right by the … place.”
Tara snickered. “You were going to say clubhouse.”
Bailey covered her mouth, but the giggles still escaped.
“Yeah, right.” Jordyn rolled her eyes. “Now, you guys are going to have to be really quiet until we get in there. Dad doesn’t know we’re here.”
“What would happen if he found out?” Olivia imagined an angry man bursting in on them. She’d had enough of that to last a lifetime.
Jordyn heaved a case from the trunk and handed it to Emma before taking one herself. “He’d want to hang out with us, and then he’d drink all of our beer.”
Olivia grabbed a case and followed Jordyn and the others into the trees. “You mean he lets you drink? That’s awesome.”
“Sure. After the divorce, he decided he wanted to be the cool parent, so basically anything goes. Most of the time it’s great. Now, shh.” Jordyn lifted a finger to her lips as they passed through a backyard.
They cut across several yards and arrived at a shed. Jordyn dug under the floor mat, pulled out a key, and unlocked the door. “Don’t turn on any lights until I make sure the blackout shades are pulled. He could see this place from his kitchen window if he happened to look out.”
They stepped inside and waited.
Bang!
“Ouch!”
“You okay?”
“What’s going on, you guys?” Was someone else inside? Olivia turned toward the door, ready to bolt.
Something rustled and a switch flipped, drenching the room with light. Brightly colored overstuffed furniture sat around a wide-screen plasma TV. A refrigerator stood in one corner and a microwave in the other. A dinette sat in the center of the kitchenette on top of plank wood flooring. Cool clubhouse.
Jordyn hunched over, rubbing her shin. “Banged it on the coffee table. Man, that hurts so bad, I’m afraid to look.” She pulled up the leg of her jeans.
“It’s skinned, but I’m pretty sure you’re going to make it.” Olivia rolled her eyes at Bailey.
“This is an awesome place.” Emma peeked in the fridge.
Jordyn turned on the stereo and tossed everyone a beer. “Toast?” Jordyn popped open her can and raised it in the air. “To a great year of partying and lots of hundred-dollar nights!”
They touched their cans together and guzzled a big drink.
Emma lit up a cigarette. “How come you never told us about this place before?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t want to bring anyone here to hang out with my dad—it’s embarrassing—and it never occurred to me to sneak in here. But, hey, what’s the worst that could happen? We’d just have to share our beer with him.”
“Well, that’s fine. We have plenty. But we aren’t sharing this.” Tara reached into her purse and pulled out a white napkin that she laid down on the coffee table.
Everyone drew close and peered over her shoulder as she unfolded her little package to reveal several thin, nubby cigarettes with pinched ends.
“Is that what I think it is?” Olivia’s heart raced. Marijuana. Weren’t they taking things a bit too far? “I don’t think I’m up for that.” Didn’t they know how much trouble they could get into? Could she be in trouble for even being in the house with it?
Emma brushed her off. “Come on, don’t be a baby. You’re doing it.”
“Let’s smoke it now in case your dad finds us later and we can’t.” Tara put it to her lips and flicked the cigarette lighter.
Olivia stared openmouthed. She stood in a room with someone smoking pot. How could that be? It came about so easily. First beer, then cigarettes, now pot. This couldn’t be happening.
She looked at each of the girls. Who were these people—these girls she called her friends? She didn’t even know them—or, better yet, they didn’t know her. Or maybe they did. Maybe this was how it started for everyone, and they knew Olivia would be ready.
A smoky sweet smell filled the room as the first nubby stick made its way around the circle. It would be passed to Olivia. Do it,
Tara snickered. “You were going to say clubhouse.”
Bailey covered her mouth, but the giggles still escaped.
“Yeah, right.” Jordyn rolled her eyes. “Now, you guys are going to have to be really quiet until we get in there. Dad doesn’t know we’re here.”
“What would happen if he found out?” Olivia imagined an angry man bursting in on them. She’d had enough of that to last a lifetime.
Jordyn heaved a case from the trunk and handed it to Emma before taking one herself. “He’d want to hang out with us, and then he’d drink all of our beer.”
Olivia grabbed a case and followed Jordyn and the others into the trees. “You mean he lets you drink? That’s awesome.”
“Sure. After the divorce, he decided he wanted to be the cool parent, so basically anything goes. Most of the time it’s great. Now, shh.” Jordyn lifted a finger to her lips as they passed through a backyard.
They cut across several yards and arrived at a shed. Jordyn dug under the floor mat, pulled out a key, and unlocked the door. “Don’t turn on any lights until I make sure the blackout shades are pulled. He could see this place from his kitchen window if he happened to look out.”
They stepped inside and waited.
Bang!
“Ouch!”
“You okay?”
“What’s going on, you guys?” Was someone else inside? Olivia turned toward the door, ready to bolt.
Something rustled and a switch flipped, drenching the room with light. Brightly colored overstuffed furniture sat around a wide-screen plasma TV. A refrigerator stood in one corner and a microwave in the other. A dinette sat in the center of the kitchenette on top of plank wood flooring. Cool clubhouse.
Jordyn hunched over, rubbing her shin. “Banged it on the coffee table. Man, that hurts so bad, I’m afraid to look.” She pulled up the leg of her jeans.
“It’s skinned, but I’m pretty sure you’re going to make it.” Olivia rolled her eyes at Bailey.
“This is an awesome place.” Emma peeked in the fridge.
Jordyn turned on the stereo and tossed everyone a beer. “Toast?” Jordyn popped open her can and raised it in the air. “To a great year of partying and lots of hundred-dollar nights!”
They touched their cans together and guzzled a big drink.
Emma lit up a cigarette. “How come you never told us about this place before?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t want to bring anyone here to hang out with my dad—it’s embarrassing—and it never occurred to me to sneak in here. But, hey, what’s the worst that could happen? We’d just have to share our beer with him.”
“Well, that’s fine. We have plenty. But we aren’t sharing this.” Tara reached into her purse and pulled out a white napkin that she laid down on the coffee table.
Everyone drew close and peered over her shoulder as she unfolded her little package to reveal several thin, nubby cigarettes with pinched ends.
“Is that what I think it is?” Olivia’s heart raced. Marijuana. Weren’t they taking things a bit too far? “I don’t think I’m up for that.” Didn’t they know how much trouble they could get into? Could she be in trouble for even being in the house with it?
Emma brushed her off. “Come on, don’t be a baby. You’re doing it.”
“Let’s smoke it now in case your dad finds us later and we can’t.” Tara put it to her lips and flicked the cigarette lighter.
Olivia stared openmouthed. She stood in a room with someone smoking pot. How could that be? It came about so easily. First beer, then cigarettes, now pot. This couldn’t be happening.
She looked at each of the girls. Who were these people—these girls she called her friends? She didn’t even know them—or, better yet, they didn’t know her. Or maybe they did. Maybe this was how it started for everyone, and they knew Olivia would be ready.
A smoky sweet smell filled the room as the first nubby stick made its way around the circle. It would be passed to Olivia. Do it,
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