Week 52 - New Year’s Eve

“It’s not gonna be that kind a party!” 

Adeline was arguing with her Granny about going to a New Year’s gathering with some friends. “We’re just gonna have a sleepover, I promise.”

Granny shook her head, frowning. “I just don’t know, Adeline. It was this time last year’s that I had to come n’get you at that strange feller’s place. You ought to know better by now.” Granny’s frustration and disappointment in the teen radiated off of her in waves that the young girl could feel. 

“I do, Granny. That’s what I’m saying. We’re just gonna spend the night at Regina’s, watch old movies and eat popcorn. That’s it. Nothin’ bad. And no boys,” she lied. 

There was an old cup of coffee on the counter. Granny picked it up and took a sip. “You been doin’ so good, Adeline. I’d hate for you to go and mess it all up.”

She sighed, exasperated. “This is my last New Year’s in high school. Please, let me go and spend it with my friends.”

Granny didn’t say anything, just shooed her away with a hand. That was signal enough to Adeline that she could go. It was 5pm on New Year's Eve.

By 7:30, she had changed into a pair of PJ’s and packed a bag that was suspiciously too big for any overnight stay. Her friend, Regina, was already in the driveway, waiting. A quick kiss for Granny and she was out the door. 

“Don’t go and do nothin’ foolish, Adeline,” Granny called as the teen left. 

Regina’s parents were in Gatlinburg for the weekend, so the girls had been planning all week for how they were going to take advantage of the situation. Of course, they were going to have a party. But they had to keep it small. Not too many people so it doesn’t get out of hand. 

As they drove to the home, the girls went through a checklist for the evening. “So, Jackson and Grant are coming?” Adeline asked.

“Yes. Rodney and Anna are bringing pizzas. Emma has a bottle of vodka from her dad’s and Hal says he’s getting three cases of beer.”

Adeline furrowed her brow. “I don’t know if I’m gonna drink,” she said.

Regina got an incredulous look on her face. “Are you effin’ kiddin’ me right now? It’s New Year’s Eve! Bitch, we gettin’ turnt!” 

“Listen, last year I got really messed up and then Lauren and Taylor flaked on me and left me at some rando’s house. I woke up missin’ like $400 and sick as shit!” 

“Ok, first of all, Lauren and Taylor are bitches, ok? They were a year older than us, never good for nothin’, and, at best, a little skanky! And two, we’re at my house. We’re not goin’ anywhere, right? We’re like, totally safe.” She switched off the radio. 

Once at Regina’s they both changed into cute outfits and did each other’s makeup. “You are gonna get’chu some tonight!” Regina screamed as she slapped Adeline on the rear. “Ain’t never seen you lookin’ this hot!” 

“Have to wait and see,” she said, not very hopeful. “Guess it depends on who shows up.”

By 8pm, around ten or so high school seniors were at Regina’s, eating pizza and watching movies. Most of them were coupled up and Adeline was sitting with a boy named Braxton. She’d had a crush on him since they were in grade school together, but he always seemed to have a girlfriend. He was a star athlete and all the girls were interested in him. Tonight, he was there to hang out with her. 

“What are you doin’ next fall?” he asked her, taking a sip of beer. He was thin, with dark hair and a scruffy face. His angular features made him look angry sometimes to people who didn’t know him. But Adeline knew that he was kind and considerate. 

She shrugged her shoulders. “Prolly go to the Community College. I don’t wanna get too far from Granny. What about you?”

“I got a couple of scholarship offers. Hope I get to keep playin’ ball.” 

She stared into his eyes. She could get lost in those eyes. “I didn’t miss a home game this season,” she said. 

He shook his head a little. “Yeah, it didn’t go as good as it should have. Graham getting hurt killed us.” 

“I thought you did pretty good,” Adeline flirted

He smiled at her. “You want a drink?” 

She shook her head, sheepishly. “I don’t think I’m gonna have any tonight.”

“Oh, c’mon! its New Year’s! Let me make you a screwdriver.” He popped up from the couch and was gone before she could protest. In a few minutes he was back with a tall glass filled to the brim. “Here you go. This’ll get you goin’! 

She took a sip and was pretty sure there was more vodka than juice in the cup. “Ack! S’strong,” she said through pursed lips. 

For the next hour, she nursed her vodka and OJ. Around 9pm, the drinking games started. Seemingly innocent at first, these games quickly got the group highly intoxicated. Adeline was trying to keep from drinking, but the more the group pressured her to participate, the less resolve she had, until finally jumping in with both feet. 

She started with an innocent game of beer pong, Adeline and Braxton on one team, Regina and Hal on the other. “You’re only drinking like one beer total per game, so it’s not even that bad,” Braxton told her as they started. but after three of four games in an hour, it escalated quickly. This led directly into a Wizard’s Staff competition between the boys. This game of “Who’s got the biggest staff” uses spent cans taped together to make a column, or a Wizards Staff. At this point in the night, Hal was in the lead. 

Next, the entire group gathered around the dining room table for a round of never have I ever. It was quickly discovered that Braxton had skinny-dipped, Hal had made out in a church basement, Regina had kissed two girls and Adeline had never gone all the way. Finally, a round of Kings was planned and played. Emma and Regina had never played before, so after several minutes explaining the rules, they began. 

By 11pm, they were all feeling pretty drunk, but Adeline was more than a little festive. “One hour to the New Year! Let’s party, bitches!” she screamed, shotgunning another beer. 

At 11:30, Braxton and Adeline were slow dancing in the corner of the living room. When the song ended, he bent down and kissed her, passionately. Soon after, they wandered over to the couch where they made out for the next ten minutes. 

“Gawd, get a room you two!” Regina finally said with around ten minutes left in the year. 

They both giggled and looked at each other. His eyes seemed to say “I’ll go if you want to,” so she grabbed him by the hand and pulled him off of the couch.

The young couple made their way upstairs and into Regina’s parents room. Braxton locked the door behind them. “I’ve never done this before,” she confessed. “Kinda nervous.”

“Oh, I can help with that,” he said as he reached into his pocket. 

She was expecting him to have some form of protection or something, but what he had was a small brown vial that looked to be made of glass. “What is that?” she asked. 

“Courage in a bottle,” he said as he walked into the bathroom. He came out moments later with a small mirror. With a credit card and a small straw, Braxton prepared the white powder into a couple of lines. “You just, like, sniff it,” he said.

She shook her head. “I don’t know about this,” she said, feeling equal parts afraid and uncomfortable. “I ain’t never done nothin’ in through the nose before.” 

He shot her a comforting smile. “It’s easy, babe. Just watch.” He proceeded to inhale one line of powder through the straw. His head jerked back, his eyes wide. “Whoa, Jesus Christ!” 

The teens in the living room below were starting to chant down numbers as they counted in the new year. “29…28…27…”

He handed her the mirror. “You’ll love it, Adeline,” he said. “It’s cool.”

Her mind was racing. Would this make her ‘cool’ to him? Would this put her at ease? She had been infatuated with Braxton for as long as she could remember, but never really had the opportunity or the nerve to act on it. And here she is, sitting on a bed with him, about to go all the way? Was this really happening? And what is this I’m about to snort up my nose?

She put her head over the mirror and held the straw in her left nostril with her hand. With one motion, she snorted the powder up into her nose. The feeling was intense; equal parts pain and pleasure. It was a rush of energy and excitement that she’d never felt before. 

Braxton put the mirror to the side and kissed Adeline again, passionately. 

“3…2…1!” they heard from the living room.

“Happy New Year, Adeline.”