Derek helps me out of his jeep while eyeing my party outfit. I hear his very vivid thoughts about my ass and I give him a sly smile back. We make our way to Piper's front door and see Liam, Lily and Harper file out of Liam's BMW. Harper is in a whole new mood, even while sporting a big brown Band-Aid on her knee.

Piper's house is the most amazing house most people have ever seen. Our houses look like trailers compared to her modern stone mansion. She is an only child that is showered with money rather than affection from her absent parents. She looks like she's much older than a junior in high school with her face caked in designer makeup and her wardrobe coming straight from New York, London, and Milan. She has endless acquaintances but can name her real friends on less than one hand. Piper is always nominated for her class's homecoming court and if she was our age, Harper would hate her.

We hear music coming from the back of the house and our whole senior class is pretty much here including the dirts. I'm handed a red cup full of cheap beer as we walk through the tall French doors that connect her living room to the outside patio. People playing beer pong or flip cup cover the entire stone patio and music is coming from somewhere. Everyone seems to be getting along, which also makes Piper's house so amazing- her parties are always the event of the year. A built-in bar sits to the side of the large, shimmering pool and Greek-like statues spit aqua water onto the students swimming around. Most have jumped in with their clothes on and boys are splashing squealing girls with cold water. Her hot tub is connected to the pool and people are shoulder-to-shoulder enjoying the scalding water.

I find a plush seat by the pool and sip on my nasty light-colored liquid that's passing for beer- all the money in the world and it's still Keystone Light.  Piper has canvas cabanas with plush circular pads around the backyard and couples are already laying in them, groping each other in the dim light. I frown, as I do not want Derek to get any ideas of PDA.

There are strings of tiny yellow lanterns connected to the trees around the patio adding to the party atmosphere, but it also gives the cabanas a romantic feel. I am glad when I spot Derek socializing with the rest of the football team because the more social he is, the less he'll be trying to get me upstairs. I refuse to have my first time be in a guest room at the van der Woods where anyone can just barge in.

I watch Harper and Liam sign up to play Ashley and Brittany in beer pong and as I continue to scan the yard, I spot some of the other cheerleaders dancing in the small stone gazebo and decide that is where I want to be. A fire pit sits in the middle of the gazebo and the people who aren't dancing, are making s'mores over the flames. A girl I recognize from my French class is passing out shots and I immediately reach out for one. I throw it back and feel the liquid burn down my throat. I cough and leave the shot glass on the stone railing.

I strut over to all the girls dancing and start moving to the poppy beat. I watch as Derek walks by and snarls at a guy wearing a flannel button-down that almost bumps into him. I roll my eyes at the pettiness. Everyone tonight is fine hanging with younger classmen, dirts, tories, whoever, but Derek. He has to always be on edge. I wave to him, begging for him to dance with me. When he finds me, he grabs my hips with his hands and I turn my back to him so we are up against each other. I start to grind against him and he pushes me out from him as he jokingly says, "Woah, finally someone wants to have fun." His hands slide down my arms as I laugh it off and push myself up against him again. I catch Liam watching us by the pong table and I move my hips slower. Derek must see him too because he starts sliding his hands all over me. See that asshole. She's mine. I suddenly don't like his hands moving lower down my body, so I spin around, peeling my shirt away from my chest to use it to fan myself.

"Okay I'm hot, let's go get another drink," I shout over the blaring Drake song that everyone is singing along to.

"Or we can go cool off upstairs? I bet we can find an empty room." He suggests and it took less than an hour for him to mention going upstairs. I reply with an eye roll and I watch as he deflates, but luckily he doesn't bring up the guest rooms again.

We start walking around with our hands intertwined as we enjoy the slight breeze that swirls through the air- I understand why so many people are in the pool now. We make our way back to the keg and fill up our red cups again. We trot around the yard, socializing with different groups of people and I have Brittany make me a mixed drink when I see her behind the pool's bar. I hand what's left of my beer to Mike, who sits down next to me. We clink our red cups together and I take a large swig of my new fruity concoction with god knows what alcohol swirled around inside.

I then see Lily sitting on one of the round pads, taking a hit of who knows what and I spring up from my seat and march over to her. The smell irritates my nose and I wave my hand around to push it away from me. I eye the people surrounding her before snapping, "What do you think you're doing? What is that?"

"It's just pot I think," she says before giggling uncontrollably and I force her to stand up and walk away from the stoners. I push her through the crowd and put her in a free pool chair.

"Calm down Ellie and relax. Have fun for once. You don't have to be so perfect all the time you know?" Lily slurs and her eyes droop as she reaches for two more shots. They are from the same girl that gave me my previous one and she forces the tiny glass into my free hand. I'm still annoyed with her previous choice, but decide not to let it ruin my good mood. I'm not going to be the babysitter tonight. We clink our glasses together and throw the liquid back. I gag and then take a sip of my other drink. Lily starts laughing at me.

"You don't like tequila, Ellie?"

"Taking shots without me ladies?" Harper interrupts as she comes barreling towards us with Liam trotting behind her.

"Hey, I didn't see you for a while, I was hoping you didn't leave," Liam says to me looking stressed out.

"Why would you care if I left?" I ask and Harper stares at him waiting for his response. I can tell she's already tipsy by the way her eyelids droop.

