The Eyes and Ears of Love (10 page)

“Do you know where she is?” Dorothy asks, trying to feel out whether Julie knows about Mr. Bloomington.

“She said she was going to get tutored by John.” She looks at her with a dazed look. “You know, John the nerd?”

“Are you lying to me?”

“No. Dorothy, are you ok? You’re acting strange.”

“Yeah.” She rubs her forehead. “I’m fine. Um, yeah, that’s right. She texted me earlier about John and told me we should just go without her and she’ll meet us later.”

“Let’s go then!” Julie smiles and grabs her keys.

Dorothy yanks the keys out of her hands. “I’ll drive.” Dorothy commands.

“Wait, you’ll be DD?” she asks, her voice rising with excitement.

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Yes!” she yells as she checks herself out in the mirror on the way out.   

***

After Murphy and Bentley finish the kitchen, Bentley pulls out his cell phone from his pocket.

Hey, it’s been awhile. Would you be cool if I came to the party tonight?
Ben texts.

Hey bro, it’s been too long. You don’t even have to ask. Just come on over.

Thanks man. Hey is there a girl at the party wearing a white belly shirt and white skirt?

Not that I’ve seen.

Ok. Thanks. Need me to bring anything?

Could you pick up some chasers from the gas station down the street? You know what we like.

Yep. I’ll be there in less than an hour.

Bentley then calls his dad and lies that Janitor Murphy needs him to help clean graffiti, so he’ll be out late. His chest is tight as he talks to his dad—he hates lying after everything that’s happened, but he knows his dad wouldn’t ever approve of him taking his car to a party after the DUI. 

***

The music from the party is so loud that the floor in Julie’s car vibrates in the street.

Dorothy parks and steps out of the car. She hears a crunch: it’s a beer can under her feet. Then she notices beer cans all over the street and front yard.

Really?
She thinks to herself.

A huge banner is hung over the front of the house. It reads: NO FRESHMAN ALLOWED. She looks at Julie with concern.

“They make an exception if you’re attractive.” Julie smiles.

There are people making out, groping each other in the semi-darkness. Dorothy is grossed out – she didn’t even like it when couples gave each other kisses in public, and this was a whole new level. At the front door Julie turns sideways to squeeze through the door. Dorothy tries opening the door, but there is a resistance, as if something is holding the door half-shut. She squeezes through the tiny space and sees a couch pushed against the door.

“Damn, that’s a fine piece of ass!” a group of guys sitting on the couch shout at Dorothy.

She feels a pinch on her bottom so she turns around. Two guys howl with laughter.

Dorothy flares her nostril and before she can go off on them, Julie grabs her by the shoulders and whispers, “let it go.”

They continue to walk straight forward very slowly, there are girls everywhere, some puking and some prancing around in their bras and underwear. A cluster of guys stand in the corner, taking pictures of these girls with their phones. Now that Dorothy sees how far the party has deteriorated, she doesn’t feel as ridiculous for what she’s wearing.

Julie disappears into the crowd. Dorothy continues at a steady pace, weaving through groups of people.

She ends up in the kitchen, alone. She crosses her arms over her exposed stomach, unsure of what to do.

“First party?” a pretty girl with red hair asks.

“That obvious?”

“I remember my first party, it was overwhelming, but once you start to get to know everyone it gets fun,” she reassures Dorothy. 

“So what’s up with the door, why do you have to squeeze through it to get in?”

“Fat girls,” she says, unflinching.

“Fat girls?”

“The guys at these parties don’t want any fat girls showing up, so they put something up against the door so there’s enough space for people like us to get through, but not enough for fatties. But hey, you have a good time tonight.”

Why am I not surprised?
Dorothy thinks to herself as the red head scurries away.

Dorothy spots a bowl of red punch filled with fresh fruit. Her mouth is dry, so she pours herself a cup and takes a large guzzle.

“Easy, tiger!” a guy says next to her. She recognizes him. He’s the guy that gave her a hard time at the
Petit Déjeuner Café.

Her throat tightens and a burning sensation travels up her throat and out her nose. She scrunches her face together and gags. “That’s horrible! It doesn’t taste anything like punch. What’s in this?”

He smirks, stepping a little closer. “About a quarter of Hawaiian punch, fruit, and the rest is Everclear. It’s called Jungle Juice.”

“Well, whoever made this needs to learn a thing or two about making a good mixed drink.”

“Oh yeah? And what do you know about making a good mixed drink, rookie?”

“Well, surprisingly enough,” she pauses momentarily, “this is my first drink.” She whispers, “With hard liquor that is.” She giggles.

“No way,” he says sarcastically.

“Hey! I’m not a total amateur, I mean I’ve had a glass of wine before.”

His eyes widen and he smiles. “Mommy left the wine cellar open by accident?”

“No, actually I’m a culinary major. Wine is an important ingredient, and you get curious.”

“Wow. I think you’re actually telling the truth!” He laughs.

“You don’t remember me, do you?”

“Oh, I remember you! I remember anyone who hangs out with Donna!”

Dorothy rolls her eyes. “What’s so great about her at this damn school? She must really get around.”

“Ouch! You two aren’t friends anymore?” he
asks.

“She’s not my friend, she’s my sister,” she says, taking another swill of the bitter punch.

“Are you at least having fun tonight?” he asks.

“Ugh,” Her mind races to find an answer. “No not really.”

He raises his eyebrows.

She continues, “This isn’t really my scene. I can’t imagine meeting the scumbag who threw this party with all the drunk girls and boys who can’t keep their hands to themselves.” She narrows her eyes. “I’m Dorothy by the way. It’s nice to finally introduce myself.” She extends her hand out.

“I’m Josh, the scumbag who threw this party,” he says, while shaking her hand.

