Who Cares?

The car's interior was a battleground of wills as Sasha's voice rose over the hum of the idling engine. "Mom, I've told you, it's literally a two-minute walk. And look—" She gestured emphatically beyond the windshield, "—the park is bathed in streetlights."

Sasha's mom clutched the steering wheel, her knuckles whitening with each of her daughter's pleas. "I just don't like the idea of you girls walking alone at night," she countered, her eyes scanning the well-lit park anxiously.

"Please, we'll be fine. Lucas' place is right there." Sasha pointed determinedly around the corner, where shadows played on suburban lawns.

With a resigned sigh that seemed to carry the weight of maternal worry, her mom finally nodded. "Alright, but text me the minute you get there."

"Promise." Sasha's triumphant smile flashed quickly before she turned to open the door, beckoning Alanna to follow.

Out in the crisp evening air, the world felt different, freer. They made their way to the seesaw, its metal frame cold to the touch, and settled onto the seats.

The rhythmic creaking of the seesaw filled the silence that lingered between them—a momentary reprieve for Alanna's thoughts, which were tangled around the secret inside her purse.

"Check this out." Sasha's voice cut through Alanna's reverie as she produced a flask, its silver surface glinting under the park lights. The cap unscrewed with a hiss, releasing the sharp scent of bourbon.

Alanna eyed the flask, curiosity piqued. "Won't your mom notice it's gone?"

"Hardly," Sasha scoffed, taking a bold swig. "They're just corporate gifts. Her company gets tons of these during the holidays." The liquid courage seemed to embolden Sasha further as she offered the flask with a mischievous tilt of her wrist. 

Alanna brought the opening to her nose, the potent aroma stinging her nostrils. She cringed slightly, her fingers tightening around her purse. "Maybe later," she murmured, thinking back to the few beers they had sipped over the summer, the bitter taste still fresh in her memory.

"Suit yourself," Sasha said with a nonchalant shrug, recapping the flask and slipping it back into her jacket pocket. They continued to seesaw gently, the push and pull of their feet against the ground a metronome to their youthful anticipation of the night ahead.

The seesaw's rhythm slowed as Sasha's gaze wandered off to the darkening horizon, the park lights casting long shadows around them.

Alanna felt the weight of the flask in her jacket pocket, a reminder of the unspoken world her parents had never introduced her to. They never talked about drinking—not warnings nor permissions—leaving her to navigate these waters mostly blind.

"Latino families are different, I guess," Alanna thought aloud, her voice soft and contemplative against the backdrop of a distant dog bark. "Drinking... it's not such a taboo, right? My parents, they act like it's just another part of life."

"Exactly," Sasha replied, her tone breezy as she swung her legs. "It's all about moderation, or so my mom says when she pours herself a glass of wine with dinner."

"Moderation..." Alanna echoed, rolling the word around her tongue like the unfamiliar taste of beer they had timidly sampled over summer—a flavor that had failed to impress her palate.

"Anyway, we're waiting for Lila until eight," Sasha declared, checking the time on her phone before slipping it back into her pocket. "She'll sneak out of her house and meet us here. If she's not here by then, we head to the party. With or without her."

"Without her?" Alanna frowned. The thought of leaving Lila to arrive alone unsettled her, but Sasha was already nodding, decisive.

"Yeah, we can't wait forever. It's up to her if she manages to come or not." Sasha's eyes were flinty, reflecting a determination that Alanna knew better than to challenge.

"Right," Alanna murmured, though the knot in her stomach tightened. She watched the sky, now streaked with the last blush of sunset, and hoped Lila would be able to join them soon. If she got caught... it wouldn't be nice.

"Hey, you haven't mentioned Noah all evening," Sasha's voice sliced through Alanna's reverie, her words sharp against the soft hum of the park around them. "He still trying to play Prince Charming?"

Alanna's heart hitched, a reminder pinging in her chest before echoing in her mind. Her phone. She rummaged through her purse, finding it buried under the clutter of necessities—lip gloss, a compact mirror, the hidden condom she dared not think about.

"Three messages from him," she muttered, thumbing through the notifications with a rising guilt. One from her dad, asking about pickup details, and three from Noah, each more laden with unspoken disappointment than the last. He probaby felt ignored.

"Sorry, I didn't have time to answer," she typed hastily, her fingers fumbling over the digital keys. The reply was almost instant, a curt 'OK' that made her stomach dip with a twinge of remorse.

