It was the usual routine for Yasmin to head home in the evenings straight after school. Whilst the others stayed behind to chat, she tended to keep away from this. Besides, her parents expected her back at the usual time and even if she did stay with them, she would not know what to speak about in their conversations. It was just easier to keep to herself than risk public humiliation.
This time though, Yasmin had headed the wrong way. Now she was lost in an unknown part of town. Without her phone or bus fare, she had no idea what to do. She started trembling and sweating as she tried to figure out how to retrace her route.
As she walked along the pavements, she noticed one particular house standing out from the others. Whilst all the others looked plain, this one was coated in various balloons and streamers, all of many bright colours. Screams and cheers could be heard from the inside.
Yasmin had heard many things about house parties. She'd always wanted to go to one, but she had no real connections to the people that went there. So she'd always stayed at home, regretting the choice not to come.
One of the partygoers stumbled out, wearing a bra top, shorts and silly party hat with spots and a red pompom. Her hair was hanging in front of her face and her makeup was smeared. Though taken aback by this, Yasmin tried to ask her for help.
“Excuse me, could you help me-”
The girl's speech slurred as she opened her mouth, cutting her off.
“Hey, you look like Kristin! We were told you would be coming!”
“Actually, I'm not…”
“Come on right in!” Before Yasmin had time to argue, she was whisked into the house where she was greeted with several teenagers bouncing in time to the beats of the dance music. Yasmin had to struggle past them in order to get anywhere. She wanted to leave, but felt awkward about doing so.
Finally, she made it into the kitchen, where one boy lay passed out on the ground and a couple were kissing passionately by the counter. Yasmin said nothing but took a handful of sweets from a bowl nearby and ate them.
She thought about her situation. The house probably had a phone. Maybe she could use that and then sneak outside at the time her parents would arrive at. Carefully she made her way out of the kitchen and towards the stairs.
Going upwards, Yasmin was quick to notice that even the upstairs floor was decorated in tinsel, streamers and balloons. But it seemed empty enough. Noticing the room in front of her, she felt that this was her chance and went inside.
As Yasmin was about to lift the phone though, a messy-haired boy in a leather jacket glared from the bed he was lounging on. “Does Maya even know you?” he inquired, his voice full of suspicion.
Yasmin was taken by surprise. “Maya? Who's Maya?”
“Hey, looks like you have a gatecrasher!” the boy bellowed downstairs as he jumped from the bed, pointing at Yasmin.
After the sound of heavy footsteps, an older girl in a green tank top and red skirt came into the room and looked down at her. Another girl followed suit, with the same blonde ringlets that Yasmin had.
“Mistaken identity,” Yasmin managed to blurt out. “They thought I was someone named Kristin…”
“Well, she's here now.” Maya glanced at the girl next to her and then at her fingernails before looking back at her. “Besides, you look just as pretty as her. What does it matter?”
“Thanks!” Yasmin gulped. Usually she did not receive many compliments, mainly because she was anxious about trying to receive them. With a newfound confidence, she gathered up the strength to speak again. “Do you have a phone I can call my parents on?”
“Sure, use the one in my room!” Maya grinned. “It's not like anyone's telling you what to do tonight. Especially not my own parents.”
A warm feeling of satisfaction settled inside Yasmin. She'd managed to interact for once and felt she was starting to fit in. She headed straight up to Maya's room and used the phone to call her parents. Maya told her which address to give.
Whilst waiting, Yasmin took time to interact with Maya and her friends. Though they were older, they were a lot friendlier than she thought they would be. Beforehand, she'd always wanted to interact with new people but had lacked the confidence. But now she felt easier about telling Maya about her personal interests.
The next song came on. Yasmin prepared to dance, but realised that she didn't know it. She decided to go ahead anyway. To her surprise, Maya came up to dance with her too, helping her out when she needed to make the necessary steps.
The crowd whooped as the two girls danced vigorously to the track. Yasmin felt it was a thrilling sensation; this was the first time she'd been the centre of attention.
As the song came to an end, the doorbell rang continuously. Kristin rang to open the door. Standing in front of her were an older couple, both with nervous faces.
“Our daughter Yasmin said she was here. Can we fetch her?” the man asked.
“She's right in the middle over there,” Kristin said, pointing over to Yasmin and Maya exchanging high fives with each other and the people who'd watched their dance. Yasmin realised their presence and ran up to them, dizzy with exhaustion and excitement.
Her parents hugged her when they saw her, though they gave some funny looks to the drunker partygoers. Yasmin on the other hand had a strange feeling in her stomach. She was happy to go back home, but at the same time she'd really started to enjoy the company of her new friends. Knowing that her parents wanted to get back as soon as possible, she cleared her throat.
“Can I at least gather their contact details, so that we can stay in touch?”
Her parents looked at each other, and then nodded their heads.
“And maybe then we'll be able to tell you when the next party happens!” Kristin grinned as Yasmin got a pen out of her bag for them to use.
Maya wrote down the contact details of herself and the others on a slip of paper and gave it to her. In return, Yasmin wrote down her own contact details and handed it over without hesitation. Her parents waited patiently as the two new friends hugged goodbye and then led Yasmin to their car, which was carefully parked next to the house.
As they prepared to drive home, Yasmin glanced at the slip of paper in her hands. She wondered what would have happened had she stayed for longer. Glimpsing out the window, she caught sight of Maya, smiling and waving to her from the front door. Yasmin smiled back. Soon, Maya was nothing but a blur as the car sped off into the night.
