Unbroken Promises (7 page)

That afternoon Susan drove Beth to Becky’s. Again, Becky’s parents were gone. Beth didn’t ask, but she had a feeling there would be an ice chest sitting on the kitchen cabinet loaded down with ice-cold beer. Beth thought she was going to die when Susan said she wanted to come in and meet Becky’s parents. Her heart started racing and her palms began to sweat. “Okay, girl, you can do this, just don’t stutter; that’s always been your downfall.

“Beth, honey, I would like to meet your friend’s parents at least once. You have been hanging out with them this whole school year and neither Jordon nor I have met any of them.

Are you ashamed of us or something? Is that the reason why we haven’t met them?” Beth was fast with another lie. She took a calming breath and began. “No, Susan, you know that that’s not true. I would love you to meet their parents. However, Becky told me on the phone before we left the house that her parents were leaving to go to the store to get us something to cook. I will introduce you to them the next time, okay?”

“Okay, maybe next time then,” Susan said exasperated and sounding a little disappointed.

Beth was determined to moderate her drinking because she didn’t want to get sick again. So she more nursed a couple of beers for the first two hours. Julie, Becky, and Jana were dancing and singing to the loud blare of Journey playing on the stereo, each holding a Miller Lite in their hands.

Beth noticed and told Julie to watch it when she saw her about to slosh beer onto her mother’s carpet. A couple of incense sticks burned slowly in the ashtrays filling the house with a smoky mulberry fragrance.

Later that evening, everyone migrated outside to the gazebo. Beth was off by herself soaking in the hot tub. She heard the doorbell ring, and a few moments later Julie walked back out with two girls she didn’t recognize. She was a little surprised because she didn’t know anyone else was coming. And, to Beth’s utter surprise, boys started showing up, too. Beth was uncomfortable with this new situation. When she saw everyone getting closer to where she was, she jumped out and grabbed her towel. Goose bumps instantly crept up her arms and legs as she hurried over to the dressing area and changed back into her clothes. Feeling a little more comfortable, she walked back out to meet the newcomers.

Beth finally met Julie’s boyfriend, Allen. She thought he was cute and friendly—maybe just a little too friendly for her liking. He made her just a tad bit uneasy. She was also worried Julie might not like his flirting with her so she walked over and sat beside Billy on the loveseat in the gameroom. She spent most of her time talking and cutting up with him.

Beth noticed it wasn’t long after she walked over to Billy that she saw Allen and Julie walk inside one of the bedrooms. They came back out about an hour later holding hands and looking a little disheveled with smiles on their faces. Then she noticed Becky was missing and a little later, she and a guy named Travis walked back in the gameroom with the same look about them.

“My goodness, what is going on? Becky doesn’t even have a boyfriend,” Beth thought.

“Well, I guess she does now.” Then she looked around to see what everybody else was doing.

To her horror, Tammy and the other two new girls were making out with guys on the lounge chairs. They had their clothes unbuttoned and fondling one another. Jana was straddling someone’s lap who Beth didn’t even know. Annette was the only other girl there who was not making out with someone. She and Derrick were talking and checking on the food. Beth heard the girls talk about the boys they were with, but Beth didn’t realize they were serious about any of them. The only two she knew who were going together were Julie and Allen.

The only other guy left walked up as Beth was talking to Billy and sat down on the other side of her. The chair was only made for two people so they were crammed together. He was cute but she could tell he was drunk by the way he talked. Moreover, his fermented breath was an overpowering giveaway. She tried not to wrinkle her nose but she couldn’t help it. He was right in her face. Beth thought he had most likely been drinking before he got there to be as drunk as he seemed.

He put his arm around her and pulled her close. Beth was glad she was not drunk. She felt the affects of the alcohol but she was still very coherent.

