As They… 15C

=Her very first high school party. Alcohol and other stuff she wasn't sure about. Her friends just as green to this; looking around at students they recognized in corners and others they didn't recognize. "I bet there are like other school guys here." Blake said over the loud music.

"What?" Aida asked, Blake shook her head.

Peggy was trying to compare this. She'd never been to a high school party. In fact, in her other school, parties ended early. And now. Not only had she been invited, she snuck out. Like Tanner and Sawyer use to. Tanner still sometimes. Although it wasn't really sneaking cause her mom thought she was in Jenny's house. They moved away from the door. Going deeper into the parent free house, passing teenagers making out and drinking and moving around and smoking. Most of which she'd only seen in movies.

"Hey Peggy!" Christopher came up to her, his smile full of excitement. "You made it. Did you sneak out? Naughty girl. Hey girls." He waved, nodded and winked at the trio he'd seen and forgotten after talking to Peggy in school the other day.

"Hi." They chorused. "

"Hey Chris, where's your other half?" Peggy looked past him.

He chuckled, scratching the side of his face. "He's busy."

"That's a shame." Christopher smirked, "Not really."

"Peggy?" Tanner came into view, Abby beside him, Trip coming up far behind him. He assessed her. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be- what are you doing here?"

"It's a party, I was invited." She looked at Christopher. Peggy's friends looked at each other.

Tanner looked at Christopher for an answer. He got a shrug. "It's a party."

"She's my sister. She's going home."

"Excuse you? No."

"Peggy?" Trip chuckled in disbelief. "You're here?" When he got to them.

"I couldn't exactly miss my first ever high school party." She shrugged with a smile.

"You could and you should have. You lied to mom and dad?" All she did was stare at him, her eyes saying and his listening. He lied all the time. "If they find out-"

"If."

"Uhh…" Christopher looked around. "See you around guys. Have fun."

"Can we come with you?" Jenny quickly asked.

"Uhh… sure." He shrugged.

The four started to leave, Tanner grabbed Peggy by her arm. "You're going home. You're all going home."

Christopher, who'd started to leave, looked back, the four girls stopped. "Tanner let her go. It's just a party."

Tanner glared a Trip. "Are you serious?" "No?" After some thought, "Oh wait, Peggy, you should leave."

"Are you kidding me with this? Tanner? Trip, you were literally just on my side."

"There's more than just alcohol here Pegs."

"So what?" She looked down at her arm still being held. "Let go of me."

"Tan, babe, you're always talking about how she'll embarrass you." Abby spoke. "You're literally doing the same." Haven looked around and noticed the on lookers.

Abby on her side? "The tables have turned apparently." Peggy gave him a smug smile.

"I don't care." "What are you going to do, take her home and come back?"

"I'll be here eventually. It might not be this party."

"You're thirteen Peggy. You all are."

"I'm fourteen." Aida felt the need to say.

"Me too."

"I'll be fourteen in a few weeks." She eyed him. "Next month to be exa-=

The pen slipped out Sawyer hand in his state of shock. Next month. He was suddenly feeling empty again. No longer in the mood to write. He looked around the room, Hannah asleep on his bed, his clothes littered in the floor as always, his laptop closed on his desk beside him, open text books clustering the desk and closed notebooks just waiting to be written in. He looked back at his open book in front of him and picked up the pen. She would have been fourteen. Why did it have to be that way? Would have. Because she's not here. After her birthday it would be his mom's. The thought of it left him feeling empty. Still not feeling the mood to write. Even worse, he wondered what the point is. He ran his hand through his hair, then pushed up his glasses and decided to continue from where he stopped.

His writing slowed, anger slowly bubbling up out of nowhere…

="ct." She folded her arms.

"Oh nice."

"Stay out of it Chris. You shouldn't have invited her." Tanner sparked.

"Calm down alright? I didn't think it was a big deal. It's your sister, she's cool."

Trip chuckled, it didn't go unnoticed. "You're not helping mate."

Christopher looked at Trip, then Tanner. "Don't be a kill joy. It's a party. I haven't exactly heard you declare you'll take her home."

Peggy raised her eyebrows, fully agreeing with Christopher. "Yeah."

"She can throw her own party in a few weeks. A month to be exact."

Abby clicked her tongue. "Babe seriously. In two years you'll be in college, and she'll go out either way."

"In two years." Tanner eyed Abby. "Stay out of it."

"Are you serious? We're all here watching this- this-"

"Leave then." He waved his hand, a scowl on his face. Getting angry.

"There's another party tomorrow. Two even. Not to mention next weekend." Christopher counted. "If she decides to sneak out, you can't exactly stop her. I mean, you didn't know she would be coming here now did you?"

Tanner huffed.

Peggy was liking this. Abby miraculously on her side. Well not technically, but perhaps a part of hell froze over, would she go outside and see some pigs flying? And even Christopher. She looked at him, he gave her a dazzling smirk. Too bad Trip is who she wants. Except her Trip was chuckling and looking like it was all a game to him. Except for his one disapproving statement. "You can't exactly lock me in my room." She shrugged at Tanner, he glared at her.

"Are you going to tell on her?" Abby asked.

Trip let out a sigh. "I'll babysit." He offered. Everyone turned to him. He shrugged. "It's unavoidable when you think about it. It's better if she isn't on her own. Any of them."

Christopher assessed him. "Are you stable enough right now?"

"I can manage it. You girls don't mind do you?" "No." Chorused answers from the three girls around Christopher.

"Yes." Tanner objected.

"He wasn't asking you babe."

Tanner rolled his eyes. "Do you have a better idea mate? I'm sacrificing myself." Trip winked at the girls around Christopher. Then looked at Peggy with a raised brow. "What say you Pegs?"

Faking reluctance, when the thought of finally getting to spend time with Trip could be a reality. Even if he is with her friends as well and not 'stable'. She had a feeling she knows what that means. "Fine. But just so you know, there's next weekend, and tomorrow. And many other parties. You don't know what I'll do then." She went to stand beside Trip. Hiding the smile on her face. "Let's go." She took his arm and pulled him away. The girls followed.

An entire nights party summarized…

Trip, though suddenly regretting signing up for babysitting duty, stayed by them, getting them juices and snacks and they, Peggy, watched in jealousy as girl after girl came up to him. Or him to them. Besides watching her Trip in one of his natural elements, she had a nice time with her friends. Dancing and laughing and watching everyone else get drunk and have drama that was a lot like watching a movie.=