Head Start

*Six's POV*

I can’t help but feel bad that I assumed Axle wasn’t smart because of a 3 minute conversation about him. I mean, I know almost nothing about the guy, and here I am judging him. I hate when people do that to me. I’m sure the second everyone here found out I was from WestSide, they assumed I was some trouble maker with a record.

After school, Cleo, Lexi and I meet up with Nate and Drew in the parking lot and I say, “So, apparently Liz is having a party Friday. Is that a thing you guys would normally go to or what?”

“Yeah, I mean everyone usually goes. How did you hear about it?”

“Axle mentioned it.”

“He did, did he?” Cleo asks while wiggling her eyebrows.

“Yes," I reply with an eye roll.

“Oh, he’s definitely trying to get in your pants. I’m not surprised though. To quote Mean Girls, you’re a ‘regulation hottie.’ What did you tell him?” Cleo asks. 

“I said I would consider it.”

“Alright well, we are definitely going, which means you are coming with us.”

“I want to, I just have to make sure my neighbour can watch my brother for the night.”

“Your parents can’t watch him?” Lexi asks.

“Um, no. They can’t,” I say, rather cryptically.

“Oh. Okay, well hopefully you can come!” She says.

“Yeah, me too. I really do want to come.”

When I get home that night I ask Shaunice about Friday and of course she is more than happy to watch Theo. For real, I do not know what I would do without her. 

The rest of the week passes by fairly quickly and I find that the project with Axle is going surprisingly well. I’ve also begun helping him with calculus. I think that his learning style is really just not compatible with the way the teacher explains things because he actually seems to catch on quickly when I explain it to him. That or he's pretending to not understand so I'll come help him.

On Friday after school, Cleo tells me to dress sexy, as though I’ve never been to a party before. I wear a black lace tank top tucked into a black leather skirt and put some dark red lipstick on with fake eyelashes.

I go check in with Shaunice before I leave. When she opens the door, she says, “Damn girl, you look hot.”

“Thanks Shaunice. You’re sure you’re good with Theo for the night?”

“Yes, of course, they’re already passed out.”

“Okay, I have my cell phone if anything comes up.”

“Are you driving?”

“Just to my friend’s house and then we’re taking a cab from there.”

“Okay, be safe.”

“I will,” I say and walk out and drive to Cleo’s. When I pull up at the address she gave me, I’m a bit overwhelmed at the mansion in front of me. There are literally pillars around the front porch. I park in the driveway and knock on the door. Cleo answers and hugs me tight and I can smell the alcohol on her. 

“Oh, hello, I see you got a head start,” I say with a grin.

“Yes, so you need to catch up,” she says and leads me past the curved staircase to the kitchen where I see Lexi, Drew, Nate and Luna looking equally as intoxicated. 

“Six!” They all shout at the same time. Oh boy. They only make me take two shots before the cab gets here to take us to the party.

When we roll up, the party seems to be well underway. This house is just as impressive as Cleo’s. We head into the backyard to find a keg and a plastic table filled with hard liquor. As I’m filling up a plastic cup at the keg, I feel someone walk up behind me.

“You came.” Of course it’s Axle.

“Yeah, I did,” I say, turning around to face him. He looks fairly sober, which is surprising considering 95% of the people here are plastered already. I catch him scanning his eyes up and down my body before saying, “You look incredible.”

“Thank you,” I say awkwardly. I don’t say it, but he looks good too. He looks better in a black t-shirt and jeans than any person should have a right to. He goes over to the table and pours out two tequila shots. “Do a shot with me?” he asks.

I just nod and take the tiny plastic cup from him. I down the shot, maintaining eye contact the entire time. I put the cup down and then just as I look up, some girl I don’t know comes up and glues herself  to his side and says, “Here you are. I was looking for you baby,” while rubbing a hand up and down his chest and kissing his neck. I roll my eyes and walk away to go find my friends. 

They decide we’re going to join a game of flip cup, so we head over and start playing. None of these people are particularly good at it. I’m pretty sure they’ve already had too much to drink to have any kind of hand-eye coordination.