Groundhog House Party!!!

"I don't see why I even have to go."

This is going to be such a pain...

"C'mon! It'll be fun, I promise!" The annoyingly optimistic voice driving the car right next to me said cheerfully.

I sighed, "When have I ever shown any interest in wanting to go to parties? I don't even like going to parties within my own age group! What even makes you think I'll get along with a bunch of college frats?"

"Don't be such a downer! Most of them are my friends, so I'm sure you'll get along great!" This obliviously idiotic voice kept reassuring me, "Besides, you'll be in graduating high school soon anyway! So you're just a few years younger than everyone else, what's the big deal?"

"The deal is that you're taking your anti-social kid brother to a party full of college adults, who will no doubt stick out like a saxophone played in a funeral. I don't understand how you refuse to see that."

"Well, maybe the reason why I want you to come with me to this party is so that you'll break out of your anti-social shell and start making friends! If you can't get along with people your own age, then maybe some more mature people might fit in your alley!" My annoying older sister retorted back, "What's the worst that can happen?"

"I'll be treated like an outcast loser and get humiliated in front of everyone?"

"PFFFFT, you watch way too many teen-drama movies, John."

"Only because you've me to watch them too." I snarked back.

This is going to be a terrible idea, I just know it.

With a heavy sigh, I grumpily lean back in my seat and looked out the window, knowing that there was no arguing the brick wall that was my sister.

When I asked her to help me become more sociable, I meant in terms of conversation and attitude. I never frickin' asked to be tossed into an actual real-life situation like a kid being thrown into shark-infested water to learn how to swim.

Hell, it'd make more sense to me to mingle with people that I already know and go to high school with! That would at least make the playing field more evenly matched for my lack of social skills!

BUT NO, MY SISTER WANTS ME TO GO TO A HOUSE PARTY WHERE SHE AND ALL HER COLLEGE FRIENDS ARE GOING TO HANG OUT.

to talk to people who I don't even know when I already lack the social grace in the first place- GOD DAMMIT SHELLY-

"Come on, John. I'm serious, it's not going to be that bad!" Shelly reassured me again, "I promise you, this is just going to be a small house party filled with people I hang out with regularly. I know them like the back of my hand, and I'm sure they're going to love you!"

Rubbing my head to calm myself down, I took in her words as I asked, "You promised it's not going to be like those wild crazy college parties where everyone gets drunk and rave all night?"

"I promise, solemnly swear." Shelly smiled happily.

...

"Well, alright then. Maybe it won't be as bad as I first thought."

---

"CHUG! CHUG! CHUG! CHUG! CHUG! CHUG! CHUG! CHUG-"

Note to self; never again trust my sister about anything. Ever.

The scene of a shirtless guy with tattoos chugging down a gallon of beer as a small crowd encouraged him was the first thing to grace my sight as soon as we entered the house.

Loud music played in the background, college students crowded rooms and halls to claustrophobic levels, a couple of puke stains already littered the walls, and the smell in here was horrible.

"You promised this would be a small house party filled with people you knew." I annoyingly turned to face my sister, who looked oblivious as ever.

"What do you mean? It IS a small house party filled with people I know." She asked confusedly, gesturing to the crowd, "I hang out with almost everyone here daily."

"You seriously consider something like this a small house party?" I asked incredulously.

She tilted her head, "Well, yeah. It's a small house, and we're having a party in it. What did you think I meant?"

Someone, please kill me.

Either purposely ignoring my obvious annoyance at her lie, or genuinely oblivious to it, Shelly wrapped an arm around my shoulder as she pointed out specific people in the crowd, "Okay, let's get you started. Before the party is over, I want you to go around and meet with all my friends at least once."

Pointing to the guy chugging a keg like fucking Adonis, Shelly introduced, "That's Kieth. He's a wild party animal that's able to get along with everyone. He's loud, uncouth, and generally the most boyish boy you'll ever come across. You'll like him!"

"He looks like a delinquent gang banger from a movie. I highly doubt it." I muttered.

Pointing to the next person of interest, she introduced me to this platinum-haired chick with the frilly pony-tail while she was busy laughing about something with a friend, "That's Felicia. She's super rich and was the one who paid for everything here. Without her, we'd never be able to afford this party in the first place. Don't worry, she's not that uptight like other rich girls. Although, she is a bit of a clean-freak sometimes."

"Sounds like a spoiled girl who'll be a handful to deal with."

Pointing to the next, she points to this really mature looking brunette who somehow gives off MILF vibes despite looking just as young as the rest of these college frats, "That's Lisa. She's a huge tease and likes to flirt with everyone, guys and girls alike. Don't be taken in by her charms though, she's not looking to start a relationship with anyone, that's just her unique way of being friendly with people. You can hang out with her, but I don't want you to get the wrong impression and accidentally embarrass yourself by asking her out."

"A modern day floozy with no inhibitions or restraint about her own sexual appeal. How neat."

Shelly would continue going on and on, pointing to each individual and explaining their personalities to me as if I was actually listening and taking notes, when in actuality, I've already began drowning out her voice as soon as I got bored and tired from the exposition.

It took a long long LONG while, before she finally finished and said, "Welp, that's everyone! As long as you keep in mind what I've told you, you should be able to get along with them all just fine."

"Kill me."

"Oh, and one more thing!" Shelly suddenly remembered, before twisting me around and pointing at this one quiet girl with raven hair reading a book in the corner couch, "There's a person here that I want you to try to avoid being with- alone at least. Her name is Bella, and she's... odd."

"Odd how? In my eyes, every single one of your friends are odd." I rolled my eyes.

"Hey, I'm serious, all right?" Shelly became serious as she warned me, "She kinda gives me the creeps. There's something about her that I don't like, and I don't want you to be with her alone if you can help it. If she ends up joining in a group conversation or something, maybe it's fine... But don't hang out with her by yourself. I don't trust her."

The sudden seriousness in her tone made me second-guess myself as I decided to maybe heed her advice just this once, "What about her makes you uneasy?"

"I don't know. I heard a rumor that she kind of likes guys younger than her, if you get what I mean. The kind of young that folks working for the FBI wouldn't react kindly towards if they caught wind of it."

I raised an eyebrow at that, "Shouldn't I be safe then? I'm already eighteen."

"Yeah, well..." Shelly gave me a once-over, "I'm just saying, you still are kind of... Actually, nevermind." She shook her head, and returned back to being cheery and joyful, "Just go ahead and introduce yourself to everyone here. I'm sure you'll make tons of friends in no time!"

Well that's a sudden mood whiplash. Can't be helped, I guess. If even my sister gets a bad feeling about her, I might as well listen to the warning.

"Alright, I'm gonna go hang out with some of my girl friends while you go mingle! Best of luck!" Shelly suddenly proclaimed, before pushing me forward into the abyss.

Stumbling forward a bit, I turned around in frustration, "Wait, you're not even going to be there to help me out?!"

But like the wind, she was already gone. Disappeared into the cosmos as if she was never even there.

Fucking hell, sis...

I gave a massive sigh and pinched my forehead, already feeling a migraine coming on. Honestly, if I wanted to, I could just skip out on this party and get a cab back home. Wouldn't even be that hard. Just slip out before anyone sees me and I can pretend this never even happened.

But... Ugh... If I did that, Shelly would find out sooner or later and get angry with me once she gets back home. Then she'd be even more adamant about me getting out of my social awkward shell and set me up in a worst situation possibly.

...

Fuck, I'm going to have to talk to these people, don't I?

Fuck.