The Senior Trip

Chapter 24

ASHER

The small pick-up truck bounces over the gravel and water-dug dips in the road as Harper and I try to stop laughing. I've never ridden in the bed of a truck before, but apparently, this is a normal way to get around in this part of town. We aren't alone, six other kids are back here with us, hanging on and remaining much calmer than we are.

"I should have slowed down," Harper tells me as she lifts a tequila bottle to her mouth a takes another swig. I take it from her and drink a little over a shot's worth.

"Just saying that isn't going to help now," I say and laugh. "It's too late. We are totally wasted."

"Maybe we should drink some water," she says concerned.

I give her the "really?" expression. We are definitely not headed to a place with bottled water. We aren't going to a hotel or anywhere that's used to having travelers. As a matter-of-fact, I'm not exactly sure where we are headed.

"Where are we going?" I ask her.

She shrugs and then squints her eyes as if trying to think very hard. "A party. Someone's wedding."

"Quinceanera," a fellow teen rider tells us. "Not wedding."

"That's right!" I exclaim.

The road is dark and it's hard to make out anything but the ray of the tail lights as we make our way down the old dirt road. I would rather be here than back at the bar. Watching Jess dance with strangers was too much for me. My heart felt like it was turning to stone in my chest and the weight of it was then making it hard for my lungs to expand. In short, it was killing me. Or maybe I was being a little dramatic thanks to the haze of the alcohol. In any case, best we got out of there.

"You guys go to these parties a lot?" Harper asks.

"Not as much as the year we turned fifteen," he answers, motioning for the tequila.

"That makes sense," she says.

"Have you ever been to one?" he asks, wiping the drops of alcohol from his lips with the back of his hand. These kids are being super generous with the liquor.

"No," she answers.

"Yes," I tell him. He's obviously shocked to hear that.

"For real?" he asks.

"Yeah, man. A friend of my family had one about a year ago. I was part of the court." Flashes of the dance rehearsals and fancy suit play in my mind.

"Well, this one will be huge. She's from a very wealthy family. We aren't part of it, but the whole school got invited." He hands the bottle back to me and I tip it back. The stars in the sky seem to streak as my eyes try to follow my movement.

"That's cool," Harper says, holding out her hand to let me know she calls dips on the next drink. "Fifteen was a pretty boring year for me. I think I went out to dinner with my parents. I don't even remember what I got as a gift." Her words are slow and deliberate like she's having to think hard about each one.

"I went to a skate park with my friends," I share. I used to be really into that, but not anymore.

"We're here," he says. The truck pulls to a stop and rocks back slightly. All the teens in the bed with us jump over the side.

I roll to my knees. Turns out I'm a little drunker than I think. When I finally make it to my feet, I hold out my hand to help Harper up.

"Woo," she says as I lift her. "I think I have the spins already."

"Can you make it out of the truck?" I ask. I don't really have a plan for if she says no. I guess we could just hang out here and sleep until the party is over.

"Yep." She says. Then a tiny hiccup escapes her lips and she slams her hand over her mouth. Her eyes are wide as she looks at me in horror.

"What just happened?" I ask with a chuckle.

"I hiccupped. OMG, I didn't think I drank that much." Hiccup.

"Pull yourself together, Harper," I fake scold.

"Come on guys," Gorge says as he motions for us to come inside the house. The music is already blaring and I come to the conclusion the fancy ceremonial part of the evening has past and now it's just a full-blown party.

"I can't wait!" Harper squeaks.

"I have a bad feeling about this," I tell her as I jump out of the truck and then hold my arms out for her to fall into.

"Don't be a party pooper Ashner. Ashter. Asher. Jesus!" She hiccups and covers her mouth again as she giggles.

"Just Asher was fine," I say with a wink.

She's adorable...and wasted. 

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