She feels her face warming, turning a deep scarlet. She fails to speak.

“So if this isn’t really your scene, than what are you doing here?” he asks.

“It’s stupid,” she murmurs, shaking her head.

He looks at her curiously, inviting her to continue.

“I was upset and thought that this party would take my mind off it.”

“I’m assuming Donna’s to blame? I mean, judging by how snippy you got a second ago.”

Dorothy doesn’t answer.

“Well,” he says, “the party itself won’t take your mind off things. There are only two things that can take your mind off things.” He steps closer to her face and grabs two bottles off the table behind her. “And their names are Captain Morgan and Jack Daniel’s.”

Dorothy giggles with big bug eyes. “I can’t even handle a mixed drink, let alone shots.”

“Lucky for you, my buddy is heading over to the gas station to get some chasers to help ease the liquor down.”

She smiles. “Lucky me!”

“Well, I best not neglect my party. I wouldn’t want anyone else thinking I’m a scumbag or anything!” he says, brushing her cheek with his finger before walking away.

***

As Bentley is driving, his phone chimes with a new text message.

I just talked to a girl and you won’t believe what she’s wearing.
Josh sent.

She’s there???
Bentley replies instantly.

Yeah but you better hurry. I have a feeling she won’t stay long.
Josh replies within seconds.

I’ll be there soon.

***

Dorothy thinks about what Josh said. She wants to have a good time tonight and forget everything from today. She pours herself a shot of Captain Morgan, plugs her nose, and gulps the liquor down, repeating the cycle three or four times. The alcohol warms the inside of her belly, even though it still burns her throat.

“DONNA!” Dorothy hears a group of guys yell from across the room. Hearing her name delivers an outburst of goose bumps spreading to Dorothy’s arms and legs. She rushes downstairs to find Julie so they can leave before Donna sees them. Dorothy sees a guy in a school jersey on top of Julie on a beer pong table. Dorothy grabs the guy’s jersey to pull him off of her.

“What the hell, Dorothy?” Julie snaps.

“Is this guy hurting you?” Dorothy’s vision begins to blur.

“No! Of course not!”

“We have to go,” Dorothy commands.

“I’m not ready to leave.” The guy then whispers something in Julie’s ear and she giggles beyond control. “Ok, I’m ready. But Luke here is going to come back with me to my dorm.”

“Ok, whatever, let’s just go.”

They manage to make it out the front door without Donna spotting them. Dorothy walks to the car like she’s on a military mission while Julie and Luke trot along with their bodies and tongues entwined.

“Hurry up!” Dorothy yells at them when she locks eyes on what appears to be Donna on the front porch of the house. Her vision is too blurry to be certain. 

“DOROTHY!” Donna yells from the porch. She begins to run after Dorothy.

Dorothy walks faster toward Julie’s car to get away from Donna, stumbling from the alcohol. Julie and Luke get into the backseat of Julie’s car.

“Dorothy stop. Just talk to me. What’s wrong?”

“No, leave me alone.”

“You’re such a baby!” Donna says passively.

Dorothy comes to an abrupt stop. She turns to look at Donna. Her eyes blaze into Donna’s
.
“I’m the baby?” Dorothy laughs. “I couldn’t possibly be the baby because the only child I see here is you. The way I see it, you have to be a naïve and immature child to sleep with a married man.”

Donna’s face turns pasty white. She says softly, “so then, that was you outside his door?”

“I’ve wanted to spend my whole life being the spitting image of you. Most girls I knew looked up to a celebrity or Miss America, but me? I looked up to my sister, you were my idol, Donna.”

Donna keeps quiet. She looks down at her feet and whispers, “I can still be your idol Dorothy.”

“How? How can you be when I don’t have an ounce of respect left for you? I always knew you could get any man you wanted, but I never thought you would have the audacity to have sex with a married man. Well, you’re definitely just like mom.”

  “Don’t even relate me or this situation to mom. You don’t know Adam outside of school. The marriage was over long before I came into the picture.”

“Who the hell is Adam?”

“Mr. Bloomington,” Donna murmurs.

“Unbelievable. The marriage was over before the affair, Donna? That’s exactly what mom said. And you know she only said it because it cleared her conscience and made her feel justified sleeping with her best friend’s husband. But yet her friend and her husband are still together despite all of that, but our father hung himself in a filthy, dark garage because he couldn’t handle the pain. Did any part of that story convince you that either of the marriages were over?”

Donna blinks at her, unsure what to say.

“And I mean for God’s sake, he fucked you on his desk, he didn’t even take you to a damn motel. And you know why?” Dorothy does not wait for an answer, “Because he doesn’t care about you. He just likes what you give him now and then.” Dorothy looks at Donna, but can only see their mother. Her anger and stupor from the alcohol make everything a blur
.“
Who are you? Because the sister I know would never destroy a marriage, because she knows the pain firsthand.” Dorothy enters the driver’s seat of Julie’s car. She starts up the car and presses the gas pedal.

The passenger door yanks open and its Donna, who attempts to get in the passenger’s seat. Dorothy stops the car instantly, causing Julie and Luke to slam their heads on the driver’s and passenger’s seat.

“Are you crazy?” Dorothy yells.

Donna gets in the seat and closes the door. “Who am I? Who am I? I’m your sister, goddammit. You can’t judge me,” Donna screams.

“You’re just like mom, getting angry when someone tells you the truth. You are a waste of life. You’re a fucking whore!”

Donna swallows and her eyes become cloudy and glossy.

Dorothy’s lack of concentration on driving causes her to speed past the stop sign onto Everest Street. “YOU’RE PATHETIC!” Dorothy continues to yell, “You can die inside my heart, right next to mom.”