Four

The weekend came faster than expected and soon enough it was Friday. Emma was in her room getting ready. She was nervous and excited at the same time. She has gone to parties before, but she has never gone to a party without Mila.

Emma put on a floral high-waisted skirt and styled it with a tight off-the-shoulder powder pink top. Her outfit was not showy, it was cute and nice. She applied some light make-up and put on pink lipstick that matched her outfit.

Ariana told Emma that she would pick her up. By 8:30 Ariana messaged Emma and told her that she was waiting for her.

“You live in a very nice neighbourhood, how do you manage to pay the rent girl?” Ariana asked Emma as she drove off to the party.

“It’s not rented...my parents bought it for me,” Emma said quietly. She was not fond of telling people that the place was actually hers, but she did not see any point of lying and denying the truth.

“Oh wow! You’re rich! Lucky you.” Ariana grinned and played some music.

“You can say that.” Emma shrugged, not caring about being rich or not.

“So where are you originally from?” Ariana wondered.

“New Jersey, what about you?”

“Ohio.”

The two girls kept chatting till they reached the frat house where the party was held. Emma looked excited, wanting to try something new. Both of them could hear the loud sound of the music blasting from the inside. Emma and Ariana walked inside and were instantly met with sweaty bodies and red cups everywhere.

“This party is huge!” Emma told Ariana loudly, so she could hear her over the sound of the music.

“Oh honey, trust me this party is average.” Ariana chuckled as she took Emma to the kitchen. “Get yourself a drink.”

Emma looked around the kitchen then opened the fridge, she was about to get herself a can of Pepsi but Ariana stopped her.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Ariana asked her.

“Uhhh...getting a drink?” Emma said in a questioning tone.

“This is not elementary school, Emmy! Get yourself an alcoholic drink!” Ariana exclaimed. Emma was never a fan of drinking and she has always avoided drinking on any occasion. Ever since her older brother had an alcohol addiction she tried her best to avoid drinking, fearing that she might turn out like him.

“I don’t really like drinking,” Emma told her.

“Tonight is for trying new things. Here, take this,” Ariana said and gave Emma a red cup. Emma stared at the red cup in her hands for a couple of seconds, frowning.

“Come on Emmy, do it!” Ariana encouraged her. Emma sighed and took a sip of the drink. She cringed a bit because of how sour it was, making Ariana laugh.

“You’ll get used to it,” Ariana told her, then took her to the dance floor.

“Loosen up freshman!” Ariana shouted over the loud music. Emma was still a bit scared and taken aback by her new surroundings. She wanted to call Mila to pick her up, but she did not want to annoy her. Emma felt that she was an outcast, she did not belong to that place and partying was never and will never be her thing; at least not without her best friend.

However, she decided to do her best and mingle with the new world she was introduced to.

Emma started to dance, swaying her body to the rhythm of the music. She finished the cup in her hand after thirty minutes and she could already feel the alcohol kicking in her system, making her a bit more comfortable with the party atmosphere.

“Take that!” Ariana gave her another drink and Emma found herself accepting the drink although she knew quite well that it was an alcoholic one.

“See! You are actually having fun!” Ariana grinned. “Come on, let me introduce you to some of my friends.

Ariana took Emma to the backyard where some people were in the pool and others were playing beer pong. Emma was a lot less nervous than how she originally was when she first stepped her foot in the frat house.

“My friends are the ones playing beer pong,” Ariana told her as they both walked to them.

“Hey, guys!” Ariana said, cheerfully.

“Ari, Hey! Who is your new friend?” a guy asked Ariana.

“This is Emma, Emma this is Colton.” Ariana introduced them to each other.

“Hey Emma, you can call me Cole. Have you played beer bong before?” he asked her and she shook her head. Colton was a tall and tanned guy. He had dark brown hair and blue eyes. He was the definition of ‘hot’ with his muscled body to almost every girl and Emma couldn’t help but admire his handsome figure.

“Let me show you how to play,” he told her and started to explain everything to her.

“That’s easy I guess.” Emma shrugged and took the small ball from another girl.

“Too much confidence, Emmy.” Ariana chuckled and watched Emma throw the ball. The ball fell into one of the cups and Emma earned a few cheers from the group.

“Damn girl! You’re a natural,” a guy named Will said in astonishment. Emma blushed a little, still not used to the attention she was receiving from the people around her.

By the end of the game, Emma was the winner and soon enough she was talking and laughing with everyone. She was very happy and loved the new experience she got to live for the night.

By 1 AM, Emma and Ariana were both too tired to even stand up. Ariana took Emma to one of the empty rooms, so they could sleep there, she also locked the door, so nobody would enter the room while they were asleep.

Once Emma saw the bed, she stumbled over till she reached it and quickly threw herself on it, falling into a deep sleep.

Emma woke up the next morning by the sunlight that entered through the window since the curtains were wide open. Her head was pounding and she could tell that her hair was a mess just by touching it. When she opened her eyes, she looked around the room and tried to acknowledge the unfamiliar surroundings. Suddenly, she jolted up from bed but ended up winning because of the strong headache since she had a hangover. She quickly reached for her phone and opened her new texts. She had more than twenty texts from Mila. Emma did not tell her that she was going to stay the night, so Mila was going out of her mind.

‘Are you having fun?’

‘Em, you okay?’

‘Emma it’s 2 in the morning answer me!’

‘Emma are you okay?’

‘Want me to pick you up?’

‘Where are you!!!!?’

‘I’m worried sick here!’

Emma read some of the messages and quickly replied to them, apologizing for worrying her and not telling her that she was going to stay the night.

“Ari, Ari,... wake up, please! I need you to take me back home, please” Emma said as she shook Ariana up to wake her. Ariana groaned and opened her eyes.

“What’s wrong?” She croaked.

“Mila is worried sick! I need to get home. She is going to kill me,” Emma said quickly.

“She is your best friend, not your mother,” Ariana mumbled, rolling her eyes as she sat up in bed.

“No, you don’t understand. She is really protective of me.” Emma tried to explain, making Ariana scoff.

“She is so controlling over you, this is unhealthy.” Ariana shrugged and got up. “Anyway, let’s go.”

During the whole ride back home Emma kept thinking about what Ariana told her. Was Mila too controlling? Did she allow her to interfere in her life more than she should? Emma quickly brushed those thoughts away, knowing that nobody knew the kind of friendship they had except for the two of them.