Ruby

The party is sort of across town, at this big house in a nice neighbourhood. It's a tree-lined street and the houses are all two-stories with nice front yards and beautiful landscaping. It reminds me of the house I lived in when I was a kid, with my parents and Ryan. Something tugs at my insides as I follow Garrett and Bet inside.

There's already a lot of people here, and Garrett seems to know everyone. I know he's pretty popular at the office, but in the two years we've lived together, he's never invited me to a party with these people before. 

It only takes ten minutes for him to introduce Bet and I to a bunch of people - including the host, Jason, and the guy the party is for, Frank. Then we start drinking. I mean, I have a beer, to start. There's a keg in the kitchen and somehow Garrett manages to bring over three overfilled cups to where Bet and I are standing, in the fancy looking living room. I feel out of place, and I'm probably the younger person here.

"I'm glad you decided to come," Bet says to me, leaning back against the wall.

I watch as she smiles at me and brings her cup up to her mouth for a big sip. I don't know if she really means this - she's glad I came. But I nod anyway.

"I am supposed to go to Jakoby's later, so I might not stay long," I tell her, and then sip my own beer.

"How's it going with him? You guys are dating now?" she wants to know.

Bet is a sweet girl. I mean, she's always been nice to me. But sometimes I feel like she's talking down to me. Or like she's just being nice to me because she has to, because of Garrett. Now, it feels like she's asking about Jakoby with ulterior motives.

"Yeah, it's good," I say, not really answering the question.

"Cool. Well, I'm glad we get to hang out tonight," she finishes but she already scanning the room, looking for Garrett.

Half an hour later, I end up wandering around the house a bit on my own. It's a really nice house. There's a spiral staircase near the back, going up to the second floor. The main floor is all hardwood and the kitchen has fancy new stainless steel appliances. There's a bunch of people in each area I go through, no but one's really paying much attention to me. Until I head back to the kitchen to fill my cup.

"Hey," a young-ish looking guy says to me, looking up from his phone.

There's a few other people in the large kitchen but he's the only one who's noticed me. I walk through to the keg and fill my cup, giving the guy a smile.

"You on your own?" he asks, staying where he is on the other side of the kitchen island.

"Sort of?" I answer, and take a long sip of my now full cup.

The guy - who's sort of cute but sort of creepy - grins. "Want a tour of the house? I'm Jason's brother, Curtis."

I'm not drunk, even after one and half beers, so I know better than to go anywhere alone with this strange guy. I shake my head at him and go back to my beer.

"No, thanks."

"Alright, well come and find me if you change your mind," he says and gives me another creepy smile before leaving the room.

Deciding that being anywhere at this party alone isn't a good idea, I head back out to the main front room to find Garrett and Bet, after I finish off that second beer. I have to excuse myself through some groups of people and then I see them - they are down the dark hallway heading to the back of the house. Bet is pressed against him, and they are making out like teenagers. Suddenly my head is spinning a bit and I narrow my eyes to focus on them, confirming it's them.  I've seen Garrett and Bet together a lot over the last few weeks, but now she's wrapped around him in the dark, his hands are at her face and it feels different. I don't know why. I watch them for a minute too long, my heart pounding.

Finally I turn around, not wanting them to see me. Pushing past a few people, I head back to the kitchen to get another beer, then I make my way outside to the back yard. Why did I come here? Why am I even at this dumb party? So I could be left to fend for myself?

I decide right then that I need to leave. It's only been less than a hour. I can still get to Jakoby's roommate's party and make this all better.

Fumbling to get my phone out of my with one hand while trying not to drop the open cup of beer in my other, I sit down in a chair at a patio table and call Jakoby.

It rings five times. Is he so mad at me that he's ignoring my call? Does he not want to see me tonight after all? I drink back most of the third beer while I wait and pray.

"Hello?" Finally, he answers. There's loud music and people talking in the background.

"Heyy... I need you," I tell him, slowly.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" he wants to know. The background noise gets quieter.

"I'm okay... but I'm not okay. I'm at a party, and I-"

"I thought you said you were just staying home tonight?"

My heart plummets because I can hear it in his voice. Disappointment. "I know... but I came to this party with Garrett." I pause, because I am waiting for him to say something, but he doesn't. "I am... well... I'm a little drunk."

"Okay. Why do you need me?" he wants to know, suddenly sounding more annoyed than anything.

