Margot’s Rumour

The Party

The music could be heard before Margot’s uber turned on to the cul de sac. The best parties were always at this house, it was on a dead-end street, the home of a student with very relaxed parents and non-existent neighbours. As far as she could remember most parties were at this house but she never knew whose home it was. And like any other Saturday night, the front lawn was littered with girls throwing up or boys fighting. The very typical results of cheap booze and heightened hormones, thought Margot as she walked up the front steps.

Why had she come again, she questioned as she saw the scene inside the house, packed with people, the music even louder. The floor was oddly sticky, no doubt from all the jostling of cups, beer pong, keg stands, and shaken beers to prank one another. Margot wasn’t a complete bookworm or wallflower, she had been to these parties before with some of her friends. But really a little went a long way with these types of parties.

She glanced and noticed her usual crew of friends that she hung out with at these parties. She always thought it was odd how parties made strange friends. These were people she shared no classes with or even had the same lunch schedule. Margot wasn’t even really sure if Tinna and Martin went to her school. But she was always happy to see their faces at any party Margot went to.

Martin got her a pre-mixed bottled drink, one of those that is sickly sweet and sickly strong. Margot nursed it as Tinna brought her up to date on all the latest party gossip. How was making out in the shed, and which girl just slapped her ex for kissing his new girlfriend.

“You know I think he might be watching you?” Tinna suddenly said.

Margot looked around. She didn’t see the person she was hoping to see, so therefore she saw no one.

“OMG He’s totally watching one of us! It has to be you, he hates me after we hooked up two months ago and then with someone else at the next party.” Tinna boosted. “What? What you want, I am young, wild and free!”

Martin looked at Margot and asked, “Does that make Tinna a feminist or a sl*t?” They giggled as Tinna made a face and replied, “I’m both don’t box me in, man!”

“Heyyyy” said a deep relaxed voice.

Tinna squeezed Margot’s arm. Tinna’s eyes widened to an impossible size looking with Margot’s as a high pitched sound only dogs and other girls would hear. It was the “I was right, he’s into you, I’m so happy” squeal.

“Hey man,” Martin greeted, extending his hand to the new person. “How was the game?”

“Aww it was fine, played good but it did happen for us. Total bullshit too stupid ref and all. I’m Chris by the way”

This was directed at Margot. Margot waved, “I’m Margot.”

Tinna watched Chris’s gaze solely directed at Margot, even as Martin tried to carry the conversation for all four of them.

“I’m done with this! Martin, why are we talking to these losers? My beer is cold, let’s find cold ones.”

And with that Tinna linked arms with Martin and steered him away from their quartet. Tinna looked over her shoulder at Margot with a beaming smile and mouthed, “GO FOR IT!!”

Margot rolled her eyes. But Chris was surprisingly shocked, hadn’t he made out with Tinna, did he know her theatrical flair to move things along in the direction she wanted to. Tinna would always say random things like, “Well I don’t see how Jamie thinks you’re cute when you talk about Star Wars! You need to lock that one down.” Tinna did it to always help friends. Margot always thought it was because Tinna was sick of hearing about relationship drama that she would say something that would force the drama to end one way or another.

But this? Margot didn’t even know Chris. And from Tinna’s kiss and slip session, she hated Chris because of what happened a few months ago at another classic party. Margot couldn't remember the whole story but Tinna, who was never shaken, totally was.

Whatever Margot thought, she needed to speak to someone at the party until she saw or if Santiago ever decided to show himself.

“So you play Lacrosse with Santiago?” Fudge thought Margot not only was she such a ditz that her constant thinking of Santiago meant she brought him up in conversation in the first few seconds. But of course, any guy, who may or may not be flirting with her (Margot couldn’t tell) would not want to hear her talk about some other guy.

“Naw, that dipstick is on the opposite team. I play for Elm.”

“Aww so Xaviar won last night?”

“Umm… yeah I guess? Hey, you want to go out back, I know a cooler that has some decent drinks, not whatever this it” Chris took Margot's drink and tried to read the bottle’s label. Then took a swig, making a horrible face as he did. “ICK Margot, no wonder you’re not drinking any of this, it’s horrible. Come with me, I’ll get you sorted!”