**Chapter Seven**
It was dinnertime, so we all headed to the dining hall. By all, I mean Dillon, Cam, and myself. Usually, we wouldn’t come here, but it was a Saturday night. Typically, it wasn’t crowded since everyone on campus tried to eat out on the weekends. The food here didn’t look all too bad either, though I stuck with a simple piece of pizza and ate some of Cameron’s fries. He didn’t mind at all.
Sitting down, they decided they wanted to discuss this upcoming party happening on campus. I wasn’t thrilled or excited about such things. It would be my first time attending a party and I had no clue what to expect. How does one even act at a party? It wouldn’t be your typical high school party, either. This was college and if there was anything I learned; it was that college parties are a whole different breed.
“How can you guys be so excited about a dumb party?” I asked, still casually stealing Cam’s fries.
Dillon rolled her eyes. “Of course, you wouldn’t be excited. You’ve never been to a party,” she remarked. “It’s just a bunch of people drinking and dancing horribly to decent enough music.”
I groaned. “Drinking? Like alcohol?” My innocence was showing.
They both nodded. “Please tell me you’ve had at least a sip of an alcoholic beverage?” Cameron asked.
Shaking my head, he rolled his eyes in frustration. “Dillon, do you know what this means?”
“We have to get her a drink,” she responded.
“We have to get her a drink!” He yelled back.
The thought repulsed me. I wasn’t of age yet and they insisted I needed to at least try something. How the hell were we supposed to even buy it when none of us were old enough to? Cam looked at least a little older, so maybe, but it was baffling. Call me a goody two shoes, but I liked to do things the proper way. Following rules to avoid trouble. Yet my friends were nothing but.
They were right in the sense that I couldn’t go to this party and not know what to expect. Taking a small sip of something wouldn’t exactly kill me. However, I was still on the fence about it. We literally got into a whole debate over if I would drink something or not. It almost turned into a screaming match of two against one. My odds weren’t favorable.
“Anna, it will not kill you to take a sip,” Cam argued.
I rolled my eyes. “Maybe not, but it’s wrong!” I yelled. “Plus, I don’t want to make a fool of myself.”
“Oh, please, you will not get drunk off one sip,” Dillon interjected. “Then again, with your fragile body, you could get drunk off a whiff.”
I squinted my eyes at her while Cam laughed. “Haha, you’re so funny.” I crossed my arms. “Anyway, how the hell are we supposed to buy said alcohol? None of us are 21,” I remind them.
Much to my dismay, that was when Dre and Drew walked by. They overheard our conversation and joined in. Of course, they were on Dillon and Cam’s side as far as me trying a drink. It’s ridiculous that I had no one to back me up on the matter. Though it made for an interesting outing on this lovely Saturday night. The only problem was, Juliana would tag along as well. Not that we had any issues. It was harder to get Drew’s attention when she was around, though.
“What’s this about liquor?” Dre asked as he grabbed a chair.
Cam leaned back, explaining the situation. “Little miss innocent over here never had any alcohol, so we’re trying to get her to try it.” He explained.
“But none of us are 21 to purchase it,” Dillon said.
That’s when Drew smirked. “I know a guy,” he would know a guy.
Dillon smirked, thrilled about the idea. “Leave it to Drew to know a guy. What are we waiting for, then?”
“I have to grab Julie first and then we can head on over,” Drew said as we all followed him.
To my surprise, Juliana was quite happy to come to hang out with us. Even though we were doing something, we shouldn’t have. If anybody should’ve been on the fence about this, it was her. She had so much going for her on account of what she was majoring in. I guess it couldn’t hurt to party little by little. It was the weekend, after all. Though part of me wished she hadn’t come. Seeing her be so close to Drew wrecked me. Why couldn’t I be her?
Anyway, we walked to the south end of campus only to go into the parking lot. Drew told us to wait there because the guy didn’t like too many people around. Something about it being too obvious, I don’t know. What I know is Drew came back with a pretty big bottle that frightened me. We were all supposed to drink that? I thought I was taking a sip, not a whole damn bottle. They were trying to kill me!
We headed back to Dillon and my dorm room. It was a little awkward having Drew here. Not only Drew but his girlfriend, Juliana. I tried not to let it show on my face, but my energy was off. Looking at him sitting back on Dillon’s bed with his arm around her left me with sadness. It made me think of earlier today, even though it wasn’t intentional. Being in his arms was everything I pictured. Now Juliana took that spot.
