Chapter 14: Chapter 14

Party party party.

That was all we could think of until finally, Friday rolled around. Honestly, it couldn’t have come sooner because I was up to my neck in the preparations and planning and all that good stuff until I thought I was going to drop dead. Luckily I got help from the Social and Recreational activities prefect, Dan McBride, he offered to be the MC and we both came up with fun activities for the night.

The excitement in the senior quarters was almost at bursting point. It was all we could talk about. Even the other regular students talked about it and almost immediately Siobhan became a star for throwing the first big party of the term! Some of the Class 2 seniors had even tried to bribe their way for invitations through me and Shewa. Some of the Class 3 seniors even had boyfriends and girlfriends among the Class 1 and 2 seniors and had wanted to bring their partners to the party but Siobhan made it clear it was an exclusive Class 3 seniors party.

Of course, there were rivals among our classmates who wished they had thought about it first, especially Eva, Adeline, and Kathy all of who consider Siobhan their biggest rival, and Siobhan made sure to rub it in their faces that she had organized the first part of the term – well I did most of the preparations but who’s counting?

By Friday evening the drinks, the decors, and the bathing suits were ready. The school workers had cleaned the swimming pool. By evening while Siobhan and I were dressing up in her room, putting on makeup, and arranging our hair, Dan was outside heating up the music.

“Oh my God, I’m actually kinda nervous,” Siobhan said. She expertly pulled a bold line with the wet eyeliner on her eyelid.

“Why should you be nervous? Andre is into you you’re just trying to eliminate the competition.”

“Ugh, you won’t understand. Men get easily distracted. I can’t doubt that his head is going to turn when he sees the other girls around.”

“Siobhan, you’re the hottest girl in school, Andre would be an idiot to look past you.”

She gave me a side glance with a satisfied smile. “You think I’m hot. Do you think I look hot in this bikini?” she turned to flaunt her curves in it. I realized belatedly that I walked right into that one. When Siobhan needs her already fat ego boosted she downplays her worth just so I can tell her she’s better than her rivals.

I rolled my eyes with a smile. “Of course, you know you look hot in that. It looks better on you than it would have looked on me.”

“I think so too,” she commented, turning slightly to view her butt in the mirror. She danced a bit then went back to doing her eyes.

I took a step back and raised my hands for her inspection. “Well, do I look okay?”

She spared me a glance. “Of course you do. What do you think about these earrings?” she held up two small pearl earrings.

I guess I gotta accept what little compliments I get. I’ve gotten used to giving more compliments in our friendship and receiving sparse compliments in return. Don’t get me wrong, Siobhan is a wonderful friend and she tells me when I need to change a dress or what dress looks better on me but sometimes I can’t help but think she gets so into herself that she forgets to, you know, tell me whether or not I look good. But I guess I understand her omission tonight since she is a wreck of nerves just thinking of Andre’s reaction to how she looks.

I looked closely at the earrings and approved them. Outside we could tell the boys were leaving their rooms in droves because their deep voices and laughter were getting louder. The music was cranked up to the highest and they sang along. The thrum of the beat was almost deafening. Even Siobhan’s dresser was vibrating. Thank God the fences of the seniors' quarters were high enough to reduce the noise pollution.

I pulled my hair up in a ponytail so that it pulled up the corners of my eyes attractively. Look I know I’m not exactly attractive so I learn how to up play my bland looks sometimes.

“Where’s the party girl!” someone yelled from outside. I went to the window to peep out into the yard. Some of the girls were already joining the boys by the pool and they were probably trying out the flavors of all the drinks we have for tonight on the makeshift bar menu.

“Eva that bikini was made for you,” someone said.

Eva’s whiny conceited voice wafted through the windows. “I know right?! I got it during that fashion week last summer. You know Vera designed this specifically for me.”

Siobhan rolled her eyes. “Oh listen to her go on and on with her lies. I’m sure she doesn’t even know who Vera is.”

I laughed. “Shouldn’t you be out there?” I asked her.

She tsked me. “I’m the star of the party, it can’t start without me.” She had parted her hair at the center and was straightening the front again. “Besides I think it's only right that I appear fashionably late to my own party. It increases the tension and when I finally step out all eyes will be on me.”

I guess that makes sense. Well, who am I to complain? She’s the expert at these types of things. It gave me more time to draw my eyeliner properly.

“Say Party!!!!!”

“Party!!!”

“The Party is about to start!”

“This is it! Let’s go!” Siobhan said suddenly pulling my hand before I had enough time to apply my lipgloss. “Now is the time to make my grand entrance.”

My lipgloss smudged. I wanted to wipe the smug but Siobhan was pulling harder. “Wait! I need to adjust my lipstick."

She was already heading to the door pulling me along with her. “You look good, Bianca. I need you by my side when I step out.”

I had barely cleaned the sticky gloss off the side of my mouth when she threw the door open to the brightly lit yard.