Beyond the Reasons || JUSTIN FOLEY

Thirty-Five

FLASHBACK
SUMMER BEFORE JUNIOR YEAR
JESSICA DAVIS' HOUSE
BEFORE THE ASSAULT AND ACCIDENT
THIRD PERSON'S POV

Imogen Jensen was still with Jessica Davis staying at her house, but tonight was her last night. Her parents and Clay got back from her grandparents house a week ago, but she told her mom that her and Jess were throwing a 'small' back to school party for them and their friends and asked if she could continue to stay with Jess until after the party, which her mother agreed to, so Imogen would be going home tonight.

It was only 6:55pm, and Jessica was about to get in the shower and start getting ready and Imogen was going to do that when she was done, but for now. Imogen, and her other two best guy friends Montgomery De La Cruz and Zach Dempsey were also at the house helping the two girls set up for the party, and then the doorbell rang.

"Don't worry, I got it!" Imogen said loud enough for Jessica to hear from her room, and Zach and Monty were standing in the kitchen with her, so they already heard her, and when she walked to the door, she was surprised at who was on the other side.

"Clay." She said to her twin brother.

"Is the party over?" Clay asked, looking around the empty house confused, and Imogen started to laugh. She couldn't help it, she thought her brother was so adorable when he didn't know social cues.

"The party hasn't even started yet. No one's going to be here for like another hour." Imogen said, and Clay raised an eyebrow.

"Oh. . but I. . I heard it started to seven." He said, and Imogen laughed.

"Well A, it's 6:55, and B, everyone knows that seven actually means nine. Didn't Jeff tell you to come here? Like. . he didn't tell you that you don't actually have to show up at 7 because no one is going to be here?" Imogen said, and Clay shrugged while laughing.

"Guess he left that part out." He said, and Imogen laughed, and that's when Clay noticed she wasn't even dressed for the party. She had on a pair of the soft shorts that you would sleep in and a regular t-shirt on. "Well, I can come back." Clay said, and Imogen shook her head.

"No, no. Stay. You can help." Imogen said, and Clay nodded his head as she stepped back and let him into the house, and when her brother walked past her, her nose immediately scrunched up because she could smell their dad's cologne radiating off of him and she shook her head.

"Geez, Clay, did you bathe in dad's cologne?" She asked, and Clay rolled his eyes, but his cheeks flushed up in embarrassment.

"Too much?" He asked, and she nodded her head.

"Way too much." She said, as she led him back to the kitchen where she once was, after Clay closed the door behind him. "Do you know how to tap a keg? Oh who am I kidding, of course you don't." Imogen said, right as they approached Monty and Zach who were holding a keg, to take it out to the back.

"Every guy is like, 'let's get a keg,' and when it's time to tap it. .-" Zach cut the brunette off.

". .-I told you it was the wrong kind of tap!" Zach said, and Imogen laughed, she knew that, but she just loved messing with him.

"I got this! Everybody settle!" Montgomery said as the two of them took the keg out back and Imogen laughed while shaking her head, and she picked up the two grocery bags full of chips and various other snacks as Clay was speaking.

"Uh. . I don't really know how to. .-" She cut her brother off.

". .-Relax. You can do snacks." She said, handing the bag to him.