Chapter One - The Party That Can Change Your Life

                “Babe, I know that things have been hard. I really understand. But it’s been over a year. Donnie wouldn’t want you to be cooked up all the time. He would want you to go out and live your life.”

                Savannah stared at her boyfriend, Michael, sitting on the other side of her queen bed. He was what you’d classify as the “typical jock” and had called Savannah his girlfriend since freshman year. Their relationship was great, in the beginning. Savannah was the head cheerleader and Michael the quarter back. Everything was a match made in heaven. Savannah was living the dream of most popular girl in school, until her junior year.

                Savannah was the older sister of Donnie Nelson, a quiet and unique freshman at the time. No matter how socially awkward Donnie was, Savannah always looked out for him. She made sure he wasn’t bullied or messed with, which usually left him looked over in most cases. He became known as Savannah’s dorky little brother having one or two close friends at school.

                Donnie liked to take walks late at night. He claimed it helped him think and clear his head. Late one cool Wednesday night, when Savannah heard Donnie slip out of his window she didn’t think twice about it. Two and a half hours later, when two Duval county officers pulled into her driveway she knew something tragic had happened. He had been struck by a drunk driver, who fled the scene and never was found. To say that the death of her brother changed Savannah is an understatement. Everyone deals with loss differently; being in the center of attention at school, forced Savannah to grieve inwardly. She took a week off of school to spend alone hardly speaking to anyone, including Michael. She found herself sitting on the small ledge of roof under Donnie’s window blaming herself for not stopping him that dreadful night.

                Savannah returned to school two days after they laid Donnie to rest and fell back into the life she had before. Only now Savannah felt like she was going through the motions, her insides completely shattered.

                “Savannah?” Michael lightly dragged his finger across her bare shoulder. “You okay?”

                She snapped back to reality. “I’m sorry.”

                “Will you please just go to Joey’s party tonight? Let loose, have a good time?” He leaned down and put his face at her level. “Please?” his bottom lip perched out and his deep brown eyes pleaded.

                Savannah attempted to soften. “Joey is weird.” She sighed. “Every time I am around him he makes me uncomfortable. He’s always staring at me with these,” she paused trying to think of an accurate description. “…weird beady eyes!”

                Michael rolled his eyes.

                “Besides, he throws a party like every weekend. Can’t we just go next week or something?”

                He laughed, “That’s what you said last week, Savannah. Joey is friends with everyone that you and I are friends with. They like him. Why can’t you?”

                After a long pause and mental debate on Savannah’s side she straightened up a little. “Fine. But I’m driving and if it’s stupid I’m leaving and you can find your own ride home.”

                Michael fist pumped the air. “On one condition.” A playful smirk pulled at the corner of his lips. “You have to go downstairs. It’s where all the real fun happens.”

                Real fun? Part of Savannah wondered what exactly Michael considered real fun. Of course, she’d heard about the wild ragers Joey threw she just never wanted to go. Michael had been quite a few times before but all that he’d told her was how wasted he got and they played old school games. Whatever that meant. Curiosity bit at the inside of Savannah and reluctantly, she agreed. “Deal.”

                Michael hugged Savannah tightly. “I promise you won’t regret it! And if you do get drunk, Joey has like ten rooms we could crash in, no problem.”

                “We’ll see.” Maybe Michael was right. Donnie wouldn’t want her to stay in every weekend watching reruns of their favorite movies. Donnie would want her to live my life. A little fun every now and then wouldn’t hurt. She even might let herself drink a little. Maybe it was about time for her to move on.

--

                The party seemed to be in full swing when Savannah parked her Ford Focus next to a big black SUV. Cars were jammed pack in the long dirt driveway. Parking was like one big game of Tetris. She shut the car off and slipped her keys in her pocket before Michael turned her chin towards him.

                “I promise you’ll have fun, as long as you let yourself.” He leaned in an pressed his lips against hers. “Just let me know if you want to leave, but remember our deal.” He winked.

                Approaching the house, Michael grabbed her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. He really was a good boyfriend. Things just had never been the same with them since Donnie pasted. Michael really was like her support system, rather than someone she was madly in love with.

                A few stragglers were hanging by their cars on their phones, smoking something probably illegal, or just stumbling around aimlessly. Savannah could feel the vibrations in her chest from the music pulsing through the cooling fall air. It didn’t take long before she saw the old traditional white house wedged between enormous oak trees. She took special note of house colossal the trees were. She remembered reading once in class that counting all the bark pieces could give you the age of the tree. In this case, they’d be hundreds of years old! In a nearby one she noticed a carving illuminated by the moonlight slicing through some of the branches above. It read: S + J encircled by a heart. She felt herself smiling. Who were they? How long had that carving been there? Did they live happily ever after?