I thought he would be more excited to come to my rescue, but he seems fairly nonchalant about it. Because I'm drunk, this doesn't make a lot a sense. Suddenly I feel an overwhelming sense of dread. Why did I call him?

"I need to get out of here..." I say into my phone, but I'm more so talking to myself. "Shit, I should never have come to this party."

"Did something happen?" he asks, and I hear the panic in his voice all of a sudden.

"Yeah," I say, but I won't tell him that what happened is that I saw Garrett and Bet making out, him pressed against her, and I was flooded with memories and feelings that I don't want to feel anymore.

"I am just hanging out with Johnny and some friends for his birthday, but I can leave here soon. Where are you?" Jakoby tells me, his voice somehow now soothing me.

"You'll come?" I ask him, surprised.

"Of course, Ruby. Just text me where you are, okay? I'll be walking, but I'll get there as soon as I can."

"Okay, thanks," I say, mumbling. "Bye."

Keeping my phone out, I open our texting conversation and read the last few messages. I told him that I was staying home and he said OK, I wish you were here. I feel horrible all of a sudden, for lying to him. He invited me to go to his apartment for his roommate's birthday, and I lied and decided to go to this random party with Garrett. And for what? Nothing. I head right back inside for another beer - since, why not? - after texting Jakoby the address of the party. I'm pretty sure it's actually not far from his apartment, but I'm not sure I even deserve him, now. 

I don't know anyone here - especially since Garrett and Bet are all making out or doing whatever they are doing - and I feel so weird, stumbling into the kitchen a minute later. A few guys notice me and follow me towards the keg.

"Hey... let me help you," one of them - a blond with some tattoos on his arms - says to me.

"I'm fine, I got it," I say, and I reach for a new cup. I must have left mine outside. As I do, I knock over the entire stack. "Shit."

"Hey, it's okay," one of the other two guys says gently. "I'll get that for you."

I stand back and watch as he collects the cups and then gets me out from another stack. As he fills the cup from the keg, he keeps his eyes on me. Handing me the cup, he asks my name.

"I'm Ruby," I say without thinking. "I'm-"

"Garrett's Ruby?" one of the guys says quickly, interrupting me.

Shocked, I shake my head. "What?"

"Did you come here with Garrett?" the first guy - the blond - asks.

I just nod.

"Wow. He's been hiding you from us for years," the one with the dark hair says with a laugh. "I can't believe you actually exist."

I don't like any of this so I drink back half of the cup of beer in one chug. As I take a step to leave the room, I stumble again.

"Easy," the third guy says to me, and reaches for my arm.

I pull away and lean onto the kitchen island, then down the rest of my drink. "Refill," I say, to no one.

One of them takes my cup and refills it just like that. When I have it back in my hand, I'm sipping it again. I'm not sure I've never drank this much, this fast. My head is fuzzy and I'm really, really drunk. I'm likely past the point of realizing how drunk I am, actually.

After that beer is gone, I feel my phone buzzing my pocket. I slip it out and check it, my vision blurry.

Jakoby: I'm just down the street. I'll be right there.

Shoving my phone away again, I push through the people in the kitchen and head for the door, to wait outside for Jakoby. I can't really think straight but I know I need to get outside.

    "Hey, Ru!" Garrett calls from another room, as I pass by.

I stop, look over and see him, Bet wrapped around his body. They are back in the main room with a bunch of people. But smiles at me but then looks worried.

   "Ruby, you okay?' Garrett asks, his face looking concerned too.

   "I'm leaving," I mange to tell him. I probably look like I'm about to puke. I definitely feel like it.

We look at each other for a long minute. The rest of the room feels silent, like everyone is staring at us, but they aren't. Bet is the only one who knows what's happening right now. Garrett is making a decision in his head. Let me go or chase after me. Bet squeezes him tighter and he smiles at her before looking at me again.

   "How are you getting home?" Garrett asks me, finally.

    "Jakoby is here," I say, trying to step back, but I stumble.

Now, Garrett looks even more worried when he realizes how drunk I am. I rarely drink and he knows this. I see the expression in his eyes but he just nods.

   "Text me so I know you get home, okay?"

I nod back and turn and go out the front door. That's it. He chose Bet. Of course he did. I shouldn't care about this, at all. I also shouldn't have come here with them. I did the right thing by texting Jakoby and I'm doing the right thing by leaving. It's all becoming clearer now, even though I'm more drunk than I've ever been.