Chapter 5: Cause We're High

The frat house we end up at is different than the night before, but more so the same. Drunken bodies are on the front lawn, same as before, and it's a variation of the same situations. I'm beginning to think these parties are exactly the same with different locations.

Last night we left around the same time, so I decided to ride with Amy and Cole in his car to the frat house. Rachel left with Brandon after we got ready, and Ralph said he'd be here a little later. He said he had a few things to do, accompanied with a wink to the other two guys. It's pretty obvious what he was hinting at, and the eye roll from Amy mostly confirmed it.

I should get with her and see if she wants to do anything about that. I can see the way they've looked at each other since I've met them. Anyone with a clear pair of eyes can see the chemistry and feeling going on between them.

My confidence is up there tonight as well. The dress I wore is my own, it's all black like the one of Rachel's, only it's sleeveless and the material is more like elastic, making the dress cling to my skin. It's a dress Lucy made me pack the night before I left. She said it would come in handy if I met someone or decided to go to a party.

Looks like option two made it eligible.

For the make up I went light. I let Rachel do it again, but only had her put on eyeliner, mascara, and lip gloss. My skin tone is clear enough that I didn't really need the foundation, and I did away with all the blush and eyeshadow because I want to look more myself tonight. And I'm usually all natural with light mascara to highlight my eyes.

Clad in my combat boots, I enter with Amy and Cole into the house. I keep noticing how Cole's gaze flickers to me again and again. I noticed it in his car too, he'd sneak a glance in his rear view mirror and I'd pretend I didn't notice.

I can't really say anything though, I've been looking at him too.

He's wearing a solid black shirt and black skinny jeans with rips in the knees. The way the v neck tightens on his chest has my mind in the gutter. I'll never forget how he looked when he saw me come out of the bathroom. His eyes darkened and he smirked at the way the material hugged my body.

He couldn't keep his eyes off of me, and that gave me the most blissful satisfaction, despite my pondering annoyance toward his snarky and bitchy attitudes.

However, on some of it, I just can't help but laugh.

The same aromas invade my third sense once we're fully inside the house. As multiple bodies begin brushing up and bumping against mine, I begin rethinking the whole idea of me coming.

Amy smiles mischievously at me and grabs my arm to pull me toward the kitchen area.

"You're so getting drunk tonight," She tells me in my ear as an array of dark and light liquor bottles flood my line of vision.

I shake my head decisively. "Nada. I don't drink."

She pouts, "Why not? Please?"

"Princess." I hear someone grumble under their breath. I turn, glaring at Cole.

"Social Reject." I hiss, facing Amy again. Her pout is still present.

"It's just not me. I haven't had-"

"You're such a square," I get cut off by the same voice.

Cole steps beside us and sends me a devious smirk. He's trying to get a rise from me.

I snicker. "I'm not a square. Not everyone likes to drink, Cole."

"What has poor alcohol done to you?" He juts his bottom lip out mockingly.

I ignore how attractive that is.

More than you need to know. I want to add, but bite my tongue to stop the words.

"Nothing. If I don't want to drink I don't have to." I say instead.

"Like I said. Square." He hums, laughing at the annoyed expression on my face.

It's not even really him that's annoying me. It's the images that stem from his words as he says them.

"I'm kidding. I really couldn't give a shit less if you drink."

"Ditto. So get out of my face."

I smile the biggest fake smile I can muster.

Cole just chuckles and throws his head back. "you're so amusing."

"Wish I could say the same," I sigh dramatically, "but sadly I'm coherent enough to spot a dumbass from a mile away."

My voice is dripping with sarcasm, and when I think I pissed him off, he doubles over in laughter and clutches his stomach.

"Where did you pick up such a smartass personality?" He asks, still laughing.

"Been with me for nineteen years. Nice to meet you," I extend my hand with a straight face to further my response.

I'm kind of glad and kind of shocked that he finds my jokes funny. A lot of people misunderstand sarcasm for being rude, and when someone actually gets it, it makes for the most interesting conversations.

He takes my hand, just to go along with the joke and chuckles.

