Finding Our Way

Chapter 6 - The Party

Lexi's POV

Normally, the last place I want to be on a Saturday night is in the Southern Gulf Coast University baseball house with a bunch of drunk and rowdy guys and overly done up girls. I prefer to be sitting on my oversized couch with a bag of white cheddar popcorn and catching up on bad reality tv or the latest chick flick on Netflix.

But tonight feels different. Maybe it's the two vodka shots I had before we walked here or maybe it's Mason. I haven't felt even a little bit excited about a guy in three years.

I've been hyper focused on doing well in school so I can start my dream job after college. I really thought when I didn't respond for two days that he would've forgotten about me, but he was determined.

He took an immediate interest in getting to know me, asking me about my day, my likes/dislikes, and about my family. I still can't pinpoint his motive though, although the voice has a few ideas. I'm choosing to ignore it until I get to know him better. Maybe he'll surprise me.

I continue following Kaylee along the broken walkway towards the house and come to a stop at the bottom of the steps while she talks to the two overly muscular giants at the door.

The house is bigger than I thought, but I guess athletes do get the pick of the nicer houses than the rest of us commoners. It's all red and white brick complete with dual chimneys, a wraparound porch, and a giant oak tree in the front yard. We stop at the end of the porch steps, and I survey my surroundings out of habit. Maybe fear but I like to say it's a habit.

I watch a guy a few feet away from me get hoisted up for a keg stand while a small crowd cheers him on. At the fifteen second mark, he shakes his head, letting the guys holding his legs up to let him down.

He stands upright, his face turning white and runs past me, finding the nearest bush, and empties his stomach into it. Yeah, it's definitely the shots making me feel different tonight.

Kaylee gets the head nod from the two meatheads and let us pass by them, the dirty blonde one shooting me a wink. Shuddering, I loop my arm through Gia's in an attempt to not get separated.

Club music is pounding throughout the dark house and the only illumination is coming from white string lights hanging up over doorways and across the trim of the ceilings.

A mixture of sweat, perfume, and cheap alcohol hits me as I walk further into the house, pulling down on the short blue top crop that Kaylee swore I had to wear and look around for the bathroom.

Who would've thought my pregame drinks would've gone through me this quick? I can't believe I'm breaking the seal already. Can you tell I don't drink much?

But before I can make my escape, Kaylee loops her arms through mine and Gia's and pulls us towards the beer pong table.

"We have dibs on the next game." Kaylee shouts to a guy in a Tampa Bay Rays jersey shirt who's pulling a white ping pong ball out of the middle red solo cup.

He steps closer to Kaylee, towering over her short five-foot four frame and smiles, revealing a straight set of pearly whites. The guy does a once over of Kaylee, determines he likes what he sees, and nods.

"Okay," he says, checking her out again, "but you're my partner."

"In your dreams, Noah" says Kaylee, rolling her eyes and releasing mine and Gia's arms.

As much as Kaylee loves attention, she never gives into guys easily, unless it's Noah.

This man has a chokehold on her that Gia and I have never seen before. She's at this house at least twice a week but hey, who am I to judge? She comes home happy every time.

"It was worth a shot," says Noah, shrugging his shoulders.

He collects the cups and rearranges them for a new game. I watch him refill the cups with a jug of water nearby and wonder why there isn't beer in them. I think about asking but decide it's better to not embarrass myself so early in the night.

I don't frequent parties and the only one I've been to was St. Patrick's Day weekend freshman year with Kaylee and Gia. I don't enjoy being around drunk people, especially guys, and I don't like the aftereffects of drinking.

Maybe I'm not wired correctly or maybe it's my raging trust issues that won't allow me to let go.

"Which one of you wants to play?" asks Kaylee, moving to the end of the table and wets the ball in the water cup.

She swirls it around a few times then picks it up, shaking off the excess water then tosses it. The ball bounces off the first cup then sinks into the one behind it.

Kaylee does a little dance, her face beaming with pride. "That's two boys, move 'em."

"I have to go to the bathroom so Gia you're up" I answer looking around again for the bathroom.

Don't they have one in this place?

"You're not going to sneak out on us right? We're here to have fun tonight and for you to see Mason" says Gia, giving me a pointed look.

I know she's just trying to be a good friend but this whole night is completely out of my element.

I roll my eyes at her but nod in agreement. I'm not going to bail on girls' night no matter how bad I might want to. I'm trying to have fun this year and "live a little" like my older sister Mia says. I start to make my escape again for the bathroom when a loud scream comes from the other side of the room.

"JACKSON." wails a screaming redhead shoving a guy in a green t-shirt away from another girl.

He turns around to look at her, nude lipstick smeared all over his face, and gives her an icy look. The redhead continues to cry, her hands flailing in the hair as she continues to yell at him.

"It's a new semester, Sophia. You know better." he curses, moving both girls away from the crowd.

They disappear into a nearby room, the door slamming loudly behind them. Is this normal?

Noah sighs and shakes his head at the scene and for a second, I panic that I let that slip out of my mouth.

"That's Jackson and Sophia. They're the type of couple who break up and get back together everyday, but while they're on a break they hook up with other people." he says filling us in on why the redhead was giving the guy a murderous look.

This is why dating in college shouldn't happen. You're both trying to figure yourselves out and what you want in life, so why complicate things with becoming attached to someone who doesn't have the same life plan as you.

Or who clearly doesn't respect you. It typically doesn't work out anyway. What's the point of spending all of your free time with that one person who's going to break your heart in the end?

College should be about having fun, not worrying about what you and some guy are going to be after graduation.

Not me. I am not that girl.

I shake my head and turn my focus back to finding a bathroom.