The Edensville High Series: Adam Book #1 Page 12

  Chapter Four

  House Party of the Year

  GRACE FAMILY HARDWARE STORE

  “So how goes the home alone status?” It was Naomi, his father’s favorite and most trusted employee, asking him the question as he walked through the old wooden and glass doors of his father’s hardware store. Adam smiled. “...and how's Joshua?” The smile quickly turned to a frown.

  “How should I know….. other than perfect as always?” Adam replied flatly.

  Naomi patted him on the arm as he stepped behind the counter where she was standing. “Awe honey, I know it’s hard to live in a sibling’s shadow, especially one like Joshua, but you are perfect in your own way and your dad is extremely proud of you.” Her stab at empathy was warming to say the least. She changed the subject quickly. “Okay, okay so tell me, what have you got on your to do list for the weekend?” She made a funny face lightening the mood even more, both laughed because they knew his dad all too well.

  “.....well the usual of course, clean the pool then mow the lawn, mulch the landscaping and replant mom’s rose bushes.”

  She nodded her head. “Not too bad…..” She made a face like she was impressed. “Well, I’ve got ….... restock the shelves and rearrange the nuts and bolts department by size.” She tossed out triumphantly, but he didn't let her win.

  “Alright, alright, I’ll take your rearranging the nuts and bolts department by size and raise you washing out the back of the green monster after I picked up a load of mulch from Canaan Farms and distributed it around mom's jungle!” They both laughed at their inside joke. While his dad was a good man, he was very OCD, loved his lists and giving them to people. Adam and Naomi had made it their own little private game of poker over the past year. “Mind if I use the hose by the loading dock to wash out the truck?” Adam asked.

  “Not if you'll hose down the dock when you’re done?” She smiled from ear to ear knowing she had got him.

  Adam shrugged and sighed, “Sure.”

  “And.....that’s the game, folks! Naomi for the win!” Naomi backed up and put her hands up like she was shooting a basketball, then raised her hands like she had just made the winning shot for the NBA Championship! Part of the Poker Game of Lists they played was getting the other to do something on their list.

  “Alright, alright....you got me this time...you win, I got it.” He eyed her warily as he motioned toward the back of the store. I’ll just be out back if you need to kick me some more while I'm down and make me do some more of your list!” He puckered his lip playfully as she waved him out of the back of the hardware store to the stock room. Adam jumped up in the back of the green monster and hosed it down as fast as he possibly could then hosed down the loading dock before heading back up front to tell Naomi that he was leaving.

  “Oh, here he comes now!” Mr. Isaiah was leaning against the counter talking to Naomi. The old man stuck out his hand to shake Adam's offered one.

  “Hey Mr. Isaiah, how are you sir?”

  “Good, good so how’s school going for you Joshua?” Adam frowned, the old man didn't notice, but Naomi did.

  “No sir, I’m Adam, Joshua is my brother.”

  The old man nodded his head. “Yeah, I know your brother Adam, smart kid, but not as athletic as you.” Naomi shook her head and mouthed sorry behind the old man’s back. Adam just played along like he did any time this happened, which was too often for Adam.

  “Good sir, school is going well.” It wasn't a lie, his schooling was going well and he guessed that his brother's was too. Sometimes you just have to tell people what they want to hear, right? There had come a point in Adam's life where he just decided it was a no win situation when trying to talk to old people and make them hear that he was not his brother. It wasn't so bad really to be misidentified as his older brother. He was perfect afterall. A 4.0GPA honor student, SAT scores off the charts, a complete academic genius, star quarterback on the football team, senior class Salutatorian and West Point's first pick in scholarship offers. He could easily go on and on about Joshua, but everyone else did so he didn't have to. Yeah he got it, his brother was great, had it all and was it all to a lot of people while Adam lived right there in his ever present and looming shadow of greatness.