"So are we getting drunk or not?"

Amy comes back into my view and Cole and I drop our hands simultaneously.

"Pass." I say at the same time Cole says, "Absolutely."

"I'm gonna go find Rachel and everyone else."

I point my thumb behind me and press my lips together awkwardly. I don't want to sit here and just watch them, for one it's weird and for two it makes my stomach queze. Plus, I'd really like to not repeat what happened last night.

"Wait stay!" Amy puts her hand on mine. "We could play a drinking game?" She suggests.

"I'm not drinking." I deadpan, not seeing her logic.

"True but it could be fun?" She looks between Cole and I.

"I think I'll pass." I mumble, looking with longing at the doorway to another room.

"Why? You scared?"

I shake my head at Cole, eyes trained on the close but too far exit.

"Truth or Dare. Come on. One round." She continues to try to persuade me.

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"But drinking games are the best. Especially when it's alcohol."

"I'm not drinking," I repeat myself yet again.

"Just let her go, Amy. There's no point in making her stay," Cole intervenes. I mentally thank him until I see the way he's eyeing me. As if I'm some boring dweeb.

"I'm gonna go smoke outside. How about we play it out there?" I suggest.

As long as I can't witness their drinking, a game doesn't sound horrible.

"Totally!" Amy exclaims and sets down an empty shot glass.

I cringe inwardly when I see Cole grab a bottle of Vodka and follow us out.

"You aren't invited," I say to him over the overbearing, overrated music.

He rolls his eyes, "Too bad. I already invited myself."

I don't reply to that.

Instead, I follow Amy till we're outside. We went through the back, so it's relatively empty with a few people here and there. We all take a seat at a table that was an umbrella lounging in the middle, angled to shade over all of us simultaneously, despite the fact that the sky is pitch black at this time of night.

I reach into the hand clutch I brought and unravel my dime bag. I take out the pack of blunt wraps I secured inside and set it aside until I have all the ganja broken apart. From there, it's a series of breaking the paper apart, assembling the weed inside, and dampening and tightening and rolling until the blunt is fully ready to be lit.

Thinking, I decide to roll another and throw away the empty wrap pouch.

"You sure know your stuff, huh?" Amy asks as she watches me roll the last one and seal it with a final touch of my tongue.

I look up at her.

She and Cole are both watching the movements my hands are making and flicking from there to my face.

"I'm so so," I say, pulling out my handy Bic lighter. It's got my Horoscope on it. "It took me awhile to learn actually."

"Well the time paid off because you seem good at it." I smile at the compliment and set flame to one end of the blunt.

"Okay, who wants to go first?" I ask, looking between the two people in front of me.

When no one answers I smirk. "Rock, paper, scissors?" I suggest.

The blunt pinched between my fingers, I take a hit and scoot forward to meet them in the middle.

"Rock. Paper. Scissors. Shoot!" We all speak at the same time.

Amy chooses paper while Cole and I choose scissors. Amy smiles in triumph and leans back into her seat.

"Just you and me." Cole smirks.

"Rock. Paper. Scissors. Shoot." I tumble out a rock and Cole goes with paper. I pout my lip while he smiles wide in triumph. I don't know why, he has to go first now.

His smirk is evil, completely sadistic.

I pass the blunt to Amy and keep eye contact with him. I know he's going to try to mess with me. I can see it in his eyes. I give him a look that says 'bring it on' and lean back against the back of my chair.

"Truth or Dare, Amara?"

My own smirk etches on to my lips, "Dare."

"Hmm. Interesting. Let's see..." He taps his fingers over his mouth in contemplation.

"I dare you to take your bra off under your shirt until the game is over."

My lips part, "You perv." I insult him but do as told.

I never back down from a dare.

I pull my arms into my dress, the task proving to be difficult as I maneuver around the tight material. I unsnap my bra clasp and slip the straps under my arms. I pull the bra from my dress and toss it onto the table.

I take notice of how his eyes linger on the black lace material and then travel to my chest.

I gesture to Cole when Amy holds the blunt out to me.

