The Good Life - Chapter Two: Resistance is for Losers

Chapter Two: Resistance is for Losers

“You’re delusional.”

Brooke raised her eyebrows, a small smirk on her lips, and turned away from the mirror at Bridget’s remark. She pulled out the feather earring that dangled from her right lobe and said, “I’m honestly being one hundred percent serious. I’m not drinking anymore; I gave it up for length.” Then she turned around to face the mirror and began sifting through April’s jewelry.

“What?” Bridget laughed as she unfolded her legs then stood up from April’s bed. She appeared in the mirror and began to twirl a piece of Brooke’s hair around two fingers. "One, it's pronounced lent. Two, you're Jewish so it doesn't even apply, and three, lent happens during Easter. It's October."

Brooke turned on her side to face Bridget, a diamond drop earring in one hand and an elaborate flower stud in the other. “Okay but you’re completely missing the point. I’m not drinking anymore.”

Bridget stared at her, as if waiting for an explanation. Then said, “Fine, whatever you say.” She dropped the piece of Brooke’s hair that she had been twisting and walked over to the bed to retrieve her buzzing phone. “Excellent! Clark is here.”

“You know I still don’t understand why you’re seeing him. I’ve told you a hundred times how much of a dick he is,” Brooke commented as she stared at Bridget.

She looked up from her phone and met Brooke’s eyes, a teasing smile on her lips. “Does that mean you don’t want any of the goodies he brought along?”

Brooke grinned at the word goodies; it was a code word they had invented for weed when they were freshmen. Back when they cared about certain people, their parents and April, knowing they smoked. Now they just used the word out of habit. Every time they said it, it would remind them of freshmen year and how timid they were. Brooke turned away and began sifting through the earrings as Bridget walked up to her.

“Or are you giving that up to?” Bridget asked as she placed her chin on Brooke’s shoulder.

Brooke glanced at Bridget in the mirror and shrugged but then she broke into a giggle. “Bong or joint?”

Bridget scoffed and lifted her chin off Brooke’s shoulder, faking exasperation. “Please, look at who he’s dating.”

She laughed again, knowing from Bridget’s offended retort that Clark had a bong with him. “Well at least he’s good for something.”

“He’s good for a lot of things, if you know what I mean,” Bridget replied a mischievous smile on her face.

Brooke sighed but gave a small chuckle. “You’re disgusting.”

“But you still love me.” Bridget pecked Brooke’s cheek and took the flower stud out of her hand. “Wear the diamonds, much classier.”

“True, true. Okay, let’s go,” Brooke said as she slipped the chosen pair of earrings on and gave herself a final once over in the mirror.

Bridget linked her arm through Brooke’s and steered them down the staircase into the sea of people who were crowded in the hall talking and sipping from red plastic cups. The whole room buzzed with promise of drunken blackouts, random hook-ups and bad decisions making Brooke wish that she hadn’t decided not to drink. In truth it wasn’t her decision, it had been her father’s “suggestion”, meaning that if she drank there would be consequences. All because just before school started, at Lexington’s “Let’s Get Smashed Before We Start Class” party, Brooke had gotten so drunk that her father had been called to come get her at 4AM due to the fact that Bridget was otherwise occupied with Clark and April had left early to get her beauty sleep.

“I need beer,” Bridget announced, tugging on Brooke’s arm to pull her towards the kitchen.

“No, bathroom first, I need to pee,” Brooke argued, tugging back at Bridget’s arm.

Bridget groaned. “Brooke! We were just upstairs.”

Brooke just shrugged and started down the hall, dragging Bridget towards the bathroom. Rule number one for parties: you don’t go to the bathroom alone, even if it is at April’s house. Too many times some drunken idiot had pushed open the door and refused to leave. In truth Brooke didn’t have to pee, she just needed an excuse to get away from the taunting alcohol that everyone else but her was consuming.

They slipped inside; Bridget leaned against the counter as Brooke sat to pee. A minute later a knock sounded on the door and Brooke angrily said “I’m peeing” but Bridget just grinned and moved away from the vanity.

“Bridge!” Brooke exclaimed, pulling her dress down to cover her lady parts.

Bridget ignored her and pulled the door open. Clark walked in, his blue eyes shielded with one hand, that also held a bong, and a can of beer in the other. “Are you ladies decent?” he questioned.

Brooke tossed a roll of toilet paper at Clark’s arm and said, “Get out!” as Bridget approached Clark, leaning up to his ear.

"Just barely,” she whispered as she fingered a piece of his dark blonde hair. She reached for his can of beer, smoothly pulling it away from his grasp, and finished it off. Clark moved his hand away and grinned then leaned down to kiss Bridget, pulling her closer to his body.

Brooke scoffed. “I’m serious, Clark. Leave.”

“It’s not like I haven’t seen it all before,” Clark retorted with a laugh.