  So for the next fifteen minutes Adam stood as he always did when people got him mixed up with his brother, and how they could was beyond him, listening to stories about his brother when they were little and on the baseball and basketball teams that Mr. Isaiah's Ye Olde Ice Cream Shoppe had sponsored.

  “Oh you were a quick one and had an arm on you that rivaled the big leagues! Guess that's why you got yourself that scholarship to play football up there at West Point. I hope your little brother is lucky enough to get an academic one, bless his heart he just wasn't you when it came to playing ball, but he's a good enough kid.” He laughed softly at his own joke and memory.

  Adam looked at Naomi and pleaded with his eyes for her to help. She all but laughed out loud. She was finding it to be quite funny as always. He waited until the old man took a long breath in between sentences and jumped at the opportunity to escape.

  “Mr. Isaiah, it was good to see you again, sir. Naomi, I’ve got to head on home, I’ll catch you later.” Unfortunately the old man didn’t take the hint. He too bid the cashier good bye and started walking out the front of the hardware store along side of Adam. It took another 5 minutes to shake him. The older gentleman had positioned himself next to the green monster's driver side door, thus preventing Adam from entering the truck. Adam had no choice but to listen to the story of his brother breaking his foot sliding into home once again. Then after what felt like an eternity, Naomi finally took pity on him and came outside with the supplies that he had forgotten in the midst of trying to escape Mr. Isaiah. She looked at him directly and mouthed rather pointedly, but made little sound when she handed Adam the bags.

  “I've got this, just go.” Naomi then proceeded to loop her arm through Mr. Isaiah's and steer him to his own truck as he kept talking not changing the subject just the content to include her. She waved over her head at Adam as he backed out of the parking lot and mouthed a big you owe me one before sharing that infectious grin that she had. He would definitely have to remember to thank her later.

  Free from the hardware store at last, Adam realized that he hadn't eaten anything but beef jerky since his bowls of Cap'n Crunch with David, so he thought to stop by Shekinah’s and grab a pizza for his guests before he headed home. Along the way to Shekinah's, the scenario played out in his head. He and Eve would hit it off perfectly, she’d fall head over heels for him and the two would date through college and have a spring wedding somewhere warm. Then someday look back and laugh that it was all because he had disobeyed his parents and had a pool party. He was reasoning out his actions he knew that, but he didn’t care it had to start somewhere, right?

  At least with them in the pool it would stir up all the things on the bottom, and he wouldn't have to get in and physically clean it himself. It was a win/win situation, a perfect plan to work smarter not harder. He would skim it and put the chemicals in after everyone left tonight, have the rose bushes planted and the yard mowed first thing in the morning before church and be all done long before his parents made it back home sometime in the afternoon. He’d definitely be pushing it in the morning, but if he got up early like he did today then he could get it done. Besides getting to spend time with Eve was more than worth the risk.

  The orders at Shekinah's Pizza Shack were backed up a little over 45 minutes, but Adam waited. He was starving by this time and the smell coming from the kitchen was proving that point even more. He looked down at his watch again as he munched on the crunchy little breadsticks he grabbed from the jar on the counter. What was supposed to be an hour errand had turned into more like two. He'd call Lucian, or even Eve, if he had their numbers, but he didn't. He'd go and ask Rachel or Leah, but he didn't want anyone at Shekinah's or at school to find out that she was at his house.
He wanted to savor that moment for a little while all on his own. Besides that, no one else was suppose to be at his house anyway, if someone slipped and told their parents it was sure to get back to his sooner or later. No, it was just best that he be a little late rather than his parents finding out. Although he didn't see where having three friends over to swim in the pool was a big deal. I mean they get wet, have a few laughs and they go home, right? No big deal he reasoned. After all it was just him and the three of them, and they'd be gone before anyone was the wiser. Perhaps this was going to be the ice breaker he needed to start talking to her more and so he could finally ask her out on a real date he anticipated thoughtfully. Yeah, this was just the playing field that he needed to turn things around in his favor. Yeah, tonight was going to be the night of his life, that led to the greatest year of his life as he and Eve began dating. And to think it all started with a little pool party!

