Ten - Chapter 1: After Prom Panic

Chapter 1 - After Prom Panic.
Smile. It’s all she could do as the tiara was placed upon her perfectly primped curls.
This is Kayley and well, her life couldn’t have been anymore perfect. She had just aced all her exams and had been crowned prom queen. Stood next to her, looking back with his gorgeous smile was the dashing prom king, also known as her boyfriend, Sean. She truly loved him. They had been threw a lot. Kayley would feel lost without him.
As she looked out into the audience, she saw 8 people, clapping and cheering much louder than everyone else. These are the most important people in her life, her best friends. There were her two oldest and dearest friends, Jo and Lucy. There was Jo with her ‘go-lucky’, happy personality who Kayley always felt like she was hiding something. Deep down, she felt something major is going on with her but really had no clue what. Then there was Lucy, the total opposite to Jo. She always told you if she didn’t like something or someone. She was very assertive but that’s why Kayley loved her, she could always be straight with her. Then there was the 6 others or as Kayley liked to call them, ‘the couples’. You could tell this as the way they acted in the crowd. First, you could see Jim and Stacey, all over each other. They were ‘the golden couple’. The couple that never had any problems but who you could tell really loved each other. Deep down, Kayley always wished she and Sean could be like that. No problems... that meant no arguments. Then you could see Roxy and Andy, who were stood about 2 metres from each other. Of course this was the ‘awkward couple’. Everyone would mock them for barely even touching each other but Kayley could see that underneath, they probably had the strongest relationship of all. Then there was Jane and Jay. Every group of friends would have someone like these two, the two people who denied they were together but everyone could blatantly tell that something was going on between them. They may have all started to get embarrassing with their obscene shouting but Kayley wouldn’t change her friends for the world.
As the prom drew to a close, the group debated on where to go next...
“We could go to my house?”
“Sure... but will your parents be home, Roxy?” questioned Lucy.
“Yeah... why?”
“Well, would we be allowed to have drink?”
“No of course not! My parents would freak!”
“Fine. That’s that idea out of the window. Sorry, we actually want to have a fun night, one to remember.”
After that, Roxy decided not to bother answering Lucy. She knew she wouldn’t give in. This was one of many signs of Lucy’s pushy and argumentative side, a side that the friends had seen way too often. Roxy knew it was better just to keep quiet. At that point, Jim had an idea, “We should go to school!” Lucy burst into a fit laughter and then said sarcastically, “Err, why would we want to do that?!”
“No... I mean have a ‘after prom’ party in school! It’s 10pm, no one will be there and you know their security is useless!”
“Ah, mischievous. I like,” said a scheming Lucy. However, Stacey decided to butt in. She never really liked Lucy so she thought she’d better speak up... “Are you sure about this?”
“Oh per-lease Stacey, don’t be such a wimp. Live a little!”
Trying to ignore Lucy’s comment, Jim gave Stacey a reassuring hug, “don’t worry babe, we’ll be fine. I promise to look after you always.” Stacey hugged him tighter, “okay. Now I feel safe.” Interrupting their moment, Lucy shouted, “Right, are we gonna do this then?!” Everyone thought they’d better agree. No one wanted to get on the wrong side of Lucy. “Right meet at school in half an hour... bring lots of drink!”
Lucy was, of course, the first one to arrive at school with enough drink for 50. Then shortly after, Sean, Kayley and Jo arrived.
“Finally! I thought you lot had bailed on me.”
“Course we wouldn’t, Luce. We went to Sean’s but all he had was some leftover wine from Christmas, sorry. However, I think you have enough for all of us! How did you get all that?” Jo attempted to pick up the case of beer.
“C’mon. I live above a pub. Not hard, silly.”
“Course I know that... but how did you manage to sneak it out?”
“Jo, you practically live at my house. You know how many cases they leave in the back. I’m sure they won’t notice if one’s gone. They don’t even notice if I’m there or not...”
“True. Go on then, let’s open this up!”
“Not yet, wait until everyone else get’s here. That’s if they haven’t chickened out. It wouldn’t surprise me if Roxy decides not to come.”
“Leave it, Luce. You know how strict her parents are.”
“I know. I know... oh wait, looks like the two losers are here now!”
Roxy and Andy walked over...
“Oi! Leave off!” shouted Andy.
“Well, I’m sorry... do you two want to walk any further apart? Just because you are the ‘daughter of a preacher man’ Roxy, doesn’t mean you can’t touch your boyfriend. Your daddy isn’t here now.”
Roxy completely ignored Lucy and sat down on the cold concrete. Andy sat next to her and whispered, “Don’t listen to her.”
“What are you two talking about there?!”
“Nothing... when are we going to go inside? It’s freezing!”