"Your turn," Amy says, coughing.

"Amy, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

I think long and hard. Finally, I come up with one. A simple one.

"Have you ever woken up to a stranger in your bed?"

A blush colors her cheeks and she pees her lips together. Cole looks over at her when she doesn't respond. "Well, have you?"

She looks embarrassed and I kind of want to take back the question, but I'm too curious to know her answer.

"Once." She answers finally.

"Once what?" We all turn and see the rest of the group approaching us.

Ralph sits between Amy and I and looks at her questionably.

"Once what?" He asks her again.

"She woke up to a stranger in her bed." Cole answers for her.

He passes the blunt back to me and I offer it to Ralph. He takes it, inhaling sharply. His expression went from comfortable to stiff with those words.

"What are you guys doing?" Rachel asks.

"Playing Truth or Dare," I reply casually.

"Whose bra?"

"Mine." I mumble, face heated.

"Why...?" Brandon raises a brow.

"I dared her to," Cole interjects.

I hastily take my bra from the table and fold it into my lap.

"So, whose turn is it now?"

"Mine." Amy answers Rachel. "You guys wanna play?"

They all agree.

I look around the table in thought as the game continues.

The blunt burns out after a few more passes around and I light the second one but pass it to my right this time, to Brandon.

Cole catches my eye, his lips sipping from the Vodka bottle he grabbed earlier. My stomach clenches with unease.

"Amara truth or dare?" The question causes me to look away from him.

I focus on Rachel. "Uh, truth."

"How many people have you spent with?" She asks. Everybody has been asking these types of questions. The game has taken a turn into the dirty version of Truth or Dare.

The inquest has my mind reeling. I feel my neck hairs prick by just the thought of him. No, he can't get to you. My mind reassures me. I blow out in relief and try to temper my raging thoughts, my memories.

"She's probably a virgin. Look how long it's taken her to reply," Cole laughs and I'm ripped from my own head.

"No I'm not." I stutter. The tremble in my voice makes my answer sound unconvincing.

"Really? Don't sound so sure."

"I've slept with one person." I admit finally, looking at the bra in my lap.

"Was it fun?" Rachel pries and continues to question.

I shake my head, "I don't wanna talk about it."

"Sore spot?"

I only nod.

"Girl, I know the feeling. I remember this guy-"

"Let's just continue with the game," Brandon interrupts, sending a glare to his girlfriend.

I don't blame him. I wouldn't want to know who my significant other has been with, let alone the details of it.

"Well," Rachel pouts, looking innocently at him, "Amara it's your turn."

"Cole," I call, averting my gaze once again. "Truth or Dare?"

"Dare." His knowing smirk sends an unwelcome tingle down my spine.

I rack through all the dares I could utter, focusing primarily on the embarrassing ones.

As soon as one crosses my mind I make eye contact with him.

"I dare you to go to the nearest neighbor and ask them if they have a spare condom..." I trail off, wanting to make it more tortuous. "Wearing only your underwear."

I notice the way his lips part in shock, but he quickly recovers and smirks back at me.

His reaction helps push my past to the deepest depths of my memory. My racing heart calms to a steady beat.

He stands, his fingers already at the hem of his black shirt. He shows no shame as he undresses slowly, fluidly, his eyes never leaving mine. I don't let my eyes linger down his body like they want to, but I do give him a once over, the corner of my mouth lifting slightly at the sight of his dark, deep tattoos.

Once he's fully half naked, he sends me a wink before sauntering over to the nearest house.

"I'm so recording this!" Ralph whisper-shouts and takes out his phone.

We all stand at the same time and follow him, being extra careful to stay quiet and unnoticed.

Ralph holds his phone up and records as soon as Cole makes it to the front door. He lifts one hand to knock and waits for someone to open the door.

Considering we're all more than a little high, the situation proves to be more humorous than if we were sober. I can't help the giggles that float past my lips, and in turn, it makes everyone laugh a little too.

The door finally opens and Cole smiles crookedly. "Hey dude, you have a spare condom?" He asks non chalantly, going as far as to place one hand against the door frame and another on his hip. He crosses his legs and awaits for his answer.