“Hey, baby, how about you and me going into one of the bedrooms for some privacy so we can get more acquainted. I’ve noticed you many times and I think you are so beautiful. My name’s Randy and I know your name is Beth. You don’t have a boyfriend, do you, Beth?” Beth had a feeling Randy was doing his best to sound sexy but he was coming across as sounding stupid. “No, Randy, I do not have a boyfriend, but I’m happy right here talking to Billy. If you want to stay and talk with us, that will be fine, but I am not going anywhere with you,” Beth said patiently as if she was talking to a child. Whoever set this party up was sadly mistaken, if they thought she was going to be doing what the others were doing. She enjoyed talking to Billy but she had no desire to start kissing him. Randy was cute enough, but he was a joke in her opinion. She could only hope that, no matter how drunk she ever got, she would never stoop to going somewhere alone with someone like him. She glanced at Billy who did not seem to like the intruder.

“You want me to get rid of him?” Billy whispered for only her to hear.

“Nah, that’s okay. He’s so smashed I think he’s harmless.” Beth sure didn’t want another occurrence of what happened last time she sat talking to Billy with fights breaking out everywhere, especially in Becky’s home.

Randy didn’t take his arm from around Beth but thankfully, he stopped moving it all over her arm as he did when he first sat down. Once he had accidentally brushed up against her breast, at least she hoped it was accidentally. So there she sat feeling very awkward as she continued talking to Billy as if nothing was out of the ordinary. It wasn’t long after that Billy pointed to Randy. When Beth looked at him, he was sound asleep with his mouth open. “How attractive,” Beth thought as she pulled his arm from around her and pushed him over. He didn’t wake up for even a second.

“This is only my second time to stay overnight without their parents being home. Billy, tell me, have you been here before and does this happen a lot?” Beth asked as she gestured with her hand in the direction of the ones still making out on the lounge chairs. “Please tell me the truth.

I need to know what to expect because I don’t get into fooling around with anyone just to have something to do,” Beth said frankly but wasn’t ready to go into detail about how she would never make out with anyone but Jesse.

“Yeah, I have been over several times. Allen and I are cousins and sometimes I come with him just for the beer and company. Everytime Julie and Becky’s parents leave for the weekend, they throw a party. They have been doing this several times a year for about three years. It’s usually the same people, Annette’s new, but you’re the newest.” Billy nodded toward the two girls Beth didn’t know. “Both of the girls who came in a while ago live in this neighborhood. One lives with her mom part of the year and her dad the other half. The other girl is home schooled. That’s why you haven’t met them before now. However, to answer your question, ‘does this making out happen a lot?’ I’m afraid so. What you’re seeing now is what always ends up happening at one of these parties. Not every time, but usually the same couples end up together. Believe it or not, I don’t get in to making out just for the fun of it either. When I heard you were going to be here, I kind of invited myself because I enjoyed talking to you Halloween night. I guess Randy was meant for you. Sorry if I spoiled it,” Billy said with a little sheepish smile.

“In no way did you spoil anything. I am glad you were here. It saved me from a very uncomfortable moment. I see I am going to have to get a few things straight with my friends.

The first night I stayed over here, there was beer but no boys and making out going on. It really aggravates me that none of them told me what to expect, especially Becky. She is supposed to be my closest friend.”

Hardly anyone ate the gumbo; they were too busy drinking and fooling around. Beth, Billy, Annette, and Derrick were the only ones to count down the New Year. As tradition on a New Year coming in, Billy leaned over and gave Beth a chaste kiss and Derrick did the same to Annette. At that moment, Beth felt completely alone and homesick. She missed Jesse desperately. She would have loved it to be him to bring in the New Year with her and the one to kiss her at the stroke of midnight. Beth could not help torturing herself by wondering who Jesse was kissing right now. She hoped it wasn’t that awful person, Trish.

It was around three in the morning when everyone started to leave. Beth was shivering as they stood around outside and talked about when and where they would meet up again. After a light sleet began to fall, they left with no decision made. They said they would talk about it and decide what to do at school the next week. Beth knew between now and the next time they all got together, she was going to have to do some serious talking to Becky.

It was a month later when everyone got together again. Susan made Beth stay home for two weekends to help do stuff around the house so Beth was ready to get out. The boys from school were going to race their cars down by the canal. They told everyone they planned to have campfires set up so anyone could warm up if they got too cold.

Tonight was going to be chilly so Beth put on her favorite jogging pants, sweatshirt, and tennis shoes. She was going to be comfortable and have a good time.

