They crept down the hallway toward the living room, Brooke leading the way. The doors to the living room were closed, but the guys were definitely in there. They were laughing and shouting wildly. Jill couldn’t imagine what they were doing.
Brooke slid up beside the doors and turned one of the knobs slowly and quietly. She eased the door open an inch, and Jill tried to peer in behind her. All the guys were standing around, facing the TV, and Jill couldn’t see what they were watching.
Suddenly someone in the back shifted just a little, and Jill saw the TV for a split second. There was a naked girl on her knees, holding onto something with both hands and pushing it in and out of her mouth. Oh my gosh! Was that...?
Brooke gave a delighted gasp of laughter as she let go of the door and it hung open a tiny bit. She quickly covered her mouth. “Come on!” She grabbed Jill’s arm and dragged her back toward the garage at a run.
“Oh my gosh!” Brooke cried as they exploded back through the door into the garage. She doubled over, laughing so hard she could barely breathe.
“What?! What were they doing?” everyone asked expectantly, looking to Jill for the answer. Jill pretended to be laughing hysterically too, because she wasn’t exactly sure what she’d seen in there.
Finally Brooke recovered enough to stand up. “They’re watching porn!” she cried gleefully.
Jill glanced toward her friends. Hillary’s eyes widened a little, and Lorylyn’s mouth dropped open in shock. Hilton was laughing, her hands over her mouth in a surprised gesture.
“Did you guys see it? What was it like?” someone asked eagerly.
“It was this girl giving a guy a blow job!” Brooke howled. “Oh my gosh, it was hilarious!”
Jill laughed along with everyone, but she couldn’t believe they were all watching porn! How gross! Lorylyn looked totally grossed out too. Hillary was giggling and didn’t really look like she cared, which surprised Jill. Hillary had changed so much! How could she not care that her boyfriend was watching porn?! Okay, so Jill had to admit it was kind of funny, and she was excited to have shared the discovery with Brooke, but she was still shocked. How crazy! How had they gotten it?
A few of the other girls decided to sneak inside to try to get a glimpse, Hillary and Hilton included. Jill went over to stand by Lorylyn.
“I can’t believe my boyfriend’s watching porn!” Lorylyn said, not sounding too happy about it. “I can’t believe they all are! That’s so disgusting!” She shook her whole upper body, as if trying to rid herself of the grossness.
Brooke had found two sleeping bags on a shelf in the garage and gotten them down. She’d held a whispered conference with Lindy, and now she was unrolling the bags and spreading them out on the floor. Lindy stood off to the side watching, her arms folded across her chest. Jill would almost have said she looked pissed.
“What’s she doing?” Jill asked Lorylyn, nodding toward Brooke. She was amazed by how at-home Brooke was making herself in Landon’s parents’ cottage.
The girls who’d gone inside came back, some looking a little embarrassed, but all giggling.
“Isn’t that hilarious?!” Brooke asked them. “Okay, I have an idea.” She pointed to the sleeping bags she’d spread out. “Everybody sit in a circle.”
Jill felt a little hesitant, but most of the girls hurried to do as Brooke said. Jill and Lorylyn joined Hillary and Hilton in the circle.
“Oh my gosh,” Hillary whispered to them. “That was SO gross!” But she giggled. Lorylyn wrinkled her nose and looked away.
“Okay,” Brooke said. “We’re gonna play a little bit different version of spin the bottle. Truth or dare spin the bottle.” She grinned in Lindy’s direction. Lindy was now sitting on her knees in the circle, her arms still folded across her chest, and she gave Brooke what could only be described as a grimace. She definitely didn’t share Brooke’s excitement. Jill felt uneasy.
Blake clapped enthusiastically and cheered. Jill looked at Hillary and rolled her eyes. Blake was so up Brooke’s ass; it was getting really annoying.
“I’ll spin first,” Brooke continued. “And whoever it lands on, you have to pick truth or dare.” She placed the bottle in the center of the circle and spun it, then sat back to watch. It landed on Hillary. Brooke looked at her expectantly.
“Um...truth.”
Jill couldn’t imagine anyone actually choosing dare when Brooke would be the one to make up the dare. Who knew what she’d come up with?
“Okay...hmm.” Brooke cocked her head to the side, thinking. Then she looked directly at Hillary with a wicked grin. “How far have you gone with Dirk?”