Brooke narrowed her eyes at him and quickly pulled her dress down as she stood so Clark couldn’t see anything. She walked up to the sink, pushing Bridget and Clark a part as Clark withdrew a large baggie of weed from his pocket. Brooke glanced at the bong in his other hand. She smiled to herself, not wanting to show Clark her thankfulness; if she wasn’t going to drink she needed to indulge in something.

She turned her gaze towards Clark. Her eyes wandered over his body, trying to remember what she had seen in him in tenth grade. He was taller than her, which she liked because most guys didn’t come close to her 5’7 height, and he liked to drink which she liked too. Physically he was extremely attractive, he was built, had good hair and a killer smile but he was an ass and treated girls like shit, making anything everything else about him a complete waste.

“We can’t smoke that in here, A will kill us,” Bridget told Clark, bringing Brooke’s attention away from him. Bridget dropped the empty can on the counter and took the weed from Clark’s hands, tucking it into the pocket of her dress.

Clark just gave a cocky grin and kissed Bridget again. “Where is April and her voluptuous twins?”

Bridget raised her eyebrows and smirked suggestively as she took the bong from Clark. “She’s gone off with Daniel.”

“Shame,” Clark said as took the bong back from Bridget then opened the door. “I was hoping to fuck the entire Temptress Trio.” He made a gun shape with his pointer finger and thumb then pointed it at Brooke then at Bridget, adding in sound effects for each point. He then took Bridget’s hand and led them out of the bathroom.

Brooke gave him a disgusted look then turned to Bridget, expecting her to be wearing the same expression, but she just wore an amused smile. She turned back to Brooke and held out her other hand. Brooke smiled and clasped their hands together. Partial pieces of conversations filled Brooke’s ears as they passed people in the halls, catching words like “chug”, “slut”, “more” or “barf”. She scanned the room for April or Daniel but saw neither which made her grin; she was happy that April was finally losing her virginity after three years of being a prude. Honestly she was mostly just sick of the whining, but April being April had to have it perfectly planned before she swiped her v-card.

“Looks like a threesome went down, or at least someone went down,” a guy declared as Brooke, Bridget and Clark passed him on their way to the kitchen.

Brooke groaned and shoved the guy as she passed him. “In your dreams.”

“More like in my dreams,” Clark replied, waggling his eyebrows at Brooke which earned him an eye roll from her and a giggle from Bridget.

Brooke dropped Bridget’s hand and inhaled as they stepped outside onto April’s back patio; the air was already smoky and it lingered with beer. She scanned the deck and saw that there were only guys.

Typical, Brooke thought. She didn’t mind the fact that there were only boys, considering that all the girls in their grade were uptight princesses who thought weed was some taboo drug. It was just the fact that they thought pot could kill you from just being in its presence.Well, except for herself and Bridget, and Lexi and Hayden too.

Brooke adjusted her green sequin dress and reached a hand into Bridget’s pocket for her phone. Brooke was having a no-bra-wearing type of night, leaving no spot for a phone in her skin tight dress which meant Bridget had to carry it around all night in her pocket.

“Bridget!” Brooke exclaimed pulling out her phone among other items. “You said you were quitting smoking for senior year.” She held up a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, glaring at a grinning Bridget.

“It’s only because I’m drinking,” Bridget countered, taking a cigarette from the pack and lighting it.

Brooke snorted and continued to stare at Bridget.

She just raised her eyebrows and wrapped an arm around Brooke’s waist. She held the cigarette up to Brooke’s lips and whispered, “Come on. You know you want to.”

“You are such a bad influence,” Brooke mock scolded as she took the cigarette from Bridget and inhaled.

“Who wants the first hit?” Clark questioned, holding the ready bong up.

“Me!” Brooke called, raising her hand. She handed the smoke back to Bridget and reached for the bong. She fitted her mouth over the chamber, placed a finger on the choke and sucked in until it felt like her lungs would burst. After several seconds she took her finger away from the choke and pulled away from the bong.

Bridget grinned at her then brought her face close to Brooke’s. Brooke closed her eyes and grazed Bridget’s lips then exhaled, letting the smoke fill Bridget’s mouth.

“My turn,” Bridget announced as she took the bong from Brooke.

Brooke nodded and watched as Bridget copied her actions. She leaned in expecting Bridget to blow the leftover smoke into her mouth but instead Bridget reached into Clark and blew it into his.

“You know you could’ve just kissed Brooke again,” Clark told Bridget as he stared at Brooke. “Or you two could demonstrate what your kissing contest looks like.”

Bridget hit Clark’s stomach and shook her head at him. She turned to Brooke and grinned, acting nonchalant about having told Clark about a silly thing they used to do when they were fourteen and practicing kissing.

Brooke glared at him. She wasn’t embarrassed about it, it was just the fact that they hadn’t even shared that with April and Bridget had decided to tell Clark. “Sorry I don’t kiss for pigs,” she replied coolly. She turned to Bridget. “I’m gone inside.”

