When The Party’s Over

C/W: substance abuse

“It’s all your fault.” I hissed, emptying a red cylinder cup that still had beer in it from the night before. “If you never came, Alake would be upstairs, sleeping in her room.” I tossed the cup into the bag I was holding, with more force than intended. The smell of alcohol and weed made my stomach turn and I held my mouth, gagging. 

​“My fault?” Cronus snapped. “You’re the one who invited me.” He snatched the bag out of my hand before I could respond.

​“Hey- “

​“It was your idea to even have the party! Why am I the one being blamed?” ​Our eyes met and I could feel the anger boiling in my skin. He was right. I shouldn’t have thrown the party. I yelled back, “You’re the one who invited those college kids!” I choked on my tears. God, why did I throw that party? I take a half-eaten slice of pizza on the counter and throw it at him. I watched as it bounced off his stomach, onto the ground, leaving Cronus’ shirt with a greasy stain. I feel myself gag again. 

​Cronus stared at the pizza on the ground. I couldn’ttell what was going through his head. Maybe he felt responsible for my sister going missing? Good. I don’twant to be the only one feeling this guilty. When I look back up at Cronus, I notice the skin in between is eyebrows are pinched. You could practically see the steam coming out of his ears. 

​“How did you even know those guys in the first place?” 

​“I already told you, one of them heard about the party and asked if they could come.” He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I didn’t think it would be such a big deal.”

​“Right, of course you didn’t.” I grumbled, “You never do. Just like you didn’t think before giving Camille those sleeping pills.” I hear him audibly gasp and grab the trash bag out of his hands. I turn around fast and march up the stairs, hot tears forming in my eyes. He followed me, stomping loudly. 

“So now you’re blaming me for Camille OD’ing?”

​“Well, you seem to be the cause of every other problem in my life.” I walk down the hall, picking up tossed clothes on my way to the laundry room. I don’t recognize most of it. 

​As I open the door, Cronus slams it shut, forcing me to look at him.

“Why don’t we just call the cops to look for Alake?” He’s changing the subject. He knows I’m right about Camille. A scream wants to escape my throat, but I bite my tongue.

“If we call the cops, then my parents will find out we threw this party while they were out of state.”

“Okay, fine.” He pushes his dusty blonde hair back. “Then what do you suppose we do?”

I glare at him. “Get out of my house and find my sister. I’ll clean up.”

I watch through the living room window as Cronus’ car pulls out of the driveway. A continuous sinking feeling in my chest, making me want to cry. One thing Cronus and I could get on the same side of was getting my sister home safely. Even if we were blaming each other for her going missing in the first place. I notice the torn blue curtains draping the window and pull them down, holding them over one arm. I’ll just say our cat, Muffin, ripped them up. Wait, where was Muffin. I look around me on the ground, no sign of her to be found, then I remember something from last night.

​“I’m gonna keep Muffin in my room!” Alake confirmed with me, locking the door behind her. “That way she doesn’t escape while your classmates are here.” 

​She had the one door in the house that locked from the outside, using a key, other than the front door. It made it easy to pull pranks. “Okay.” I nod, “You’re still joining us?”

​I run back upstairs and to the last room on the left. My heart pounding in my ears. Alake never returned to her room last night. I try turning the doorknob, even though I knew it was locked. I run to the bathroom, tossing things around until I find a bobby pin, then I run back to her room to pick the lock. 

​When the door opens, Muffin comes running out. I sigh with relief, then I notice the laptop open on Alake’s desk. That’s strange. She never keeps it open. Something tells me to check it, invade her privacy for once. So I do. When I turn the laptop on, I type in her password. It’s the same it’s always been the same.“AllAlake222” or some other variation of it. Facebook messenger is the first thing on her screen. Private messages with someone named Derrick. Why does that name ring a bell? I scroll through their texts from last night, shocked.

​Alake: Did you ask Crow Nuts?

​Alake: *Cronus

​Alake: Sorry, Auto correct

​Derrick: LOL yeah 

​Alake: cool I can’t wait to see you tonight 😊

​Derrick: Me either

​ My arms are trembling as I take my phone outpocket and call Cronus. It rings three times before he answers.

​“Yes?” He asks, I can hear cars in the background. He must be stuck in traffic.

“What, uh, how did those guys find you?”

“What?”

I snap my head away from the computer to compose my thoughts.” How did you meet those college guys again?”

“Uh, they contacted me on Facebook messenger.One of them overheard a friend that goes to our school talk about the party and was told to ask me.”

I look back at the computer. “What was his name?”

“Daniel- No, Derrick.”

As the words came out of his mouth, I froze. Alake was with some guy named Derrick, probably in a car, driving god knows where. The air feels like its sinking.

“Tuesday? Tuesday, are you there?”

“Yeah, yeah I’m right here...” I clear my throat, “I think Derrick took Alake.”

Cronus mumbles, “Oh my god.” I imagine him run his fingers through his hair. “Okay I’ll head to the college now.”

“He wouldn’t have brought her back to his college, Cronus.”

“There might be a roommate or someone who knows his location.” His voice was rough and dry. “In the meantime, finish cleaning the house. I’ll find her.”

I gulp, holding my breath. “Okay.” I hang up and set my phone on the desk, holding myself there. I look around the room, hoping that maybe she’s just hiding somewhere and this is all some sick joke. I look back at the laptop and the words on screen burn into my head. Alake, please be safe. My mind begins drawing a blank as I set my fingers on the keyboard. 

Bring me my sister back.

The laptop shuts off unexpectedly. Must be dead.