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THE drive from the Fisher-Conklin's to Nicole's house was arguably the best part of the night. With Steven and Conrad in the backseat and Vivica in the passenger's side, she found herself laughing and enjoying herself the entire ride, the three boys more entertaining than any party could ever be.
Well, except for Conrad, who was still being oddly silent and moodier than usual. Vivica made a mental note to talk to him later about it.
She also needed to ask him about the sudden obsession with his death-sticks, or cigarettes, as they're more commonly known. He sat in the backseat with one between his lips now, blowing smoke out the open window as his friends chattered about.
Once they arrived at the party, Vivica would be lying if she said her mood didn't dip down. Couldn't they just spend the night driving about aimlessly, joking around and having stupid conversations in the confinement of the jeep's four walls, cutting them off from the real world? Of course not.
She walked into the house with Jeremiah's hand resting on the small of her back, leading the way.
And then, only four steps into the door, she was whisked away by Nicole, Gigi, and Dara— debutants and country club regulars.
"Vivica, hey!" They greeted her, waving the girl over and then eventually tugging her along by the wrist into a dining area when she hesitated. Jeremiah made a big, dramatic show about her already leaving him, but she knew he was probably relieved. The table in the center of the room she now found herself in was filled to the brim with desserts, the center focus being a birthday cake with 16 candles on the top. For Belly.
"Is Belly here yet? We saw Steven walk in with you guys." Nicole asked her, looking at the door from over the girl's shoulder.
"Uh, no. She and her friend rode with Cam. They shouldn't be too far behind us, though." Vivica answered, scratching the invisible itch on her neck.
Why was she here? Why had they dragged her into their clique of giggles and gossip?
"Perfect." The brunette nodded. "Now, we're dying to know— since when have you and Jeremiah Fisher been a thing?"
She asked it with such enthusiasm that anybody walking by could've mistaken them for friends. Vivica almost mistook them for friends.
Then, she quickly remembered the flurry of backstabbing and belligerence the previous summer had been with them and her senses returned, her guard back up like it hadn't even considered faltering.
But hey, what was the harm in being friendly? Besides, Gigi was standing right there with hawk-like eyes, just waiting to hear the story that Vivica couldn't want to rub right in her face.
