Michael

            I was sitting on the bench in front of the school, contemplating my day. I hadn't talked to Skeeter since this morning, so it was lonely. The afternoon breeze caresses my face as I sit there, not thinking of anything particular

            I feel someone come up to me and sit on the bench.

            "Hey, Michael."

            "Hey Skeeter."

            "How've you been?"

            "I've been alright." She turns towards me.

            "I've got a proposal." I turn towards her with a raised eyebrow.

            "There's a party next Friday, and I want you to come, with me." Now both my eyebrows are raised, in shock, then scrunch up together.

            "Whose party?"

            "Does it matter--"

            "Whose party, Skeeter?" She sighs in defeat.

            "Mackentire's" she answers quietly. I shrug. Why not go? What's the worst that can happen?

            "I'll go on one condition." She looks up for an answer.

            " I drive."

Skeeter

            I end up meeting Michael at seven on my porch. I already told my mom where I was going, because in her mind, I'm friends with Grant. Over my dead body.

            Anyways I was sitting outside contemplating the things that can go wrong, when Michael shows up.

            "You ready?" he asks.

            "More ready than I'll ever be." he starts up the vehicle and drives around. We whiz past the neighborhood and into another one, and then one following.

            "I thought you need an adult in the vehicle with a driver's permit." He laughs at my confusion, eyes still on the rode.

            "Don't worry; I got it in the bag with the cops. They sort of watch out for me, you know?" I nod quietly, still not understanding. But I decide not to ask any more questions about it.

            "So you like vine?" he asks suddenly, still driving. I laugh. We talk about vines the rest of the way there.

            We arrive at the party in no time. As we enter the house, you could smell the stench of alcohol and smoke throughout the room. There were strobe lights and the music pounded in your ears, making your lungs vibrate. The kitchen had been turned into a bar, the living room a dance floor and the bedrooms, well you have to be innocent not to figure out.

            "What do you wanna do?" I ask Michael, yelling over the music.

"Let's dance!" he yells back, pulling towards the living room. I can see a lot of people I recognize, but none Grant's people, or Grant. I shrug it off and start dancing to Animals.

"Hey, girly-girl! How y'all doin'?" says a very drunk Alyssa, hanging on to my bag.

"Alyssa, are you okay?" Michael asks, getting a look from me. Of course she's not okay; she's as drunk as fu--.

"Grant's been looking for you all night Skeeter!" Alyssa blurts out, and then collapses in a fit of giggles. Michael and I both pick her up and lay her on a couch.

"Where's Grant, Alyssa?" she gurgles something first, then answers.

"Kitchen bar, getting a drink." She immediately passes out afterwards. I roll my eyes, and turn to Michael.

"I'm gonna go see what he wants. Can you stay here?" I ask Michael. He gives me a look, then nods. I give a small smile, and wade through the dance floor into the kitchen.

"Hey Ski, how you doin'" Grant says, in my face in seconds. I back away, refusing to respond.

"You wanna drink Ski?" he asks. I shake my head politely. He's obviously drunk, so aggravating him is not an option at the moment.

"Come on, have a drink Ski." I shake my head again. He hands me something, a can I think. The strobe lights are messing with my vision, and sanity.

"It's just soda, a cup of it." I sniff it for conformation; yup, it's soda. So I sip out of, Pepsi hitting my taste buds. I grimace in disgust.

"Sorry, I'm not a Pepsi fan" I say, handing him back the drink.

"Oh, sorry, I meant to give you Coke. Here, take it." He hands me a different cup and I sniff test it again; it's safe. I sip from it once then gulp it down. I feel a bit woozy afterwards, but I assume it's from the lights.

"So, why'd you need me?"

"I wanted to talk to you, about something." He answers. "In private."

"Why not here?"

"Too loud."

"Outside?"

"Too dark out. Let's talk upstairs, in my room." I squint my eyes. I don't trust him.

"I don't trust you."

"We're not gonna do anything." I think about it for a second than agree.

"I'm warning you now; I have a taser in my purse." He rolls his eyes and smirks.

"Whatever."

Michael

I've been waiting for Skeeter for a while now. She's been gone for half an hour. I know she went to talk to Grant about something; I'm just worried about her safety.

I tried to enjoy myself by dancing, but I couldn't distract myself for long, since I saw Grant and Skeeter go upstairs together. I know what he's gonna do.

I can't let Skeeter go through the same thing I did.

I have to stop this.