Don't Get Angry

39- Dalta: Bad Idea

I walked into the party with my head down and my eyes scanning the house. It was big just like most of the other houses around it. Chad held my hand and immediately started to pull me around. He took me to a group of guys standing in the living room, then let go of my hand. I stood alone, watching him talk to his friends. I looked down at my phone. Ethan hadn't replied to my text. I sighed then looked up at Chad. He was gone. I looked at his group of friends. One of them began to make his way over to me and I quickly rushed out of the living room to look for Chad.

He stood near the entrance talking to a girl who'd just arrived. A girl I immediately recognized by her bobbing blonde hair. Chad touched her hair and tucked it behind her ear. She slapped his hand away then put her hands on her hips. I walked over to them with clasped hands. I stood beside Chad. "Hi," I said, trying my best to smile.

The girl looked at Chad then at me. She nodded. "Okay, Dalta," she said my name correctly, smirking at Chad. "I see you've downgraded. That's unfortunate. If only you knew." She sipped her drink from her little red cup and stared at Chad over the brim.

I looked up at Chad with wide eyes.

He bit the corner of his bottom lip and squinted at her. He opened his mouth to say something, then we heard shouting coming from the front door. It was Taylor. Chad groaned and walked away. I stared at Taylor.

Sutton touched my shoulder. "Hey."

I looked at her.

"I-uh." She tucked her thumbs in the pockets of her shorts. "I'm sorry."

I squinted my eyes at her.

"I thought you were some kind of jerk who hurt my best friend. She kinda labeled you as some sort of bad guy to me." She looked at me. "She told me you were threatening her and trying to steal Otis. I didn't think it was the other way around."

My brows fell. "I don't understand."

She jerked her head forward and scoffed. "It's obvious that you and Otis are really close. She was just jealous. She gets obsessed because she has issues," Sutton giggled and rolled her eyes. "I told her to break up with him. Hopefully she listens." She looked at the door way. "See? I'm sure she's moved on already."

I quickly turned around. Taylor walked into the house with a guy in a mask behind her. Before I could get a good look at him, Chad stood behind me, and threw his arm over my shoulder. I took out my phone and texted Otis. He didn't take long to reply.

Otis: No. I'm not at any frat party. I would never go to one of those.

I looked around. Otis was short. Taylor had to be really into short guys to cheat on him with someone the exact same height as him. I shoved my phone in my pocket then sighed. "I'm going to get a drink."

"A drink?" Chad chuckled. "You?"

"I mean..." I held my tongue. That wasn't what I meant. I meant something to drink. I sighed then looked at him and Sutton; a teasing smile her face. "Does killing my liver make me cool-"

They both burst out laughing. "She sounds exactly like Otis," Chad joked. He leaned closer to Sutton and held her shoulder. "You should hear the kid when he's with my sister. Don't do this. Don't do that. More of her father than her own."

"That little thing?" Sutton snickered. "Honestly not surprised. Like they say; the shorter you are..."

I rolled my eyes then I pulled away from Chad and started heading towards the kitchen. My phone buzzed. I took it out of my pocket and looked it.

Otis: Did you see her with someone at school or something?

I squeezed my phone then aggressively stuffed it in my pocket. The kitchen was crowded. I pushed through the crowd then froze when I saw the large can of beer. A boy stood with something like a hose in his mouth chugging it down. A group cheered him on. I stepped backwards, then pushed my way back out of the crowd. My phone knocked my leg, vibrating with more texts from Otis. I groaned then took it out.

Otis: Please. I need to know.

I looked around for Taylor. She stood pulling the guy along. He was looking at his phone. I squinted at them. The flashing, colorful lights made it hard for me to figure out the color of his hair, but it was curly. He shoved his phone in his back pocket. They walked into the living room. I was following them until Sutton stood in front of me. She held her hand out infront of me. "Here." A little pink pill was set in the palm of her hand.

"What's..." I gulped. "What's that?"

"Just take it."

I looked at Chad. He nodded, a slight smile on his face that he seemed to be trying to hide. I slowly took it out of Sutton's hand then stared at it between my fingers. It looked smooth and little specks of dark pink were all over it like dots.

"You're supposed to eat it-"

"I know," I blurted out, trembling from fear. I didn't know what it was. I didn't know what it would do to me. I looked at Chad. He and Sutton were snickering. I was desperate. I needed to keep him at the party. I doubted he would give me anything that would cause me any harm, right? I slowly put the pill on my tongue then prepared to swallow it. I froze. The sweet and sour flooded my taste buds. "Is this...," I chewed, "candy?"

They both began to laugh, screaming and clutching their chests.

"I was about to swallow it!"

"You wouldn't have died," Sutton assured me as if that wasn't obvious. "Chad said you were uptight. I bet you weren't as bad as he says you are."

I looked over at Chad. He was staring at some girl as she walked by.

Sutton touched my shoulder. "Look, this just proves you're willing to step out of your shell."

I glared at her. "Can I use the bathroom?"

She laughed. "I didn't know I held the key to your bladder-"

I immediately walked away.

I slipped through the crowd feeling my head getting lighter and lighter. My stomach was beginning to turn...I was getting sick. I leaned against a wall and held my chest, taking a long deep breath. Someone suddenly touched my shoulder. He lifted his sheep mask. "Hey."

My eyes shot wide. "Ethan? What are you doing here? You're supposed to-"

"I told Peter to do it."

"WHAT!"

"It's going to be fine. He knows the place better than I do-"

"The place? You mean Chad's room, right?"

Ethan stared at me not saying a thing.

"Oh my-" I held my head. "We have to call him. Tell him not to do it."

Ethan shook his head. "Dalta, Betty needs the money-"

"CALL IT OFF!" I screamed. "RIGHT NOW!"

Ethan shook his head, then took his phone out and called Peter.

I stood with folded arms, waiting to hear him tell Peter to stop when...

"DON'T MAKE ME STRAIGHTEN YOUR TEETH, RICH BOY!"

I quickly turned to the shouting. "Otis?"