“Are you sure?” Bridget asked. “You’ve only had one hit.”

Brooke nodded and turned around. Weed without alcohol was like icing without cake for Brooke. It left her sad and unsatisfied, which was why she never smoked unless she was drinking. Being sober in a house full of drunks was worse than being unhappily weed filled.

“Hey, baby B!” Lexi called, throwing her arms around Brooke in a hug.

Brooke smiled and placed her arms around Lexi, hugging her back. Lexi was always good for a pick me up. “Hey, Lex.” She glanced at Lexi’s brown eyes and saw that they were almost consumed by her pupils, indirectly telling Brooke that she had had more than alcohol already.

Lexi tossed her blonde hair over one shoulder and grinned slyly. “So, I saw A & Daniel being all touchy feely with each other earlier… does that mean someone’s going to lose something tonight?”

Brooke laughed and winked at Lexi. “If you mean Dan losing his pants, then yes.”

Lexi squealed and grabbed Brooke’s arm excitedly.

“Well she’s in for a real treat, Daniel certainly knows how to give a good shag,” Hayden said as she came up to Brooke and Lexi.

“Hayden, no one says ‘shag’ anymore; you haven’t lived in England for like eight years now. Say fuck like the rest of us,” Lexi said, mimicking Hayden’s accent.

Hayden rolled her eyes and brushed a piece of brown hair away from her eyes. Hayden’s eyes were the same as Lexi’s, brown and almost consumed by pupils from some drug she had indulged in. “They’re looking for you downstairs, Brooke. Apparently some college jock brought a keg.”

Brooke fiddled with a ravel on her dress. “I’m not drinking tonight,” she told them, staring at a tile on the kitchen floor.

Lexi and Hayden laughed, but stopped quickly when Brooke’s expression stayed the same.

“Wait, you’re serious?” Hayden asked.

Brooke glanced up at them and shrugged. She didn’t tell Hayden, she thought.

Lexi knew why she wasn’t drinking, she one hundred percent knew why. Lexi had been the one who had changed Brooke out of her vomit covered dress then called her dad, waking him from his sleep even though he was supposed to get up two hours from then. She had also been the one who had lied to her father’s face about how much she had drank, telling him it was only a flask when really it had been double that and then some. That was the first time anyone had seen her in such a state, besides Bridget and April which made her feel even more embarrassed about the situation. She was thankful though, that Lexi hadn’t told anyone.

Hayden arched an eyebrow, seemingly disbelieving. “You’re Brooke Walker, you have to drink.”

Brooke just gave her a small smile and shook her head. She glanced over at Lexi who was staring at her curiously, as if trying to see if that was the real reason she wasn’t drinking.

“I’ll meet you two downstairs. Brooke, you better have decided to drink by then!” Hayden called as she left the kitchen.

Lexi came up to Brooke and took her hand, then said, “Just don’t get as drunk as last time.”

Brooke opened her mouth to protest but Lexi covered her mouth, silencing her. Brooke grinned and took her hand away as Lexi began to pull her out of the kitchen. “What Daddy Walker doesn’t know won’t kill him,” she said over her shoulder.

Brooke grinned and let Lexi lead her through the hall and down the stairs. Not drinking when Lexi was around was like closing your eyes when Ryan Gosling was on screen: not an option. Besides, Lexi was right, what her dad didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him.

Downstairs was all testosterone. There were guys, guys, guys, which was how Brooke liked it, lots of potential hook-ups. Yes, the deck had been filled with guys but most of them had been potheads, none of whom Brooke would ever fuck. There was one girl, the unofficial class slut, who was living up to the title and giving a lap dance. A guy was being held up by two other guys as he did a keg stand while everyone else around him cheered. Brooke watched as he continued to drink and then was placed back on his feet.

“My turn boys,” Brooke said walking up to the keg.

One of the guys stepped aside and held out his hand, presenting the keg to Brooke. “Bottoms up, Walker.”

She smirked, pulled down her dress and brought her lips to his ear. “No peeking, I’m not wearing any undies.”

The guy’s eyes widened and then he glanced down at her crotch area. “Okay boys, lift her up.”

Brooke braced herself as she was lifted into the air and then turned upside down. She placed her hands onto the handles on either side and waited for someone to hold the nozzle up to her mouth. Lexi squat down and grinned at her wickedly as she held the faucet up to Brooke’s lips. Brooke opened her mouth and closed her eyes as Lexi released the valve and beer flowed into her mouth. People started chanting “Chug, chug, chug, chug” making Brooke drink faster.

“I thought you weren’t drinking anymore,” a voice said.

Brooke opened up her eyes and saw Bridget standing in front of her, a pleased expression on her face. She tapped one of the guys stomach’s to let her down then held out her arms to steady herself before answering Bridget.

“Resistance is for losers,” she told her.

Bridget chuckled at the answer and replied. “And alcohol is for sluts.”

Brooke laughed and turned to the people around her. “Who’s in for beer pong?”