                Michael’s strong hand tugged against hers. She refocused on the party and willed herself to have a good time. And figure out what real fun was, of course.

                The doorbell wasn’t your average ding-dong sound. Of course not. This is Joey Buck’s house. A long, elegant chime sounded, hardly audible over the music. What Savannah could hear was Michael laughing at her.

                “What’s so funny?”

                “You don’t ring the doorbell at a party, babe. No one can hear that.” He chuckled again before turning the doorknob and pushing it open.

                None other than Joey was standing there, laughing too. Michael smiled brightly at him, like they hadn’t spent all day together at school and then football practice. Savannah stood their awkwardly as they exchanged that handshake that guys do. Finally, Joey acknowledged her. “Savannah Nelson has finally attended one of my parties. My life is officially complete.”

                Snapping into the sassy Savannah everyone at school knows her to be she snapped back, “I was finally able to pencil you in.”

                He laughed, “Well, you look lovely as always.” Joey closed the door behind him before looking back at Savannah. Cue the awkward stare.

                “Thanks,”

                “Well, everyone is pretty much here now. You know the drill, Mike.” He winked.

                Michael led, dragging Savannah close behind. Before they fully passed Joey, he bumped his hand what seemed to Savannah as purposely. Their eyes met and Savannah was now intrigued by the intensity of his stare. What was with this guy? She quickly decided it was better to ignore it and scurried behind Michael.

                The party was unlike any Savannah had ever been to. She knew it was going to be crazy after all the rumors she’d heard, but this was truly unreal. People were clustered into tiny groups packed everywhere. The furniture looked extremely expensive making Savannah wonder why in the world Joey would ever throw a party full of drunk teenagers who probably were either going to pee, spill, or vomit on them. If this was her house, she’d be freaking out about something stupid like people not using coasters on her glass coffee table.

                Grabbing a drink for both of them, Michael steered their way around the house like a pro. Every now and then he’d stop and chat with a could buddies where she’d mumble a small hello. Trying to find somewhere to sit in this house was impossible. Let’s just say that it would’ve been easier to find a parking spot at a beach in Florida on the first day of summer than to have found a seat in that house. Savannah sighed, gulping down some of the vile liver poison, trying to make the situation a tad bit more bearable.

                After about an hour of standing, and mingling with drunken classmates Savannah had filled her drink twice. Joey arrived out of nowhere, his dark hair sticking to his forehead slightly. It was hot in here. Especially if he had to constantly entertain his billion guests. His glistening blue eyes locked on hers as Michael spoke, “This is the craziest I think I’ve ever seen your house!” he had to half yell for Joey to comprehend.

                He nodded, breaking his gaze with Savannah. “I know! People that I don’t even know said they were invited over mybook or facespace!” He rolled his eyes. “But why don’t you two make your way downstairs? It’s a bit less crowded down there.”

                Michael and Savannah exchanged looks. The words real fun flashed into Savannah’s mind. Here goes nothing, she thought. She chugged the last bit of her drink and braced herself for anything. “Let’s go.”

                Joey’s smile was nearly uncontrollable. “Follow me.”

                He lead them down a spiral staircase.

                “This place is so ancient.” Joey joked as we entered the last spiral of the staircase. “It’s been in the family for centuries.”

                Savannah always had a finer appreciate for older houses. The past intrigued her. She couldn’t even keep track of the times she’d  begged Michael to accompany her to a museum or something with historical value. He never complied. To him all that was important was football, girls, and partying. She figured he would grow out of that stage eventually. She hoped at least.

                “That’s so awesome. Think about it. Generations of partying went down here.” He laughed stupidly. He was definitely tipsy.

                Downstairs was what could best be described as a bachelors pad. Flashing lights, huge black leather couches, and of course a huge bar stealing everyone’s attention. It was swarmed with people taking shots, but the second someone noticed Joey had walked in their attention suddenly changed.

                “Joey! Come take tequila shots with us!” One of the fellow football players Savannah recognized as Dave screamed, holding up a tiny glass filled with a yellow tinted liquid.

                At that point the three of them had everyone at the bars attention. Cheers erupted and Savannah kind of felt like an outsider.

                “Michael!”

                “Joey!”

                “Tequila shots!”

                Savannah stood back at let the boys take in their adoring fans. She was used to it, being the all-star football players’ girlfriend and all.