  After an hour and fifteen minute wait on his pizza, Adam grabbed it and slid the heated box onto the passenger's side of the bench seat. Excitement couldn't describe how he felt as he started the truck and pulled out of the parking lot of Shekinah's. Turning onto Main Street, he thought about calling David to come over. After all, he had spent the night before with Miriam, but then he thought against it, not knowing for sure how well it went because he really didn’t say anything about it. Besides there would be four of them already and he didn't want David there feeling like a fifth wheel. He’d just call him later and tell him all about it

  Adam took Main Street to the town square before looping over to Kedron Valley Drive, only two streets over from his house the excitement and anticipation almost more than he could handle. He was about to spend out of school time with the most beautiful girl in Edensville. He might even show her his dad’s truck since he heard that she was asking about it last night. He was sure that she'd like that and it might even get him brownie points if he were lucky. He even laughed out loud when the thought hit him if she asks me nicely, I might even take it a little farther and take her for a ride in it! Yeah that’d have me on her mind more than once a day! The more Adam’s mind raced, the heavier his foot pressed on the gas and the harder his foot pressed on the gas, the faster he went. He hadn't even noticed that he had exceeded the speed limit until the blue lights and the sound of a siren pulled in tight behind him. He looked in the rear view mirror and sighed heavily as he pulled over. Adam slammed his hand against the steering wheel hard before he leaned his head forward repeating the word stupid, stupid, stupid over and over again. The police officer walked up along the passenger side of the truck and knocked on the window.

  “Adam?” He questioned. “You alright, son?” Just his luck, before he even raised his head to see the officer standing there he knew that is was his father’s cousin, Darius Daniels, just by the deep timber of his voice.

  “Yes, sir, I’m fine.” He leaned over the pizza in the passenger seat to roll the hand cranked window down.

  “You were going a little faster than we care to around here.” Officer Daniels stated.

  Adam was nodding his head in agreement. “Yes sir, I know I had something on my mind and wasn’t paying attention.”

  “Yeah? Well, you need to not let your mind wander while driving and focus on your speed and direction. I never once pulled your brother over.”

  Adam rolled his eyes and mumbled under his breath. “Yeah, I know he’s perfect.”

  It didn't go unnoticed by Officer Daniels. “What was that?”

  Adam quickly changed his tune. “Oh, nothing, I was just saying I couldn’t wait for Joshua to get home. Mom and dad flew up to New York to get him and follow him home. His old truck’s not doing too well and dad thought it best for him not to make that drive alone.” Adam was nervous and when he got nervous he rambled like a thirteen year old getting caught with a six pack.

  “Oh, that’s good….” He was writing in his little book. “Well I’m only going to issue you a warning in case anyone asks, okay?”

  Adam blew out a sigh of relief. “Thanks Darius, I appreciate that.”

  “You’re welcome son. Now get on home before your dinner there gets cold.”

  Adam's brow furrowed in a panic. “I'm sorry?”

  Officer Daniels pointed at the pizza box on the seat and eyed Adam warily.

  Adam felt foolish. “Oh yeah…right…. I had totally spaced that out. Sorry….yeah, I’m hungry. Guess that's where my mind was. Got it, I'll slow down! Thanks Darius. See you next week at GG’s for Thanksgiving dinner!”

  The officer beamed from ear to ear and patted his stomach. “Oh man, I wouldn't miss it for the world! I look forward to her homemade pies all year long!” After bidding him a final warning, the officer returned to his squad car. Adam released the tension he was holding in his shoulders along with the air he was holding in his lungs and started the truck.

  Adam pulled slowly away from the corner making sure to use his blinker and mirrors. His house was only another two miles away, but with Daniels following him it mind as well been two thousand miles away! Officer Daniels followed him through the next two stop signs before he turned left and headed away from where Adam was going. Adam's relief was apparent had anyone seen him as he watched the squad car move in the opposite direction through the rearview mirror. However, his relief was short lived as he pulled onto his street and saw something straight out of his father’s worse nightmare.

