CHAPTER 2: "My new best friend"
1659 Words
LIAM
I pull out my phone and click the name on top of my messages. I’m vibrating with so much excitement, I’m smiling like an i***t as I type.
Me: Guess who’s in freaking Vegas!!!!!
Vecker: The entire Oakwood university basketball team?
Me: Ding-ding we have a winner!
Vecker: Lucky, its freezing in Montana. I’d kill to be in the desert right now.
Me: It’s not too late.
Me: You can still catch a flight and join us?
My heart starts to beat little. We haven’t met or talked on the phone because of our busy schedules but I do want to see her soon.
She is my best friend.
Vecker: Yeah, like my Russian mother will let me leave 6hours before the new year. Go to Vegas and be with a boy I met online and have never seen before.
I laugh at her reply as she continues to type.
Vecker: I taught you better than that Lee.
Another thing about Odessa, she calls me Lee and I love it because everyone calls me Griffith or captain.
Me: Okay but next time I’m coming to Vegas, you’re coming with. I’m not taking no for an answer.
Vecker: Deal.
Me: See that wasn’t so hard.
Vecker: We all don’t have cool parents that let us do whatever we want. You’re one of the lucky ones kid, enjoy it.
Me: You’re lucky too.
Vecker: I’m 19, a junior in college but I still had to sneak alcohol into my room. How is it that I’m also lucky?
I smile mischievously as I type my reply because every time I try to flirt with Vecker she either ignores it or takes it as banter.
A word I now know because of her.
Me: You’ve met me. I’d say that’s a sign of good luck and fortune. *winking emoji.*
Vecker: Arguable but I’ll take your word for it *thumbs up emoji*.
Vecker: I got to go but thanks for checking in. Happy New Year Lee.
Me: Happy New year Vecker.
I lock my phone as John B and Jonathan walk into my room with a skull shaped Tequila bottle. Technically we’re all still 20 but our fakes say we’re 25 so it’s time to party!
“Ready for the strip club?” Tommy emerges from my bathroom wiping his hands.
“Get me drunk first,” I grab the bottle.
ODESSA
“Why is it so hot?” Jessica opens a window to let a breeze in.
She flew in 2days ago after spending Christmas being a buffer between America and her mother in New York. She didn’t want to go back home so she split her time between us.
“It’s just the wine” I exhale, “here have another glass.”
It’s actually really cold but she grew up in Sussex and currently lives in Massachusetts. This weather must be like summer weather for her.
“I wouldn’t give me any more of these if I were you.” She smirks, “you know wine makes me horny.”
“And who are you going to sleep with?” I scoff, “my uncle Gustave? There’s no one here, our age.”
“Give me more and you’ll soon find out,” now it’s my turn to smirk.
The new year is 30minutes away. We came up to my room to get away from the boring party my parents are throwing downstairs.
I have bottles stacked under my bed because being half drunk is the only way to survive a Vecker family Christmas. Now the plan is to finish this bottle to keep our ongoing buzz.
One can be around so many armed Russians and remain sane.
I would never admit it out loud but I really wish we were in Vegas with Liam and his friends. I’m too old to be sneaking drinks into my room with my best friend.
I’m a junior in college for Pete’s sake!
Don’t get me wrong. Part of me is still not sure if Liam is the real one but these past months talking to him have been a blast. The kid always leaves me smiling or cracking up.
I almost got in trouble in class once because I burst out in a fit of laughter after he sent a picture of him eating p***s shaped pancakes.
He is genuinely that funny.
I’m tempted to call him right now just so he can make me laugh but it’s probably just the wine talking. Which means I need to drink more.
“There you two are.”
My brother Felix opens the door when Jessica starts telling me about Christmas with America and her mother.
“Mama sent me up to check on you,” he takes the glass from my hand.
“Felix!” I frown.
“Ah sweet alcohol how I missed you,” he finishes it off.
“Did mama actually send you?” I connect the bottle to my lips since I don’t have spare glasses.
“No but I told her I was coming to check on you two,” he grabs the bottle and fills it to the brim. “You know you’re not fooling anyone, coming up here every hour.”
“You aren’t either.” I bite.
My brother just came up to mooch off my stash since Yaya found his last night. Hiding it in the closet was such a rookie move because even though half blind, that woman can find anything.
Which is why I move my stash every day like a pro.
“I don’t get why you guys can’t drink in front of your family.” Jessica looks confused. “Isn’t the drinking age in Russia like 18 or something?”
“It is and our mama has been fine with us drinking since we were 17.” I grab the bottle from Felix.
“The problem is her mother, our Yaya.” Felix closes the window Jessica opened. “She’s very strict so mama wants us to behave while she’s here.”
Daria Vecker is a fearless woman, except when facing her mother in law who honestly scares us all.
“Wait, is your Yaya the one that kept pulling down my dress tonight?”
“That’ll be her,” Felix gives Jessica an obvious once over.
She’s in a maroon wrap lace dress with long sleeves. It ends in the middle of her thighs so her legs are on display along with some cleavage that Yaya tried pinning close. Her freshly dyed hair is curled and down, hiding her chandelier earrings that match her nude T-strap heels and bracelets.
“How did my baby sister rope you into spending New Years with our rowdy family again?” His eyes are back to her face.
“I asked to come actually.” Jessica stands for a refill. “I knew no party would be fun without my girls so, I crashed the Vecker’s.”
“Well happy new year Jessica Beer. I’m glad we finally got to meet.” Felix clings his glass with hers before downing it.
And here I thought Jessica and I were over doing it.
“Your brother just completed pre-med right?” Jessica says when Felix slips into my bathroom.
“Yep. Brown University.” I pull out another bottle.
I brought 2crates and only 4 bottles are left. We are here for another 2days but they’ll be a lot of leftover liquor from the party and I know where Yaya hid Felix’s stash so we’re sorted.
“Wait why are you asking?” I give her a suspicious look.
“Is it so wrong to ask?” She walks back to my bed.
“Not wrong but weird considering you’ve barely talked to him the entire time you’ve been here.” I refill his glass to the brim.
“I’ve been spending time with you and your mother.” She shrugs, “you guys are like a hallmark commercial.”
“Yeah right.” I lean against the dressing table. “We both know you’ve been avoiding him for some unknown reason.”
Jessica thinks I don’t notice the way she leaves every time Felix walks in a room but I have. I bet the only reason she’s still here is because she’s sort of tipsy.
“Who’s avoiding who?” Felix is air drying his hands by the bathroom door.
“Her family,” I answer when Jessica shrinks. “They got her a plane ticket for Christmas break but she lied and said she had exams.”
“Why? Don’t you miss them?” He gives her a look that makes her cheeks turn pink.
What’s happening here?
“I do but I’m scared once I get there I won’t be able to leave.” She avoids his eyes. “I love my family but they would lose their minds if they knew I dyed my hair and have a nose ring now.”
“That’s not all,” I add. “They also think she’s studying medicine so they don’t even know she’s trying to be a broadway star.”
“What?” he’s still looking at her. “Don’t you video call them and don’t they ask questions? I heard your father is a doctor.”
“I have a wig and Google. Plus I’ll be a star by the time they figure out I went to an ivy league school to study performing arts.”
We all laugh.
“Well if you need any pointers about pre-med or medicine stuff, I got you.” He looks at his watch and she visibly relaxes.
Weird.
“Three minutes till midnight we better go or mama will come up.”
They finish their drinks in unison and we all pop in mint gum to kill the alcohol breath. I hide the half empty bottle behind my pillow after one shot.
- Writer
