A year after losing her older sister in a tragic accident, Charlie's Mom marries the father of the most popular boys in school. Still grieving, Charlie struggles to accept her new family and gets involved with her stepbrothers worst enemy, the capta...
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A SECOND LOOK at the picture made me connect the dots I missed at first glance.
After kicking Billy out with no explanation on what I had found, I texted Joe and Taylor to meet me at Taylor's. I couldn't stay in the house anymore, especially as I suspected something that had the potential to change everything.
Taylor and Joe didn't take much persuading when I showed up at the front door with a bottle of tequila from my parent's collection. Somehow we came to the conclusion that we were going to a party.
I know I should feel bad for stepping out of line -- scared even, but I'm just angry, and I know I deserve to be angry. Visions of anger had clouded my judgment, and despite already knowing that, I disregarded my tired mind's warning. Nothing may make sense right now, but I know one thing; they're all liars —every last one of them.
My mother's got a lot of explaining to do now anyway. There's no making matters worse. I hate all of them. Why should I stay inside tonight thinking about this until someone gets home? We're going to be up all night talking now anyway and I just want to be a kid who can go out and have fun with her friends.
I can do that.
My Mom may lose it with me, but I couldn't care less anymore. Why can't I act like a normal teenager? Why do my actions have to have the dramatic consequence of being forced to leave town when every other teenager would simply get grounded?
I still had Sebastian's copy of the Great Gatsby in my hand when Joe, Taylor and I walked to a stranger's party. Taylor and Joe knew something was up with me. They were so quiet with me as we walked to a stranger's party. Constant looks at each other gave away their concern. Did people think I was that stupid?
"Who's party is this anyway?" Taylor mumbled as we stopped in front of a large beach house Joe had taken us to. "Do we actually want to be at a party tonight?"
"If you're not up for it, you can go home," I replied.
I loved my friends, but Taylor didn't want to be here tonight. Usually, I'd feel more obligated to make sure she knows it's okay for us to go home if that's what she wants, but my job isn't the caring friend tonight. I want to forget about everything tonight.
"It's not about that, Charlie." Taylor turned to me, giving me a stern look. "You've dragged us out of the house and we've found some party to go to that we weren't even invited to."
I shrugged, "No one was invited. It was posted on social media. It was an open invitation."
Taylor nodded slowly and ran a hand through her sandy blonde hair. "Yes, but that's not my point. We've walked down the other end of the beach to get here. Yet, you've barely said a word to us the whole way here. Charlie, what's going on with you? You're upset about something, and I want to know what it is before we go into some random house party where we're surrounded by strangers that don't know or care about you. Don't you want to go somewhere quiet? We can grab some food and talk --"
