GOING

3

Wyn regrets everything. First, they forgot to tell Sophia about the bonfire until it was an hour before it started. Her friend rightfully made them feel bad then forced Wyn to do her hair while she did her own makeup. After they finished, Wyn spilled juice all over her shorts and had to borrow a dress from Sophia who's smaller than her. To say she's uncomfortable would be an understatement. And now anxiety is eating away at her, the fear of someone from her school saying something to her friends about her family consuming any fun she thought she'd get to experience. Of course tonight would be a disaster, it is her life after all.

"Do you want a drink?" Sophia asks her, pointing towards the open cooler. Noah gives his sister a dark look, not happy with the underage drinking. Wyn knows that although there are other people here his age, he must still be uncomfortable judging by the fact that he keeps playing with his bottle and his jaw hasn't relaxed since they arrived an hour ago.

"No, thank you I'm fine." She doesn't like to drink after seeing the way her brother would come home some nights. Wyn's sure she'll grow out of it eventually, she would just rather not think about Mateo. Sophia shrugs her shoulders, going back to watching the beer pong match. Wyn's recognized some of the people here but no one has made an effort to talk to her. Noah, on the other hand, has about twenty admirers. He was bombarded when he left her side to get a drink, only able to escape when Sophia intervened to physically pull him away. She tries not to think about the ugly feeling in her chest at the thought of one of them catching his attention.

"Wyn, you made it!" At the sound of her name, all three of them turn to look at Alex. His irises are blown and his eyes are squinted but he still manages to make his way towards them. Wyn doesn't know why it surprises her to see him high, he was never much of a drinker given his dad's alcoholism. She just didn't expect marijuana to be the exception.

"Yeah, I brought my friends." She nods towards Noah and Sophia, the latter definitely checking him out. She puts that information away to revisit later when everyone is much more sober.

"Hey man." He greets Noah and smiles big when his eyes land on Sophia. She blushes but waves nonetheless. Wyn is surprised at the lack of concern on Noah's face. He was very suspicious of Alex the day before in the diner, but when the guy's obviously checking out his little sister he's suddenly okay with him?

"You're the last person I was expecting to see here." Alex says to Wyn, giving her a reassuring smile. She isn't sure what she's supposed to say; she wasn't expecting or either. At least Lacy isn't around; Wyn isn't sure she'd make it out without someone having to call the cops.

"I was also the last person I was expecting to be here." He laughs loudly at her response, which causes a shy smile to form on her lips. Wyn knows what she said wasn't funny; the drugs are surely working. She feels Noah tense next to her but doesn't think much of it. The music is loud, it's crowded, and it reeks of sweat and marijuana. She's even getting overwhelmed.

"Want a hit?" Alex pulls a blunt out of his pocket, lighting it up and offering it to Wyn. Before she can answer, Noah pushes Alex's hand out of her face.

"She's good." He asserts, pulling her closer to him. Wyn doesn't know what's happening and Alex is clearly too far gone to hear the seriousness in Noah's voice. He shrugs his shoulders nonetheless, offering it to Sophia who takes it. Wyn tries to lift her mouth off the ground when Noah doesn't even spare his sister a glance. She watches as Alex talks to Sophia, saying something in her ear that causes her to blush and laugh. In a couple of minutes her friend's eyes are as red as Alex's. Sophia starts giggling, causing Alex to laugh all over again and before Wyn knows it they're sitting on the damp ground talking. Well that didn't take long, she thinks.