Jessa

Colton and I head downstairs. Although I’m nervous to see any of my friends, I feel more at ease after Colton’s warm greeting. When we get to the bottom of the steps, he comes alongside of me. “They’re going to be so stoked,” he shouts and I nod my head, letting him lead the way. Seeing the small group of my friends from a year and a half ago brings back the most painful memory I’ll ever have.

“Look who I found!” Colton hollers over to them. I see Colton’s two roommates, Trevor and Pete, who both greet me the same way Colton did, lifting my feet off the ground. I can’t help but be relieved that Grant’s not here to witness this. He would be green with jealousy over nothing. They both ask how I’m doing and what I’ve been up to. I continue to keep it to myself where I attend school now. I’m not ignorant to the fact that they all know Jason.

They’re with a few girls that I only knew as acquaintances, but their looks of pity toward me remind me how those pictures and rumors spread like wildfire. My eyes shift to the side and I can’t believe who’s here. “Beth!” I exclaim and she turns around, smiling brightly.

Running over to me, she throws herself at me and we wrap our arms around each other, “Sam told me you might come tonight. I don’t usually attend these parties, but I wanted to see you if you came,” she tells me, and a twinge of pain hits me in the gut for not keeping in touch.

“Sorry for never calling,” I apologize, but she waves my apology off.

“Don’t even worry about that. We’re together now.” She moves us over to a chair in the corner of the room where we proceed to talk about everything. She’s graduating with a degree in nursing this spring and she’s dating someone seriously. I tell her about Grant, and how I’m graduating too. I look around and locate my roommates, pointing them out to her. Her quizzical look at Trey doesn’t surprise me.

I forgot how much I missed her, and how much we shared those first years of college. Regret washes over me, thinking of all the time I’ve wasted not talking to her. Spotting Grant walking down the stairs, I can’t stop the smile from my face.

He weaves in and out of the bodies with his eyes solely on me. God, I love that man. I wave him over, and he starts making his way through the crowd toward where we’re sitting. Pointing him out to Beth, she turns and Grant gives her his usual panty-melting smile. When he finally reaches me, he snakes his arm around my waist before even acknowledging Beth. I make the introductions, and as usual, the always-polite Grant holds out his hand and Beth shakes it while clearly admiring his body.

Beth asks us all the standard questions and Grant patiently answers each of them. After a few minutes and a glance toward the kitchen, he excuses himself to go see why Dex is flagging him down. Once he’s out of earshot, Beth turns back toward me. “Well, I must say, you found yourself one fine specimen,” she teases and laughter erupts from both of us.

“Yeah, you should see him naked. Oh My Fucking God,” I exclaim, and we giggle again.

Beth’s eyes veer his way and she turns back around, saying, “You two seem to have different interests.” Her sour expression doesn’t match the friendliness in her tone. It triggers something that I’d forgotten about Beth; she has always been catty when it comes to guys. I look down at my pink dress and heels, and wonder exactly what she’s thinking.

“What do you mean, Beth?” I ask, not willing to take a backseat to her passive-aggressive behavior this time.

“It’s just, Jessa, look at your tattoos and piercings. He’s like the All-American quarterback, and you’re more…the free-spirited art girl.” Did she really just use fucking stereotypes from high school? Maybe I should give her one of my own …the bitchy prima donna.

I glance over at my “football star” and he grins my way. Even from across the room, I feel his love for me. Deciding to be the bigger person, I turn around to Beth and say, “Well…it works for us.”

She seems taken aback by my response, instantly trying to backtrack and tell me that she didn’t mean it like “that”. I know exactly how she meant it, and part of me wonders if I always let her treat me like that.

“Well, it’s been nice catching up, but I think this art student needs to go and let her boyfriend score a touchdown.” I leave her on the couch, but not before hearing her huff out a heavy breath. It amazes me how a memory of someone can be so distorted.

I walk over to Grant and nuzzle up against him. He kisses the top of my head and Trey hands me a beer. For the first time all evening, I’m completely comfortable at this party. I realize that I don’t need the approval of anyone here, and who gives a shit if they saw the pictures? If they can’t figure out that what Jason did was wrong, then that’s their problem.

“Let’s get out of here. You guys want to go to a bar?” I ask my friends, and they all eagerly place their cups down, ready to leave. Sam tells her roommate she’s leaving and will be back later. Surprisingly, the roommate doesn’t seem to care that she’ll be left with the responsibility of hosting the party by herself. Then again, it might have something to do with the fact that she’s about to do a keg stand.

The cold air hits us and suddenly I’m giddy with excitement to show them my old stomping grounds. “Did you want to invite your friends?” Grant asks me, placing his hand in mine.

I stare back at the house for a moment, and then turn toward all of them. “I’m with my friends,” I tell him, and he squeezes my hand.

We make our way down two blocks to a bar I used to go to called Barnaby’s. It’s really more of a dance club than a bar. The girls get in for free and the guys have to pay a cover, which of course Dex argues about, but he reluctantly pays it. Pop music, which I don’t usually dance to, pounds through the speakers while half-naked college students dry hump each other on the dance floor. I pull Grant over to the bar and order two shots, but he shakes his head, pays the bartender, and hands Sam his shot.

Luckily, Dex intimidates a group of younger kids into giving up their tables. Due to the lack of seating, Sadie’s on Brady’s lap and Sam is on Dex’s. The drinks continue to flow as we order shot after shot. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves, laughing and carrying on, and I am celebrating my newfound liberation.

“Dance with me,” I request to Grant, and he stands up happily. When we get to the dance floor, I start to notice the room swaying a little, but I’m having so much fun that the last thing I want to do is end the night. After we dance for two songs, I run over to the bar and get a tray of shots. Before I can turn around, Grant’s behind me.

“Jessa, you need to slow down,” he tells me. I frown at his comment and he continues, “It’s just, I don’t want you to be sick.”

“When have I not been able to handle my alcohol, baby?” I quirk my eyebrow in question. “Speaking of which, have I ever told you how much I love it when you call me names like baby, babe, beautiful…” I sway slightly before the bars edge catches me.

Grant holds the tray with the palm of his hand, while his other one grabs my elbow to hold me steady. “Well, I’ll call you all of them all night if you calm down on the drinking,” he propositions, but I take a shot glass and down it, slamming it on the bar.

“I’m having fun, Grant. Come on and join me,” I urge him. He remains still, staring at me and shaking his head in slight amusement or annoyance, I can’t really tell at this point.

Making our way over to the table, I bump into a few people and I hear Grant apologize to them. Once we get to where our friends are sitting, he places the tray down. Since no one grabs a glass, I reach for another one. Sighing, Grant demands, “Take a shot everyone,” and hands immediately start diving to the center of the table.