  Parked cars were lined up and down both sides of the street. Some were parked on the street in front of his house, a few were parked on the lawn and one had even parked in his mother's rose bed. Teenagers were getting out of their cars and all making their way to one house in particular, Adam’s. Neighbors up and down the street were starting to come out of their homes to investigate what was going on too. Adam saw it like a newsflash in his head: Adam Grace, junior at Edensville High, strangled by his father for having unauthorized pool party. Acid rose from the pit of his stomach to the back of his throat threatening to detonate through his mouth. He was in trouble, deep trouble. A sinking feeling of complete and total despair hung heavily over him like dark clouds swirling before a tornado.

  He found the only open parking spot he could find, which happened to be on his front lawn next to a yellow Volkswagen Beetle that he was sure belonged to Abraham’s girlfriend Sarah Walker. Putting the truck in park and turning off the engine, he could hear music blaring as he opened the door and stepped out. Even through his state of shock he managed to grab the gas can, the pizza and the couple of bags from his dad’s store as he began following the rather loud music around the house to the gate of the fence that encompassed his back yard.

  Caleb Veroce was coming around the corner of the house and nearly ran over him. “Dude, this party is off the chain! Come on, I’ll open the gate for you.” Caleb unlatched the hitch on the gate and swung it wide open to reveal what looked like most of the junior and senior classes of Edensville High in a scene straight out of every teen movie ever made! Scantily clad, inebriated teenagers were everywhere! The pool was so full that Adam was sure there was no room for anyone to do a cannonball, that thought was soon mistaken and remedied when Caleb took off and yelled Cannonball! and landed in the midst of a group of bikini topped girls. On the other side of the pool, in his mom's new lawn chairs, were girls and guys alike with red solo cups in hand lounging around laughing with playful banter. Then to his horror, being played out like a freeze frame in a movie, there were even more of Edensville High students coming and going from the inside of his house. You've heard it here first folks, Adam Grace is a dead man. His parents were absolutely going to kill him, no doubt. However, it took only a moment for self preservation to kick in and he shook himself. He had to find Lucian and get this madhouse to stop!

  “Dude, have you seen Lucian?” He asked of Enoch Vaniche.

  “Nope, not since he let Noah in with the kegs,” Edensville’s very own free spirited and self proclaimed hippie, expressed before closing the gate and d
isappearing around the side of the house, leaving a dumbfound Adam to marvel at the happenings going on in his home. He put the gas can down by his mother’s gardening shed and made his way toward the open French doors leading into his mother's newly remodeled French Gourmet Kitchen.

  “Chug, chug, chug, chug!” Came the chant from within, as Joseph Coatsman was being held upside down by his football buddies so he could do a keg stand. Noah Arkley holding a fifth of Jack Daniels led the chant.

  Adam made his way over to him. “Dude! You brought alcohol to my house?!” He shouted over the chants and music.

  “Hey, I just do what I am told man.” He put one hand to his chest and the other one that held the fifth up in the air as if he were in surrender and totally innocent.

  “Told you?” Adam was livid.

  “Yeah…” The football kicker shrugged. “Lucian text me, told me to get a couple of kegs and get over here ASAP….” He shrugged again and took a sip of the whiskey. “….. and that’s what I did. You know me man, you can always count on me to bring a good time!” He grinned really big, and his whiskered face softening like a big teddy bear. “Besides, I didn't know whose house it was until someone mentioned your brother in a picture in the living room! I forgot you and him are brothers….you’re so….not alike.” Noah shrugged his shoulders like it wasn’t his fault and turned back to cheer on the next victim of the keg stand contest.

  Disgusted and dismissed by Noah, Adam grabbed a girl that he had known since kindergarten by the arm. “Have you seen, Lucian?”

