The Party by Robyn Harding

Author:Robyn Harding
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gallery/Scout Press

hannah

THAT NIGHT

“This is boring,” Lauren said, nibbling a rubbery carrot stick. The five girls were splayed on the couches and on the floor, picking at room-temperature pizza and listening to Drake. There had been some dancing, some gossiping, some giggling as they’d indulged in the sparkling wine and various libations they’d smuggled in, but now the alcohol was gone, leaving a lethargic malaise in its wake.

“We could watch a movie,” Marta suggested lamely.

Ronni groaned, like Marta had suggested making mud pies.

Hannah’s worst fears were manifesting: her party was sucking. It was dull and juvenile and after it, Lauren would deem Hannah unworthy to bask in the glow of her popularity. Hannah felt distressed and panicky, but more than anything, she felt angry at her parents . . . well, at her mom. Kim’s hard-ass rules were the reason this party resembled all the birthdays that had come before it. The woman simply refused to accept that her daughter was growing up! Hannah knew cool parents who let kids drink and smoke dope in their homes: “They’re going to do it anyway, I’d rather they do it under my roof.” But not Kim Sanders. She could never be accused of being cool.

“I brought some of my mom’s Xanax,” Caitlin said. Hannah gave her a grateful smile—the girl was trying—but Ronni and Lauren remained unimpressed. Ronni was busy licking salt off chips and then depositing the soggy remains on a napkin. She barely acknowledged the offer.

“I know what this party needs,” Lauren said with a wicked smile. “Some testosterone.”

“Totally,” Ronni seconded.

“Yeah,” Hannah agreed weakly, but other than inviting her corny dad to join them, she wasn’t sure how to add the hormone to their gathering.

But Lauren clearly had a plan. She was already moving toward the small basement window and inspecting its size. It was small, but discreet entry was still possible. She turned to Hannah and smiled. “Text Noah.”

Of course Hannah complied. How could she not? Her heart pounded as she waited for his response. If he turned her down, her party would be a failure; if he accepted, she risked being grounded for life. She had never disobeyed so many of her parents’ rules before: booze, drugs, boys. . . . All they needed was some cigarettes and porn and it would be a home run. And what would Noah expect from Hannah tonight? She was inviting him to sneak into her unsupervised basement, where they would drink and dance and take drugs. . . . What else would he want? His text arrived and her stomach churned.

Be there in twenty

As the other girls tidied the room, Hannah tiptoed to the main floor in her stocking feet and disabled the alarm. (Both Hannah and Aidan had memorized the code. The alarm was finicky and prone to be set off by wind or sudden cold snaps.) Padding silently through the house, she felt like a burglar. But a burglar wouldn’t have been this nervous. Her heart was pounding so hard she was afraid her parents would hear it from the floor above.

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