                “Savannah,” The closest chair to Savannah held what she recognized as the current head cheerleader and biggest s**t in school (how cliché), Barbra.

                “Hello Barbra,” Savannah smiled. She looked so much like Barbie that it was hard to keep her name straight. All of the cheerleaders pitied Savannah. It almost hurt her to think that just three years ago she considered some of the girls from the squad close friends. She clearly learned the truth once her brother died and no one cared enough to make sure she was okay when she dropped off the planet for that week. When she returned, they acted as if she’d simply taken a one week vacation. But instead of coming back with a fresh tan, she came back with a darker attitude.

                Michael’s hand surprised Savannah as he slipped his arms around her waist. Barbra instantly glared. “Let’s take some shots Savannah,” he whispered in her ear, making Barbra’s glare morph to full on death rays. Savannah smiled in return, playing into it because watching Barbra squirm was fun to her. She wiggled out of his grasp, stood from her chair keeping hold of Michael’s hand and spoke in a husky tone, “Let’s.” Not even sparing a look in Barbra’s direction because she knew Barbra was now pissed.

                Five shots later, they migrated to the couches. Savannah was feeling pretty good and decided about two shots ago they’d be staying the night here. She didn’t expect to get drunk, she was just attempting to have real fun, like Michael kept suggesting. She was letting loose and she had to admit to herself, she was actually having a good time.

                “How about we play an old school game?” Barbra’s pink tank top was falling off her perfectly tanned shoulder as she half stumbled over towards the couches carrying the remainder of the tequila bottle, taking swigs every now and then.

                Classy, Savannah thought.

                Her request had the rest of their drunken classmates tuned in to her. Typical.

                “What game?” Joey asked from the other side of Michael.

                She smirked as if that’s exactly what she wanted someone to say. “Seven minutes in heaven of course!” she giggled, taking another swig.

                Michael’s smile broadened as he nudged me a little rougher than normal. “Remember this when we were younger?”

                Savannah blushed. They had their first kiss playing this game the summer before their freshman year. Savannah looked around and noticed the boy to girl ratio was even, leaving seven pairs. Finally, she nodded, figuring that she’d be paired with Michael automatically because it’d be just wrong to send him into a dark closet with another girl while she was waiting outside of it. Right?

                The next thing Savannah knows is Joey appearing out of what seemed like nowhere with a hat, horribly ripped pieces of paper, and a green marker. “This is the best I could find,” he laughed walking around the circle and collecting names.

                After he made his rounds, Savannah grew steadily nervous as Joey picked Michael to go first. Surely he had to pick her. If not, he would insist that they bend the rules so they could go in the closet and have a steamy make out session.

                Reach in a little too dramatically, Michael unfolded the paper and spoke, “Barbra.”

                Barbra shot up, stumbling on her feet before adjusting her short skirt and pink tank top and eagerly running to his side. Savannah waited for the pang of jealous to rise in her stomach, but for some reason it didn’t. Surely she should be pissed about her boyfriend being locked into a closest with the schools biggest s**t, right?

                Michael didn’t even look back at Savannah before the pair started off towards the closet on the other side of the bar.

                “Go get ‘em tiger!” Joey yelled, gaining the death glare from Savannah. She was beginning to feel like this was a set up. What was he up to? Was this why he wanted her to come downstairs? To find out that Michael would cheat on her? Or is that what Michael had been doing this whole time? Was Joey just trying to show her what had been happening while she wasn’t there? Savannah forced herself to put her accusing thoughts on the back burner. She needed a distraction, immediately.

                In swooped Joey with yet another bottle of tequila. “Shots while to make the seven minutes pass?” he offered, looking at Savannah, but speaking to everyone. Savannah’s stomach was already turning, but she did need a distraction. Maybe just one…

                The crowd cheered and crowded closer like Joey was the momma bird, about to spit their food directly into their mouths. Eventually it was Savannah’s turn. “Here’s your shot darlin’,” Joey handed her a filled-to-the-rim lime green shot glass, spilling some on his own pants. He just laughed.

                To avoid any other spillage, she took it thinking, another one down the hatch. And another. And another.

                Savannah regretted her decision a short five minutes later when Michael and Barbra emerged from the closet. Her vision was entirely too blurry to assess their state. All she could concentrate on was how relaxed she felt and how warm her stomach was. She had officially surpassed being buzzed and graduated to being drunk. Joey sat beside her laughing at something she had no idea about.

                Michael headed straight towards Savannah, placing a wet kiss on her cheek that she instantly wiped off. “That was wet,” she giggled.

