Trouble in Paradise?
Chapter Nine

Friday.

The best word you can hear during the week other than ‘food.’

I was so happy that it was Friday.

When I got up, I sighed with relief. The weekend was nearly here, where I could eat and be lazy all day while watching Netflix. I didn’t have to deal with school or teachers for two days, which by the way I was getting pretty sick of already.

I walked down stairs to see Christen with a broom, sweeping up the mess and broken beer bottles from the night before.

I rolled my eyes and he glared at me as I walked down the stairs. “Cleaning is fun isn’t it?”

“Shut up,” he glared before continuing to sweep and clean.

“Why’d you even have a party anyway? And also, aren’t you meant to be in college?” I asked, grabbing an apple from the kitchen and biting into it.

He shrugged. “Got kicked out.”

My jaw dropped. “What?”

He grinned. “I failed most of my classes.”

“Good fucking job,” I blinked at him.

“Shut up, bitch.” I ignored the insult. “And that wasn’t even a party,” he suddenly said, an evil grin on his face.

I instantly paled, knowing exactly what he was up to.

“Christen. Don’t.”

“There’s going to be a party tonight whether you like it or not.”

He walked out of the room, leaving me standing there with a look of horror on my face.

Tonight, there would be a party in this house.

Full of teenagers. Drunk, wasted teenagers.

Somebody help me.

When I got to school, everything was pretty much the same.

What? Did you expect something amazing to have happened in the span of one night?

Nope.

I should really get out more.

I walked to my locker, grabbing out my P.E. uniform that I would need for my first period. We still had the same substitute teacher, and no matter how I try to argue, I still have to play even with my health condition.

Which sucks.

I then saw Kaitlyn at her locker, getting out her things. I smiled and walked over to her. “Hey.”

She grinned. “What’s up?”

“Not much, we eating lunch together today?”

She bit her lip. “I can’t. Veronica forced me to eat lunch with her and her gang for the rest of the week.”

I kept my smile on, even though it was now a fake one. Inside I was scowling.

“That’s fine. Anyway, my cousin is having a party tonight and I really don’t want to be home when it happens. Can I hang at yours for a little while?” I asked, a hopeful look in my eye. I really didn’t want to be home when Christen had all of his stupid friends over, partying and drinking.

“Wait, Christen Green?” she asked, staring at me with awe.

“Yeah… why?” I asked, a little apprehensive. I recalled that my mother’s sister married a guy with the last name of Green, making Christen’s last name Green.

“Everyone is going to that party tonight! It’s all over social media, has been since this morning. Bunch of college kids along with high school kids are going,” she replied. “Literally the talk of the school.”

I rolled my eyes and groaned. “Of course he spreads it everywhere. Is everyone going?” I asked, looking around.

“Yeah, most are.”

I shook my head. “So can I hang at yours?” I asked.

She looked down at her feet, her hair hanging over her face. “I can’t. Veronica is forcing me to go shopping with her tonight. She’s going to the party but I declined,” she replied in a small, quiet voice.

I hid the disappointed in my eyes as I nodded. “Okay. See you later.”

She nodded and walked off. My shoulders hunched. Great, my only friend is now a minion to Veronica.

Fantastic.

Note the sarcasm.

The bell rang and I made my way to my Form room, then I walked to the gym.

Half of the girls had already changed so I rushed to get into my P.E. uniform. When I walked out of the change rooms and onto the court, I saw our same substitute teacher holding a bag full of basketballs.

I internally pumped my fist into the air. Finally, the one sport that I could actually play really well. I don’t know why, but I always had a knack for basketball. I grinned and sat down in the bleachers, awaiting the teachers instructions.

People were chatting amongst each other while the coach got the equipment. I sighed and shut my eyes, daydreaming.

Until…

Something poked me.

I cracked open an eyelid to see Blake, grinning. “Ready to play some basketball, S?”

“S?” I asked, referring to his new nickname for me.

He shrugged. “Easier than saying your full name.”

I rolled my eyes. “And yes, to answer your question, I am excited to play.”

Then, I felt a presence on the other side of me. I didn’t even have to turn around to know who it was. “Hi Jordan.”

“’Sup,” he chuckled.

Before we could talk anymore, the coach blew a whistle. The rules were explained, saying that we had to be in groups of three. There would be seven groups in total.

“Now, get into groups,” the coach said, ordering us to pick our own groups. Everyone started moving into groups while I awkwardly stood up, alone.

Well, I was until I felt arms sling themselves over my shoulders. I looked up to see Jordan on my left and Blake on my right, their arms around my shoulders. I noticed some girls giving me dirty looks too.

I rolled my eyes. I guess we were in a group. It’s not like anyone else would’ve picked me.