"Yeah, why do you care if she left? You're here with me remember? Where's Derek anyway?" She snaps to me. I turn around and don't even know when I lost him. Harper calls for the girl handing out shots and puts four fingers up. The girl comes over and hands us each one. This is a different color from the last two I took and I hesitate taking it, not wanting to mix too much alcohol. That and I am already feeling the effects of my previous drinks wash over me. I'm warm with a fun dizziness.

"Ew, did you see Kinsley Scott show up in that fugly ass dress? This is a party, not an eighth-grade social," Harper says to us and both Lily and I glance across the yard. I see Kinsley wearing a tight lime green dress that has layers and layers of chiffon swishing around her knees. Lily makes a face and giggles while I just shake my head. Harper's attention quickly goes back to Liam and she holds up her shot in a toast while she slurs, "To Liam, the hottest guy at Highland Park High. And he wants me bitches!" She slams her shot and I throw my liquid onto the grass hoping no one noticed. I make the "ew" face and set my glass on the patio table. I catch Liam's eye and I know he knows what I did. He smirks at me but doesn't give away my secret. Some of Harper's debate team friends come over and it doesn't take much persuading to get her to dance with them. I take this opportunity to talk to Liam.

"So what do you think of the party?" He shrugs, "It's alright. This house is unreal though." He gazes up at the crowded back balcony and then looks back to me, "Don't know how much longer I can handle her though." He points to Harper and I slap his finger down.

"Don't point at her," I scold as I let out a light laugh. "I warned you about her after you decided to ask her out. You have to deal with her tomorrow too." Liam frowns and turns me so our backs face Harper. His arm lingers across my shoulders and I feel every inch of him on my skin as he says, "I have to cancel that date. I don't want to lead her on. She's just... too much. She told Ashley that I would look great in red and that she can't wait to go pick out my tux for homecoming. I haven't even asked her to homecoming. I never even asked her on a date, I said we could hang." I realize that our faces are close and I can smell his woodsy cologne. The light from the lanterns illuminate his ocean-colored eyes and I notice there are a few specks of a light blue by his iris. A pang flutters through my stomach, but I don't pull away as I flatly say, "I told you she gets clingy. Although I can take some of the blame, I did ask you to bring her here tonight. Can you still take her home?"

"Yeah, let's go now though. I'll take you home too." He answers but I quickly shake my head, "I have to wait for Derek- he will drive me home. Just take her." He's suddenly frustrated with me.  "You're going to be ready to go before he is. Just let me take you."

"Liam, I don't need a babysitter or a driver. I got my shit handled." Harper interrupts us by literally breaking through Liam's hold across my shoulders. She grabs his now free arm and drags him over to the other dancers. He stands there, not wanting to move and she grinds up against his leg. I know he's uncomfortable and he's looking to me for help. She pulls his face down so it sits right next to hers and I know I can't do anything without having her freak out. She keeps her hand on his cheek to prevent him from moving his head. His eyes plead with me, but I put my hands up not wanting to get involved. All of a sudden she throws her hands in the air and yells, "Let's play never have I ever!" She obviously thinks this is the greatest idea she has ever had as she grabs Liam's arm and yanks him back over to where Lily and I are now sitting. Becca and Megan join us and I look around to see if I can find Derek. I scan the yard but don't see him. His bright blonde hair is usually pretty easy to spot. Harper literally grabs my face to bring my attention back to her.

"Okay! Does everyone have a drink?" She asks as she scans our hands. After approving the cups we clutch onto, she explains the rules.

"Okay, so I'll start by saying something I've never done. If you have done it, you have to take a drink! Whoever runs out of their drink first loses!" Her excitement is literally bursting through her and she waves her hands around unable to contain any of it. We all know how to play the game, but she asks if everyone understands. We all nod as she finally settles into her chair and says, "Okay, so never have I ever... drank so much I blacked out!" She looks around the patio and Becca takes a sip of her drink. Everyone laughs at her confession but I find myself thinking that's a bit irresponsible. Becca waves her hand in the air to take her turn.

"Okay, never have I ever hooked up with a guy in a car." Harper lets out a loud squeal as she takes a drink and Liam rolls his eyes. Harper obnoxiously winks at Liam and he puts his head in his hands. I notice he does not have a cup. Harper ignores his discomfort and continues, "Never have I ever smoked pot!" She points to Lily and Lily quickly takes a sip of her beer. They both giggle and then Lily looks straight at me. I'm afraid of what's going to come spewing out of her mouth when she says, "Never have I ever laughed so hard I peed my pants!" She points over to me as she and Harper burst out laughing. I refrain from eye-rolling.

Once during our freshman year, I was laughing so hard at Harper who split her pants on my trampoline that I accidentally peed my pants. We had been drinking, but they literally never let me live it down. I push away any embarrassment as I take a sip and then look to Harper. I feel my face morph into a bitchy smirk before I say, "Never have I ever fallen flat on my face in front of the whole student body." I lift my cup in her direction, letting it linger in the air as if I was raising a toast.  Harper's face falls and Becca lets out a loud burst of drunken laughter. Liam smirks, but Harper throws her drink down and storms off across the grass. I wasn't trying to start anything but I could tell where this game was going to go. Harper would want Liam to know just how easy she is and both Lily and Harper will use it as an opportunity to point out my embarrassing moments- like they always do when we play this game.

I down the rest of my drink and stand up determined to go find Derek. I leave the rest of the players sitting there and turn to go inside the house. I knew I had a reason to not come to Piper's parties and tonight was going to be the last time I subjected myself to this mess.