Gregory Girls Gone Wild - Chapter 24: Chapter 24

Heavy bass from the DJ rocked the mansion walls, making Rainey's heart thud deeply to the beat.
It was a full-fledged, after-finals, rager of a party at Jessica's mansion; frat guys jumping off the balcony onto tables, experienced girls drinking themselves into a hangover, and Rainey in the corner besides Mariah and Nakir. Rainey was scanning the party avidly.
She was wearing denim short shorts with a thick, long jacket, and her green scarf. Her legs were freezing but it was worth it—she looked hot. Mariah matched her outfit, except her shorts were black. Nakir was dressed casually in jeans and a maroon hoodie.
"Earth to Rainey," Nakir said, smirking. She was finding his smirking rather annoying lately. "Looking for a certain employee to work a little after hour shifts?"
"Oh, shut up."
"Are you planning on telling Danika tonight?" Mariah asked her, sounding slightly worried. "About your feelings, I mean?"
Rainey shrugged carelessly, already two whiskey drinks in. "You mind keeping an eye out when she arrives? Make sure that this flirting is not all in my head? I'd really appreciate your guy's opinions."
"Definitely!"
"For sure."
A hand grabbed at her shoulder, and Rainey spun around in anticipation. She grimaced immediately.
"Hey, friends!" Jessica wrapped her arms around Rainey's torso and greeted Mariah and Nakir with a nod. "Welcome to the party!"
"Jessica," Rainey said, looking down at her. "You always manage to outdo yourself, don't you?"
Jessica wore skinny blue jeans, a low cut, glittery top, and a smoky eye shadow. The smug smile of a satisfied hostess lurked on her lips. "Sure do, babe."
"For you." Mariah gave her a small wine bottle.
"You shouldn't have!" Jessica tucked the bottle under her arm. Rainey made silent attempts to disentangle herself from her bear hold. Jessica's eyes roamed from Mariah to Nakir.
"You two still going out?" she asked. Rainey knew that she was being nonchalant, but Jessica had a way of accidentally getting under people's skins.
Right on target, Nakir bristled. "Yeah, we are."
Jessica's eyes lingered on Mariah, who looked only strangely amused. "Hmph. Try to enjoy yourselves, okay? My roommates invited way too many people this year—it's like a madhouse. Word of advice: the hot tub is the place to be tonight. It's absolutely heavenly in this weather."
"But it's too cold to get wet!" Mariah protested.
"Nah." Jessica's eyes flashed. "A little hot tub action is a must in winter. Gets you all hot and awake, you know? I fucking love it. Now, if you excuse me, I'll be playing hostess to some other people. But find me later?"
Rainey and Mariah smothered a grin as Jessica swaggered towards the drinks table. Nakir looked positively furious.
"Didn't you kiss her last Christmas party?" he scowled at Mariah.
Mariah rolled her eyes. "It was just a peck, baby. Didn't mean anything except I was lousy drunk."
Rainey giggled. "Least, she didn't flirt with me."
Mariah frowned. "Yeah, why is that?"
Nakir looked sour. "Maybe because she knows Rainey's attention is devoted to all things Danika Reddy."
Rainey crossed her arms. "And where would she get that information?" She stopped suddenly, spotting a familiar face in the crowd. "Ah, speaking of..."
"I don't want you anywhere near Jessica tonight," Nakir complained loudly to Mariah. "She never liked me, that gossip—"
Rainey rushed through the throngs of people towards the second living area of the mansion. Disco lights plunged the room into party colors. The room was trashed, the plasma TV screen cracked, and the leopard skin couch looking like someone had spilled beer on it.
Danika was leaning against the back of the couch, avoiding the stains surreptitiously. She was chatting with a brunette, whom Rainey vaguely remembered as Cordelia. To her surprise, Sheba and Ryan were also loitering nearby. Rainey waved at the former and ignored the latter.
She practically tackled Danika into a hug.
"Oof, Rainey—"
"Hey," she mumbled. Danika smelled good.
Rainey stepped back to get a good look at her. White tank top, bomber jacket, short shorts with a bikini string sticking out. Golden hoops in each ear. Rainey swallowed hard.
Danika pulled her into a hug again. "Hey."
Rainey's heart leapt happily.
It was loud in this area of the mansion, the DJ playing in the living room, and a mini mosh pit conducting themselves most indecently in the center. Nakir and Mariah trudged inside, holding hands.
