The Bonfire: Rose

*Warning: Drug Use*

Penny frowns at the green utility jumpsuit on my bed. I tell her it's only a bonfire, but she lives for fashion and isn't satisfied. A sour apple blow pop relaxes me.

"Maybe it could work if you add a few accessories. Silver, not gold. If your shoes are silver, then you only wear silver. I hate it when you mismatch."

"I hate it when you call me to reach the top shelf."

"You know what?" She aims a pillow at my head, but I catch it. "I knew you were dodging my calls. Matt doesn't complain."

"He's an idiot if he drives that far to climb Mount Stilettos."

She shrugs. "Speaking of, how are you and Angie doing?"

"My grandma took us to a movie last night. It was kind of nice, aside from the smell of popcorn. We made plans to hang out tomorrow." I sigh deeply. "It feels like I'm getting back on the crazy train."

Penny pumps her arm like a conductor. "Choo, choo!"

I crunch on my lollipop. The remains shatter in my mouth like tiny pieces of sweet glass before melting away. My favorite part is the gum inside. Just when you think you've got it figured out, it changes flavors.

"They should fill these with Hubba Bubba. The sales would be through the roof."

"Walter Reid would be so proud," she says, knowing all too well about my obsession.

There's a knock on my room door and Matt comes in with a deep dish Howie Maui from Hungry Howie's. The smell drives my mouth crazy, and before long I'm chomping down on my third slice.

Eating with Matt is like eating with a starving wild animal. My sheets are oily and full of crumbs. After receiving a few pointed looks, he catches on.

"I'll clean it." He motions us off of the bed. I cringe when he gathers my sheets, greasy hands and all.

"Uh...thanks, Matt." When he leaves for the laundry room, I look at Penny.

She laughs. "I think the effort is sweet."

"Then he can eat at your house." I wipe my fingers into a napkin. "I gotta get dressed."

"Wait." She tugs my arm.

"What is it, Penny?"

She gnaws at her bottom lip. "Never mind, it's stupid."

"I already knew that," I say. "Come on, what is it?"

She digs through her purse. "Blood moon, or charred red?" She holds two lipsticks against her mouth.

"Blood moon," I choose, knowing she'll wear the charred red.

I step into my bathroom. Just when my shower gets good, Matt and Penny pound the door. I tune out their threats to leave me and take my time.

"Does it have to take that long?" Penny asks when I come out.

"Have you seen her toes?"

Matt and I go back and forth with our usual banter, until we're in the car jamming out. It's always the same cycle with us.

"Who's throwing this bonfire?" I ask.

We pull into a quiet neighborhood. It doesn't look like the type of place to have a child's birthday party, let alone a bonfire with a bunch of reckless teens.

"Ash. He's a football player," Penny says. "He's doing bonfires all summer."

We look around, confused when we reach a dead end.

"There," Matt says, pointing to a fire hydrant. "We go this way through the woods to get there."

"Or to get murdered," I say under my breath.

Branches and rocks slice my feet as we trek through the trail. I walk through a spider's web, and decide that I'm never coming back here.

"My feet are killing me." Penny groans. "Matt, can I please get a ride?"

He runs a hand through his wavy brown hair, doing a terrible job to mask his surprise. "Yeah, sure."

He crouches, making a strained noise when she jumps on. His hands are tight around her legs, almost as tight as his pink face.

She sighs. "You're a life saver." Her curls fall into his face when she rests her chin on his head.

"Anytime."

We get passed the woods, and the trees open into a green field. There's two hundred or so people spread around. The sun sits low, telling us that we've got another hour of light.

"Sweet," Matt says. "Looks like these guys know how to party."

The music gets louder. Some play drinking games, some are dancing. The air smells of burning wood and weed. I don't drink or smoke, but it's funny to watch people at parties, so I go.

"Right here is good, Matt," Penny says.

"Oh, right." He lets her off.

"I bet you feel a thousand times lighter," she says.

"Heavier, actually." But she's disappeared into the crowd. He sighs, shrugging at me.

"Go have fun. I'm your lifetime designated driver," I say. That seems to perk him up.

There aren't any drinks, just a few bottles and shot glasses going around. Good thing I brought my own water.

We find Penny sitting around the fire with a few girls from our school and join them. Heather Grey comes over with skewered marshmallows. She passes them around, smiling in our direction.

"Hey, Matt," she says with a dainty wave. He nods and she comes over.

"Got some exciting news. I'm cheerleading captain this year." Her long brown hair and hazel eyes give her a wolf-like appearance.

"It's about time." He congratulates her. "I told you that you'd get it."

"Thanks." A girl calls her name and she waves him goodbye.

People always flock to him. He's kind to everyone he meets, but girls can't tell the difference between that and flirting. Or maybe him being so nice is what makes them flirt.

