“If she’s living with Tracy and Pam, yes. Plus, your mom and dad will only be an hour away. It’ll be much better for her than having to hang out with you guys at Oklahoma,” Brook assured me.
She had a point. While I loved Cassidy to death and would miss her, I had to think about what was best for her. If she could get into USC, she should go.
“I’ll talk to her, but don’t expect miracles,” I qualified.
“I hear you’re seeing Adrienne tomorrow about our prom dresses,” Brook said to change the subject.
“What are you talking about?”
“Pam talked to her and suggested that you pick them out because you’re giving them to us as gifts,” Brook explained.
“If I’m buying dresses, I guess I should get one for Tami, too,” I complained.
“Why did I ever let you break up with me? You’re the best,” Brook teased.
“Bite me, Princess. You seem to forget who dumped who.”
“Your mom already talked to Adrienne. Your mother knew you would forget Tami,” Brook shared.
Frick! My problem was that they all knew I didn’t really mind getting them dresses. That didn’t mean I had to act like I didn’t care. At the same time, it wasn’t worth a fight with my mom.
“I take it you want me to send you pictures so you can approve my selections,” I said.
“We’ve narrowed our choices down for you. We want you to look at our top three since we can’t see them in person,” Brook explained.
I suspected they’d already decided which dress each of them wanted. I would ask Adrienne, and she would fill me in.
Suddenly, the light bulb came on.
“Am I supposed to ask you and Tami to go to your dances?” I asked.
“I thought you would never ask. Wow, I can’t wait to tell everyone,” Brook faux-gushed, then crushed me. “Except, I already have a date.”
To pay her back, I might send Dare since he’d already snaked my date for Homecoming. Why couldn’t he do that to the douche she was seeing, too?
“I better go before you rope me into something else.”
“Call Halle,” Brook said and hung up.
I admit to being afraid of what Halle might want. Best to put that off until I either got home or was back in the states. I suspected it had something to do with the MTV awards.
◊◊◊
We’d come back from dinner to find a party had started. Each week, the matchmaking company held an end-of-week party for all the men and women who attended. Tomorrow, they would have a new group arrive, and the process would begin again.
From what I’d been told, all the Filipino women had found husbands. The lone Russian who hadn’t was Ivanna. I guess the men had seen through that man-eater and steered clear.
Alex had clued me in that these parties sometimes got a little out of control, as Kevin would put it. I had a hard time believing that when I came out and there was soft music, and everyone looked relaxed and casual.
They had a bar set up for you to make your own drinks, and some food set out. On a table to the side, there were little Dixie cups with a sign that said ‘Men’ and another with ‘Women.’ Inside were shots with a blue or pink liquid, respectively.
My crew joined me at the party. I walked next door to find Alex and Nat.
When I knocked, Camilla answered the door. I noticed she’d put on a nice pair of navy pleated slacks and a white button-up blouse. She had pulled her hair back into a ponytail to show off her long neck. Camilla had on diamond stud earrings and a delicate gold necklace. She had put on only enough makeup to enhance her eyes and make her lips a deep red.
“You ready to party?” I asked.
“I might be convinced to grab a drink,” she said as she let me in.
Alex was watching something on television. He saw me and gave me a head bob of recognition. I rolled my eyes when I saw he was watching some fishing show. Alex was still in the same clothes he’d worn today.
Nat came out of the back, looking cute in a bright yellow sundress that went down to right above her knees. I was glad to see she hadn’t put any makeup on, which gave her a fresh teen look. She smiled when she saw I’d changed into khakis and a polo shirt.
“You look nice,” I said to Nat.
That made her light up, and she rewarded me with a big smile of appreciation.
“Alex, go take a shower and join us,” Camilla ordered.
He gave a little wave, engrossed in his show. Camilla shook her head and led the way. We stepped up to the bar, where I found a cooler full of beer and grabbed one for myself. Kevin had decided his skills as a bartender were needed, and he made drinks for the girls.
Ivanna sauntered up to my side.
“Hey, sexy,” she all but purred.
“Be nice,” I chastised.
“I’m always nice.”
She didn’t need to remind me of that. If I were looking for a quick hookup, Ivanna would be on the short list of fun bed-partners.
“Come and do a shot with me.”
She led me to the table with the signs and handed me two blue shots. I had to set my beer down so I could take them.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Sextasy.”
I’d never heard of it. I wondered if it was a new cocktail, similar to Sex on the Beach.
“What does it taste like?”
“Like punch.”
I was wary because I’d had Everclear punch before, and it was sneaky powerful.
“I’m not going to be puking in a half-hour, am I?” I asked.
Ivanna laughed.
“No. Nothing like that. Trust me, you’ll like it,” she assured me.
The ‘trust me’ comment set off red flags. I figured the matchmaking service wouldn’t have put the shots out if they were dangerous, so I made my decision and threw them back. She was right; it tasted like punch. I couldn’t detect any alcohol at all. I wondered what the point was.
Ivanna spotted one of the bachelors who hadn’t picked a wife yet.
“Come see me later,” she said and left to talk to him.
Cindy, Ashley, Megan, and Scarlet joined me.
“Ladies, care for a shot?” I asked.
“What is it?” Megan asked.
“I’m not really sure. Sex-something was what Ivanna called it. It tastes like punch to me. Maybe have one and see what it does,” I suggested as I handed out four pink shots.
They downed their drinks, and none of them were able to figure out if there was any alcohol in them or not. Camilla and Nat walked over to us, and I handed them each a pink one. Alex, Paul, and Kevin joined our group. I was playing the purveyor of shots, so I gave them each a blue one. I wondered why the girls’ and guys’ drinks were different.
Once everyone was set on drinks, we relaxed into the party. I walked around and met everyone else. I enjoyed seeing the happy couples that had formed. This matchmaking service looked like it had done its job. I shook my head when I noticed Ivanna dragging her latest victim inside. I had no doubt what that was all about.
◊◊◊
“Did they tell you the shots were called ‘sextasy,’ by any chance?” Cindy asked me once we found a moment alone.
“That sounds right.”
She gave me a little smirk.
“Hang on for the fun, then.”
“Why?”
“Sextasy is a combination of Viagra and MDMA, what’s more commonly called ecstasy, Molly, X, or E. This party just got a whole lot more interesting,” Cindy predicted.
“Frick! I did two shots. I’m not going to pass out and find you all wrote on me with markers or shaved off my eyebrows, am I?” I worried.
“No, it’s not a date-rape drug, and I promise I’ll watch out for you if you get too high.”
“Have you taken it before?” I asked.
“Yep. You have nothing to worry about. My first time taking ecstasy was wonderful. Of all the different drugs I’ve taken, it is, by far, my favorite. It just makes everything … I don’t know … better,” Cindy shared.
“Okay. I admit that I’m freaking out a little. I’ve smoked pot and drunk, but I’ve never done hard drugs before. Am I going to get addicted?” I asked.