"How was your last final?" Rainey asked eagerly.
"Alright, actually. You know what they say about your last final?"
"No, what?"
"It doesn't matter because we're on break!" Danika whooped. Rainey's ears roared at the sound of her infectious laughter.
"What's up, man?" she overheard Ryan say. She spun around, shocked as Ryan shook Nakir's hand. Nakir looked stunned.
She glanced at Mariah, who seemed puzzled as well.
"H-hey, Sheba, right?" Nakir said slowly.
Sheba nodded, smiling cordially at him. Her thick braids were pinned to her head, making her look like a party princess. "Hey! How's it going?"
There was an uneasy vibe emanating from Nakir but the music drowned out the rest of their conversation.
"How do your friends know Nakir?" Rainey asked Danika curiously.
Danika too looked confused. "No idea."
Rainey shook her head. Be bold.
"Anyway, you look great tonight."
"You're flattering me, Ran-Ran. Got something up your sleeve?"
"Nope. You cold?"
Danika smiled at her, but she looked distant, distracted. "Yes, actually. Wearing shorts tonight definitely wasn't the best idea."
Rainey, wanting to improve her mood, untangled the scarf from her neck and wrapped it around Danika, holding the ends so that she was trapped.
Danika smiled at her, looking bewildered. Wrenching gently from her grasp, she examined herself in the living room window reflection, posing dramatically as if in a movie. Rainey's eyes wandered down her body. She felt the glances of Sheba and Ryan, and Mariah as well, who stood awkwardly from the rest, looking out of place.
Sheba shuffled towards them. "Hey, Rainey."
Rainey tore her gaze away. "Hey, Sheba! How do you know Jessica?"
"Ah, I don't. I just attached myself to Dani to get in," Sheba smiled. "Jessica's winter break party is legendary."
Ryan followed her, holding a red solo cup in his hands. Nakir trailed behind.
"Dani said you had a twin, but wow, you guys really look alike!" Sheba exclaimed, her mouth open in shock.
Mariah and Rainey grinned exasperatedly.
Rainey introduced her sister to the group, while Ryan leaned against the couch besides Danika, inspecting Nakir and Mariah's tightly woven hands. "Are you two dating?"
Nakir nodded, looking uncomfortable. Rainey didn't understand the problem.
Ryan turned his gaze to her then, smiling sullenly. The aroma of alcohol surrounded him, the smell of a guy who had drank one too many beers. "What about you...Rainey, was it? Are you waiting for your boyfriend too?"
Rainey sensed the suspicious undertone behind the question, and glanced at Danika quickly. The sophomore was frowning at Ryan.
"Er, no." Rainey decided to be truthful. She spoke clearly over the music. "I'm into girls."
Sheba didn't look surprised.
Ryan turned to Danika. "See, I asked you if she was a lesbian! Why didn't you tell me? Did you not know?"
Danika's jaw clenched. Rainey stared at her uncomprehendingly. "Ryan, be quiet."
"Not that I don't like lesbians," Ryan explained to them, slurring his words. "I'm all for the LGBT community—I'm an ally. Pride, rainbow flags, the whole ra, ra. I just wish you'd have told me the truth about why you weren't returning my texts."
Danika looked like he had slapped her across her face. "That's not true, Ryan—"
Sheba grabbed his solo cup lightly. "You've had enough drinks, I think."
Mariah and Nakir exchanged glances.
"It's none of your business why she isn't returning your texts," Rainey said coldly.
"And why is that?" Ryan stepped closer towards her.
Rainey didn't back down one bit. She stared him down, which was quite a feat considering that he was taller than Danika. "Maybe she's interested in someone else."
To her astonishment, Danika pushed her shoulder. She looked upset.
"Shut up, Rainey," she said fiercely.
"What?" Rainey blinked. "He's the one getting in my face—"
Danika didn't let her finish. She shoved the green scarf in her arms and stalked off.
"Hey, Dani, wait!" Rainey rushed through the crowd, feeling anxious. What the hell had just happened? She pushed past a group of girls dancing in a circle and clawed her way to a hallway.
What was Ryan talking about? Danika had always known she was a lesbian, hadn't she? Why had Danika pretended otherwise?
Feeling a pit dig into her stomach, she crashed into a similarly distracted pink-haired girl.
