Ally squeezed her Impala into an impossibly tiny spot, I'm pretty sure we ended up dinging the bumper in front of us. “Ready to party L? I need me a drink and a hot college guy to get the whole college experience, don't ya think?" Ally tosses her keys into my hands, the ever ready designated driver waiting to cart around her and whoever she decides to bring home.
“Ok, just remember don't take any drinks from random guys, keep your phone on you so we keep in contact and please, please keep the noise down if you do make it home with some guy, ok sweetie?" Ally huffs out a breath, “Yes Mom! There was just that one time you heard me and Matt. Jeez, you make it out to be like I'm some kind of sex freak, they at least need to buy me dinner or something first till they meet the freak,” she turns and winks at me.
Ally had been a frequent dater throughout highs school and even though she offered to babysit Caleb plenty of times so I could go out on dates, I always declined. I had plenty of guys asking me but I knew how high school boys were, they wanted one thing. Sex. And I already had one baby I was taking care of I surely didn’t need another one and I would of rather spent my time with him anyways. I could date when I had a stable career and on my own two feet, giving the little man an awesome life.
“But I told you we don’t need a bunch of random guys running around with Caleb in the house.”
“I know Al but you can still bring guys home, just cause we’re there I don’t want to cramp your style or anything. I’ll just make sure to keep Caleb in our room, he won’t even know the difference.”
“Whatever Leah,” she says with an eyeroll. “If the situation happens to come up we can always go to the lucky fellows place.”
“Ally! You made it, now the party can begin!" I recognize two girls from Ally’s sorority as we enter through the door of the party that is already in full swing. A girl with long black hair and a short midnight blue dress that just barely covers all the goods, shoves two red cups towards us. "Just what I needed Tara, how did ya know?" Ally gulps down half her cup in one sip and points towards me. “Tara, I think you guys have met, this is my roommate and BFF Leah. Leah, this is my 'big' Tara, she’s in charge of showing me all the ropes of the sorority, keeping me in line and all that shit."
“Nice to officially meet you, “I say as I wave my hand at the cup she’s offering. “No thanks. You really have your hands full with this one," I motion my thumb at Ally as I plop a big smooch on her cheek. Ally rolls her eyes at me, “You know you love me! You girls ready to dance?" I look around the ‘dance floor' which is a super small area blocked off by two oversized couches. Guys and girls all smooshed together, grinding and sweating all over each other. “I think I'm good for right now, I'm going to grab a drink. You girls go have some fun!"
I weave my way over to the makeshift bar manned by a guy who looks like he was suckered into the job by the boredom that’s clearly running across his face. He perks up a bit as I walk closer to him and winks at me when I rest my elbows on the counter, “What can I get ya pretty girl?" Oh Mr. Suave over here. “Can I get a Diet, please?" He glances back at me with his eyebrows raised, “Nothing else?" I roll my eyes, “No some people have to work at 5 a.m." His lips creep up into a smirk, "Oh, I know how that is, I'm a runner so I always try to be up at the crack of dawn to get some miles in. I'm Gage by the way. Where'd you score a job at so quickly?"
I stick out my hand to shake his oversized masculine hand and introduce myself. “Leah Rossi. This is my first year here. I got a job waitressing tables over at Ginos downtown.” Ginos was one of the first places we stopped at when we came to town and they just happened to be hiring, I was luckily hired on the spot and it would work perfectly with my schedule once classes started. Mr. James, Ally’s dad, wanted us to get situated before having to worry about bills but I was always a hard worker and didn't like being a charity case, even though the James family didn't see it that way.