Dre grabbed some cups from the dining area, and everyone poured themselves a cup. Everyone except me, of course. I stood in the corner, hoping to turn invisible. That plan didn’t work out too well because they noticed right away that I had sipped nothing.
“Come on, Anna, take a swig,” Cam tried to convince me.
I was reluctant. “No way,” I turned my head.
“Stop being a baby. It will not hurt you,” Dillon chimed in. No one asked her to.
I still wouldn’t budge, but they also weren’t making me feel comfortable about doing it. You’d think they be a little more inviting about it, but no. It’s Anna come on just drink it. Anna stop being a baby. None of it was helping, and it made me not want to try it at all. Lucky for them, Drew was here to back up their foolishness. It was hard to turn him down, but he made me feel more comfortable about the situation.
Standing up, Drew sat his drink down walking over to me. Taking the bottle from Cam, he filled the plastic cup just a little before setting the bottle back down. He looked at me with those warm eyes and a soft smile. I nearly wanted to faint just standing this close.
“Take this shot and if you don’t like it, you won’t have to have anymore,” he explained softly. “I know it’s intimidating, especially with all of us here, but I promise it’s no big deal. Though it may burn your throat a little.”
“What!?” I screamed, and widened my eyes.
He chuckled. “It’s a quick sting, I swear. Now put your head back and plug your nose even.”
Sighing, I did as he said, tilting my head back and plugging my nose. The smell wasn’t that great, but it wasn’t bad enough to make me want to puke. That being said, Drew counted down and before I knew it, the drink was going down my throat. Everyone cheered as I made a face of disgust. It wasn’t anything like I wanted it to be, and it burned quite a lot. Though, even I had to admit, not that bad. I’m just glad that’s finally over.
Everyone was finally relaxing a bit. We talked while they all sipped some more of the bottle. I’m not sure exactly where or how this started happening, but before Cam and I knew it; Dre and Dillon were making out on my bed, mind you! While Juliana and Drew were following suit on Dillon’s bed. This was fantastic, leaving Cam and me to sit at my desk facing the other direction. Dillon was totally getting creamed tomorrow about this.
Cam groaned at the sight of the pairs. “You’d think they’d take their mess somewhere more private,” he joked.
I giggled. “Now look at us. We look like losers,” I say. I wanted to chug a pillow at Dillon.
Cam chuckled. “Well, on the bright side, this was a pretty fun night.” That he was right about.
“It would be better if I didn’t have to watch Drew making out with someone,” I whispered.
He agreed. “Yeah, don’t you think maybe you should try to get over your crush on him?” He whispered back. “Not to say it’s pointless or anything. I just don’t see how it’s benefitting you.”
He was right and by the looks of it, Drew and Juliana weren’t ever going to break up. As much as their relationship may be dysfunctional, they sure seemed well off to me. There wasn’t any point in me having a crush on someone I would never be with. It’s a waste of emotions that could be put into something else. However, I doubt my feelings would change. The more I’m around him, the more my heart aches. Liking someone for as long as I did would be hard to get over.
I rested my head on my desk, looking over at Cameron still. “Just put me out of my misery,” I plead.
Cam laughed, shaking his head at me. “No, you silly girl. You’re gonna put on your big girl panties and handle this properly.”
I pout. “I don’t wanna,” I put on a baby voice.
That made him laugh again. “You have to, or do you want to feel pain every time you see them being intimate with one another?” He asked.
Sighing, my head lifted hearing what he said. “I guess I don’t want to feel that way,” I agreed. “But how do you just stop liking someone you’ve liked since the 8th grade?”
It felt impossible to do. It’s not like I could avoid him either. We go to the same school and I’m close to his sister. I’m practically always at their house and Drew is never that far away. Trying to get over him would be absolute torture. But what other choice did I have? It’s either pine over him forever. Or get over him and be content with my life.
Cameron couldn’t produce answers for me. At least not a straightforward one. “Well, you have to be committed to the operation for it to work,” he pointed out. “It’ll be hard, but for your sanity, I say try it.”
Shrugging, I rested my head on his shoulder, not liking this idea. “Maybe you’re right,” I sighed.
Looking back one more time, they were still going at it, crushing my every being. Just kill me.