We played basketball for most of the lesson, easily defeating all of the teams. The games were spread out on two courts, so four groups were playing at one time. Each game lasted for five minutes, the team with the most points at the end of the five minutes would win.

Ours and another group had to play the last game.

One of the kids who didn’t have a group had to be an umpire for our game. Unfortunately, he was the best friend of one of the kids from the other group.

God, I hope this game was going to be called fairly.

He blew the whistle and threw the ball up, making Blake and some other group jump to hit it.

Blake jumped higher, so he hit it back to Jordan who passed it to me. I expertly dribbled down the court, running as fast as I could while also dodging the other group’s teammates. I threw the ball at the hoop, scoring us two points.

The game went on like this for about a minute more before the umpire starting blowing the whistle a lot more. Travel, foul, double dribble, all of these things called on our team but never on the other team. The other team was grinning evilly, thinking that they could win.

Well, they weren’t going to win. Not against us.

Even through all of the bad calls and the unfair advantages, we still managed to scramble up enough points to keep up with the other team. Jordan and Blake were shaking their heads every time the umpire blew the whistle, cursing and slumping their shoulders.

It was three minutes in, two minutes to go.

We kept playing, the scores staying close together. Sometimes we would be up by four, but they would come back with unfair calls and a biased umpire. Sometimes, they would be up by six and we would just keep coming back.

A minute to go. We were up by two.

We kept pushing, getting really tired, hot and sweaty in the stuffy gym. My chest was heaving and my face was probably red and gross, but I kept playing.

Thirty seconds. They’ve gotten two more shots. We are two points behind.

We ran up and down the court, trying desperately to get the ball. The umpire didn’t dare interrupt the tense last final seconds of the game.

Fifteen seconds. Jordan snatched the ball of one of the opposing team members, but we were still on the other side of the court. I ran back, calling out. His eyes met mine and he threw the ball halfway across the court, right to me.

All of the opposing team members looked at us in confusion and surprise. Then, it clicked and they ran towards me. I turned and dribbled the ball down the court, heading for the hoop.

Then, the whistle was called. Ten seconds to go and he blew the whistle. What the f-

The ball was given to the other team, who took it from the edge. I noticed Blake and Jordan sneaking up behind them. The guy threw the ball in the direction of one of his teammates, but Blake caught it instead.

I ran closer to the ring just as Blake threw it at me.

Five seconds. I shot the ball and…

It went in.

The coach blew the whistle, obviously had been watching and timing the game. “Stephanie, Jordan and Blake win! What a game!”

Jordan, Blake and I high fived each other before cheering. The other team stomped, cursed and pouted while walking back to the changerooms. I grinned at the guys before walking back to the change rooms as well.

The rest of the day was boring. I sat alone at lunch for about five minutes before I just decided to go to the library and read during our lunch period. I didn’t see Kaitlyn for the rest of the day, except for the short period of time, that I actually sat in the cafeteria, when I saw her sitting with Veronica and her group. Again, the boys weren’t there. Weird.

When I walked home, I suddenly had a horrific realisation. There was going to be a party at my house tonight and I had to stay at home.

I suppose, I could go out but what would I do? Plus, I wouldn’t be there to protect my room from any horny teenagers. I don’t need any strange substances on my bed, thank you very much.

When I got home, there was already speakers being set up in the lounge room and trays of food being put out. Chips, pizza and other junk food was spread out all over the tables.

On the kitchen counter, there were so many bottles of alcohol that I couldn’t count. Some of it I had never even heard of before. I saw Christen talking with some guy who was standing behind the set of speakers and a power board looking thing. I suppose he was the DJ.

I went upstairs straight away and made sure to lock my door. I set my bag down on the floor and jumped on my bed, sighing.

The party actually started at around nine o’clock. There was a considerably large amount of knocking and doorbell rings before I think someone just left the door open. The music was blasting out, making it hard for me to even think.

I could smell the alcohol from downstairs. People were screaming, yelling and cheering, making everyone have to yell even louder just to be able to communicate with each other.

I was trying to listen to my own music, but the music downstairs was so loud that even my music wasn’t loud enough when I turned it up to the max.

I was starting to get hungry but I didn’t dare go downstairs. I didn’t want to get in between all of those sweaty, drunk bodies.

An hour later, I was super hungry. I had to go down and get food.

I warily stepped out of my room, still in the clothes from the school day. Most people didn’t pay attention to me anyway. I shut the door behind me and made my way downstairs, avoiding the couples that were making out and the groups that were playing drinking games.

I vaguely recognised some of them as students that went to my school. They either didn’t recognise me or were too drunk to care.

I made my way to the kitchen only to find that all of the food in the house was gone. I internally groaned and scowled before I huffed and started making my way back up the stairs and into my room.

Then someone tapped me on the shoulder, the presence being very close behind me.

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