House Party Read Online Free Page B

start making the punch,” I said.
    I’d taken the bottles out of the cabinet in the living room and had stored them, along with everything else, under the stairs. I opened up the flaps on two or three boxes before I found the right one. I dragged it out of the storage locker and put it on the little buffet in the basement.
    There weren’t that many bottles inside. My parents weren’t what you would call “drinkers.” My mother mainly had a little white wine with supper, and I’d hardly ever seen my father have anything to drink except an occasional beer when he was cutting the grass.
    I pulled out a big bottle of vodka, a second one of gin and a third of whiskey. All three bottles were almost full. I carried them upstairs to the kitchen.
    Jen had already finished opening all the little cans and dumping them into the punch bowl. She was now adding water to the colorful frozen mess. I put the bottles down beside the punch bowl.
    â€œThis is going to taste really good,” Jen said as she dumped in a pitcher of water.
    I grabbed a wooden spoon and started to stir up the mixture.
    Jen picked up the vodka bottle and unscrewed the cap. She sloshed some into the punch bowl.
    â€œBe careful!” I warned. “Not too much!”
    â€œOf course not.” She stopped and put the lid back on the bottle.
    It looked to be not much different than the level before she started pouring. She did the same with the other two bottles. I kept stirring the whole concoction, the spoon clinking against the sides of the bowl.
    â€œTime for a sample,” Jen said.
    She dipped in a plastic cup and scooped out a little bit. She sipped it.
    â€œWell?”
    She handed me the cup. “See for yourself.”
    I took a sip. “It’s good, very good!”
    â€œI think so. Can you taste the alcohol?”
    I took another sip. “Maybe just a little.”
    â€œThen it’s perfect. By the way, we shouldn’t drink anything else tonight. We have to keep track of everything, so we can’t afford for this to be a party where we get drunk.”
    â€œI’ve never gotten drunk!” I said.
    â€œNever?”
    â€œNever,” I said. “Have you?”
    She shook her head.
    â€œBy the way,” Jen said, “are you going to wear that top?”
    â€œWhat’s wrong with this top?”
    â€œNothing…I was just wondering, that’s all,” she said.
    â€œI
was
going to wear it.” That was now out of the question. I went upstairs to change.

Chapter Six
    â€œWell,” Jen said, “it’s almost official. We’ve moved from nobodies to big losers. We’re the ones who gave a party and nobody came.”
    â€œIt’s still early,” I said, trying to be reassuring.
    â€œIt’s ten after nine. Ten minutes after people were supposed to arrive, and do you see any people?” She gestured around the room.
    â€œDo you know what tonight is?” Jen asked.
    â€œA bad night for giving a party?”
    â€œIt’s a bad night to be alive!” she screamed. “I thought somebody would show up, but it’s just you and me. It’s not like we didn’t invite people, because we did!”
    She looked like she was going to start crying.
    â€œIt’s okay,” I said. “It’s probably because there wasn’t enough notice. The next time my parents go away, we’ll know a lot sooner and we can start planning and inviting people sooner.”
    â€œThat would just make it worse! That would give them even more time to ignore us. This is proof positive that you and I are two—”
    The doorbell rang, cutting her off.
    â€œThe doorbell,” I said. I had an amazing ability to point out the obvious. It rang again.
    â€œYou get it!” Jen ordered. “I have to check my makeup!”
    As she ran from the room, she reached over and cranked the volume up on the stereo. Music filled the