Jeanie Mak was the one driving, because she got her licence earlier, while Alexis Kathan sat opposed to her. Everyone called Jeanie by her actual name, Lora Jean. But Alexis liked to call her Jeanie because, by her standards, the girl always wore denim jeans with shiny chains.

Although, it was nothing compared to Jeanie's nicknames for Alexis. Alex, Lexi, Lex, and most of all—Lexis. Alexis didn't mind, they were good friends. "So...whose house are we driving to?"

Jeanie shrugged. "I dunno', I just figured we'd crash at one. Dance to the swaying music and get drunk."

"I'm not drinking," Alexis said strictly.

"Whatever, I'll be the one who drinks, and you can be the sober one, Lexis."

"Did you tell your parents where we're going?

"They don't have to know," Jeanie said with a mischievous glint in her brown eyes. They were parked along the curb along with several other cars. There was such a long line that the two girls had to walk a whole block there.

As they walked, they chatted. "Don't overdo it, Jeanie."

"It was only one time I got super seriously drunk," she persisted, frowning.

"You could have been pulled over for DWI!" Alexis sighed, throwing up her arms in the night sky. There was a slight breeze that sent chills down her back. "You're just lucky that a cop didn't pull me over for underage driving. You can't put me on the spot like that anymore, okay, Jeanie?"

"Okay, fine."

"Promise?"

"Pinky promise!" Jeanie had a grin on her face. "I'm so lucky to have a friend like you, Alexis Kathan."

"As I, Lora Jean Mak," she replied in a fake English accent. They arrived at the house, ringing the doorbell. A drunk boy opened it, letting them in without asking if they were invited. The house party reeked of alcohol and chlorine water.

Suddenly, all that confidence and boldness that Alexis had disappeared down the drain.

"Uhm, J-Jeanie—"

"They have a pool!" Jeanie exclaimed, dragging Alexis with her. Jeanie pressed her face against a window, peering outside to the large backyard. "O-M-G, this is so cool, Lexis! Isn't this better than being cramped up in a library?"

"I want to go home," Alexis said flatly. "Right now."

Jeanie frowned disappointedly. "Please, Lexis? Just a few drinks and a skinny-dip into the pool. This is our first freshman year party, we need to make it memorable! Look, you go outside and sit somewhere, I'll get drinks."

"Jeanie—"

"Lexis." Jeanie's voice was serious and deadly.

"Okay, I'll save us spots," she relented as Jeanie squealed. She ran off as Jeanie ventured to the backyard. The pool was mostly empty because people were too wasted to even swim. All the chairs were taken up, so she sat on a patch of grass.

Alexis hoped no one saw her, she didn't want to get in trouble. I can do this, she thought to herself. Jeanie and I are here to have a good time, nothing else.

After twenty minutes, Jeanie hadn't come. Was she in danger? Alexis wanted to go find out. She went back into the house, heading for the kitchen.

There was a bowl of mystery punch, probably spiked with vodka, but no Lora Jean Mak. Alexis was so stressed out, and she thought about calling the Maks. Instead, she heard cheering back in the backyard. She peered out the window, standing on her tippy-toes.

Jeanie hurled herself into the pool, also holding a cup of the mystery punch, the contents getting mixed with pool water. Alexis ran out to the yard, seeing Jeanie laugh with several others in the pools. She didn't know them, but she didn't care if she would cause a scene. "Jeanie, you said you were going to get a sip of a drink, not jump into the pool!"

"I-I took a detour," she said, her words already slurring together.

Alexis wanted to force her out of the pool. "You're already drunk? Jeanie, God, no!"

"Lora Jean, who's this dork?" a boy asked, treading in the water. Alexis couldn't swim well, so she gulped.

"Yeah, who invited the nerd?" another inquired, also drunk. Alexis huffed, urging Jeanie to get out of the pool. It didn't help that some other girl brought out more drinks to the pool. Jeanie was drinking her heart out and that made Alexis so frustrated.

"Jeanie, we're going now," she whispered, close to the edge as Jeanie drifted away further to the pool. "Lora Jean Mak, we're going home right now. I'll have to drive if I must, b-but you are not staying."

"Boo! Joy-kill!" the girl serving drinks yelled.

"Joy-kill!" others repeated loudly as Alexis rolled up her fists.

"Joy-kill, Lexis," Jeanie echoed, smiling.

Alexis stopped playing nice. "I'm calling Mrs. Mak."

That wiped the smile off Jeanie's face. She propped herself on the pool's edge, kicking up her legs. "Don't y-you dare. My mom will be so angry if she knows I lied to her. Lexis, don't be a joy-kill."

"Then don't get drunk!" Alexis retorted. "I'm calling Mrs. Mak right now, I'm doing this for your good. It's nothing personal—"

Suddenly, Jeanie yanked on Alexis' ankle, pushing her into the pool. Alexis wanted to scream, but the cold water warned her not to. Her eyes stung like hell as she struggled to even move her arms. She thrashed and kicked, fleeing to the edge of the pool.

