The two girls became friends in as little as two days. They'd spent those trying to find as much alcohol as they were able to. Danielle insisting constantly that this would put her on the social chain at school.

     They tried to invite everyone they could. Moved Clementines couch to the garge. And waited for people to arrive after the first football game of the year.

     The blue and purple hued room upstairs that belonged to Clem would be locked during the party. But her thoughts were everywhere, looking in the mirror, she wondered if her boots looked too stupid with her tights. Or that her dress had shown off any of the chubbiness.

      She'd at least made and attempt at curls. Trying until the brink of singed hair. Nothing happened. And now her hair smelled like Auquanet. She was sweating, and there were already seven cars outside. Music blocking out any indication of other arrivals.

      Light headed a bit, she decided that staying in her room wasn't going to be fun, and that she'd regret it. Plus it was her party. The host had to have fun.

     Audrey and Rob made their way in to a packed house. Different from the last they'd seen it. People were everywhere. It was dark besides the strobe lights that they somehow aquired. And Rob felt as though he needed a rope to pull him out of the mess.

     "I'm gonna look for Clementine. We should split up, and I'll text  you if I find her." Audrey nudged her boyfriend, only getting a nod as he got sucked into a crowd.

     Someone passed off a cup to her, and she took a sip without hesitation. Knowing her limits and moving out of the way of two guys arguing about the school they faced off tonight. Getting a feel for the atmosphere, cold granite counters hit her back.

     Pushing her Clementine agenda to the side, she watched multicolored  lights flicker in the dark livingroom. Looking over her shoulder at the pool, full of kids she swears didn't even go to her school.

    An unopened beer sat on the counter, and she'd filled up her cup again. Taking a sip as she watched the front door. More kids filing in. And the football players just arriving. Not even noticing the girl standing next to her.

      "Audrey, you have to try this." The girl she couldn't place a  name on shoved a purple drink in her face.

      Drinking just a little, she decided she wanted the cup as well, telling herself that tonight wasn't a night she wanted to get wasted. Especially with Rob somewhere completely different in the house, and Max not even being there yet.

      "Oh your name is Dani right?" She asked the girl that gave her the new beverage, "What is this?"

       She looked into her own cup, swishing it around, "Lean."

      "Lean?"

      Danielle laughed, "Cough syrup. Some kind of soda. I think a candy? All I know is that it makes you fucked up, in a good way."

      Nodding, Audrey looked at the other girl with curiosity, "You're  pretty chill for someone I've only talked to minimally. This is like, our first real conversation."

      She shrugged in response, "I'm trying to widen my friend group ya know. Put myself out there."

       Meanwhile Clementine was sitting on her bed. Checking the time on her phone, repeatedly telling herself she'd leave in the next five minutes. The beam of headlights from new cars pulling in made her less confident.

      It wasn't even that bad. She had to tell herself. You're overreacting. And you're the one that said you wanted this party.

      She sucked in the biggest breath she could manage, and stood to her feet.

      Rob pushed his way down a hallway. Which seemed like the only place with lights on. Opening every door to look for the owner of the house. Hoping Audrey was alright downstairs without him.

      Choosing a random door, he turned the knob and opened it as fast as he could. Just to make sure he didn't walk in on any people getting it on.

     The wood looked so intimidating to the party host. Staring at it intently. Hoping maybe she'd open it with her mind.

      Getting scared out of her wits, Clementine fell to the ground when the door to her bedroom whipped open. Looking up to see Robert putting a hand over his mouth to hide his snickering.

      Putting her palm to her forehead and letting out a huge sigh, she'd flopped back to the carpet. Lying down to assess what just happened. Already exausted.

      "Oh," he shoved off a laugh, "Oh my god that was priceless."

       She'd let him help her to stand again, scowling as she smoothed down her hair, "What are you doing? Where's Audrey?"

       He leaned against her closet, "Wow. No, 'Hi Rob!!' I'm hurt."

       Looking at her unamusement, he cleared his throat, "Sorry. She's downstairs looking for you. Speaking of, why are you hiding up here? The party downstairs is lit."

        "Please never say lit again." Clementine demanded, "And- i'm not hiding, I'm just nervous. There's so many people down there."

        "Ahhh, a little anxiety eh?" He asked, "I know the feeling."

        "Do you now?" She countered.

       Taken back, he furrowed his brow, "Of course I do- everyone has a little anxiety. My heart starts hammering in areas full of people. Just walking down your hallway made me jumpy."

      Before she could apologize, the door was in action again. And two people agressivly made their way to the bed. Missing the other people in the room.

      Quick thinking brought Rob and Clementine into her closet. Both incredibly silent as they both held their breaths.

     The couple began to remove their clothing, and the pair of teens in the closet realized they were stuck.

      Although the space was larger than most closets, it didn't make anything better. Especially with Robs tiny fear of small spaces. Hoping maybe the company of a friend would calm his jitters.

     "Clementine. I'm just giving you a heads up. I have claustrophobia. Like it's not going to hit right now, but dude, the longer we're in here, the worse it gets." He whispered.

