Miranda had been single for just over two weeks. Two glorious weeks of parties, girl-"dates", movies with friends, and relaxing by the pool. It was too cool to swim just yet, but she sure didn't mind putting on a skimpy little suit and flaunting it in front of the new lifeguard as she and her friends tanned on the deck.
Yesterday, the guy at the refreshment bar had given her a drink for no charge. The other girls had paid for theirs, but he only winked at Miranda and told her he would see her later.
She was normally pretty shy. Even though she felt her cheeks warm at his wink, she made sure to shake her bikini-clad tush as she walked away with her friends.
In fact, she was enjoying her freedom immensely, which was a surprise since she hadn't wanted it. She'd been dumped by her ex of six years, her high school (and middle school, and maybe elementary school too if truth be told) sweet heart over a busty blonde and some pictures she'd confronted him about. Imagine! SHE had confronted HIM for cheating, with proof, and then HE dumped HER!
"You're not thinking about that loser, are you Mir?" Her friend Ally asked from the next lounger. "Because you're doing that chewing-your-cheek thing.." She narrowed her eyes with suspicion.
"No," Miranda said, too quickly, and tried to think about something else. "I was thinking about heading to the bar to see if McHotty is working," Miranda quickly lied.
Ally's eyes widened in surprise. "Ooooh," she said, "Well in that case! Why not ask him if he's going to the party tonight? It wouldn't make things obvious, it would just, you know, let him know that YOU were going to the party and then..." she trailed off waggling her eyebrows with hidden meanings.
"Gross Ally," Miranda laughed in fake surprise, "I think he's in college," she waggled her eyebrows right back, thinking of the adventures SHE would be having there at the end of the summer. "Wait, are we going to another party tonight?"
"Duh! Rich's grad party? At the lake? Remember? Definitely can't miss it."
"Oh," Miranda sighed. There had been so many grad parties this week. She almost started chewing her lip again, but stopped herself before Ally could notice. Rich was good friends with her ex, Cole. Wouldn't Cole be there? Did she want to see him? Did she want Cole to see her talking to another guy? Maybe she should ask the bar guy to go after all...
-
Ally had insisted on picking Miranda's outfit, which ended up being a tight, short enough to be a T-shirt, black dress and some killer slut heels. She put Miranda's hair in a messy bun on top of her head, and then picked out a pink mini-dress for herself. Miranda would not normally have worn something so skimpy, Cole would've flipped, but in the end that was exactly why she did it.
When they walked up the front steps to Rich's porch the party was already in full swing. Girls were singing at the top of their lungs on the porch, red cups in hand, while some guys played beer pong on the lawn. It looked like something just begging to get busted, but Miranda just tried her best to look confident as she entered the house.
"Hey Ally" "Ally cat!" "Whaddup Ally!" chorused around them. Ally slinked her arm through Miranda's as encouragement and edged her up the stairs. Ally was certainly the more outgoing of the two. Miranda was ever conscious as she felt her dress riding up - and she knew there was not an inch to spare in that little thing!
"Looking good Miranda," one of the football players said, sidling up beside her. "Beer?" He offered. Ally nodded and inched away so fast it made Miranda's head spin. She knew Ally's game. But tonight, she would play along.
"Thanks," Miranda said, taking the beer. She felt like she should say something else, but what would it be? "You don't look bad, yourself," she heard herself say. What a lame line! He laughed, probably already drunk. At least he wouldn't remember.
"I wish you had come out more often," he said, leaning in. The smell of beer wafted over her; he radiated it.
"Why's that?" she asked, quietly. His strong arms were suddenly on either side of her head, against the wall. Her heart raced.
"I would've liked the chance to get to know you. You know, outside of school," he said quietly. Was he for real? She hadn't even remembered his name. She felt bad..
"Aye Pete," another guy said, slapping him on the back. Ah yes, Pete, that was it. How fortunate. Sigh of relief.
"Mark," Pete said, straightening up to greet his teammate.
"Pong game's on, you want in?" Mark asked. Pete turned to Miranda and smiled. He was gorgeous.
"I'll catch you after the game, okay?" Pete asked, and was led into the crowd just like that.
Miranda was left alone in the sea of people, looking for Ally. She was a social butterfly and by now could be anywhere.
"What was that?" She heard, close to her ear.
"What was what?" She retorted at the familiar voice. She would not let Cole ruin this night.
"That - with that JOCK just now." He spat the word.
"You dumped me." She said, "I'll talk to who I want."
"I guess you'll wear whatever you want too. And show off whatever you want." He demanded.
"Uh, yeah. That's what being broken up is, Cole." She answered. Her response was designed to make him feel like a child. It seemed to be working, judging by the reddish-brown color he had turned.
Miranda surprised herself by having the strength to walk away, swaying her hips in the hopes he would notice how little she actually was wearing. She wanted the image burned in his mind so that he would know what all the other guys, and girls for that matter, would be seeing the rest of the evening. She walked right up to the beer pong table where Pete and his friend were getting ready to play. She saw Ally standing nearby with a group of girls and had an idea.
"Let's play teams," she suggested playfully. Maybe Ally will play on Mark's side?" Mark looked thrilled.
"I'm proud of you Mir," Ally said, but to hide her true meaning she added "Preparing to take on someone like me? Honestly." She winked, and the game was on. She had seen Cole slink off, but she tried to put it out of her head.
They lost the game, by a land slide. Miranda had never played before, and it really looked like Pete hadn't either although she suspected he was just already too drunk. She graciously surrendered the table to another couple while Ally and Mark played on. Giggling girls swooped Pete up to roast marshmallows, and Miranda, now alone, trudged toward the beach area. She thought she would just sit and watch the lake for a while. Parties were great, but they had never really been her scene.
On her way through the house toward the back yard/beach/whatever-you-call-it-when-your-yard-is-sand she started to notice how empty the house was. Everyone seemed to have migrated outside to the dancing or to the fire.