Alexis slammed her hands on the edge, her fingers digging into the drain. She lifted her head up, gasping for air. She pushed her wet hair out of the way, tears falling down like a waterfall. I could have drowned...

Laughter echoed in her ears as Alexis looked at Jeanie, eyes deary. She just smiled, taking more drinks. She couldn't believe that her own friend pushed her into a pool, knowing she couldn't swim well.

Alexis sobbed as she got out of the pool. She clutched her stomach, rushing away from the yard, running inside. Laughs and giggles could still be heard from the inside of the house. "Don't b-be a snitch!" Jeanie yelled, words slurring.

I need to leave right now, Alexis thought. No, I can't walk all the way home. I don't have Jeanie's keys to the car...She could call her parents, but they were working late again. Alexis could call the Maks and get out with Jeanie.

She reached for her phone, but paled when she realized it was gone. It must have slipped out of her pockets, still in the pool. Alexis mentally groaned, wanting to throw a fit. She was shivering as she headed upstairs, trying not to trip over drunks.

Alexis figured that she could steal some clothes from whoever was throwing the house party. She didn't like the idea of stealing, but right now, she could care less. She went to a bedroom that was trashed, presumably the parents' room, and went to a closet.

She found a pair of sweatpants and a tank-top. She went to a bathroom that was empty, locking the door. Alexis unrolled a bunch of toilet paper, drying herself off as she stripped off her wet clothes. She slipped into fresh clothes, also drying her hair with toilet paper.

"J-Jeanie..." Alexis mumbled, tears still flowing. "Stupid girl."

Alexis shook her head, muttering and grumbling. Maybe she could just stay in the bathroom for a bit longer...just to hide from the embarrassment. She still couldn't believe that Jeanie would do such a thing. Just a couple drinks, and she's already loopy.

Some people say that a drunk's words are just how they really feel, was Alexis really a joy-kill? She hated second-guessing everything that happened. It felt like an act of betrayal, because it was. Alexis was exhausted, resting against the wall.

Maybe I could take a quick nap...Alexis thought.

No, she needed to stay awake...

awake...

awake...

awake...

Alexis was startled, waking up. She unlocked the bathroom's door, stumbling into the hall. She went downstairs, seeing that it was still dark outside. Most people were still partying, though some were snoring on the sofa.

"What t-time is it?" she asked a girl timidly.

"About 2: 30 AM," the girl replied, yawning. "The party's still going hard."

"Thanks," Alexis mumbled, heading outside back to the yard. She walked over to the pool, hoping no one would recognize her as the nerd that got pushed into the pool a few hours back. Too many people were out of it to notice her, thank God.

She went to the pool's edge, mostly crowded with people now. "Jeanie," Alexis whispered, crouching down. She dug her fingers into the drain in case someone else would push her off again. "We need to go."

There was no reply and Alexis was fairly sure that Jeanie was able to hear her.

"Lora Jean Mak," she tried again, this time more sternly. When there was no answer, she snarled in frustration. Suddenly, she spotted a glint at the bottom of a pool.

The chains of Jeanie's denim jeans, she realized.

"Someone, help!" she cried out, alerting some others. "My friend, Jeanie, I-I think she drowned!"

"Who?" someone asked.

"Lora Jean Mak!" Alexis clarified, lowering herself close to the surface of the water. You could barely tell that someone sunk at the bottom. As the crowded people heard Alexis' cries for help, they screamed, hopping out of the pool.

"Dead body!" a boy exclaimed. "Someone call the cops!"

"No, we have booze here, you idiot! We can't blow our cover!" another screeched.

"Jeanie!" Alexis hollered, sloppy tears pouring down. Voices overtook her thoughts like a flood. You should have stayed with her, made sure that she was okay, her mind argued. You killed your best friend. "Someone get her! Call th-the police!"

Alexis crumbled to the floor, crying loudly. It was weak. She barely noticed the flashes of red and blue and the sound of sirens. She barely noticed when a female cop escorted her away from the pool. She barely noticed when they pulled her body out of the water.

It was so pale, so ghostly pale. Jeanie was soaked with the pool water and Alexis could picture all the dripping water turning into blood. A thick and brutal red that scared her. Lora Jean Mak was dead, gone forever. And it was Alexis' fault.

She barely noticed when the same and nice cop asked her questions. She barely noticed the heavy bags under her eyes the next morning. She barely noticed when Mrs. Mak screamed at Alexis' face, yelling about how it was all her fault. She's dead because of you! If you're told otherwise, or you think otherwise, you're a liar! You're a liar, Alexis Kathan! Those were Mrs. Mak's words, and they stung like a slap to the face.

She barely noticed when her mom told her that she wasn't invited to Jeanie's funeral. She barely noticed when life moved on without Jeanie. She barely noticed when Mom and Dad told her that it wasn't her fault. She barely noticed when nightmares would leave her bawling on the bathroom floor for a whole week.

You're a liar, Alexis Kathan.