Beth ended up riding with Tammy and Annette. Julie, Becky, and Jana rode with Allen.

After getting something to eat, they arrived at the canal about 10 p.m. Beth talked Susan into letting her stay out until midnight again.

‘The Canal’ was a place where people raced cars and rode all-terrain vehicles. The middle was about a 10-mile long canal; on both sides of the canal were sand hills. People rode the all-terrain vehicles—motorcycles, three wheelers and four-by-fours on the tops and valleys of the sand hills. They raced the cars on the flat side of the hills. It was illegal, of course, and had

“Keep Out” signs everywhere, but that never stopped anyone from doing it.

A car race was about to start when they pulled up. After they parked they all climbed in the back of Allen’s truck so they could see better. Beth found it exciting to watch. She was jumping up and down and shouting them on. She didn’t care who won, but she thought the yellow car was the prettiest. From the back of Allen’s truck, she had a clear view of the finish line. The roaring sound of the revved-up engines was deafening. Beth automatically covered her ears with her hands. She was watching close, holding her eyes open wide so she wouldn’t blink, as she saw the yellow car roar across the finish line first. It was a close race; she heard several people hollering, and complaining saying the blue car won. Billy was one of the judges. He came up to Allen’s truck after the race. “I ain’t ever judging another race!”

“Why not?” Beth asked.

“Because everyone is mad at me and all I did was tell it like I saw it.”

“Don’t worry. You declared the correct winner. We all had a perfect view. Although it was close, the yellow car was the clear winner.”

Allen had an ice chest of beer in the truck. Beth had drunk a couple and was enjoying the excitement. They had a few more races but none were as close as the first. Beth was about to open another beer when she saw Cody. Knowing he would tell on her if he saw her, she started making her way back to the car. On her way back Beth thought she saw Jesse’s truck. Beth did not want him to see her but she did want to see him. As she was making her way closer, Annette walked up beside her. “Hey, Beth, where are you going? Come on; let’s go back to the gang and see what they’re up to.” Annette grabbed Beth’s arm and gently tugged.

“I’ll be there in just a minute. I think that’s Jesse’s truck.” Beth pointed to a dark area far away from everyone where no fires were burning. “I was going to sneak around and see if I could see him without him seeing me.”

“Uh…I don’t think that’s such a good idea.” The worried frown on Annette’s brow made Beth’s heart drop. She had a sickening feeling about the reason why Annette was trying to steer her away.

“Okay, tell me the truth, Annette. He’s making out with a girl, isn’t he?” Annette didn’t say anything for a few seconds then her shoulders drooped and she said quietly, “Yes. I had to go pee, so I walked where I thought no one could see me. On my way back I walked near Jesse’s truck.”

“Di-did you happen to see who the girl was?”

“No, all I saw were a girl’s legs sticking out of his truck and Jesse was…um…pumping inbetween them.

“Thank you for sparing me that sight, Annette. I’ve known what Jesse has done with his girlfriends for a very long time, but that doesn’t make it any less painful. Please excuse me. I don’t want to face anyone right now. Will you tell Tammy I’m not feeling well and I’ll be waiting in her car when she ready to go.”

“Sure, Beth. I’ll tell anyone who asks that you’re not feeling well.” A sob caught in Beth’s throat as she turned and ran back to Tammy’s car.

The next night at dinner while they sat around the table, Cody asked Jesse, “Which car do you think won, Jess, the blue, or the yellow? I think the blue car won.” Before Beth could stop herself, “No, Cody, the blue car did not win. The yellow car was the clear winner, and, no, Jesse does not know who won because he was otherwise preoccupied with other things more important,” Beth said sarcastically.

Beth felt a little slash of guilt when she saw the hurt come across Cody’s face. Beth really shouldn’t have been irritated with Cody. He hadn’t done anything to deserve her wrath, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself. She was so mad at Jesse that rage spewed from her.

Jesse and Cody both stared at her. Cody was open-mouthed. Jesse arched an eyebrow, put down his fork, and gave the situation his full attention. Susan and Jordon hadn’t heard anything because they were having their own conversation.

“And how would you know, Miss-Know-It-All? Surely you were not there.” Cody, sitting beside her said.