      She was trying not to panic,"Oh geez. Uhm..."

     "And you smell like hairspray." He said bluntly.

     Her mouth gaped open. The stress of what was going on was replaced with offense. The light peaking through the cracks of her closet hindered her vision. And the sounds coming from outside in her bedroom were gross.

      "Okay, first of all, you smell like a prepubesnt teen who went too far to cover ciggarette smoke with Axe. And second of all. I know a way out." She tried her best to be quiet and nice.

     Slowly sinking to the ground. She crawled to the back of her closet. Feeling around the carpet for a bit as the boy behind her squinted in the darkness.

      When she'd found the latch, she wondered if she could trust Rob. Or if maybe they could just stay in the confined space until the people on her bed stopped fucking.

     If she was afraid of small area's, she'd highly appreciate a way out. And knew that in any situation, she couldn't let him go through something like that.  It would be both embarrassing and scary to have a panic attack in a black closet.

      "Rob. You have to promise me that when I show you this escape route. You'll never tell anyone." She whispered.

      "What? That's insanely ominous." He replied.

      "If you don't keep this a secret I'll literally murder you." She paused, "I can pay to make it look like an accident."

      He closed his mouth to think, and sighed, "Okay. I hope you're joking, but yeah I will, I swear on my life."

      With an answer, her dainty fingers pushed up on a small gap in the floor. Popping open a hole. Light filling the closet as Rob was extremely amazed.

       Clementine lowered herself down to step on a ladder, "Come on then. Don't forget to close it."

       He watched as she disappeared and began to follow. Looking  to the metal walls that led down. Feeling as if this was a horror movie. What could she possibly have under her closet?

     It wasn't even that long of a way to the bottom, his feet hit soild ground and revealed another door.

     His eyes followed his friends hands as the keypad on the side of the metal clad door came to view. Typing slowly, it beeped twice, and Clementines fingers hovered over the handle. Her head twisting back to look at him in concern, she sighed, and opened it.

     Florescent lights filled the room. And somehow Rob looked at them instead of the plants lined up. Glancing at a cot in the corner, and an old phone mounted on the wall.

      "My dad made a panic room. And..."

       Robs stare finally met the mess of green foliage. Knowing why the girl was so hesitant to show him. And why she was threatening him earlier. Mouth gaped as she continued to talk.

      And was cut off quickly after.

      "Holy shit! You grow weed!?" He'd taken his hands and gripped the sides of his head.

      She shrugged, "Yeah. I don't really smoke, but, I thought maybe I could sell."

       He was still in awe that a girl as reserved as Clem could be hiding something like this in her panic room, "How would you sell? No offense, uh, but you know nobody."

       "Okay maybe I didn't think that far," She didn't want to look at him so she looked at the plants, "But now you know. So like, maybe we could be business partners?"

        Rob fiddled with a leaf, "How so?"

      Flopping down on the cot, she tucked hair behind her ear, "You know people who buy I assume. So, you can distribute, and I'll supply."

      "You're serious? What? I- uhm. Oh geez." He seemed more lost than ever.

      His pacing made Clementine nervous, "Okay, okay. I know it's insane. I know. We're still practical strangers, but I trust you. You took me to the hospital, you cared enough to look for me-"

     "Hey." He stopped her rambling, "Shut up."

    "Exsuse me?" Her brows furrowed in offense.

      "I'll do it."

       Expression changing immediately, Clementine jumped up from her spot, "No way!? Holy shit. I literally thought you'd tell me no. I mean, I probably would."

      Smiling Rob looked around the room, "Okay. It's settled we're really doing this... which is actually insane."

      "Oh yeah extremely insane." She'd echoed.

      Arms at his sides, he'd looked around the room, "So uh... How do we get out of here exactly?"

     While the two in the panic room escaped. And Audrey was passed out on the floor next to Danielle, both leaning up against the cabinets in the kitchen, Max opened the front door.

       His expectations where nothing near the capacity of what this party was. People all over the place. He couldn't focus on one thing except his uncomfortableness. Helpless without his friends.

      Someone pushed pass him, forcing him to fall on the first steps of the stairs. Purple lights and kids screaming made him dizzy somehow. Shaky hands pushed himself up, and he began to climb, hoping for some miracle of Audrey or Robert popping out of nowhere.

     Knowing he would never venture in, he leaned over the railing and looked over the crowd of kids dancing in the livingroom. Just the thought made him queasy, and want to pop some anxitey pills.
      Before taking any more steps. He'd squinted to the corner of the room before him. Watching as the coat closet opened, and Clementine slipped out.

      Now interested, Max stared to figure out who was in the closet with her. Wondering if she'd truely been doing something inside with someone. His eyes focused more than ever before once the door slowly opened again.

      Heart falling. His grip on the railing tightened when Rob emerged, glancing around cautiously. Moving around people, and disappearing down the same hall the girl went.

      He had no idea if it was a misunderstanding. But placing the information he'd gathered in one scene. He raked his fingers through his hair and let out a sigh of disappointment.

      How could he possibly tell his best friend that her boyfriend was cheating on her?