  She looked him up and down as if he were a leper and jerked her arm away spilling her drink a little then huffing a "NO" at him. Adam watched as she went into the pool area to refill her red solo cup, but he had followed her only a few steps when he was stopped dead in his tracks by the sight of something more beautiful than his eyes had ever seen. Eve St. Clair was coming up out of the pool almost in slo-mo like in that classic teen movie that escaped Adam’s mind at this moment, for obvious reasons. Adam's heart leaped in his chest! Her sunless summer tan had not yet given up. She was still bronzed and beautiful in her green two piece bikini. She walked the short distance over to where Miriam was seated. “Miriam, would you hand me my towel?” He heard her ask of an idle Miriam, who sat next to the pool in her own pink and blue two piece looking like she had stepped straight out of a magazine. Now with towel in hand Eve leaned over to pull her wet braid off of her shoulder and run her fingers the length of it to wring the water out.

  Adam was at a loss for words. Eve St. Clair was now using his favorite towel on her body to dry off with at his pool party at his house. Totally focused on Eve, all else seemed to fade from around him making the scene surreal. That's why it took a moment for it to register when from out of nowhere an arm had snaked around his shoulders and began squeezing tightly. The voice near his ear startled him even more with such a low and seductive tone. “Beautiful isn’t she?”

  Adam exhaled, “Yeah... she is…..” Suddenly jerking out of his stupor of lust, Adam shook himself of the image of Eve standing there. He whipped his head around toward the voice, only to be assaulted with a face full of sickly sweet smoke, exhaled from the joint that Lucian was smoking.

  “Dude! What are you doing?” His voice was higher than he had wanted it to be and a lot louder. Those standing around them turned to look at him. Adam was embarrassed and tried to step out of Lucian’s embrace so he could face him, but Lucian didn’t release the hold he had on Adam’s shoulders. He took the pizza box from Adam’s hand and tossed it on top of all the other boxes piled up on his mother’s mahogany table. Then he used the hold he had on him to guide him from the kitchen area to where the two could talk privately. Adam glanced back at all of the pizza boxes stacked on top of his mother's table. No wonder it was taking forever to get his pizza at Shekinah's!

  Adam looked up toward the ceiling, as if someone up there could help him before giving himself a face palm. Dejectedly, he let Lucian guide him from the kitchen down the hall to the front of the house and to his dad’s office. The door was closed, to Adam's relief. It didn't show signs that anyone had made it in there yet, however, upon entering it one cursory look proved him wrong. There on his father’s leather couch was Delilah Kutter and Samson Lyons, the exchange student from Morocco, so tangled up with one another that it was difficult to see where one began and the other ended.

  “Guys, could you give us a few?” Samson stood up from the leather sofa and held his hand out to Delilah.

  “Sure man.” The Moroccan flashed his famous beautiful smile. Lucian shook Samson’s hand as they passed. Delilah gave a sly smile as she ran her finger over the front of Adam’s shirt quite seductively and grinned up at him.

  “Oh and close the door behind you......” Lucian instructed.

  Lucian waited until the door was shut. “Is there a problem, bro?” He leaned casually against the front of Edom Grace’s desk as he folded his arms waiting for Adam to reply. He looked like he practically owned the place and it unnerved Adam.

  “Is there a problem……Bro?” There, his voice did it again. It was so high this time it sounded like Alvin from the Chipmunks. He tried swallowing the knot that had set up residence in his throat, but it wouldn’t budge. Adam paused, drew in a deep breath through his nose and exhaled out his mouth using the technique his mother had taught him when he would get nervous about a test. Funny, the technique was working now, he felt better, at least for the moment.

  “Okay,” he began again, trying to stay calm. “So I thought we had an understanding. It was just going to be the four of us.”