“Just wait for everyone else.”
Shortly after, Jim and Stacey turned up, followed by Jay and Jane, none of them with any alcohol. “Are you serious guys? No drink?!”
“Sorry Luce. You know I’m broke. I’m sure you have enough for all of us anyway.” Jay gave Lucy a big bear hug. Jay always liked to show his softer side. Lucy brushed him off, “whatever, let’s just go inside.”
The friends found a spot in a maths classroom. “This will do.” Lucy placed down the case and pushed Stacey off Jim. “C’mon Jim, help me open this.” The two opened up the case to see a wide selection of different beers. “Woah Luce, you sure know had to party!”
“I know. Party animal I am, Jim... go on, help yourself.” All the boys rushed over to the case. “C’mon girls! Jo? Kayley?” she offered them each a bottle. She always depended on them two for back up. “Sure...” Jo took the bottle and drank it all in one. “Woah. Calm down Jo!” Lucy laughed and looked back at Kayley. “Kayz, take the bottle babe.”
“Sorry Luce, I’m not drinking tonight.”
“What? Why not? You were just crowned prom queen, you should be celebrating!”
“Yeah I know. I’ve just got a real bad headache.” Lucy could see something wasn’t right but she thought she better not say anything in front of everyone else. “Suit yourself.”
Lucy walked over to Stacey and Roxy. “What about you two party poopers?”
“We’re alright thanks.”
“God, just have one drink!”
Stacey stood up and pushed the bottle away, “I told you, we are alright. We don’t want a drink, leave us be. Plus, got to make sure Jimmy gets home in one piece.”
“Ugh, what are you? His mother?”
“No. I’m his girlfriend and I care about him.”
“Whatever. Least Jane is getting in the spirit of things. I won’t waste my breath on you anymore.”
“Good.”
Everyone started to forget about everything and started having a good time. Kayley, Roxy and Stacey may not have been drinking but they still had a laugh. Mainly about how ‘out of it’ Lucy was. Jane and Jay danced for hours and hours. The other boys did their not-so-perfect rendition of ‘Angels’ and then collapsed on the floor in a fit of laughter. Everything was going well until Lucy asked for a cigarette. “Lucy, you don’t even smoke.”
“I... want... a... FAG!” Lucy stamped her feet. Kayley sighed, “Just give her one Jay.” Jay passed over a cigarette and the lighter. Lucy flicked the lighter, “ooh, pretty fire.” Kayley was starting to get worried, “Lucy. Stop waving it around!”
“NO!”
“Pass me the lighter...”
“NO. MY LIGHTER.”
Kayley tried to grab the lighter out of Lucy’s grasp. “Give it else someone is going to get hurt!”
“Make me!”
“Sean! Do something!” pleaded Kayley. Sean grabbed Lucy by her legs. “Give it, Luce.”
“Fine, you want it so bad?” Lucy threw the lighter across the room, “go get it. But you aren’t getting my cigarette!” Lucy started waving the cigarette high in the air. She tripped and dropped her cigarette on Andy’s jacket. “Oh no.” The jacket started to go up in flames. “LUCY! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?” Lucy started to realise what was going on and started to panic. “Shit, shit, shit. Guys, what do we do?”
“We need to get out of here.” Sean pushed everyone out the door. Sean tried to put the flame out. “Babe, it’s not going to work. Let’s go before someone gets hurt!” shouted Kayley, almost in hysterics. Sean knew Kayley was right so he left the classroom to go up in flames. They all ran down the corridor and out the main door like their lives depended on it.
The gang then gathered outside the school gates with nothing but the clothes on their back. Everyone was really shook up. They watched as the fire got bigger and bigger. Jay tried to calm everyone down, “look we are all alive. Everything’s gonna be alright.”
“How can you say that? We are going to be in so much trouble!” Jane burst into tears. “Hey, calm down.” Jay put his arm around her.
“But she’s right, mate. We are gonna be in so much shit when everyone finds out.” Andy looked back at the school, “it’s real bad.”
“They aren’t going to find out.” This was the first thing Lucy had said since the fire started.
“Of course they are! How are we going to get away with this?!”
“We... we... run away.” Lucy knew she wasn’t thinking straight but this was the only idea that seemed sensible at the time.
“Run away? To where? Wonderland? Face it! We’re screwed!” shouted Stacey.
“No, we aren’t. I won’t let us give up... Wait, we can go to my uncle’s other house! It’s massive and I have a key for it!” Andy thought this plan was full proof. His uncle never went to the house and he always said to Andy that if he got in a pickle, he was welcome to the house. “This could work! Look, everyone if you can, go back to yours and pack a few things. We could be gone for a long time.” Everyone knew this was an outrageous idea but there was no other way. They all went back to quickly pack...