We can't see the person on the other side, and they mutter a response before slamming the door directly in his face. The look on Cole's says more than we need; it wasn't a nice reply.

"Screw you!" He shouts.

Everyone is doubled over in laughter, the high adding fuel to our tickled minds.

He notices us as he walks back toward the back yard and stops cold in his tracks. As his eyes trail to the phone in Ralph's hand, a flush overtakes his face.

"That was hilarious! What did the person say?" He asks between bellows of laughter. His ongoing reaction only prolongs the rest of ours and we all laugh harder.

Cole huffs dramatically, "She said that I'm proof that evolution can go in reverse."

That only spurs this tirade further and Ralph is on the ground laughing in no time.

"What?" I laugh, "That's hilarious!"

I giggle, clutching my side. I know my face must be beet red, but I can't stop. It's obvious nobody can either because Brandon clenches his side as well and doubles over. Amy and Rachel hold each others shoulders as a means to hold themselves up.

Cole glares at me, not finding humor in our laughter.

"Fuck you. She was a snobby old bitch and you are the whole reason that even occurred."

"Your welcome." I smile sarcastically, still giggling.

"It wasn't even that funny. Why are you all still laughing?" He asks, looking between all of us.

"Cause we're high!" Brandon chimes.

Ralph gathers himself and lifts from the ground. He takes his phone and brightens the screen, facing it toward Cole. "Look. Dude, it is funny. It's fucking whole laughter worthy."

I can hear the video, and Cole's face slowly spreads out into a grin as he watches it.

His own laughter emerges into the air and we're all laughing together before we realize it.

It takes a while before we all calm down, and when Ralph replays the video over and over, we dissolve into fits once more.

"Well this has been fun," I say as I plop back into my seat.

I lean my back against the chair, wiping at my hot face.

"Definitely. I'm glad we met." Amy adds.

"For sure."

"Totally."

"You're alright."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves."

Everyone puts in their input.

Cole and I make eye contact. "You're not so peachy either." I make sure to keep a straight face as I say it.

Despite the insult, I can't find the annoyance that should accompany it. I always get that way when I'm high.

By his lousy grin, I can tell he does too.

"And put some clothes on. Nobody wants to see that."

"I'm not hearing any complaints." He retorts but stands anyway.

On cue it seems, the guys start saying something.

"Dude my girlfriend is out here,"

"Gross. My eyes,"

"Oh, grow up. It's not like I was stark naked. And Rachel has seen a male body before. Didn't she have a fling with that one guy from Comp last year before you guys got it on?" Cole jokes, earning himself a punch in the arm.

"I can prove it if you want-"

"Relax. I know you have a dick and balls. No need to whip it out."

Everyone around the table chuckles.

Cole proceeds to assemble on his clothing.

Conversation continues, and a slight breeze brushes through the surrounding trees. I shiver slightly and move to sit up straight.

He catches my gaze for what seems to be the millionth time tonight and I see a darker look in his eyes. He trails them lower to my chest and without thinking, I look down.

My nipples are peaked from the breeze. The hardened pebbles are prominent and erect, standing perky under the dark fabric of my dress. The tightness of my dress does not help my case.

I bite my lip and glance up at him again. He licks his lip, running his tongue slowly across the skin, but he shakes his head and looks away. He runs a hand through his hair, taking in a deep breath.

His focus turns to everyone else.

I follow his lead and engross myself back into the conversation.

"You guys wanna go back inside?" I interrupt Ralph's interesting story about a candy store and some random busty cashier.

Amy sends me a grateful smile that's laced with undertones of jealousy and annoyance.

"Nobody wants to hear you talk about how she 'licked your lollipop'." I joke but in all reality, I can see how upset it's making Amy and I wanna divert the attention.

As if I really want to go inside.

Rachel and Brandon take the lead, their fingers laced.

I have one goal on my mind as we make our way back inside.

Where's a bathroom? I silently ask myself.

I need to put this bra back on.