Black Honey

thirteen

The next day approached like a blizzard and I hadn't had enough time to mentally process that I had been roped into a Kiszka party. When I was in high school, Kiszka parties were infamous for wild nights with police showing up every single time. I, of course, was never invited to Kiszka parties. I was pretty much on the sidelines. I was a band kid, and I didn't really talk to many people outside of it. Meg was the only exception because we had been friends since we were kids. We were practically inseparable. I anxiously sipped my coffee that morning. I didn't really have anything to do school work wise, so I had no clue what to do with my day. I decided to do laundry, but then about halfway through, I called Meg and asked her to meet me at the diner where we used to hang out. 

"OMG Y/N, I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE BACK IN TOWN, I NEED ALL THE COLLEGE DEETS PRONTO" Meg screamed. 

"Okay okay, sit down cause it's a long story." I laughed. 

I told her everything that happened--How Sam and Danny both ended up at the same college as me, how I actively avoided Sam, and my one night with Danny (including how he never called me back. I told her about Jake coming over and telling me I'm coming to the party at theirs tonight and that I need to make amends with Sam. 

"Jake seems to be there for you quite a bit, why don't you just go for him?" she said, raising her eyebrows. 

"I'm not into Jake that way, plus its kind of messed up because that's Sam's brother. What about you? I need all the deets too." 

She filled me in on how she broke up with her high school boyfriend before they left for college because she caught him cheating, and how she pretty much hasn't been with anyone since. Relationship or otherwise. 

"Okay, sounds like you're coming to this party with me tonight then." I said. 

"No, Y/N, I can't" she said, nervously. 

"Come on, we can go for a bit and then leave and have a girl's night. How does that sound?" 

"Alrightttt" she whined. 

I smiled. 

"No fuckin way, Y/N??" Ronnies voice came from around the corner. 

"Ronnie fuckin Kiszka" I laughed. 

"My kid brother won't shut up about you since he got back from college." 

"Wait, wait, you moved back home??" I asked. 

"Yup, Jake convinced me." She nodded. 

"Jake is really persuasive when he wants to be. Why are you still working here then?" 

"Gives me something to do, plus I've been working here so long, these guys are like my family." 

I nodded in understanding. 

"So what can I get you guys? Chocolate shakes and fries?" She asks 

We smiled and nodded. It was nice to see Ronnie, it had been a while. I felt better about going to the party after I found out that she moved back in, kind of like I had her and Jake to protect me from any stupid shit Sam did. Which I knew he would do. 

*** 

By the time we left the diner, it was already 6. The party wouldn't be starting until 9 so we had lots of time to go around and visit all the places that we used to go. It looked like another life. All these places that we hadn't seen in a while, dusted with snow. It was like going up to your attic and finding all your childhood toys blanketed in cobwebs, dust caking every crevice. I was feeling oddly nostalgic about this place. My life was elsewhere and I forgot about all the good memories, as I had only took the pain along with me when I left. Around 8, we went back to my grandparent's house. There was no way that we were going to show up right at 9, giving Sam tons of time to talk to me. I didn't want to really face him sober. We started getting ready the way Meg and I do. We blasted all the songs we used to love as kids while we did our makeup, hair, etc. Pausing to do occasional sock slides and singing into hairbrushes. By the time we were all ready it was about 9:40. I took a deep breath and did a once over at myself in the mirror. I had definitely lost a lot of weight since getting to college and you could tell. I felt smaller, weaker. I tried to cover it in beautiful folds of black and silver fabric, but it was kind of hard to hide. I threw on a leather jacket and decided that was better. The full outfit of black jeans, a black/silver tank, leather jacket and ankle boots made me feel more confident than I had in a while and I thanked Meg for her wonderful taste in clothing. 

We got to the party and I was instantly overwhelmed. There were people everywhere. How does someone know this many people? As soon as I got into the party, my eyes started scanning for Jake or Ronnie. Instead, the first person I found was Sam. The smirk that instantly lit up his face was a bit revolting. He made his way over to us, running his hands through his hair. He knew he was hot, which was what made me so upset. His floral button up and red leather jacket made me hate him even more. 

"Nice to see you Y/N" He said. 

"Sam" I said, blandly. 

"I didn't think you'd show." 

"I wouldn't have if it weren't for Jake." 

I realized the way it sounded, but I didn't bother to correct myself just to see the reaction I could get from him. 

"Oh, you guys close now?" 

"What's it to you, Sam?" 

"Can't have me so you go to my brother? Real classy, Y/N." 

"You know what Sam? There's nothing going on between Jake and I, and he has been pretty damn adamant about getting us back together, but I remembered why we broke it off to begin with. You're a jackass. Stay the hell away from me." I said, pushing past him into the crowd. 

**SAM'S POV**

Stupid, stupid. You could've charmed her, but instead you basically called her a slut. Good going. 

As if he had heard his name, Jake appeared beside me. 

"Dude, what happened?" 

"I basically just called her a slut and she told me to stay the hell away from her."  

"What the hell Sam. I invited her here so that you two could patch things up." 

"Are you sure? cause it sounded like you wanted to get with her." 

"Dude trust me, I want you guys back together more than anything. Besides, I already have my eyes on someone else." 

I looked at him and raised my eyebrows, he motioned over to Meg. 

"I'll help you and you help me. Deal?" I asked. 

He nodded and made his way to Y/N. This was going to be a long night.