State of Love and Distrust

May 1992: Part II

Our late-night odyssey took us from the bright and bustling Hollywood to the moonlit eerie hills above the city. The area we were cruising through was devoid of life but filled with mansions and forests, the mansions occasionally emanating an orange glow from the inside. Most of the homes we couldn't see outright, but they teased us from beneath large swaths of foliage.

Dianne and I admired LA glittering down below with its twinkling lights, antsy little cars, and shadows of majestic palm trees. Just a few weeks ago, I was riding the bus, wondering what was up in the hills, and now I was high above the city, getting ready to sit pretty in a mansion with rockstars. And less than two weeks ago, a good portion of LA was up in smoke. Life was weird like that. I guess that's the funny thing about LA. You never know where you'll end up, or who you'll rub elbows with.

Kim drove, unphased by the scenery while Marcy rode shotgun.

"Thank you both for inviting us along!" I said. "I'm a bit nervous, but I'm sure it will be fun."

Marcy turned back to me and reached her hand out. I grabbed it. "No problemo! You girls are cool. Everyone at the party will be cool. No need to worry!"

Dianne put her head on my shoulder, also taking the moment to console me. As she did that, I felt my beeper buzz again. I ignored it once more.

"Alright," Kim yelled. "We're almost there! Get ready to party!"

All four of us screamed in unison. Kim rolled the window down as she turned into a dark driveway. I could hear the faint sound of music in the distance. As we drove further down, I could see a massive Tudor-style mansion, and a small army of cars already parked on the outside. There was a fancy gate too, but it was already wide open, and there were no other houses close by. It was probably too much of a pain in the ass for someone to listen out for the speaker.

The music grew louder as we drove closer. After a bit of struggling, Kim finally parked and led us up the steep slope to the house. All of a sudden, I remember the bag Carl had given me.

"I got some weed," I said. "Our friend gave us some."

"Alright!" said Marcy. "Would love to share!"

Carl had carefully packed some nugs and placed a cute little red pipe in the bag. I pulled out some of the weed and packed a bowl, then I tried to light it. The wind kept snuffing out the flame. Dianne took the lighter out of my hand, setting fire to the contents of the pipe while it was still in my mouth. I took the first drag, attempting to inhale my anxiety away.

Kim, breathing heavily, said, "There's a lot of crazy personalities in there, but be cool."

I passed the pipe over to her. As we walked up the hill, the four of us took turns puffing.

As we walked, we were eagerly anticipating what the rest of the night had in store. Kim, obviously the fearless leader, went up to the door first after patting her shaggy blonde hair and dusting off her dress. Now, the music was blaring. I noticed that the door was slightly ajar. Kim shoved it open, unafraid of the mysteries that lie behind it. My stomach was doing backflips. Dianne, usually a chatterbox, wasn't saying a word.

We followed Kim into a glitzy foyer, with a black and white checkered floor, and a winding staircase. There was a small cluster of people, engaged in lively conversation.

As if she sensed new guests, a brown-haired pixie of a woman spun around and fixated her eyes on us, and smiled. She was a head-turner for sure. I could tell that she was one of those girls that could get anyone to eat out of the palm of her hand. Heck, at that moment, I really wanted her to like me.

"Layne! Come here! Remember Kim and Marcy? They're here!... And they brought some cute friends!"

She gave Dianne and me a flirty smile. It was strange, but I blushed a bit. The Pixie Woman rushed over to Marcy and Kim and greeted them both with hugs and kisses on the cheek. Then she made her way over to Dianne and me and did the same. There was a little fire on my skin where her lips were.