Jill turned quickly to look at Hillary. This was something she’d been dying to know for a long time!
Hillary looked really embarrassed. She screwed up her face and brought her knees up to her chest. “Second base?” she finally said hesitantly.
“Second base like over the shirt or under?” Brooke demanded.
“Um...under.” Hillary’s face was bright red now.
Jill tried not to act surprised. She really wasn’t that surprised; she’d guessed they’d done some stuff, but it was still weird to hear Hill say it. And she hadn’t even told Jill when it happened....Jill felt bummed out. This wasn’t the greatest night so far.
“Okay, your turn.” Brooke motioned to the bottle and Hillary spun. It pointed to Lindy.
“Truth,” Lindy said quickly.
“Have you and Andy had sex?”
Jill was surprised again. That was a gutsy question for a freshman to ask a sophomore! Jill would never have said that.
“Nope,” Lindy replied. She didn’t seem offended. She spun, and it landed on Blake.
“Dare!” Blake said.
“Hmmm.” Lindy looked around the garage, thinking. “Oh, I have a good one! Run past the living room window topless.” She grinned, and all the other girls started giggling.
Blake didn’t look too happy, but she quickly tried to cover it up and act like it didn’t bother her. “Okay, that’s no big deal.” She stood up, and everyone went outside, gathering just off to the side of the window, far enough away that they couldn’t be seen from inside.
“I’ll hold your shirt and bra,” Brooke said, holding out her hands. Blake quickly stripped. It was too dark to see anything, but all the girls cheered teasingly anyway. Jill was annoyed. Everything Blake did annoyed her.
Blake took off running across the yard, flying by the large picture window in a split second.
“No, you have to get closer!” Brooke called. “The light’s on in there; there’s no way they would’ve even noticed!”
Blake hesitated a moment on the other side of the yard, then quickly sprinted back across to the girls, a little closer to the window this time. She ran right to Brooke and grabbed her clothes, throwing them on.
“Did they see you?” someone asked.
“I don’t know, I didn’t look in!” Blake squealed. “That was so fun though!”
Hilton looked at Jill and stuck her finger down her throat. Jill giggled.
When they were settled back on the sleeping bags in the garage, Blake spun the bottle. It landed between Amy and Brooke.
“It’s on me!” Brooke said quickly. “I’ll do it! Truth!” She was practically bouncing with excitement. Jill shared a bewildered look with Lorylyn, who was sitting next to her. Brooke was so hyper...how drunk was she?
Jill looked at Blake expectantly, waiting for the question. She wondered what Blake would come up with. She was sure Brooke wouldn’t take offense to anything anyone might ask her.
Blake’s grin was practically evil. She waited a moment before asking loudly and clearly, “Who was the last person you had sex with?”
Brooke looked like she was starting to say something, then she lost it, laughing so hard she had to put her head down in her lap.
Jill looked at Lorylyn again. What the hell was going on?! Brooke must be trashed. Then Jill
looked at Blake. She was cracking up too, as though the question were a joke of some sort or she already knew the answer. Suddenly a horrible thought occurred to Jill. Her eyes flew toward Hilton, and she could tell Hilton was already thinking the same thing. The look Hilton gave her was one of apprehension mixed with unease, and Hilton pulled her arms in close and leaned out of the circle slightly, as if waiting helplessly for what was about to happen.
Lindy and Amy looked at each other, both of them looking uneasy as well. Lindy shook her head a little, then they both stared at their laps.
Jill knew what Brooke was going to say, and she wanted to cover her ears. She couldn’t look at Lorylyn. She stared at her lap too.
Finally Brooke stopped laughing and raised her head long enough to share a quick look with Blake and gasp out, “It...was...Brady.” Then she started laughing hysterically again and fell backward, rolling on the sleeping bag. Blake was still laughing too, and Tiffany and Stacy joined in, looking surprised but thrilled.
Everyone else gasped and turned to Lorylyn. Lorylyn’s dark eyes had gone wide, her gaze frozen on Brooke. She sat there, unmoving, for what seemed like forever, then pushed herself up and ran into the house, slamming the door behind her.
Jill and Hillary immediately stood up and ran after her, the sound of Brooke’s laughter following them all the way to the house.
