An Invitation From Hell

Chapter One

“Gosh! I cannot believe I am having a tough time with this math class. I had this damn professor before; why I am not getting it? That is so freaking frustrating.” I looked up at Professor Docket, who was staring right at me. He said, “I am so disappointed in some of you who had my class before. I can’t believe that most of you flunked this test and it was the easiest one.” He paced angrily around the room, looking at each student as he walked by. I looked around, and I noticed that most of the student’s faces were gloomy.

I could not help but smile because I knew I wasn’t the only one feeling frustrated. As soon as I turned back around, I found Professor Docket standing right in front of me. “Am I amusing you, Ms. Porter,” he asked?

I immediately cleared my throat and said, “No, Sir!” He stood there staring down at me for a minute, making me uncomfortable, and I whispered, “Why don’t you go stand somewhere else?”

Finally, he moved away and stood by his desk and said, “I suggest that some of you go to the math lab and find a tutor fast.” Then, he started handing out the test scores. When he handed me my test, I saw fifty in red ink written on the top corner of my paper. “Damn it! I can’t afford to fail this stupid class. It’s my last semester to graduate,” I whispered in frustration. After seeing my grade, I didn’t even want to be in the class anymore. I tried to cover my grade with my hand, so the students next to me would not see it. After handing back the tests, Professor Docket started talking about the final exam. I was too angry to even listen to what he was saying.

Professor Docket saw that I wasn’t paying any attention and asked, “Ms. Porter, are you with us?”

“Yes, Sir,” I replied without enthusiasm.

“I need to see you after class,” he said. I nodded my head and looked him in the eyes, but my mind was wandering elsewhere. I stared at the clock, and the time looked like it was frozen. I couldn’t wait to get the hell out of that class. Professor Docket said, “I’m going to go over all of the questions you have gotten wrong because you might see them again in the next test. So, call out the number you want me to review.”

One at a time, the other students called out the questions they wanted an explanation. I needed him to go over everything on my test paper. Thank goodness the time started to move a bit faster as he went over the problems. Finally, it was one-thirty, and I was the first one out of the door. I completely forgot that professor Docket requested to see me. The minute I walked out of class, Anna came running screaming and said, “Oh my God! Oh, my God! Guess what?”

“What?” I replied.

“Michael just invited me to a party tonight. Can you believe it?”

“No way!” I answered sarcastically.

“You have to come with me.” She said.

“I have to come with you because…”

Then she gave me a puppy face look and said, “Because you are my only best friend.”

“Oh, best friend, huh? Well, let me remind you. Last time you took me to a party I woke up in front of Mrs. Ryan’s lawn without my shoes. Not only that, my purse got stolen, and someone charged $1100 to my card that I’m still paying for.”

“It’s not like you were the only one, Bree. Remember, I was on the lawn too. If you weren’t so mean to Jessica, she wouldn’t have spiked our drinks. Gee, I thought you were over that Bree.”

“I’m not over it. I can’t keep waking up on people’s lawns every time you take me to a party.”

“How many times do I have to say that I’m sorry, Bree? Girl, you have to learn to let things go. It’s not healthy, you know?”

“Oh, so waking up drunk on people’s lawns is healthy?”

“Listen, I’m not trying to destroy your reputation, okay? It’s just that I like Michael and I think it’s a great opportunity for me to get closer to him,” She said, making a sad face like a damn kid. I stopped and said, “Please, you need to stop making that ugly face.”

“Okay, Michael asked me to come with him to this dinner party and wants me to bring some friends.”

“Why do you even like him? I told you there’s something creepy about him. I don’t trust him.” I turned around and began to walk away from her.

“Come on, please. Don’t make me beg,” Anna said with a puppy face look. “I wouldn’t ask you if it wasn’t important to me.”

I stopped walking and said, “You don’t have to follow that creepy guy wherever he goes for him to like you. I don’t even like him for you.”

“Bree, I’m not asking you to like him. All I need is your support, okay?”

I took a deep breath and said, “Listen, I’m having a bad day, and I’m not in a mood to party.”

“Come on, Bree. Will you come if Jacob’s going to be there?” Anna said with a big grin on her face.

“Okay, what about Jacob? The guy doesn’t even know I exist.” I started to walk away, and the girl refused to leave me alone. Suddenly, Anna jumped and stood in front of me, startling me and said, “That’s not what I heard.” I rolled my eyes in frustration, looking at her. For crying out loud, why won’t she quit already? I have better things to do. Why won’t she go away? This girl is like a fungus. Doesn’t she have other friends to harass? She’s like the annoying donkey in Shrek. I faked a smile and said, “And your point is, Anna?”

“Come on, please. Don’t make me beg,” Anna said with her bottom lip sticking out.

“All right, if I  go with you, I’m not staying past midnight.”

“It’s a date. Be ready by 9:30.”

“Wait, why so late? What time is that dinner party?”

“Bree, it’s Friday, and it’s not like you’re going anywhere tomorrow morning.”

“And how do you know that?”

“Our dorm rooms are in the same hallway, Bree, remember. Girl, you need to live a little, hello?”

“Well, just because I don’t want to be at your dumb party doesn’t mean I’m not living my life.”

“Come on, Bree, will you please?” I took a deep breath and rolled my eyes. I felt something grabbing my leg, and when I looked down, I saw Anna on her knees with one arm around my legs saying, “Please, come with me!”

“Get off your knees and quit embarrassing yourself. I’ll go with you already.” She stood up, hugged me, and said, “Thank you! I promise you won’t regret it.”

“Okay, can you let me go now?”

Then she let go and said, “I know for sure that Jacob is going to check you out.  Make sure to be ready later.” “Whoop-tee-doo,” I replied, then walked away.