He passes Penny the marshmallow he roasted, and is about to start on another when a guy in a red tank top and blue shorts yells over the crowd.

"How about a little fun, huh?" Everyone cheers. "Handstand. Five people. Losers drink, and the winner gets ten bucks. How's that sound?"

Four people line up. "Come on, we need one more," he says, raising a finger. Our jaws drop when Penny bounces to the plate. "Alriigght, now we're cooking."

He counts down, and their legs shoot into the air. One girl falls embarrassingly fast and takes a shot. Soon after, two guys come crashing down, groaning when they smack the dirt.

"Order up two shots for these gents!"

They throw them back, and shake their heads from the burn.

It's Penny and a gymnast going toe to toe. I cheer her on, unable to contain my excitement. The gymnast's shirt starts to fall, and she drops down before we can see anything.

"I can't believe it, she won!" I say, shaking Matt who's laughing.

"Ahhhh bummer, the shirt forfeits the competition," the commentator says with a sigh.

Penny drops her legs as the crowd cheers. She takes a bow and bounces over to us.

"That was soooo fun!" She's radiant. "Good thing I went with a romper today."

"You've gotta be kidding me! You killed it, Pen," Matt says.

"I did, didn't I?"

"In heels," I say.

"Excuse me?" Someone interrupts. "I think you forgot this."

Tall and tan, a guy in a black shirt smiles with Penny's ten dollar bill in hand. He's got short brown curls and big masculine features. From his nose to thick eyebrows resting above hazel eyes.

"I almost forgot."

"You earned it. That was amazing."

"Thanks." It's a small reply, but her body language says it all.

"You're welcome. I'm about to get out of here, but I wanted to know if I could get your number before I leave?"

While they're exchanging numbers, I notice that Matt's gone missing. She waves Romeo goodbye and we find him at the fire. He's managed to get a bottle all to himself.

"You sharing?" Penny asks.

He hardly looks at her and swooshes it back. "You've got ten bucks, don't you? I'm sure you can find your own."

Hurt flashes behind her eyes, but then it's quickly covered. "Fine." She pushes her way into the crowd.

Chugging, he watches until she's disappeared. When he comes up for air he's cleared nearly a quarter of the bottle.

"Take it easy," I say.

He blows a raspberry, pretty much telling me to mind my business. I shove his shoulder and leave.

Sweaty, half dressed bodies knock against me as I shove my way through. They're jumping to a fast song that I've never heard before. Drinks spill everywhere, nearly tagging my clothes. I find Penny taking shots in the back of the crowd. It should be stated that neither of them are drinkers.

"Turns out, ten bucks does buy you a drink around here," she says. She takes two to the head, and I watch it kick in. She laughs, throwing her hands up and shaking her head to the beat. "Let's have fun. Just us girls, okay?" She says, excluding Matt oh-so cleverly.

"Penny, you need to drink this." I hand her my bottle with a stern look.

"Ooouuuuu, fun!" She gags after the first swig. "Is that water?"

"Yes, drink it. Your breath smells like a liquor store." She pouts, but chugs it down. "Let's go back to the fire. I need to keep an eye on both of you nitwits."

Dragging her back is an exercise. She insists on dancing to every song.

"I know it's your song, but you can hear it at the fire," I say, losing my patience.

I finally get her to sit by me on a log across from Matt. She folds her arms dramatically when she sees him and he pretends not to notice.

"Heather, I don't believe you. You'd have to be pretty flexible to be captain," he says.

It's loud enough to gain an audience. The attention turns on her and she lights up, eating it like candy.

"Are you calling me a liar?" Her tongue plays against her teeth.

From the crowd, some say ooohhhh like a classroom full of kids.

"Well, then let's see it." He dares her.

Biting the bait, she asks for some room. She gets a running start and pushes off the ground, sending her feet flying smoothly into the air. She flips again and again until I'm dizzy. Finally, she sticks her landing with a pose. The crowd goes wild. Matt shrugs when she asks him how he thinks she did.

"That was awesome. I'll give you that, but it was not my definition of flexibility."

She stares him down, balancing on a leg. Slowly, she raises the other with her hand in a full leg hold. Some guys whistle.

"How's this?" she asks.

"I stand corrected, captain."

She joins him for a few shots. The crowd goes back to their party. He looks our way, pale eyes lingering on Penny until he's drawn back into his conversation.

She's slumped over on me, barely awake. I actually think she snored a few times.

Why am I here, and why did we stay so long? I wanted to have fun tonight too, but instead I got stuck babysitting. Maybe I can't escape it.

"You look like you could use a drink," says a familiar voice.

Ben takes the seat beside me. Highlight of my night.

"You have no idea." I grin. "Too bad I don't drink."

"Me either. Maybe when I'm worried about bills and my hairline I'll pick up the bottle. My life's just not that depressing yet." He winks.

He looks simple but expensive in a solid t-shirt and jeans. The wristwatch he keeps playing with is his only jewelry.

