I walked out of the club with my cell phone in hand. I found a quiet place and dialed Jonathan’s number. His voice mail picked up and I left a message. “Hi Jon, it’s me…” I sighed and looked down at my feet. “I’m at my sisters’ party. It’s going okay…I guess it could be worst.” I shuffled my feet thinking about JC. “Honestly, I want to come home. I should have never come back. Being back brought back a flood of memories I wish to forget.”
“Adrienne!” someone called out.
I turned and saw the party planner Bernice. I gestured for her that I was coming and turned my attention back to the phone. “I have to go. Call me later, bye.” I hung up my cell phone and walked over to Bernice.
“We need you inside for a photo of you and your sisters.”
“Oh, okay.” I followed Bernice back into the club and through the crowd to the stage where my sisters were standing around Annie and Allison’s cake.
Annie folded her arms over her chest and eyed me up and down. “I don’t understand WHY you had to dress like a boy tonight. Tonight out of all nights!”
I rolled my eyes and said, “Do you want me in the picture or not? If not I’m going home.”
“WELL…” Allison said with her hands on her hips as she took her turn looking me up and down.
I waved them off. “Forget it, I’m going home.”
“Adrienne,” said Amber.
“You can’t leave!” Annie shouted, but her voice was drowned out by the loud music.
Allison huffed and puffed as she watched me leave the stage. She stomped over to the DJ and snatched away his microphone. “Adrienne Mendez, get your butt back up here! Someone stop her! Daddy, Adrienne is leaving!”
As I walked passed Liz talking with Justin, she reached out her hand and grabbed my arm. “Adrienne, where are you going?”
I looked at her. “Home. This was a bad idea coming here.” I turned to leave, but Liz called out to me.
“Wait! Adrienne, you can’t just leave.”
“Oh yeah? Watch me.”
Justin spoke up. “Does this have to do with you running into JC earlier?” I looked at Justin unsure what to say.
“Well, does it?” Liz put her hands on her hips and smirked
I turned to Liz. “Huh, what? No, no! This has nothing to do with him. This has to do with my bratty sisters up there,” I said half lying as I pointed to the stage.
Liz didn’t buy it, but let it pass for now. She grabbed my hand, leading back to the stage. “They are models. What do you expect?”
“That’s easy for you to say. They aren’t your sisters.”
“Yeah, you’re right.” Liz pushed me up the stairs to the stage to hurry along. “Smile pretty for the picture and be NICE.”
I nodded curtly and waved her off as I forced myself to make nice with my sisters for the night.