"Woah, Rainey!" Fiona said. Her eyes were red. She was high as fuck. "Didn't anybody ever tell you not to run at parties?"
"Sorry, I'm looking for someone." Rainey scanned the crowd desperately.
Fiona tilted her head. "Jessica's in the hot tub. They're playing some dumb game. I was thinking of joining. You up for it? I've got a killer swimsuit."
"Um, go ahead. I'll join you later," Rainey said, spotting a bomber jacket entering the kitchen.
She pushed past Fiona and was about to open the kitchen door when someone tapped her shoulder.
"Hey, stop running like a maniac!" Nakir exclaimed, sounding out of breath. "Mariah's looking for you!"
"I'm fine!" Rainey said irritably. "I'm looking for Dani. I... I think I upset her."
I shouldn't have said that she's interested in someone else, she thought. Maybe that was jumping the gun.
Nakir sighed. He looked more miserable than usual.
Rainey stopped in her tracks. "What's wrong?"
Nakir spoke but he was inaudible over the booming of music. He pulled her outside to the backyard where people were trashed and dancing but where they were finally able to hear each other without screaming. Gigantic heaters were placed outside, blowing hot air in a weak attempt to battle the cold. People chatted by the steamy hot tub while a few brave souls were skinny dipping in the cold pool water. Rainey shivered and moved towards one of the heaters.
"How did you know Danika's friends?" Rainey asked, her eyes still searching for the sophomore.
Nakir ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know them well. But freshman year, I was in the same South Asian Alliance Club. Ryan's a junior. I kind of knew him."
Rainey blinked. "Well, that's news to me. Was he always such a bastard?"
Nakir snorted. "He's not actually. They're all pretty nice from what I remember."
"So why did you stop going? I don't remember you going to any South Asian Alliance meetings recently."
Nakir looked embarrassed. "Notice how they didn't say my name when we were talking? They weren't sure what to call me."
"Why?"
"Well, they knew me before my transition," he said patiently.
Rainey nodded, realizing. "So they're transphobic?"
Nakir shook his head. "No—it's a little more complicated then that. The club—those types of people, they're more...heteronormative for my liking. Polite, sure, good allies maybe. But after I got more comfortable in my skin, I felt more uncomfortable around them. They're from well off families, you know. Ryan's dad is a hotshot lawyer. All of them are going to be married with kids in ten years, settled in a nice straight family suburb."
There was a bitter tone undercutting his words. Nakir seemed to notice this and smiled self-deprecatingly.
"Didn't mean to sound rude about it," he chuckled. His eyes darkened. "But if Danika is rolling with a crowd like that..."
His words were like a warning, like a balloon traveling haphazardly into the sky.
Rainey popped the balloon with a vengeance. "It doesn't mean anything. Danika has lots of friends."
Nakir looked unconvinced. Feeling uneasy, Rainey said nothing until Mariah finally reached them, breaking them both from their silent reverie.
"There you are!" Mariah panted. "This party is way too crazy for me to be alone. Some girl was trying to grind on me!"
"Who?" Nakir asked, sounding outraged.
There was a whistle nearby, grabbing Rainey's attention.
"Yo, Mariah, Rainey!" Jessica hollered on the ledge of the hot tub. "Hop in!"
The hot tub was marbled and gorgeous, the water looking bubbling and inviting. Rainey was unsure whether or not to join until the sight of Danika and Sheba mingling with the group of girls jolted her wits.
Jessica's toes skimmed the water as Rainey approached closer. Fiona, who had joined the mini-party, immediately took off her clothes, revealing a red bikini. She dove into the hot tub, shouting exclamations of joy.
Rainey rushed over towards Danika.
"Dani, I was looking for you—" Rainey began.
Danika turned to her stoically. "And?"
Rainey faltered. There was a dangerous glint in Danika's eyes.
"Did I do something wrong?" she asked quietly.
There was a group of girls splashing in the hot tub now, Jessica, and a few others Rainey didn't recognize. A wooden tray floated in the middle of the water; on top was a slicked, wet beer bottle.
"No, I'm just trying to have fun with my friends," Danika replied evenly. She began to strip slowly, the jacket first, then her shorts. "What's your problem?"
Rainey stared at her, eyes wide. "I don't have a problem."
Danika climbed the steps into the hot tub, her golden bikini flashing. In the dark, Rainey felt a cold shiver at the dismissal.
"Rainey! Mariah! Come join us!" Jessica yelled. "We're about to start the game!"