  Lucian listened before he shook his head from side to side in the slightest of manners. “No,” he explained, “You said that it would just be the four of us. I never said that it was only going to be the four of us. I don’t party like that. It’s all out or nothing at all Adam Grace. Sometimes you have to go for broke, man. How else are you gonna live, learn and have fun?” His tone was flippant and careless. Bottom line, he didn’t care what the consequences were no matter how he worded it and it sure enough wasn't going to stop Adam from being dead where he stood when his father found out.

  Adam squeezed his eyes shut, took in another deep breath and ran his hands through his hair in frustration before planting them on his hips. Then from out of nowhere, mild mannered Adam Grace gathered enough umph from somewhere deep inside and made his demand. “Alright look, you have 20 minutes to get all of these people out of my house or I’m going to call the police.”

  Lucian laughed out loud right in his face. “No you won’t......” Adam sobered. “.....and do you know how I know you won’t?" He eyed Adam warily for a moment. ".....a little hot blonde we both know all too well, Eve St. Clair.”

  Adam shook his head and looked at the floor, Lucian pressed on. “Ahhh….dude c'mon.....you are so hot after her I can practically feel the heat from here. I told you that I’d get her here and here she is. Now....” He paused, reached out and dusted something off of Adam’s shoulder dramatically as he let Adam take it all in before adding. “.....go find her and play nice.” He made a condescending gesture toward the door as if dismissing Adam from his presence. He had made his power move, said his piece and now crossed his arms over his chest in defiance to anything else Adam would try to say.

  Adam’s voice dropped in his frustration. He took one step forward and put his finger in Lucian's face. “I said….” A knock on the door cut him short.

  Adam turned his attention toward the door. Lucian’s didn’t move. The door was pushed open slowly revealing a very quizzical Eve standing there in her wedge heeled sandals, green bikini top and a Hawaiian sarong that defied gravity as it just barely clung to her hips. Adam moved away from Lucian.

  “Eve….” Adam’s breath rushed out.

  “Speak of the devil! Come on in, babe.” Lucian was interested now as he motioned to her.

  “Hey.....I've been looking for you! Hope I'm not intruding.” She apologized with
a beautiful smile.

  Lucian pushed away from the desk and crossed to Eve with open arms. “Well I've been right here babe and you could never intrude. We were just hitting a little of this.” He produced the joint he had been smoking when Adam first met up with him in the kitchen. Eve took it and put it to her lips taking a little drag. Adam’s eyes widened. He had no idea she smoked pot. She then handed it to Adam, but he waved his hand and refused it. Eve shrugged nonchalantly and handed it back to Lucian as she exhaled.

  “Mmmmm, that’s good, you’ve been holding out on me!” Eve said accusingly with a twinkle in her eye.

  “Nah, just waiting on you to come to me, babe….” Lucian breathed, took another drag held it in and exhaled after a moment then gestured toward Adam with the hand that held the joint as he draped the other around her shoulders. “Now….our boy over here is the one that's been holding out on you, babe.” His eyes met Adam’s in defiance. “Seems our boy scout here was the driver of that big ol' delicious candy apple red 450 truck from last night.” He drew in another drag off the joint and watched as Eve’s expression went from somber to being filled with huge excitement.

  “No flippin' way! Where is it? Where is it?” She stepped out of Lucian's grasp and over in front of Adam before grabbing him by both arms. “I don't believe it!” She scoffed with a wary grin. “Really? That was really you? I mean not that I could tell 'cuz the windows being so dark and all, but I thought you had a red Honda scooter?”

  She rattled on as Lucian stood to his full height and blew the smoke into the air behind her. “Yep, it’s in the garage as we speak.” Lucian exposed. Adam's gaze shot from Eve to Lucian. “Oh go ahead and tell her, Adam.” Lucian encouraged. “What harm is it gonna do to let the babe know you were the driver of her dreams?”

  Eve focused her attention on Adam. “So you're serious? Like for reals?!” All Adam could do was nod in compliance, to which Eve squealed in excitement. “Come on take me for a ride.” Adam shook his head. “Uh….I really don’t…..” He began, but she wouldn’t stop talking about the truck.

