As an exchange student from Scotland, a whole new world opens up to Darren Green when he moves to the United States. He'll live with a host family, start at a new school, and he'll have to make new friends. However, what won't be a part of this new...
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FROM MILES AWAY, DARREN COULD hear the music coming from the mansion. Sound waves didn't seem to care that the windows were closed to keep all outside noise out, and they were set on destroying the eardrums of many teenagers tonight. And despite the fact that he should have been able to prepare himself for the volume when he'd first noticed the music minutes ago while still being far away from the music's source, he was still overwhelmed when he opened the passenger door of the white Kia. He had to suppress the need to put his fingers to his ears.
So, this was what people liked doing on Friday nights, he thought to himself. This was the American life.
Dakota got out of the car too, grinning from ear to ear as she looked up at the mansion she'd just parked in front of. Colorful lights were coming out of the windows on every floor, and they could see the shadows of people inside. The front doors of the huge building were wide open and Darren could just see how a couple disappeared behind them.
"Are you ready?" Dakota asked.
Would he ever be, he wondered. There was a reason he avoided parties: they were overwhelming. The combination of loud music, the flashing lights, and the sweating people always seemed to overpower him. How could he ever compete with such an intense environment? In situations like this, he didn't feel like he could be himself, no matter how hard he tried to prepare.
Dakota sensed his hesitation. "Now, we're here to have fun, all right?" she said.
Darren looked up to the building once again. The shadows of the people in the window seemed to have fun, and he should be able to have that feeling too. He pressed his lips together and nodded. "Yeah," he confirmed. "Let's have fun."
A big smile appeared on her face. "That's the spirit!" She put her arm around his shoulder and pulled him close, just for a second, before releasing him. "Let's go inside." With a few quick steps that had a happy bounce to them, she walked towards the entrance, and Darren followed.
The opening of the doors of the mansion let the music enter Darren's ears unfiltered, overwhelming him with its loudness, but all the other partygoers didn't seem to be affected by it as much as he was. Instead, it freed them, and their bodies moved loosely on the beat in a way that seemed to come naturally to them.
Dakota took Darren's hand while she found her way to the crowd, as if she knew exactly where she was going. Darren didn't mind it; he was just happy he couldn't lose her this way. The only reason he was even going to this party was her.
She turned around to him and said something, but her voice got drowned out by the rhythmic sounds.
"What?" Darren yelled.
"Can't – without a drink!" Half of her sentence was still inaudible, but that didn't matter; he knew what she meant. She wanted to start off the night with some alcohol and he didn't think it unreasonable if he was offered some too.
