ELLY-one week later
We've been home for a while now, and I've settled back in. It's summer, so I haven't been doing much, just catching up with friends from school. Texting with the people from tour fizzled out after the first day, and Griffin has been gone during the day. He comes home at night, eats dinner, and then goes to his room. I don't see him again until the next day, and he is clearly always stressed. For the first time in my life, I'm trying to avoid him.
This summer has not gone as planned.
   Right now, I'm on the phone with a friend from school. We aren't close, but we were both bored, so we started talking again. Griffin has already gone to his room, and I'm just chilling in my own.
   "I want something to do with my life!" she grumbles over the phone, and I can hear her flopping down onto her bed.
   "Same."
   "Let's find something to do tonight," she suggests.
   "Like what, Em?" I ask, dropping down onto my bed and laying back against the pillows. I lazily look over my wrist, which is wrapped up but not in a cast.
"I mean, we could always go see a movie, but that's pretty boring. We could do that another time." Em sighs. "Well, some people from school are having a party tonight. We could go check that out."
"Alright. What time is it?" I ask, already getting up and heading towards my closet.
"Starts around 9," Em replies. "I can pick you up then, and we can head over together."
"Wait, 9?"
"Yeah."
"What time is it supposed to be over?"
"There isn't really a set time, but normally everybody leaves around 2," Em replies.
"Alright," I murmur. I already know without asking the Griffin wouldn't want me out, but it's summer, and I know how to be safe. "Can you pick me up a little later, then?"
"Like 9:30?"
"Yeah. Brother things," I reply.
Em laughs. "Cool. Gives me more time to get ready. I'm gonna go and shower now. See you then."
"See you." I hang up and toss my phone onto my comforter. I turn back to my closet and flip through it before pulling out jeans and a shirt and throwing them down on my bed.
I go down the hall to the bathroom and shower. I leave my makeup in my desk, so when I'm done drying my hair, I head back to my bedroom. I put on my outfit and sit down at my desk. Looking at my phone, I see that it is nearing 9.
A text comes up on my phone as I'm sliding a pair of Vans on. It's from Em, saying she is outside. I reply and quietly hurry down the stairs.
"What are you wearing?" she whisper shouts after sticking her head out of her car's window.
"Clothes?" I ask as I make my way down the sidewalk.
"You need to change," Em says when I approach the car and stand outside her window.
"Why?"
"Elly, this is a high school party. I know you've been to some, but we are going to be juniors next year, and this party is being thrown by the seniors. It's what you see in the stereotypical high school movies, believe it or not." She sighs, scanning over me again.
"Girls in tight dresses and everyone is drunk?" I ask with a laugh.
"Yeah."
"Oh." I didn't realize she was being serious.
"Here." Em reaches into her backseat and pulls out a red lump of clothing. "Go and change. Different shoes, too. I'll be waiting right here when you get back, and then we can go find some cute guys at this party."
"Alright. Thanks." I smile and hurry back up the sidewalk.