' I text to my friends in the Vancouver/Portland area. I need a redo of last night. Anthony needs to redeem himself, here's his chance. He can be this person I need him to be. He can be the person to love me for all that I am. To care. To be there. And to hopefully not get as wasted as he was last night.

He's been there through my heart break before, now it can be his chance to heal my heart. To show me how to be loved and prove to me how much I'm worth. That's what he always told me when he would give me pep talks about Kyle. I cannot even count how many times he told me, 'you're worth more,' or 'you're so much better than that guy,' and even some 'forget that scrub, you deserve the best.' He would be the player no more. He would love me and only me because we are friends, real friends. And he would not do me wrong in the ways he had done to other girls.

Maybe he's the best. Maybe he's my future. What a great story to be told; This guy, who helped me through an emotional breakup, walked me to class everyday, one of my best friends, became my boyfriend, my husband, my forever.

Jessica and I both get ready for our party. We straighten our hair, her's short, mine long. Do our makeup; foundation, eye shadow, eye liner, mascara. All while doing so, we dance around the room to some hip hop, giggling with excitement for the night to come.

We already have the alcohol. I had one of my friends who is 21 get it for me before I left town. I had to meet him in a parking lot, give him the money, him go purchase it, then come back to me with my goodies. I ordered a couple bottles of burnettes vodka. They cost me forty dollars, which is more than usual. Maybe he went to a different liquor store, or maybe he forgot to give me the change. Who knows and who cares. We have alcohol. We are ready to party. We are ready to get drunk. I'm ready to see Anthony.

I pour each of us a drink; vodka with some orange pineapple mango juice. People are starting to come into our room, "need a drink?" I ask each person as they walk through the door. Still no Anthony in sight.

I have been texting him throughout the day. At first, he said he would be here, but now I haven't heard back from him in a few hours. He said he would be here so he will. I drink more and text him again, 'still coming? I can't wait to see you.'

I am playing music loudly over my laptop. People are all around the room, chatting and drinking. There aren't too many of them here. I guess I didn't really give people much time to plan to be here, I only text them a few hours ago. But I am a little disappointed. I wanted this to be a raging party. I wanted everyone to be here.

"Is Anthony coming tonight?" Jessica asks me with a raised brow.

"He said he would," I answer coolly. "He'll probably be here any minute," I say under my breath while checking my phone. Still no text from him. I chug down the rest of my drink and get another text typed, 'almost here?' Send. I wait with my eyes on the screen. He'll text back. He'll be here. "Let's drink some more!" I shout back to her with a little pep in my step. I'm going to have fun. He'll be here. I pour myself another drink. "Let's get this party started," I say to everyone else while I pour shots for everyone. Down it goes.

"Why do you keep checking your phone?" my friend Shantell questions.

"I'm waiting for a text," I say with a smile.

"From who?"

"Um, remember Anthony from school, Kaysha's little brother?"

"Yes! Ew. Kaysha is my best friend. I know Anthony. Why are you waiting for his text?" She looks truly disgusted. Her dark eyes winced and her full lips pursed.