  Lucian stepped towards them. “Babe, slow your roll, he just got home. Let the man unwind first. I’m sure that he will show it to you later and take you for a ride, if you're a good girl.” Lucian opened the door and ushered the two back out into the party with Eve hanging onto Adam's arm this time.

  Back in the kitchen, tantalizing red solo cups were scattered everywhere. One soon found its way into Adam's hand then someone made a toast to the host. Eve encouraged him to drink the red punch because it was rude not to drink when there was a toast made, especially if you were the host when they play the hosting game. She quickly gave him the rundown, the object of the game was to make as many toasts as possible without making the same one twice, and if you made the same one twice you had to drink a cup for everyone present and by the looks of this huge crowd he didn’t want to do that. She told him she knew that he was new to this kind of thing, but if he were going to run in the Populars' crowd then he’d need to know this kind of thing.

  Adam watched as the red liquid swirled seductively around the edges of his plastic red solo cup. He hesitated drinking from it, raising the cup to his nose and sniffing first. Smelled like Hawaiian punch. That’s not harmful, right? At least it wasn't beer or alcohol. I mean he didn't drink. He had made a promise and intended to keep it unlike his best friend. He really didn’t want to be a hypocrite after getting into a fight with David over him drinking only a few hours ago, but drinking Hawaiian punch wasn't bad. Adam reasoned. There must be others at the party that didn’t drink either, which was cool. He'd just stick with the punch and play it safe while he figured out how to stop this fiasco while still being part of the cool crowd and have everything cleaned up before his parents found out.

  “You okay?” Eve questioned. “You need something a little stronger?”

  Evidently he had been looking into his cup a little longer than he had realized. “Oh…no, no, no, no...this is fine.” He raised his cup to his lips tentatively and sipped.

  “Good.” Eve asked.

  “Mmmhmmm……..yeah, Hawaiian punch, my favorite!” He smiled down at her.

  “Okay, so now it's your turn to make a toast, but you have to make a toast to something other than the host or great party, that's the rules!” She motioned around the room at those in attendance.

  He paused for a moment and thought before holding his cup up in the air. “To Edensville High's Cheerleaders!” The crowd went wild and toasted the cheerleaders. Adam and all present sipped their drinks. Then they turned their full attention to Eve, the head cheerleader. Her toast was to the football team. Who then took it and ran with the toasts amongst the team.

  From that moment on Adam readily held his glass up as the toasts went around the room loudly. Time after time he joined with the others to throw the sweet nectar in his cup to the back of his throat with each toast. It didn't take long for his first cup to be empty, but it didn't stay that way for long. He was handed another drink, to which he tested it to see if it too were clear of alcohol and with every cup it was the same thing, Hawaiian Punch. Adam was relieved that at no point and time was he even handed a beer or anything with alcohol in it. He may be toasting with the Populars tonight, but he was doing it stone cold sober! He might be disobeying his parents in having a party, but that could be solved easily when he got them all out and cleaned up later. At least he wasn't drinking so he wasn't breaking his promise to God, nor did it make him a hypocrite after what he had said to David today either and he got to spend the evening with Eve. This was a win/win in his favor!

  Noah Arkley handed him his third cup of punch and playfully hit Adam in the ribcage making him flinch. “Awe...made you flinch, man!” He then punched him three times in the ribs, not hard, but playfully.

  Adam laughed as he fake hit Noah back. This punch stuff was actually great and no alcohol? Wow, why hadn't he heard of this at parties before? From that moment on, it seemed that every time he bottomed out another cup, one would replace it just as fast! Awesome! And at no point did Eve ever leave his side. It didn’t take Adam long to become confidant enough to slip his arm around her shoulders. She accepted the weight of it readily as they walked together out to the pool area greeting and talking to people like the host couple. Adam was beginning to relax, and how could he not with Eve by his side? This being a Popular thing was a breeze. Why hadn’t he made the transition from Walk-on to Popular before now, he thought to himself.