Free Torch Red: Color Me Torn with Bonus Content by Melody Carlson

I suppose you have a lot to think about.”
    “Yeah.” Then he seems to relax a little. “But I guess I don’t have to think about
everything
right now.”
    “That’s right.” Then I reach over and gently massage the back of his neck. “Relax,” I tell him. “Just give yourself a little break tonight.”
    “Sounds good to me.”
    The party’s in an older, slightly run-down subdivision, and from the number of cars filling the driveway, as well as lining both sides of the street, I’m guessing there must be a lot of kids here. But as soon as we go inside and push our way through a hot and crowded front room where the music is blaring loudly, I begin to realize that I don’t really recognize anyone.
    Not only that, but I don’t think this is just a “high school” party since, judging by conversations, a lot of the people here are in their twenties and older. But even more disturbing is the fact that not only is there alcohol being served (which I expected), but I can also smell marijuana smoke, and my guess is that there may be other things going on here too.
    Now I don’t like to come across as this uptight chick who can’t cut loose occasionally, but I’m thinking this just isn’t the kind of party that strikes me as fun. And I wonder what made Justin think it was a goodidea to bring me here. Or what made him want to be here himself.
    But he is already mixing a couple of drinks from the open bar and he turns around and hands one to me. “Bottoms up,” he says with a grin.
    “What is it?” I ask.
    “Just a Brown Cow,” he tells me as if I should know what that means.
    “What’s that?” I ask, feeling slightly stupid, but not really caring either.
    “Rum and Coke.” He holds up his glass. “Cheers!”
    Well, I suppose one drink can’t hurt me, and maybe if I bide my time for, say, fifteen or twenty minutes, I might be able to talk him into going someplace else. And so I do my best to drink what actually tastes like nail polish remover (or how I imagine it might taste) but, for his sake, I do pretend to like it. And, of course, this results in him mixing me another one. I’m about to refuse it when he’s greeted by the guy who must be hosting this moronic party.
    “Hey, Justin,” this guy says as he slaps him on the back. “I’m glad you came. Whazzup, man?”
    Then Justin introduces me to “Nick” and the two of them start talking like they really are the old buddies I’d described to my mom earlier. And then, just when I’m not paying attention, they both disappear. Like
poof!
they’re gone.
    Well, I walk around the crowded and sweltering house and discover that it’s a lot larger than it looked from the outside. But I don’t see Justin anywhere. And naturally, since I don’t really know this Nick guy, I don’t feel comfortable walking into rooms where the doors are closed. I mean who knows what I might discover?
    I finally decide to give up when I notice a vacant easy chair in a somewhat quiet corner of the living room. So I sit down, cross my legs, fold my arms, and simply do some people watching. And let me tell you, there’s some strange stuff going on here, and in a weird wayit’s kind of interesting. But I do begin to notice a pattern. It’s like guys and girls don’t really know each other, but they visit a little, pair off and dance for a bit, and then they just sort of split. I’m not sure if they’re sick of the party and going somewhere else or what. I’m not even sure that I care. I just want to get out of this place myself.
    And I’m pretty curious as to where Justin and Nick have disappeared to and when Justin plans to return. If my parents hadn’t been planning on going to a movie tonight (and
if
it wasn’t such a sleazy party), I would call my dad and beg him to pick me up. But I realize that’s pretty childish.
    So here I sit, just watching everyone. I figure there’s not much else I can do. I sit here for about half an hour or more, I’m guessing,