Freshman year of high school - Ten years ago

Devyn

My mom gave me a boy name and I hate it. I mean, I generally hate it. Everyone sees my name and thinks I'm a boy. What kind of fourteen year old girl would like that? My sister's name is Jessica. Like, seriously? She is five years younger than me, but I still don't know why in the world I got this name?

  Pierce likes my name, at least. I mean, we both have unique names. His mom apparently saw his bright green "piercing" eyes when he was a few hours old and told his dad that was his name. He was supposed to be Vincent.

  We've been best friends since we were five. He moved to my neighborhood a month after kindergarten started, and so he was late joining my classroom. I went home and told my mom about the new boy in my class, and she told me it would be nice of me to try to be friends with him, since he was new. I went back the next day and asked him if he wanted to be my friend. The rest is literally history.

  Now we're in our freshman year of high school. It's almost Christmas and so I guess we're half way done being freshmen, but whatever. There were a few years from kindergarten to now that we weren't in the same class, but that never mattered to us. Our friendship only grew stronger as the years went on.

  This year, we have a few classes together - but high school is so different than grade school.

  It's the last day of school before the winter break, and I am heading down to the cafeteria after Math 1 to meet Pierce. We always have lunch together. It's a mix of tradition and the fact that we just want to be together during the day. I feel better when he's near me, and he says the same thing.

  I spot him sitting at our table with Benji, his friend, as soon as I walk in. Pierce makes friends easily. Everyone likes him. He has way more friends than I do, but he says his friends are my friends. Pierce's too-long messy brown hair is falling into his eyes as he laughs at something Benji is showing him on his phone, as I approach them.

  "Hey, Devyn," Benji says as soon as he notices me.

  Benji is a flirt. I mean, most of Pierce's friends are, with me. But Benji in particular likes to really lay it on. He's cute, though. It's not like I don't notice.

  Pierce looks up and grins in my direction. "Hola."

  He insists on speaking to me in Spanish, ever since I told him that it's the only class I don't like. It's the only class I'm not doing well in, is what I should have said. I'm a perfectionist and I can't handle that I don't have a good grasp on this language.

  Pierce also loves pushing my buttons.

  "Hey," I say, shaking my head.

  Benji slides over a bit so I can sit near Pierce, who already has a full tray of food in front of him, on the table.

  "I got pizza, fries and fruit. What are you in the mood for?" he asks me, giving me a questioning look.

  "Pizza, definitely," I smile at him.

  He starts eating the fries right away, pushing the slice of pizza towards me. Benji snorts and pulls out his sandwich from the bag, near his feet.

  "How was your morning?" Pierce wants to know a minute later, his mouth full of food. We had no classes together yet this morning. This afternoon, we have art together.

   "Fine. I'm finally getting better at my piece for the Spring Showcase," I tell him, then take a bite of the pizza.

  "You could play piano with your eyes closed, Dev," he says, as if that's some amazing compliment.

  "Um yeah, I could," I say and then laugh.

  "So, Devyn.... party tomorrow night?" Benji interrupts.

  This is the second time I'm hearing about this party. In first period, I heard Benji telling some other girls about it. I notice that Pierce shoots him a look right away. I glance between them before shaking my head. "No."

  "Why not?" Benji goes on. "We'll be on winter break."

  "How many parties have I been to this year?" I ask him, then try to go back to enjoying my pizza.

  Benji laughs and Pierce smacks his arm. "She doesn't want to go to your stupid party, Ben."

  "Well, I'll be disappointed if you don't come," he tells Pierce. "My parents are going away for the night. Jonas is inviting everyone."

After school, Pierce meets me at my locker as usual, but I can tell he's hiding something. I know this guy inside and out. I know his favorite movie and favorite color and how he pretends to be too cool to hang out with his little brother, but he actually likes it. Now, I know he has something to tell me.

  "What is it?" I ask, closing my locker and turning around.

  He makes a face. "I agreed to the party."