"What game?" Rainey heard Danika ask.
Slowly, Rainey stripped off her clothes. Mariah was one step ahead, already climbing up the hot tub ladder. They glanced at Nakir questioningly.
"I'll stay here," he said, tugging at his hoodie self-consciously. "Don't feel like getting wet."
Rainey climbed quickly into the hot tub, groaning as she sunk into the warm water. It was an interesting feeling, cold air mixed with the burning hot bubbles spitting out from the jets. She felt both relaxed and tense.
She floated towards where Danika was, but stopped short when the sophomore stubbornly avoided her gaze. She remained next to Mariah, frowning, and the girls, around nine or ten, arranged themselves in a circle.
"It's simple," Jessica was saying. She was wearing a tube top swim suit, her blonde hair up in a bun. She had a wicked twinkle in her eyes; Rainey knew she lived for fun shit like this. "Spin the bottle. Whoever it lands on has to confess a truth or do a dare."
"That's high school crap," Danika scoffed. Rainey glanced at her.
Jessica glared at her. "So? I'm drunk enough to enjoy it."
"I'm not nearly drunk enough," Fiona grinned. She was in between Cordelia and Sheba, and she winked at Rainey.
"That can be arranged," Jessica said smugly. "Boys!"
At the call, a troupe of what looked like eager freshman boys sprinted towards the hot tub.
"Alcohol for me and my friends, please," Jessica told them. The boys went to retrieve drinks obediently, and soon enough Rainey found herself with a glass beer bottle in hand. She attempted to catch Danika's eyes, but the sophomore was busily talking to Sheba next to her.
Rainey struggled to open her bottle cap, to her irritation. It was practically glued on.
There was a laugh on the other side. She looked up.
"Use your teeth," Danika said, teasing roughly. She was standing opposite in the hot tub, her hair in a ponytail so it didn't get wet. "Like this."
She demonstrated by clenching her jaw around her own bottle and popping open the cap. A few people applauded.
"I got it," Rainey said, annoyed.
Like I don't know how to open a beer bottle, she thought.
There were a few snickers around the hot tub as she continued to struggle.
"Need help?" Danika asked nastily.
Sheba prodded at Danika, grimacing.
A fizz sound blew out. Rainey held the cap triumphantly in the air.
"Nope." Rainey took a long sip. She met the strange, feral gleam in Danika's eyes unerringly. "I got it. Try not to drink so much tonight, okay?"
Danika raised an eyebrow. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"Hey, girls," Jessica said sharply. "This is fun Jacuzzi time. No drama allowed in the hot tub."
"No drama here," Rainey said lightly. She felt a hint of anger rising in her chest. "I just know how clingy Danika gets after a sip."
There were more snickers. Jessica smiled sloppily. "Eh, Danika? What does she mean by clingy?"
The sophomore glowered at Rainey, the Christmas party night clearly on her mind. A violent hiss touched a water bubble. "Nothing. Let's get on with the game."
Jessica put her hands on her hips, water splashing her body. "I have a feeling this is going to be an interesting game, indeed."
She nodded at Cordelia, who was dressed in an expensive looking, black designer bikini. Cordelia swam to the middle and spun the bottle. It landed on Jessica.
"Oh good," Jessica smiled. "Dare, of course."
Cordelia laughed. "Kiss me."
Jessica obliged swimmingly. Rainey felt warmer than usual as the two girls made out, tongue on tongue action pretty apparent. Everyone in the hot tub was cheering and hollering. At the sound, a group of guys began to gather around, whistling like something mad.
Mariah raised an eyebrow. "So, it's that type of game, hm?"
Worried, Rainey watched Danika. The sophomore was staring intently at the game bottle on the tray, ignoring the kissing. Her opened beer bottle sat on the concrete, untouched. She was stone cold sober.
Danika would make her pay for that clingy comment.
Rainey wanted to leave, but it was the type of party atmosphere that whoever dipped first—left the hot tub that is—would seem like a loser. Wincing, she gulped down half of her beer in one go.
The game wasn't all kissing; Sheba, who had proclaimed she was straight to the disappointment of Fiona whose bottle had landed on her, was dared to drink three shots in a row and stand upside down in the water. After she had emerged, face red as a tomato, the girls cheered and moved on to the next turn.
Sheba's bottle landed on Mariah. "Truth or dare?"
