It was a Friday night, two in the morning, and my two best friends were shrieking in drunken laughter behind me. I sighed as I pulled into the gas station. My little Corolla had been chugging near empty for the last few miles. And I’ll admit that I’d been worried we would’ve broken down on the side of the road, not for my car’s sake, for my sake. I didn’t know if I could’ve handled walking with Lydia and Jessica. And on cue, Lydia rammed her elbow in the back of my head.
“Oh, Sam!” Muffled laughter. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—” She dissolved in laughter once more.
Jessica wrapped her hands around the passenger seat and leaned forward. “Can we go to another party?”
“Puh-leaze?”
“No.” I unclipped my seat belt and started to get out.
They scrambled out, or tried. Lydia tripped and was nea