  "Oh." I try my hardest not to express any emotion about this.

  He's got other friends. He likes to go to parties, especially when parents aren't there. He likes loud music and dancing and the things fourteen year old boys like. Just because I don't enjoy those things as much, he shouldn't miss out. It's hard being his best friend, sometimes, but I always deal with it just fine.

  "I know I said we'd hang out tonight, so..." He lets his voice trail off and we head towards the doors, to leave.

  I'm sure my mom is already outside waiting for us. She picks us up first and then we swing by the elementary school to get Jessica and Tyler. In the fall and spring, we usually walk. But in the winter, my mom insists on picking us up.

  "I want you to come." The words come out of his mouth fast. I look over at him. "Just for a bit."

  "I don't think so," I say right away. "It's fine if you go, though. Obviously."

  "I want you to come," he says again, in a whining voice.

  I have a hard time saying no to him, I always have.

  When we were ten, he begged me to ride on the handlebars of his bike, around the neighborhood. He promised it would be fun. He went too fast and hit a rock and we both well flying off, and I went home crying. He came over later with a homemade card and a chocolate bar, to tell me he was sorry.

  "Just ask your mom, please?" he begs, as we go down the steps towards the parking lot.

  I can already see my mom's minivan. I'm not going to ask her about a party tomorrow night. She'll agree and tell us to go and have fun. That's the kind of mom she is. Pierce knows this, of course.

  The next afternoon, he texts me five times in a row.

  Party?

  You asked your mom, right?

  Devyn, ask her!

  I really want you to come.

  Come on!

  It's annoying enough that I go downstairs to the kitchen and find my mom sitting there, sipping coffee, like a usual Saturday afternoon. She works all week as a dental assistant and likes to relax on the weekends. When I walk towards her, she immediately gives me a smile. She's an awesome mom. She loves Jessica and I like crazy and she is not afraid to tell us that.

  "Hey sweetie," she coos, watching me walk towards the fridge.

  I'm trying to waste some time before I send the question out there in the universe, so I open the door and look inside. It's way past lunch time, which I already ate. It was a bowl of cereal and milk, filled right to the top.

  "What's up?" my mom goes on, sensing something, I guess.

  I spin around, closing the fridge door. I've always thought she was pretty, and now looking at her, I really see it. Her dark hair is down. Her eyes are bright and happy. She's tall and not exactly thin, but she likes to take care of herself.

  "Um, well... I guess I just wanted to..." I let my voice trail off. I really don't want to say it.

  "Spit it out, honey," she says with a laugh.

  "There's a party tonight," I tell her, not really asking anything.

  Her face lights up. I knew it. "A party?"

  I've been in high school for almost six months. She knows I'm not the partying type. I like being at home and I like hanging out with Pierce, and my friend, Macy. I'm not one for big gatherings. I prefer to sit in our guest room and play my piano, actually.

  "Yeah, um, Pierce wants me to go-"

  "Yes!" she shouts, and then covers her own mouth with her hand. "I mean, of course you can go, honey. If you want to."

  I let out an awkward laugh, shaking my head. "You know it's not my thing, but his friend Benji invited us, so..."

  She's still smiling like an idiot. "Will there be parents there?"

  I shrug. "I don't know. His older brother will be there."

  "Will there be drinking?"

  I know she's just asking these questions because she feels like she has to.

  "Probably."

  She nods. "Well, I know you. And I trust Pierce. So, home by 11P.M.?"

  I was sort of hoping she would put up more of a fight, but I wasn't expecting it.

  "Yeah, of course," I finish.

  I don't know why I agreed to any of this, since it's definitely not my thing. But I do like how happy my mom is about it. She's definitely not a regular mom.

  My mom said I can go. I have to be home by 11P.M., I text Pierce, a little while later.

  Pierce: YES! I'll pick you up at 8PM. You won't regret this, Dev.

  Even though I'm pretty sure he's wrong about that, I keep that to myself.