"People are coming over tonight," my sister Vanessa hissed threateningly.
I knew why the statement came across so venomously. Vanessa was twenty, two years my senior, and living at home again. She was supposed to be the responsible one while my parents were away. I had been grounded for staying out too late on the night of my high school graduation. Not to mention, getting a nasty speeding ticket trying to get home faster.
My mom and dad had enlisted her to watch me and to keep the rules. They were paying her to watch me! And now she was throwing a party, which undoubtedly would be blamed on me should anything go wrong. Vanessa had been a seeming angel growing up, but had always kept her pitchfork and horns ready for when my parents weren't watching.
"You really shouldn't," I said haughtily. "Mom and Dad said no parties."
"They said to make sure you didn't go to any parties. They said nothing about me."
"They said no parties. Period. That means you too," I taunted.
"Whatever. Its just the girls. Not even a real party." Vanessa's tone told me that it wasn't as simple as that.
"You know what they said about alcohol in the house," I pushed.
The look of anger on her face told me that I had hit the nail on the head. I put my hands on my hips and smiled victoriously.
"What would they say if they knew you were throwing a party, and were drinking underage."
"They won't know, because you won't tell them."
"How do you know I won't," I fired back.
"Because I'll kill you if you do," she had a look in her eye that told me she meant business. But being a committed younger sister I didn't give up.
"Well, if I see any alcohol, I'll definitely have to tell them. I just don't know how I'd handle being around that kind of peer pressure."
"You little cunt. If you so much as press a button on the phone tonight, I'll see that you regret it."
"That all depends on you now doesn't it." I turned happily away from her, sashaying happily from the room.
I could practically hear her blood boiling behind me. Wisely, she didn't push the issue. I headed for my room and entertained myself on Facebook and MySpace for a while. A couple of hours later, I heard the sound of people arriving downstairs. I crept onto the landing and peeked down to the kitchen. I could see strappy sandals and flip flops galore. It seemed to be an all girl affair, as Vanessa had promised. Their voices were loud and energetic, and they seemed to be having a good time. Privately, I hoped that the alcohol would come soon. The few hours alone had given me a brilliant idea. I waited and bided my time.
It wouldn't take long for the music to be cranked up, and the giggles and behavior to get a little more wild. When they moved into the family room, I snuck further down the stairs and confirmed my suspicions. There was a bunch of alcohol- beer, wine, liquor, and mixers spread across the kitchen table and counters. I couldn't believe the twelve girls I had counted were planning on consuming that much.
As the party continued, I grabbed the house phone and returned to my bedroom door.
Nervously excited, I dialed. 9-1-1.
"9-1-1, what's your emergency," a female voice on the other end of the line inquired.
"I need the police," I whispered into the handset. "There's a really noisy party next door. I see a lot of young kids drinking and making a ruckus."
"A party? Do you know any of the participants?"
"Just the neighbor's daughter. I think she's only twenty."
"What's your name ma'am."
"Mrs. Rusher," I replied, remembering the name of my elderly neighbor. I figured Vanessa would probably buy it that she had called on her.
"Mrs. Rusher? What's your address?"
"2-1-0 First Avenue South. Kent."
"Thank you Mrs. Rusher. We'll send some officers over."
"Thanks," I practically yelled. I was so excited. I had my sister trapped.
The next half hour was spent peeking through the blinds. Every car that passed by caused my heart to leap a little. I was certain it would be the cops! Finally, a long dark navy sedan crept to a stop in front of the house. Its lights were off, but the profile was unmistakable. They were finally here! I watched as two heavier set men stepped from the car. The badges on their chest glinted in the street lights. My excitement grew as another marked vehicle pulled up behind it. Another two uniformed officers stepped out. Lastly, a third vehicle arrived, this one a large SUV with a dozen additional antennas and an unusual light array on the front. Six cops! This was going to be so good! Vanessa was dead!
