HIGH ON SCHOOL

TICKETS, TRICKS AND TROUBLE...

By the time we got home from school, I had exactly one goal.

Get ready. No overthinking. No last-minute outfit crisis. No changing my mind seventeen times.

I had already picked my outfit.

Black. Obviously.

A fitted black mini dress with thin straps and a subtle shimmer that caught the light whenever I moved. Nothing too dramatic, but definitely not something I'd wear to class. I paired it with black strappy heels, a small silver shoulder bag, and a few simple pieces of silver jewelry.

My hair was down, falling over my shoulders in soft waves, and I'd kept my makeup simple—glossy lips, defined lashes, and enough highlighter to make me look alive under questionable club lighting.

I looked at myself in the mirror.

"Okay." I nodded.

"She lives."

My phone buzzed.

DAN:WE'RE HERE.

I grabbed my bag. "Already?" I ran downstairs and immediately stopped.

My elder sister was sitting on the living-room sofa. Arms crossed. One eyebrow raised as she looked at me then looked at my outfit. Then back at me.

"No."

I frowned. "No what?"

"No."

"That's not an explanation."

"You are not leaving this house dressed like that."

I looked down at myself, "Why?"

"Because I said so."

I laughed.

"You're not my mother."

"And you're not mature enough to act like you're seventeen."

"I'm sixteen."

"Exactly."

I rolled my eyes.

She gave me a look. That look. The one she always gave me when she thought I was being unnecessarily stubborn. She loved me. Unfortunately, she also loved reminding me that I was annoying.

"Where are you going?"

"The rave."

"I know you're going to the rave. I'm asking where."

I told her.

She sighed.

"Who are you going with?"

"Dan and Cassie."

"Dan is driving?"

"Yes."

"Does Dan even know how to drive?"

I stared at her.

"Yes."

"Properly?"

"Yes."

She narrowed her eyes.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Because last time—"

"That was one time."

"One time is enough when you're in a moving vehicle."

I groaned, "I'm going to be late."

She stood up, "Come here."

I reluctantly walked over. She fixed one of my earrings then smoothed down a piece of my hair.

Her expression softened.

"Just be careful, okay?"

I smiled."I will."

"And don't let Dan do anything stupid."

From outside came a loud car horn.

BEEP BEEP.

My sister looked toward the window.

"Speaking of Dan."

I grabbed my bag.

"I have to go."

She caught my wrist.

"Reina."

"What?"

"Have fun."

I smiled.

"I will."

Then she added:

"And don't come back smelling like smoke."

"I won't."

"And don't lose your phone."

"I won't."

"And—"

"GOODBYE!"

I ran toward the door.

Dan was leaning against his car when I stepped outside.

He looked at me.

Then whistled.

"Okay, Reina."

I rolled my eyes.

"Don't."

"You look nice."

"I know."

Cassie appeared behind him.

"Finally!"

She was wearing a sparkly silver top with black trousers, silver heels and a tiny silver handbag. Her hair was styled into a sleek ponytail, and she had little rhinestones near the corners of her eyes.

She looked like she had been waiting for this night for three business days.

Dan was dressed in a black shirt, dark jeans and white sneakers.

He unlocked his car.

"Everybody in."

I climbed into the back.

Cassie sat beside me.

Dan got into the driver's seat.

Before he started the car, my sister appeared at the doorway.

She waved.

Then pointed at Dan.

"Drive carefully!"

Dan gave her a salute.

"Always."

My sister smiled.

Dan smiled back.

I narrowed my eyes.

"Why are you smiling like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like that."

He started the engine.

"I was just being respectful."

Cassie snorted.

"You're flirting with her."

"I'm not."

"You absolutely are."

Dan looked at me through the mirror.

"Your sister likes me."

"She tolerates you."

"Same thing."

I laughed.

"You have absolutely no chance."

"Never say never."

I shook my head.

"Drive."

"Yes, ma'am."

---

The club was across town, so we spent almost forty minutes in the car.

Dan had the music turned up.

Cassie was singing.

I was recording her because she sounded terrible.

"Delete that!"

"No."

"Reina!"

"I'm keeping it."

Dan laughed from the driver's seat.