“She probably went in the bathroom,” Hillary said breathlessly, leading the way past the living room and down the hallway. She pounded on the closed doorway. “Lorylyn? It’s Hillary and Jill.”
“Come in,” Lorylyn called in a muffled voice, and they could tell she was crying. Hillary opened the door, and they entered to find Lorylyn sitting on the toilet lid with her knees pulled up to her chest, sobbing.
“Hon, I’m so sorry,” Hillary said, kneeling down to rub Lorylyn’s back.
“It’ll be okay,” Jill added, kneeling on Lorylyn’s other side.
“How could he not tell me?” she sobbed. “I can’t believe he’s had sex!”
“Ssshhh, it’s okay,” Hillary soothed.
“No, it ruins everything! We’re so different! He’s had sex, and he watches porn! He’s not who I thought he was at all!”
“I know,” Jill whispered, totally understanding how Lorylyn felt. All she could think was that if this were her and Todd, she’d feel the same way.
“I know you’re upset,” Hillary said. “But maybe he didn’t tell you about the sex thing ‘cause it was a long time ago and it didn’t mean anything to him. I’m sure what you guys have now means so much more, and he didn’t wanna ruin it. And porn...that’s not that big a deal. Dirk did it too.”
Jill couldn’t believe Hillary. How could she make excuses for Brady? Every time Hillary talked, Jill felt the distance between them growing.
Lorylyn didn’t say anything; she kept her head buried in her knees.
Hillary continued rubbing Lorylyn’s back and shook her head sadly at Jill, but Jill wasn’t sure if Hillary was thinking, Poor Lorylyn, or, Lorylyn shouldn’t be so upset about this.
Jill looked away from Hillary and stroked Lorylyn’s hair. “I’m so sorry, Lor,” she said softly. “I’d be upset too.”
Finally Lorylyn looked up and wiped her eyes. “I’m gonna call my mom to come get me.”
“You’re just gonna leave?” Hillary asked, surprised. “You’re not even gonna talk to Brady about it?”
Lorylyn left the bathroom without responding, and Jill hurried after her. “Hey, do you want me to go with you?”
Lorylyn paused beside the phone in the kitchen, wiping her eyes and shaking her head. “No, it’s all right,” she hiccupped. “I’ll be okay.”
“Are you sure?”
Lorylyn nodded, dialing her number.
Hillary came into the kitchen and stood waiting by the door while Lorylyn called. Jill didn’t look at her.
“Mom?” Lorylyn spoke into the phone, trying to sound like she wasn’t crying. “Can you come get me?...Yeah, I’m still at Landon’s....No, we had a fight....It’s on Lake Caldwell, on South Lake Avenue; it’s like, a log cabin cottage....Okay, thanks, bye.” She hung up and turned to Jill. “She’s coming. I’m just gonna wait outside.”
“I’ll come with you.” Jill put her arm around Lorylyn, and they went out the back door to avoid the garage. Hillary followed silently as they walked around the path to the driveway and sat on the little stone wall bordering the path. Lorylyn remained silent, looking down at the ground. Jill rubbed her back.
Lorylyn’s mom showed up about fifteen minutes later. Jill stood up and hugged Lorylyn tightly. “It’ll be okay, Lor. I’m so sorry, hon.”
“Thanks,” Lorylyn sniffled.
Hillary hugged her too, then Lorylyn walked down the driveway to her mom’s car and got in. Jill and Hillary stood watching as the car backed out of the driveway and headed back the way it’d come, then they turned and headed back to the house. They walked silently. Jill didn’t feel like there was anything to say to Hillary. She knew Hillary felt bad that Lorylyn was upset, but Hillary acted like she didn’t think Lorylyn should have been upset at all, or at least not as much as she was.
They reentered the garage through the house. The circle had broken up, and everyone was standing around in groups. Brooke and Blake looked up with sly grins as Jill and Hillary came through the door. They were surrounded by a large group of girls that included Cassidy and Sam. Jill glared at Sam. What a traitor! She was supposedly still friends with Lorylyn, but she hadn’t even gone to see if Lor was okay. She was too freaking worried about what Brooke and Blake thought of her. Stupid bitch. Jill looked away, and she and Hillary headed over to Hilton, who was standing with Lindy.
