We chatted easily as she directed me out of town. We headed down a country lane and I honestly had no idea where we were. I stopped outside a pair of huge wrought iron gates, this place was absolutely huge. It looked more like a hotel than a house.

“This is where the party is?” I asked, looking around in awe.

She nodded and pointed to an empty space on the left, “Space there,” she said smiling. I swung my truck in and tried not to show how embarrassed I was that my pile of crap truck was parked next to a brand new dodge. She didn’t seem embarrassed in the slightest as she climbed out and waited for me to walk round to her side.

“So, who’s house is this?” I asked, watching a couple of teenagers zooming around on quad bikes on the huge lawn. Shit that’s cool.

“The guy’s name is Sebastian. His parents have a lot of money, but they’re hardly ever here so he hosts the after game party almost every week.” She led us to the front door. I could hear the music banging inside already. “Um Jamie, as head cheerleader I’m expected to take part in the games.

Well actually, I’m expected to lead most of the games,” she said, looking at me almost apologetically.

“What sort of games?” I asked curiously.

She waved her hand dismissively, “Drinking games mostly,” she replied, turning her nose up. She obviously didn’t like doing it. This party was getting better and better by the minute and we weren’t even inside yet.

She didn’t knock on the door, just twisted the handle and let us in. Almost as soon as the door opened, a guy grabbed her hand, holding it in the air like a celebration pose. “Yay, Ellie’s here!” he chirped, looking excited. She laughed and shook her head, pulling her arm from his grasp and pushing him away from her a little.

“Go get me a drink, Travis, and no date rape drugs tonight, huh?” she said laughing.

“Aww, maybe just a little?” he teased, pouting at her.

“Fine, just a little.” She winked at him, grinning. He laughed and ran off through the crowd. She turned to me and smiled, “Come on stud, let’s get a drink.” She nodded through to another room.

“I thought that guy was getting you one,” I said, grinning and looking confused.

She laughed, “Yeah because I’m going to drink anything that guy gives me!” she said, shaking her head amused. I followed her through to a huge kitchen. People stopped talking when she walked in with me, looking a little shocked. Ok shit, I really should have dressed up. “Hey guys, this is Jamie.

Jamie my friends from school,” Ellie said, waving her hand round the room. Wow, I get an introduction, she really is something else.

Her blonde friend came over, smiling wickedly. “Hey, nice to finally meet you, I’ve heard A LOT about you,” she said, smirking at me.

I laughed and Ellie blushed as usual. “Nice to meet you too. You’re Stacey, right?” I asked grinning.

“Yeah, and just ignore these ass**les staring at you, people are just looking at you like that because Ellie used to date the school’s quarterback. They’re not used to seeing her with someone else,” she whispered, smiling reassuringly.

The guy that had grabbed her at the door came back in and handed Ellie a cup of something,

“Thanks, Trav,” she said, winking at him and raising the cup as thanks. Stacey glared at her as she took a mouthful of it. Travis grinned and turned to talk to his friends, I saw Ellie spit the drink back into the cup and I couldn’t help but laugh. She tipped the cup down the sink and grabbed a bottle of Smirnoff ice. “What do you want, Jamie?” she asked nodding into the fridge.

“I’ll just have a coke, thanks.”

She pulled out a can and handed it to me, before turning to the crowd again. “Right guys, where’s the fun tonight?” She asked the people all standing around doing nothing in the kitchen.

Some of the guys smiled their game smiles at her. She was definitely popular with the guys, not that I blame them because, damn, that girl is fine. The thing is, her personality is probably even better, if that‘s even possible.

“I thought you were the fun, Ellie,” a guy answered, raising his eyebrows at her flirtily.

She rolled her eyes and grabbed a stack of cups off of the side. “Someone get a ping pong ball,” she ordered.

I laughed and watched her setting up a game, filling the cups with vodka on the side. Then they all proceeded to play some sort of throwing game, trying to get the ball in an empty cup but all ending up downing cupful’s of neat vodka. I noticed Ellie started the game and had first go, but then stood back to let everyone else get trashed. Smart girl.

We left them playing that, “Come help me,” she said, pulling me over to the counter. “Can you carry this without hurting yourself?” she asked, pointing to a case of beers, eyeing me worriedly.

“Sure….” I said curiously. Why on earth would she want that?

“Chris, Spence, Rob, Travis, Sebastian and Charlie. Outside now!” she ordered, pointing to the door. They obediently headed out of the door, laughing. There was a lot of people all following too, obviously eager to watch what she had planned. “I’ll be done in a few minutes, then we can hang out, ok?” she asked, looking at me apologetically. I nodded, laughing, having no idea what this girl was doing.

I followed her outside. “Sit, boys!” she commanded, pointing to the plastic table and chairs. “Ok, here are the rules: whatever you open, you drink as fast as you can. Take it in turns. You open the can in your face, got it?” she asked, grabbing the cans and pulling them all out, putting them on the table. “Ok turn away, and no cheating,” she said laughing. When they turned around she grabbed four cans of beer and shook the hell out of them. I burst out laughing as she hid them back in amongst the others. “Ok, have fun.” She waved over her shoulder, pulling me back inside.