my past life

•2•

"Nicole!" I yell down the hallway. She turns around and smiles. She stops where she is and waits for me to catch up, "Hey, how are you?"

"Good," she says. "How about you?"

"I'm great." We start walking down the hallway together, "Uh, are you coming tonight?"

"Coming to what?"

"The party. It's at my place," I say. "We have a really big party once a month."

"Oh," she says. "Well I didn't know about that. How come nobody around here talks about it?"

"Nobody knows yet," I say.

She giggles, "What do you mean nobody knows yet?"

"We don't tell anyone about the party until last minute. It keeps everyone on their toes and everyone hurries super fast to get to our place."

"Your parties can't be that good."

"Doubting me again?"

"Always," she smirks.

"You should come," I say. "I would love to get to know you some more."

"Do you?" She asks.

"You like to play hard to get, huh? Don't act like you're not interested in seeing me tonight."

"I'm interested in seeing you, but not the party," she says. "I'm not big on partying."

"Oh, okay," I say. "Well then how about we do something else? We can go out for food?"

"I'll see," she smiles. "I'll text you later on. I better get to class."

"Okay," I say.

"Bye, Edwin."

I smile, "Bye, Nicole."

***

"Yo guys, Tommy is so pissed," Brandon says.

"Why?" Nick asks.

"Because he said he's tired of us announcing our parties last minute. He had to cancel his plans with his mom for tonight. He should be here in like half hour."

"He's an ass," I yell over the loud music.

"Why?" Zion asks.

"He canceled plans with his mom just so he could come to a party," I say.

"Yea, that's pretty shitty," Austin agrees.

"Agreed," Nick says. "He can party any time. His mom won't live forever."

"He's just not a softie like you pussies," Zion chugs his drink super fast. "You have to live life."

I roll my eyes and I mumble under my breath, "At least you still have your mom."

"I'm going to do shots with Kyle on the pool table," Zion says. "Anyone want to come?"

"I will," Austin says.

The two of them walk away to go to the pool table, "He worries me," Brandon says.

"Why?" I ask.

"He just seems like life is a happy roller coaster when we all know he's hurting. That's why he gets drunk every chance he gets."

I frown, "Yea, I worry about it too."

"I'm going to keep an eye on him," Brandon takes a sip of his drink. "See you guys around."

"See ya," Nick says. Brandon walks away and now it's just Nick and I.

"Is Haley coming? I haven't seen her yet."