“How is she?” Hilton asked worriedly.
“She went home,” Jill said, and Hilton’s face immediately registered sympathy and compassion.
“I feel so bad for her,” Hilton said.
“Yeah, I’m so sorry, you guys,” Lindy said, shaking her head. “I don’t know what she was thinking…” She nodded slightly in Brooke’s direction. It was silent for a moment. Then Lindy said, “Well, I guess I’m gonna go try to talk to her.” She started off toward Brooke.
After she left, Hilton glared in Brooke’s direction. “She is such a fucking bitch.”
Jill nodded in agreement, feeling her stomach twist in hate as she looked at Brooke. Brooke was standing there talking to Blake, looking beautiful and completely sure of herself, as always. It was as if nothing had happened. She obviously didn’t even feel an ounce of remorse for what she’d done. Jill could have looked at her last summer standing there like that and envied her, but now she felt intimidated by her. Brooke was someone whose bad side Jill never wanted to be on.
“Damn it!” Hilton said. “We should’ve warned Lorylyn. That must’ve been Brooke’s plan, to have Lorylyn find out, ‘cause she probably knew that’d break them up!”
A jolt of realization hit Jill. It all made sense now...Lindy’s disagreement with Brooke in the gym and the way she’d come back and whispered to Amy, and how Lindy had seemed uneasy about Landon’s party this morning at the game. Lindy had known Brooke was going to tell Lorylyn, and she hadn’t wanted her to do it.
Just then Landon opened the door and poked his head out into the garage. “Hey, you girls can come in now. It’s time for the drawing ceremony.” He smiled mischievously and closed the door.
Jill looked at Hilton. “The drawing ceremony?”
“Yeah, where you draw who you kiss at midnight.” Hilton seemed less than thrilled.
Jill felt the same way. All the fun was ruined now. She didn’t even care who she kissed. She wished she would’ve left with Lorylyn. Even the thought of kissing Todd had a bittersweet feel to it.
Jill, Hillary, and Hilton slowly followed the rest of the girls into the living room. Hillary went over to Dirk, who was standing by the window, and Jill and Hilton stood together near the door. Jill looked for Br
ady. He was lounging on the couch, looking totally carefree and laughing at something the guy next to him had said. He hadn’t realized yet that Lorylyn was missing.
“Hey, everybody, listen up!” Landon called from near the coffee table. He lifted a large wooden bowl off the table and held it up. “All us single guys put our names in here. If you’re a single girl, I’ll have you come one at a time to draw a name. If you’re here with a date, go find them now.” He waited while people moved around the room. The TV was now tuned into the ABC countdown in Times Square. Fifteen minutes to go.
As the couples paired up, Brady glanced around, looking for Lorylyn. Jill looked at Hilton nervously.
“Hey!” Brady called casually across the room. “Do you guys know where Lorylyn is?”
Jill shrugged, pretending not to know. She wasn’t going to shout it all the way across the room. Hilton shook her head. Brady shrugged and said something to the guy next to him. He probably thought she was in the bathroom. Jill saw Brooke and Blake grinning in Brady’s direction.
“All right, girls, form a line!” Landon called. “Come and get it!” He grinned and held the bowl out in front of him. The single girls started to move in his direction. Jill and Hilton fell in near the end of the line. Jill noticed Brooke lingering at the very end, still eyeing Brady.
Even though Jill had thought she didn’t care whose name she drew anymore, she found herself listening anxiously to hear if anyone else drew Todd. It was almost her turn and no one had. Just as Hilton went to draw, Brady stood up and left the room, probably to go look for Lorylyn.
Hilton unfolded her slip of paper dramatically, looked at it, and flashed a grin. “Reed.” She waved the paper in the air and raised her eyebrows playfully at Reed.
She’s so lucky! Jill thought. I can’t believe she actually got the guy she likes! Jill reached out to draw. She fished around the five or six pieces of paper left in the bowl and tried to send a message to her fingers to pick the one with Todd’s name. She slowly withdrew one and unfolded it. Her heart sank in disbelief as she read the name. “Bennett.”
She scanned the room to find him. How could this be happening?! How awkward! This whole night was awful! She wanted to cry. She found Bennett and dragged herself over to stand by him, since everyone else was pairing off with their partners.