"You should post it."

"DO NOT."

The three of us burst out laughing.

By the time we reached the venue, I could already see the crowd from the road.

The club was huge.

A black building covered in glowing signs, with purple and blue lights spilling across the entrance. There were people everywhere—groups taking pictures, friends shouting across the pavement, cars pulling up and leaving, security guards standing beside the entrance.

Dan parked.

We got out.

Cassie immediately grabbed my arm.

"Let's go."

We walked toward the entrance.

And then—

"Tickets."

The bouncer held out his hand.

We stopped.

Dan looked at him.

The bouncer looked back.

Cassie blinked.

I looked at Dan.

Dan looked at Cassie.

Nobody said anything.

Finally, I asked:

"Did anyone actually buy tickets?"

Silence.

Cassie slowly raised her hand.

"I thought you did."

I looked at Dan.

"I thought YOU did."

Dan pointed at me.

"I thought one of you did!"

We stared at each other.

The bouncer sighed.

"Next."

We stepped aside.

Our first rave was officially in danger.

Cassie put her hands on her hips.

"Okay. Nobody panic."

"We should panic," I said.

"No."

"We have no tickets."

"We'll figure it out."

Dan looked toward the entrance.

"There's probably a ticket booth."

There wasn't.

The tickets were sold online.

And apparently, according to the security staff, the event was almost sold out.

So we joined the queue.

And when I say queue, I mean the longest line known to humanity.

It stretched around the side of the building.

People were complaining.

People were laughing.

Someone was eating chips.

Someone else had brought a portable speaker.

A group of girls near the front were already trying to convince the bouncer to let them through.

One of them smiled sweetly.

"Please?"

The bouncer shook his head.

"Ticket."

"But we're on the guest list."

"Name?"

She froze.

Her friend whispered something into her ear.

The girl nodded confidently.

"Mrs. Palmer."

The bouncer stared at her.

I nearly choked.

"Mrs. Palmer?"

Dan was laughing so hard he had to turn away.

The girl shrugged.

"She looks like a party person."

"She literally teaches us Shakespeare."

"Exactly."

Cassie was crying with laughter.

The bouncer pointed toward the end of the line.

"Next."

The girls walked away defeated.

Five minutes later, another group tried to sneak past by pretending one of them had lost her ticket.

It didn't work.

Then someone dropped their phone.

Then somebody started arguing about whose turn it was.

Then a guy near us announced that he had "connections."

He did not.

The queue moved approximately three steps.

We celebrated like we'd won something.

"This is ridiculous," I said.

Dan looked at me.

"You're having fun."

"I am not."

"You've been laughing for twenty minutes."

"That's because everyone here is stupid."

"Same thing."

Eventually, Cassie managed to buy three tickets from the official link.

She held up her phone triumphantly.

"We're in!"

I cheered.

Dan raised both hands.

"LET'S GO!"

The bouncer scanned our tickets.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

"Have fun."

We stepped through the entrance.

And immediately heard the music.

The venue was even bigger inside.

There was a huge dance floor beneath moving lights, a raised DJ platform, glowing signs along the walls and different sections filled with students from our school.

The bass shook through the floor.

Cassie grabbed my hand.

"COME ON!"

She pulled me forward.

Dan followed.

We disappeared into the crowd.

And just like that—

the night had officially started.

---

Three songs later, I had completely forgotten about the queue.

Dan was dancing like nobody was watching.

Cassie was somehow dancing and talking at the same time.

I was laughing so hard I could barely breathe.

At one point Dan leaned toward us.

"Bathroom break?"

Cassie shook her head.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I'm not losing my spot."

"What spot?"

"My spot."

"You don't have a spot."

"I do now."

I laughed.

"She's serious."

Dan looked at me.

"You've changed."

"How?"

"You're actually having fun."

I pushed his shoulder.

"Don't ruin it."

He laughed.

We kept dancing.

And for once, I wasn't worried about tomorrow.

Tomorrow could bring school.

The stupid group project.

College applications.

Graduation.

Everything.

But tonight?

Tonight was ours.

And judging by the way Cassie was already dragging us toward another part of the dance floor—

we were nowhere near done.