                He gave her a funny look as Joey slipped the hat in her lap. “Who is going to be lucky enough to accompany Miss Savannah into the closet?”

                Nervously Savannah lowered her hand feeling around the folded papers. She hoped it’d be someone that would leave her be in the darkness so she could get her barring on the world. Luck wasn’t on her side. Instead, she spoke the name, “Joey.”

                He smirked and whispered soft enough for Savannah to hear, or maybe she just imagined it, “Did you pick that on purpose, Savannah?”

                She shot Joey a hard glare, internally debating on a good excuse to leave.

                No luck, Joey pulled her towards the closet. She cursed the illusion of the closet. From the outside it looked quite spacious, but as Savannah quickly learned, thanks to the protruding old fashion dress wear hanging from both sides, space was very limited. She then found herself wondering where Michael had been when he and Barbra had been here.

                “You’re not thinking Michael cheated on you while you were on the other side of that door, are you? Joey had stepped a little too close to Savannah then she preferred. Her back was now pressed against the back wall while Joey stood was seemed like a foot away in the near blinding darkness.

                “I was n-not thinking that.” She stuttered.

                The darkness did make it extremely difficult to see much farther than an arm length in front of her. She could make out Joey’s outline. He was taller than her by a god foot and she suddenly felt extremely small and fragile, like she could pass out at any second due to their close proximity.

                “Sure you weren’t.” he chuckled.

                Blinking harshly, Savannah braced her palms on the back wall to stabilize herself. He had seen right through her in the darkest of situations. How? “Why do you always look at me with that weird look?” The inner, sober Savannah cringed at her horrible wording, but what could she say? Nothing good comes from tequila shots. At least her clothes were still on.

                “What look?”

                “Your eyes get all serious when you look at me. It’s kind of creepy, actually.”

                The silence stretched out for a moment too long.

                “Can I ask you a question, Savannah?”

                “Shot--” She giggled, “I mean, shoot.”

                “Do you love Michael?”

                Maybe her bluntness was caused by the alcohol or unexplainable sudden comfort with Joey, but without hesitation she spoke, “No.”

                Savannah thought she may have seem him smile, but she couldn’t be sure due to the darkness. She’d know that little fact for a while now, but hadn’t admitted it to anyone. It felt good to release such a pressing thing, yet why had she told Joey out of all people. Joey leaned closer to Savannah and she confirmed he was smiling.

                “Do you believe in love, Savannah?”

                “I do.”

                “How about destiny?”

                Her voice was so low, she wasn’t sure that Joey would hear her, “Yes.”               

                He took a deep breath. “I know I probably sound like a lunatic, but there’s something about you, Savannah.” He paused as if figuring out how to word whatever he was trying to say without causing Savannah to run out of the closet and never look back. “Like you are the key to mine.” He tried to inch closer, desperate to read her expression.

                Sadly, all Savannah managed to do was blink a couple times with a dumbfounded look contouring her face. “I don’t understand.” Key to his destiny? Was this a lame attempt to hit on her?

                “That’s the thing. Neither do I. I just know that whenever I am around you I feel like there is something bigger we’re supposed to be doing.”

                “Are you trying to get in my pants Joey?

                Joey shook his head and looked down for a moment. “Can I try something slightly crazy?

                Something about the intensity they shared triggered an unsettling feeling in her. What on Earth did he want to try? But curiosity always kills the cat. “Yeah.”

                And without further ado, Joey leaned in and cautiously pressed his lips to hers.

Author's Note

Thanks for reading, any review is appreciated! (:

Reviews

[.quan.011.]

This is a beautiful written chapter. I felt a lot of emotions and was about to connect with the main character Savannah. I felt all of her pain. I didn't find anything wrong with chapter grammar. Great work! I will be reading more later.

[Cheshire]

My first comment would be on the death of her brother... you went over it much too quickly, you could embellish on it a bit, and it would add more of a hook in the beginning. Near the end of the first conversation, you switch tense, it threw me for a minute, I had to reread it before I realized it was just a word mix-up. That being said, you may want to think about changing the tense of the story completely, written from the characters point of view only. It can add a bit of mystery to a story like this.

I liked how you had the stranger/attraction thing going, but you may have downplayed poor Joey a little too much. The MC was practically disgusted by his presence in my eyes, yet near the end it was looking like they had more of a connection that had nothing to do with alcohol. I haven't read the other chapters yet, but if you are going to go with a mutual attraction, I would set it up as more of an unknown person rather than a creepy/stalker-ish person.