Page 30 of False Idols

“Ooookay,” I hedge as I watch her pace. “What’s that got to do with the party?”

“If I’m staying here I need to learn to be as fucked up as the locals. If they party, I party.” She stops and points a finger at me. “We party.”

A group of girls passes and when one of them points at me, I turn away from them. “I don’t think I’m exactly going to be welcome at a party here, Sunny.”

“Fuck those bitches, Nev. We are going to this party and anyone that has a problem with it can catch my hands.” Sunny turns and flips off the girls for good measure. They gasp and run off which makes Sunny smile. “Get out of here you assholes!”

“Sunny, stop yelling.”

“I’ll stop yelling when they stop acting like bullies.”

I smile, because in spite of how fucked up everything is. It’s nice to have a friend. When we go inside I’m thankful to see my professors canceled my next two classes due to The Reaper claiming another life. Sunny and I hang out, we even do a little homework after dinner and when we come back to the dorm, I settle down for a while to rest while Sunny starts bouncing around the room getting ready for the party. I fall asleep listening to her pop music.

When I wake up, there’s still music but it’s coming from outside our room. It’s dark out and there’s only the nightlight Sunny plugged in by the door to light the room up. “Fuck,” I whisper and then wince at my language. I’m not the kind of girl that cusses. I never did before now. I know it’s not a big deal but it feels wrong every time I do it. Like it’s someone else and not me. I don’t like how easy it’s getting and I just got here. I move to sit up and put my hand down on a paper that’s beside me. It’s a note, or at least it looks like it in the dim light. I flick on the lamp beside my bed and see I’m right.

It’s a note from Sunny.

You looked like you needed rest so I thought I’d let you sleep for a while. Call me when you wake up and I’ll come back to the room to get you! Can’t wait to party tonight with you!

XOXO

Sunny

PS: Don’t worry about the bitches on this floor. I’ll handle them.

I put the note on my bedside table and slide my legs over the edge of the bed. The clock next to my lamp says it’s almost ten. When I laid down it was after dinner. I slept for five hours and I still feel out of it. I stand unsteadily and look at the door. There’s people laughing and running past while music pounds so loud that I can feel it thumping through the floorboards.

I didn’t think we would be allowed to have a party like this on campus, but the school must be letting us have a little freedom where we can find it after what happened. I grab a brush and run it through my hair while I text Sunny that I’m up.

I just woke up. Should I change? I feel really out of it.

Nah. 90% of the people here are in sweats and Carhartt, I think you’re fine.

I laugh because she’s right, so I pull on my shoes and head out into the party. Sunny texts me again.

I’m in the lobby on our floor. Someone brought a keg!

Holy hell. I must be right. The school really is letting us blow off some steam. There’s no way they would turn a blind eye to that normally but nothing is normal here. Nothing has been since The Reaper came to town. When I step out into the hallway, I almost go right back to my quiet dorm room. The space is packed full of people and someone turned the lights off and put on a strobe light that makes the hall look like a bad impression of a club you might see in a movie. All around me people are dancing, making out and drinking. Our dorm is a coed dorm but our floor is just girls. Until now I haven’t seen a guy on our floor. I avoid looking at anyone and I don’t know if it’s because everyone is having too much fun or it’s too dark in the hallway for anyone to know it's me, but no one bothers me.

When I get to the lobby it takes a second for me to spot Sunny. She’s dancing with her hands above her head, eyes closed as she laughs and sways. She looks every bit the carefree college coed. It's nice to see her laughing and having a good time. I can see the keg she mentioned off to the side. There’s no shortage of students with red solo cups around the keg. I’ve only had beer once, but I didn’t like it much, so I go straight for Sunny.

“Hey,” I say when I get to her.

Sunny’s eyes pop open and a smile spreads over her face. “Yay! You’re here.” She throws her arms around me and hugs me tight. “Where’s your drink?” she asks.

“I’m not really one for beer.”

She waves a hand at me. “Listen, after this week, we need a drink. Come on.” Sunny grabs my hand and pulls me along with her towards the keg. We only take a few steps before I realize my anonymity is gone. People are noticing me and they’re staring.

Fuck.

Maybe this party wasn’t such a good idea after all.

“Hey, I, uh, I don’t know if I’m up for a party right now.” I don’t want to ruin Sunny’s fun and she looked so happy before I got here. There’s no stopping the dark cloud that follows me on campus. If I stay, I’m going to just ruin her night.

“What? No! That’s crazy. You’re staying.” Sunny doesn’t let go of me and she ignores everyone around us on her way to grab two red solo cups from the table beside the keg.

“Sunny, I-”

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