Poor Noah.

"Totally in love with you, that boy," Sasha quipped with a knowing smirk, watching Alanna's face for a telltale blush.

"Stop it," Alanna protested, her laugh half-hearted. "He's just a friend. You know, from childhood. I've been friends with him longer than I've known you."

"Uh-huh." Sasha's eyebrow arched, disbelief etched into her features. "But he's cute, right? Even you can see that."

"Maybe," Alanna conceded, her cheeks warming despite her denial. "But not my type." And certainly not Sasha's either. They both knew where their interests lay, though Sasha seemed blind to the gentle tug in Alanna's chest whenever Lucas' name was whispered between the lines of their conversations.

"Still crushing on Lucas?" Sasha's question was casual, too casual, and Alanna's pulse quickened.

"Of course not," she lied smoothly, tossing her hair over her shoulder as if to scatter her feelings to the wind. "He's cute because he's cute, objectively. That's all."

"Right," Sasha drawled, unconvinced. A pause stretched between them as they watched a group move across the street, laughter and anticipation in their step as they headed towards the party. The sun dipped low, surrendering the sky to the first stars of nightfall.

"Come on," Sasha said, standing up from the seesaw with a newfound purpose. "Let's join the fun."

Sasha flicked her lighter, the flame casting a brief glow on her impish grin as she brought it to the tip of her cigarette. "Lila will just have to catch up," she said, smoke curling around her words with a nonchalance that Alanna envied.

"Are you sure?" Alanna's voice was tinged with concern, her eyes scanning the darkening park for any sign of their friend.

"Positive." Sasha grabbed Alanna's hand, pulling her forward. "The night awaits, my friend."

They slipped through the wrought iron gates and into the realm of affluence. Lucas' mansion loomed grand and foreboding against the twilight sky, its windows spilling golden light across manicured lawns.

A cluster of older teens mingled at the entrance, their laughter rich and self-assured – a stark contrast to the knot of anxiety tightening in Alanna's stomach.

"Wow," Alanna breathed out, taking in the sheer size of the home that dwarfed her own comfortable but in comparison, modest dwelling.

"Right?" Sasha exhaled a plume of smoke, looking every bit like she belonged amongst this opulence.

Alanna followed Sasha through the open front door, the din of conversation and music swallowing them whole. They navigated the throng of bodies, offering shy smiles to familiar faces from school and tentative nods to those they did not recognize.

The air was thick with the scent of expensive cologne and the promise of untold stories.

"This makes me feel poor," Sasha observed, leaning in close so her voice could be heard over the party's pulse.

"Yup," Alanna replied, eyes roaming over the high vaulted ceilings and art that adorned the walls. "This is... another level."

"Doesn't matter," Sasha said with conviction, tossing her hair. "Tonight, we're all stars in Lucas' galaxy."

Alanna couldn't help the flutter in her chest at the mention of his name. Would he see her tonight?

Would he care? She pushed the thoughts aside, vowing to let the night unfold without the weight of expectations.

After all, the world seemed full of possibilities when bathed in the glow of chandeliers and youth.

"Let's get some air," Sasha suggested, her voice tinged with a hint of restlessness.

Alanna nodded in agreement. The loudness of the party was beginning to close in on her, each beat of the bass like a pulse against her temples.

They slipped through the French doors leading to the patio, where the night had settled like a cool shawl over the shoulders of the revelers outside. The moon hung low and heavy, casting silver glimmers across the surface of the pool.

Sasha fished a cigarette from her clutch and lit it with an ease that hinted at too much practice. She drew in a long breath, the ember glowing against the dark.

"Ugh, Jessica's out here," Alanna murmured, spotting the tall redhead by the poolside. Her laughter tinkled above the murmur of conversations, a sound as alluring as it was intimidating.

"Who cares?" Sasha flicked ash dismissively, her gaze never even grazing the cluster of bikini-clad figures lounging like feline royalty in their own private domain.

As they passed, Jessica's entourage eyed them with a scrutiny that felt like it could peel paint.

Alanna tugged at her shirt, her skin prickling beneath their gaze. Sasha, however, moved with defiant indifference, her spine as straight as a plumb line.

Alanna didn't even remember how long it had been since Jessica and she stopped talking, and even though she made a point to stay out of her way, seeing her with her new clique always made her curious.

How could they have drifted apart so quickly? How did it even begin? 

Shaking off those thoughts, she had an idea.