Hayley Krischer - Something Happened to Ali Greenleaf

Some nights it seems like the world has its arms wide open, that the future sizzles with possibility. White streetlights glare in your eyes like disco balls as you whiz down the road. Stars glitter in the black sky. Your favorite song bursts out, and the bass shimmies the car under you as you and your friends chant along.

This is not one of those nights.

We get to Sophie Millers house and right away my boyfriend, Devon, and his best friend, Sean, leave me alone inside so they can smoke cigars with the rest of the soccer team. Cigars are for old men, I say to Dev as he kisses me.

I promise to chew some gum before we make out, he says. Another kiss and hes off.

Sean, the beatific Sean Nessel, is the reason were here. Sean has a thing for a junior girlAli Greenleaf. Shes tonights focus. She stares at me a lot, he said earlier, back at Devs house. Who doesnt stare at you a lot, Nessel? I wanted to say, but it would have come out awkward.

Sean and Dev are still closeI hear them and the other guys roaring about their win yesterday. State Champs, all because of Seans winning goal. In the school paper since day one. Front page every day. Like they dont get enough attention since the football team disbanded last year. Now the football moms and the entire town have put all their attention on the soccer boys. Their groveling attention. Outside, the guys are chanting a primal call. DE-FEAT. DE-FEAT. It makes me uncomfortable, all that male animalistic bonding with their claps and their stomps. Everyone at the party is tuned in to it; you can tell by their heads turned toward the windows where the sounds are coming from. Even when theyre not in the room, the boys growls take over.

My crew of girlswere known as the Core Four: me, Donnie Alperstein, Suki Fields, and Cate Sandovalshould be here by now, but theyre not. People arent used to seeing me alone. I bury my head in my phone and text Cate.

Where are you

Be there in 2

Oh my God, Blythe Jensen! A girl I dont know hops in front of me. This happens a lot. When people get drunk, they introduce themselves to me. I nod politely.

Were in chemistry together, she says.

Wheres the keg?

She stumbles over directions. Shes actually describingto me where the keg is. So I stop her before it gets too irritating.

You would be so useful if you could just find the keg and get me a beer, I say.

Oh! Sure!

Ali Greenleaf, the girl Sean wants to hook up with tonight, walks in the door about a minute later. Shes with Cherie Mizner, Raj Patel, and another girl, who I think is Cheries sister. Ali is a scrawny chicken. A goose neck. A pasty-faced pumpkin. Full lips. Like a baby. Her hair with a loose curl. Bangs, which arent easy to pull off. She has nice hair. Some cute freckles. Wearing a bunch of bracelets up her arm. I like the bracelets. Ill give her that.

Chemistry Girl is standing right in front of me again, twitching. She says thank you when she hands me the beer.

But I want to watch Ali. I want to see what Sean sees in her. She turns to her friend, her face glowing in that innocent way a face does. Shes the kind of girl who doesnt realize how pretty she is. I can see it in her eyes. That scared look. One more oblivious girl who has no idea whats coming to her. Because Ive been through this many times with Sean. Ali will come crying to me, wanting to know what happened between them. I know you thought he liked you so much, and he does like you, sweetie, except Sean just isnt the commitment type. Itll happen a few days from now. A week from now. This is textbook Sean. And these stupid girls, forever thinking theyre the one hes going to be different with.

I text Dev: Nessels girl is here. Better come back in.

Cate marches in with Suki and Donnie following. She pushes through the crowd to get to me, and the other girls follow. No one says a word about being pushed by them. They just step out of the way.

So, so, so sorry it took us so long to get here. My mother was giving me a hard time, Cate says.

Oh, mothers, I say, my words dripping.

Cates mother is originally from Puerto Rico. She still makes Cates lunch every morning. Feeds us when we eat at her house. Pours us wine. Wants to fatten us up.