"Bummer. We could be those guys." I point to a group playing drunken two touch football. They're toppling over one another, cracking up at every fumble.

"We can still have some fun of our own. You dance?"

"Can you even dance to this?" The music sounds like it belongs on Dance Dance Revolution.

He says he knows the DJ, and shoots a quick text. The song changes. I listen to R&B like this when I'm alone. I blush, knowing that he chose this selection for me. He gives me his hand and I take it hesitantly.

"If I knew you were a magician, I would've told you that I don't know how to."

I lay Penny's head on her purse, and stand by the fire on our makeshift dance floor. I keep her in my sights, and notice that Matt does too.

"You like this kind of music?" he asks and I nod. "I figured you might."

He holds my waist and we rock side to side. Feeling him breathe against me is the most frightening yet pleasurable thing I've ever experienced.

"Are you nervous?"

I nod again.

"I can tell." He whispers it near my ear, sending tingles down my spine. "We can stop if you want." I shake my head and he laughs. "You can't talk anymore?"

"I'm barely breathing."

He studies my face, like I'm something that he's never seen before. His cologne is addicting. I've never been this close to any boy before, and I don't know what to do with myself. We're the only ones dancing, but no one pays us any mind.

When the song ends I pull away, not knowing what to say next.

"It was nice seeing you again," he says.

His gaze says that we've done more than dance. I'm not hot from the bonfire, but from the heat we've created. Maybe sparks fly, but this is a flame. When I walk away, he grabs my hand.

"Wait."

He pulls out his phone. "Maybe I could call you?"

I give him my number. He looks back before disappearing into the crowd. I'm on cloud nine when I check on Penny. I nudge her awake. She frowns and her dimples sink into her cheeks.

"I hate it when he's mad at me."

The unpleasant smell of liquor hits my nose and I scrunch my face. "Come on Penny, I'll drive you back."

I help her up and retrieve lover boy from a group of girls. They're sad when he tells them that he has to catch his ride.

"See. Somebody wants me," he says to me.

I lead them towards the woods using the flash on my phone, and ignoring their drunken banter.

He crouches before we reach the trees, swaying so much that he almost tips over and eats dirt. "Alright Penny, hop on."

"How about no?" Head high, she walks passed.

I thought the woods would be the worst part of tonight, but boy was I wrong. Their bickering is unbearable.

"I'm just saying. If you have your own money, then why do you need my drink?"

"So if I have m-money, I can't have any of your drink? Some friend you are."

He's talking with his hands now. "That's how it works, Penny. You get money or a drink, you can't have both!"

"Will you two be quiet!" I snap.

When we're out of the woods, I help Penny into the passenger side and he lays out in the back. He digs around in his pockets, and tosses me the keys.

"Here's to neveeerrr growing uuup." Penny sings with the radio.

We drive and her slurry words turn into faint hums until she drifts off. The radio is the only sound in the otherwise silent and dark car before Matt speaks.

"Is she asleep?"

"Yeah."

He grunts and sits up. "You're all over the road."

"No, you're drunk."

"I didn't notice."

"Someone else did," I say.

He throws the old jacket that he keeps in his car over Penny, giving her a long look before laying down. I check the mirror. His eyes are open. He's got one hand under his head and one on his chest. It rises and falls with each deep breath.

The car is silent for the rest of the ride to my house. I planned for them to sleep over, but now I wish I hadn't. I made plans for movies and snacks, not whatever this is. He's too drunk to drive home though, so my place it is.

We park, but Penny won't wake up.

"She's out cold," I say after tapping her again.

He yawns, stretching big. "I got her." He scoops her up, following me into the house and up the stairs.

It's bingo night, so my grandma won't be back for a while, and Angie is at a friend's. It's just us three.

He sets her down on my bed, pulls off her shoes, tosses a blanket over her. I rummage through my closet and bring out the blow up mattress. Squatting on the floor, I wait for the machine to finish filling it up with air. Even this noise doesn't wake her.

"Are you okay?" I ask him.

He looks like he's got a lot on his mind. It's strange to see him be anything but carefree. He nods.

"She'll be fine by morning," I say.

"Yeah, but I won't. I'm never fine with this."

"You've never told her how you feel, Matt. What do you expect?"

"She should know, Rose! I practically scream it to her everyday." His words are low, but heavy. "I'm always there for her, always going out of my way and she doesn't notice. I don't have to tell her that I'm in love with her, I show her every chance I get." He sighs, running a hand through his hair. "It's my favorite thing to do, and she doesn't see it. How pathetic is that?"

I think of something quick to say. "She told me that she hates it when you're mad at her."

It doesn't seem to work at first, but then his shoulders relax. "Thanks."

I pass him a blanket, and slide into the bed with Penny. The melody from the song I danced to plays in my mind as I drift off.