Page 80 of Poetry of Flowers

She shook her head, “But didn’t you say you wanted to stretch this trip out a bit and have some fun on the road? What’s more fun than a party. Besides, college kids are lovely people, and they might have a place to crash tonight,” my cousin argued.

“How do you know college kids?” I asked her from the side.

“Louise and Lily.”

Oh right, of course, her older sisters were at college already, and she visited them sometimes.

“Neither Tillie nor Theo like parties, so that’s a no.”

“I wouldn’t mind going to a party for once,” I told him.

“Even I would rather go to a party instead of sleeping on the streets,” Theo agreed.

“Then let’s see if they will let us in,” said Kayden.

We continued to walk through the city, watching the sunset on our way to one of the public colleges here. Billings had seven, but three were private colleges.

“This is definitely not a college I’m going to apply to after high school,” Theo mumbled.

Students were running around in front of the large building while loud music came from the inside. I had never been to a college party because obviously, I wasn’t in college yet, but Violett called me last year and told me a bit about her experience so far.

“Yeah, because you’re going to apply to an elite university, we all know that, Theo,” Autumn told him.

“I don’t know if I can even get into one of them because I didn’t go to a good private school,” he shrugged.

“The next private school would have been in Seattle, which would have meant a one hour’s drive each morning, torture if you ask me,” commented Kayden.

“My dad tried to get me into one, I got accepted but never went.” All heads turned to our friend.

“You never told me that!” Autumn sounded shocked.

“I didn’t think it was necessary because, like I said, I never went.”

“But why? That would have been the opportunity for you, Theo. Harvard, Yale, or even Oxford would have only been a step away if had gone,” added Kayden.

“You wouldn’t have been there with me, none of you would have been there. Only strangers in a big school, where I am the new kid. It wasn’t worth it.”

It started to rain.

“Ah no!” Autumn shouts as we take our wet bags inside. Theo and Kayden dragged behind us, talking quietly.

“He really stayed on for us?” my cousin asked me.

“I guess so, but most likely he was just scared of being completely alone with people who didn’t understand him. It can be scary sometimes. Back on the bus, it was uncomfortable for him. Imagine thirty children who he didn’t grow up with in one room,” I answered.

ChapterTwenty-Five

KAYDEN

Music was blasting from the stereo. Old songs from the aughts were on repeat as the crowd swayed with the music. They were too drunk to care about us sneaking in. Autumn acted like she forgot her keys and asked a tipsy girl if we could put our bags in her room, so we wouldn’t miss the best part of the party. Her name was Caitlin, and she welcomed us to her room like we’re her best friends, telling us we could get everything in the morning. I saw how she locked the door, so I wasn’t worried about anything getting stolen.

I was on my second cup of the brew they were serving here. Whatever it was, it sure kicked in fast because it started to taste good when it had been disgusting just a few minutes ago. I wouldn’t have drunk anything around Tillie if she hadn’t asked me if I could get her something too.

She knew I enjoyed drinking at parties, but I was worried it might be triggering for her to be around me when I was drunk.

“This is your first time drinking, right?” I asked my best friend. Tillie nodded and took another big sip of the liquor mixed with some sort of fruit juice.

“I thought I was going to hate it, but I honestly don’t, it makes everything more fun, like you know I usually despise that song, but now it actually sounds sooo good!” she laughed, making me laugh too. She was a happy drunk, I would have guessed she’d turn into the overthinking poetic type, but this was so much better.

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