You arrived at the party at a little after midnight. You were already buzzed from the swigs of red wine you took driving out to Medina. It was a 2009 Cabernet sauvignon that you stole from your parents\u2019 wine cellar. Every time it touched your tongue it made you feel queasy, but it was all you had, and it got you drunk quicker than beer.<\/p>\n
You would\u2019ve been earlier if you hadn\u2019t shown up at the wrong address. It was awkward, standing there holding a bottle of red wine like a loving mother holding a newborn baby, when a middle aged woman with a tired face and curls in her hair asked who the hell are you and what the hell you wanted. You asked if this was the Russo residence and she told you to get off her property before she calls the police, then she slammed the door in your tipsy face. Not wanting to go to jail, you walked back to your car when you got a text message from Gabe saying he fucked up the address, it was supposed to be a 45, not a 54. You texted him back, but forgot to hit send.<\/p>\n
The door to Tina Russo\u2019s house was open a crack so you didn\u2019t bother knocking or ringing the doorbell. Tina had known you since the first grade, having had playdates often at her old house. There was this giant bounce house shaped like an elephant she had in her backyard and you and her would jokingly peck each other on the cheek, until the day you had the nerve to kiss her lips. When you asked her if she liked that, she responded by biting you on the nose before crying her eyes out and screaming for her mommy.\u00a0\u00a0 Since high school started, you didn\u2019t really see her as much as you used to despite having mutual friends.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m so fucked up, bro,\u201d said Michael Zimmer, who was sitting next to you on Tina\u2019s living room couch. You nodded your head in agreement, even though you weren\u2019t really that drunk. \u201cLook at that over there, bro.\u201d He pointed across the room to two girls making out. It was Stephanie and Sara Black, identical twins who had a knack for keeping wasted teenage boys entertained. It was hard to remember a party you went to where, at some point, the Black twins didn\u2019t make out in front of everyone. They both had turquoise colored braces and you stared for a while at them, wondering if the urban legend about teenage lovers getting their braces stuck together could ever actually happen. People started cheering as the two sisters latched on to each other\u2019s tongue.<\/p>\n
\u201cIsn\u2019t that incest?\u201d you ask to no one.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo way, dude. Can\u2019t be incest if they\u2019re twins. You\u2019re basically kissing yourself,\u201d said Noah Combs, your best friend since the days of diapers and Sesame Street. Then he took a seat next to you on the couch and asked you if you wanted a hit from his pipe shaped like an elephant.<\/p>\n
Ignoring Michael Zimmer\u2019s shrieks announcing the entire play-by-play on the incestuous lesbian kissing going on ten feet away, \u201cNo thanks, but ask Tina Russo. She likes elephants,\u201d you said. Noah looked at you puzzled, then he shrugged and lit the elephant on fire. You hated the smell of weed so you got up and tried finding the nearest bathroom that wasn\u2019t occupied by five girls who simply can\u2019t pee alone.<\/p>\n
The bathroom you found is completely white, and it reminded you of those rooms they put insane people with straitjackets in; in the movies, at least. The brightness of the room made you squint it was so strong. You noticed someone left a beer can on the sink countertop next to the hand wash gel. You shake the can to see if there\u2019s anything left in it, and there is, but only a tiny bit. You finish it off anyway, then toss it in the trash can next to the toilet. A quick vibration went off in your Levi\u2019s. It was a text from Nicole and it said \u201cI love you\u201d. You weren\u2019t sure how to respond so you just ignored it. Someone started rapidly knocking on the door, but you ignored that too. You ignored everything, and layed down on the wooden floor, closing your eyes.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cAre you sure?\u201d you ask.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cYeah. I mean, I\u2019ve taken the test like three times already. And every time, it said yeah.\u201d says Nicole.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cWhat am I supposed to say to that Nicki? Like, what am I supposed to do with that?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI don\u2019t know. I thought I should tell you. You know, cause it\u2019s yours.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cHow much is it?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cHow much is what?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cTo get an abortion. How much is it?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cA couple hundred dollars. Maybe more, I don\u2019t know. I\u2019ve never had to know this stuff before.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI got to go right now. I have practice in an hour. Can we talk about this later?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Nicole slowly nods her head, and you leave the room before you can see her cry. In her hallway you can hear her quietly weep, but pretend you don\u2019t and exit through the front door. You don\u2019t really have practice either. You ignore her texts and calls for the next two days. You avoid seeing her at school, and since you two share Physics together, you skip that class too.<\/em><\/p>\n You opened your eyes and the world came back to you. Whoever was knocking on the door hadn\u2019t given up yet. The voice sounded like Brady Jorgensen, but you weren\u2019t sure. \u201cOpen the goddam door,\u201d then after no reply, \u201cIs someone screwing in there? If you are, make sure to use a condom!\u201d You couldn\u2019t help but laugh. Not because of what Brady Jorgensen said, but because if you didn\u2019t laugh, you\u2019d probably cry. The knocks stopped and Brady left, but you remained horizontal on the floor, laughing incessantly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Written by Tyler Northcutt<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" You arrived at the party at a little after midnight. You were already buzzed from the swigs of red wine you took driving out to Medina. It was a 2009 Cabernet sauvignon that you stole from your parents\u2019 wine cellar. … Continue reading