"I'll pick truth," Mariah said, biting her lip.
"Um," Sheba giggled. She was utterly trashed. "Have you ever kissed anyone in the hot tub? Um, and if so, w-who?"
Giggles ensued when Jessica began to dog whistle.
Mariah rolled her eyes and drank the rest of her beer. "Yes, I have. Jessica kissed me last year at the same party."
Everyone laughed. A guy shouted, "Kiss her again!"
"My turn's over!" Mariah shouted back. She winked at Nakir, who was watching with a wary smile.
Rainey quietly sipped her beer. After Sheba, was...
"I guess it's my turn," Danika spoke up. Silent, she floated to the middle and spun the bottle, the bottom scraping against the tray's edges. It spun and spun, until it finally landed on Rainey.
Rainey froze.
Danika seemed to stare at the bottle for several seconds, until slowly, her dark eyes met Rainey's searing gaze.
A few girls whose turn had already passed were talking and gossiping to themselves, but the majority of people in the hot tub were hushed, as if they had sensed the tension coiling around the water.
Fiona's eyes were wide, shifting between Danika and Rainey, as if she was coming to a realization.
"Um, Danika?" Jessica asked, amused. "Are you going to ask her...?"
Danika coughed. "Sure. Truth or dare, Ran-Ran?"
Rainey flushed, feeling trapped. If she said truth, Danika would surely ask her an embarrassing question. There was a lot of truths Rainey wanted to keep hidden for now. If she chose dare, well, the worst dare could be if Danika asked for a kiss, which Rainey had no problem with. It would only confirm that Danika had feelings for her.
She shook her head, decision made. "Okay, dare."
Danika laughed meanly. "Too chicken to choose truth, huh?"
Pissed at being read so easily, Rainey lied, "No."
Danika considered her for a moment. Her eyes flickered to Rainey's lips, then to her chest, which was slick with hot water. "Dare, is it? Then, Ran-Ran, I dare you to take off your bikini top."
Rainey sucked in a breath.
"Oh, Dani, that's too far!" Sheba said loudly.
"Danika, my sister's obviously not going to do that," Mariah stepped in, sounding pissed. She grabbed Rainey's arm in a protective sort of way. "Jessica, tell her."
Jessica shrugged. "Rainey's the one who picked dare."
Studying Danika's unforgiving eyes, Rainey understood then that the sophomore was baiting her into choosing truth. She wanted to humiliate her.
Sheba whispered something in Danika's ear.
"Okay fine," Danika relented. Her forehead was dripping with water or sweat, her cheekbones sharper than a knife under the glowing lights. She was poised like a predator, like a jaguar—the violence Rainey always knew was near had surfaced. "You can choose truth then. Or do the dare. Your choice."
"I'm done with this game," Rainey replied flatly.
There were disappointed boo's from the girls and spectating guys. Danika leaned her back against the water jets, smirking like she had won.
She always knew how to play the crowd, Rainey thought.
She couldn't stand it. "Fine, truth then."
Danika rubbed her chin. "Why did you spray yourself with my perfume at my party last week?"
"What perfume?" Fiona asked suddenly.
"What is she talking about?"
"You don't have to answer her, Rainey," Mariah whispered heatedly.
Jessica whistled. "C'mon, don't keep us waiting."
Rainey was utterly mortified. "I-I don't know why. Because it smelled good."
Danika's lips thinned. She looked unsatisfied.
"Is that all?"
"What the hell kind of perfume does she wear?"
"Well, that was anti-climactic," Jessica said, sounding disappointed. "Anyways, your turn Meghan."
Meghan, a beautiful, Filipino girl, spun the bottle and got Fiona. They made out. Mariah's turn was next. It was as if Rainey was witnessing all this through a glass of cold anger.
Mariah got Jessica, and dared her to take another shot. Jessica winked at her and did as told, her tongue sucking a shot glass down to its liquid bone.
The music lazily winded into the hot tub, skiving over the water, into their ears. The song playing was inaudible but it had a loud, angry beat.
"Your turn, Rainey," Mariah said sounding concerned.
In a lower tone of voice, she added, "We can go if you want."
Slowly, Rainey floated to the middle of the hot tub. With her right hand, she prodded the bottle into a spin. Just as it was about to stop, Rainey stopped the bottle with one finger so that the end pointed at Danika.
Rainey looked up, smiling viciously. "Truth or dare?"