Things started going sideways almost immediately. I watched as the two officers who had arrived first walked around Mrs. Rusher's little white picket fence and up her driveway. The other four stood by their vehicles, watching our house. I knew that the bay windows would show the party going on in the interior. Why wouldn't they act! After about ten minutes, the two officers returned and there was a brief meeting by the cars. I watched as one of them relayed something to the station through a shoulder mounted radio. I didn't think it was going well. Mrs. Rusher would have undoubtedly not called- she was very hard of hearing and would never have noticed the goings on here. Just when I thought my plan was doomed, the officers began to climb our driveway. I watched as two of them crossed around the side of the house, their flashlights sweeping this way and that.
For a few minutes I could see the legs and feet of four of them as they stood at the door. I understood that they were waiting for the sliding glass door to be covered by the others. I crept back out onto the landing and lay there, watching for the action to start. In my hurry to catch site of my orchestration coming together, I didn't realize that Vanessa had gone up to her room to retrieve something. Now she was behind me, and she would definitely figure it out once the cops burst in.
"Stay up here," she threatened as she passed me. "Don't you dare disrupt me or embarrass me in any way. Got it?"
"Okay," I answered meekly. She already seemed buzzed, her face slightly flushed and her body relying on the railing.
As her sandals danced down the stairs, I heard a loud booming knock from the front door. It was a go!
I heard Vanessa dart around her friends, hurriedly whispering for them to hide the alcohol as she opened the door.
Immediately one of her friends killed the music. From the landing I couldn't see exactly what was going on, so I crept down a few more steps and hugged the wall. All six of the officers were now in the house, two blocking off the retreat through the back yard and the other four spreading around the front of the living room and entry. All were gruff looking men. A few of them were rather intimidating in their fitness, but the other three were just big blocky slobs. I felt so much excitement. Vanessa looked down right petrified as the officers examined the room and quickly found the stashes of alcohol.
"Alright, we need to see some ID, all of you!"
A couple of the girls produced their driver's licenses right away. Others weakly said they had forgotten them. One of the officers sorted the two apart. Those with ID on the couch, those without against the entertainment center.
As the officers examined the identification cards, he called out the ages.
"19. 19. 20. 20. 20. 19. 20. Seven underage. Blow into the mouthpiece please." He held a white plastic looking thing out towards the first of the underage girls. I could see tears starting to fall from several of their faces. Busted, I screamed inwardly, feeling quite the winner.
One by one, the girls failed their breathalyzer tests. Vanessa was the last one to blow, and I could tell from the soft shudder of her body that she too had failed. I started feeling a little guilty when I looked to the ID less girls. One of the officers had them turn and put their hands on the wall or the edge of the entertainment unit and spread their legs. Their big greasy hands were 'patting them down', although I could not imagine for what. Their skirts were too short or their jeans too tight. They couldn't hide anything. I saw a few of the girls protest as their hands got very personal.
Another of the officers had discovered the purse stash on the counter and had rummaged through them. Soon the five missing IDs were found and the girls' ages confirmed. That didn't stop the searches. Soon the other girls were up on the wall, also being patted down and felt up. Vanessa was made to lean on the back of the couch. One of the more muscular officers started at her bare ankles and ran them over the length of her legs to the edge of her mini. I watched horrified as he slipped his hands beneath the material. Vanessa' skirt rose up as his hands did. For thirty seconds I watched as his hands molested her. I wasn't sure of the exact actions but it looked like he was fingering her. I could see that Vanessa's skin was flushed red and she was frozen still. After the girls had received similar treatments from the officers, they finally abandoned their molestations.
"Here's the deal ladies. I need you all to remain with your hands placed in front of you. We're getting some extra sets of cuffs and have back up on the way. Since there isn't anyone here we can turn you over to, you're going downtown and will be booked for possession and drinking," the officer who had groped my sister explained loudly.
I saw all of the girls react vehemently, begging and pleading to be let off, just this once. As the crescendo of pleas of desperation grew, the officers all glanced from one to another. I watched as a grin grew across each of their faces. Some of the girls were offering money to buy there way out.
"Quiet down," shouted the big one again. "This is it. Bribing an officer of the peace is a federal offense. You just all added a felony to your list of misdoings here. That's a big deal."
All of the girls were suddenly silent, a few of them sinking to the floor in shock and fear. This was definitely not what I had intended.
