hang
by jess ryan
chapter 2

 Josh Marshall watched his friends, the most popular kids in school, as they danced and laughed in a big group in the very center of the dance floor.  As always they were the center of attention, the main focus.  Josh used to be like them, used to like the attention that came with being the captain of Riverdale High’s football team.  But now he felt empty as he watched them, so he turned away and headed up the stairs to the second floor of the Green house.

 Getting into Riverdale had been simple, Jackson had discovered.  It had been even easier to locate the party.  A cashier at the local supermarket had blurted out to him that she wished she could be at the massive party that all the seniors of the high school were attending, and on a hunch Jackson had followed her directions to the big house lit up with fairy lights.  He parked his black Jeep a few blocks away and walked to the house, scanning all the cars on the street as he went.
  There it was.  Brittany’s green Porsche convertible, the one she’d bragged about so often when they spoke on the Internet.  She and her friend Tiffany had acted so nice at first – so sweet and charming – but as time went on they grew bitchier toward him and more stuck up.  They ridiculed him on the Net and made up lies about their lives.  Still, he knew things about them that they didn’t even know he knew, and he was going to confront them about it.  Tonight.

  Sitting alone in her bedroom, Jess Ryan sighed unhappily.  She was so stupid – why didn’t she just accept Josie’s invitation to the party?  Anything would be better than sitting by herself moping all night.  Dammit, even little Grace had gone to the damn party.
  But she couldn’t face seeing him again.  Ever.
  Still, she thought, the entire senior class was going to be there, and a good deal of the junior class too.  It would be easy to lose herself in the crowd, and her friends and Brian, her step-brother, would ensure she had a good time.  Maybe she would put in an appearance, she decided.  After all, she’d told Catherine, Alana and Aleesha that she might.  She didn’t even have to stay very long, just hang for a bit and socialise and say hi to Josie and then leave.
  She made up her mind.  She would go to the party for an hour or so.
  She climbed off her bed and headed for the shower, eventually coming out and beginning to hunt through her huge wardrobe for something to wear.  Something pink.
  At last she’d changed into the perfect outfit – a pink skirt that fell right on her knee, a singlet that was a paler shade of pink and revealed a small strip of skin around her middle, and white platform sandals.  She let her copper-coloured curls fall naturally around her shoulders and over her forehead, applied a little makeup and headed out, grabbing the keys to her BMW Roadster off her dresser as she went.
  As she’d expected, the party was in full swing as she arrived.  She was a little over two hours late, and nobody had answered the door when she rang the bell.  She let herself into the house and followed the sound of the music until she reached the patio, where the throng of bodies was almost overwhelming.
  “Jess!” came an excited shriek, and Jess turned to see Josie run over to her.  “Ohmigod, I’m so glad you came!  Catherine said you weren’t feeling well – are you okay?  Can I get you a drink, do you need anything?”
  Jess smiled at the girl’s eagerness.  “I’m fine, thank you.  Great party.  Do you know where Catherine and Alana and Aleesha and the other girls are?”
  “There’s a big group of your friends over by the poolhouse, but if they’re not there then they’re probably dancing.”
  Jess gave her one of her million-dollar smiles that had gotten her the title of Head Cheerleader.  “Thanks Josie.”
  “No problem.”
  Jess scanned the crowded dance floor, but soon gave up.  It was impossible to pick out distinguishing features of anyone in that crowd, and Jess was too short to see above the heads of the dancers anyway.  She headed for the poolhouse where, indeed, a large group of her friends sat in lawn chairs, drinking beer and gossiping.
  “Hey hey, Jess!” Kevin called as she approached them.  “Glad you could make it!”
  Jess smiled as she entered the circle of chairs they had arranged.  “You know me – I’d never miss a party!”  There were no chairs left, so Jess settled herself onto her step-brother’s lap.  “So, wassup?”
  “Well,” began Rhiannon Patrick.  “Kevin was just saying how the football team would never have made it to the state championships without the support of the wonderful cheerleading squad, led by our very own Jessica Ryan!”
  “Absolutely,” Kevin agreed.  “Having you guys there to cheer us on is the best feeling.”
  Jess smiled coyly.  “Well, that’s what we’re there for.”
  The conversation continued, and Catherine leaned over to Jess.  “How ya doing?” she asked softly.  “I’m glad you came.”
  Jess nodded.  “Me too.”
  On the patio a familiar song began, and Catherine, Alana and Aleesha squealed excitedly as they jumped up.  “Our song!” Aleesha exclaimed.  “Come on, Jess, you gotta dance!  It’s our song!”
  Jess giggled and allowed Aleesha to pull her to her feet.  They raced across the lawn and up the steps to the patio, and when they were in the center of the dance floor they began to dance.
  “Body rock y’all, body rock y’all, to the beat y’all, body rock y’all…”
  They danced and shrieked and sang, and were aware that every other girl on the dance floor wanted to be part of their exclusive little group, and every guy on the dance floor wanted to date the exclusive little group.  In the midst of the twirling and giggling, Jess spied a figure standing apart from the crowd, holding a beer in one hand as he chatted up a pretty brunette.  She stopped dancing abruptly and stared at him, causing Alana to run into her.
  “Jess?” Alana yelled above the music.  “Are you okay?”
  Jess couldn’t reply, she could only watch as the figure leaned over to whisper in the brunette’s ear, then kiss her softly on the mouth.  Alana followed her gaze and finally caught on.  “Shit,” Alana said.
  Jess barely heard her.  She turned and ran.