Cuddle Application

6 - Alcoholics go to Meetings, Drunks go to Parties

"Me? I go wherever the wind blows...and wherever the whiskey shots are half price."

~Nicki Elson

➳♀♁➳

"That'll be five dollars."

Josh dug into the pocket of his swim trunks and pulled out some bills, while I grabbed the two smoothies from the counter. He handed the money over to the cashier, grabbing two straws and placing his other hand on the small of my back. He led me across the little shop until we reached our signature corner table.

"Come here, you love birds," Lina squealed. I smiled at her attempt of acceptance and tried to ignore the eye roll that Cora gave me. I slid into the round table next to Park, shoving him lightly down the cushioned seat to make room for Josh.

"Watch it, asscrack," he remarked with a smirk.

"Move, you fatass," I replied. Josh handed me a thick pink straw, and I pounded it on the table until it split through the top of the wrapper.

"Let me guess," Park started, lifting a sculpted eyebrow, "strawberry-mango?"

I grinned and shoved the straw into the orange mixture, sucking down the cool smoothy.

"So predictable," Park said, shaking his head. "I'm disappointed." I shoved his shoulder and laughed. I glanced around the table at the rest of the crew – my brother, James, who had made a rare appearance with my "young" group of friends to hang with Park, Cora, Lina, Lina's boyfriend Scott, two girls from the cheer squad whom I didn't know by name, and Josh. This was the first time I'd been in the same room as these new cheerleaders and knew they were only hanging out with our group to get closer to either Josh or Park, two-star members of the football team.

This was our usual Wednesday night hangout spot – Peaches and Creamery, the all-things-sweets shop off the main downtown strip. It stood near the small boardwalk of the lake, making it a considerable summertime attraction. Albeit the cold weather, my friends and I – and whoever wished to join – gathered at the shop even during the winter to hang out, do homework, talk about the dramatic life of being a teen, etc. Now that it was starting to get warmer, the small building was slowly getting busier and busier every week.

It always smelled of sugar and milk, so sweet it seemed like you could lick the air and taste vanilla. Decked out with plush, neon-colored booths and barstools, Peaches and Creamery was the opposite of Fran's – all modern. Without a doubt, they sold the best smoothies in a thousand-mile radius.

I figured it was a good a time as any to mention the party.

I attempted one of those formal wedding announcements, where you clink a knife on a wineglass, but my finger didn't have the same effect as I tapped it on the side of my plastic smoothie cup, oddly enough, so I settled for a, "Yo, guys!"

Immediately, all the heads at the table faced me. I cleared my throat and gathered my most authoritative voice and said, "If you've got plans this Friday, cancel them. We're going to a party."

Park, the ever-loving party-goer, whooped in delight, James muttered something about plans with Ashley, Cora wiggled her eyebrows, and Lina squealed.

"I'm so in," Cora said. "And I plan on breaking my How-Many-Guys-Can-I-Make-out-with-Tonight record."

Park groaned, "God, I did not want to hear that. Sis, cool it."

I laughed and turned to Josh to see his reaction. He was facing one of the cheerleaders, engrossed in what looked like a serious conversation. My interest was piqued, and I bit my lip, studying the girl. Upon first glance, she looked like the traditional Hollywood cheerleader – perfectly curled blonde hair, manicured nails, and fake lashes.