Weekly Drabble #275: Celebrate the Times (Patreon)

This week's prompt comes from N3R0 'last party with friends', so in keeping with that theme, we have wholesome block party and its hostess. Enjoy!

~

Celebrate the Times:

Everyone was partying like it was their last night on Earth. Mina was throwing at party at her parent’s place. They weren’t around, so she’d invited all her friends. Some of them had invited their friends and they’d invited their friends and so on... at any other time, Mina would have been throwing every party crasher out personally, if for no other reason than what her parents would do to her if they came back home to a home like this.

Well, she wasn’t worried about what they thought any more so why not cut loose for once? Mina slid through the crowd; a good number of students from university were here, but there were a lot of townies too. There were even some of her neighbours. The party had drawn in a lot of people.

Those that she recognized, she stopped to say hi to, or if she only knew them in passing, she gave them a nod and continued on her way. The back lawn throbbed to the sound of music. Before the party, Mina and a couple of her friends had put a canvas up across the backyard yard as a tent canopy, dangling Christmas lights from it and wrapping them around the poles that held the canopy up, creating a dance floor. DJ Master Jay Gee was actually here playing the tunes. He was a big name and Mina had never imagined that she could get him for something like a mere neighbourhood bash, but one of her friend’s friends had known someone who knew Jay Gee and the DJ had decided to set up here. ‘It’s as good a place as any to hang out,’ he’d said as he’d set up his gear. ‘So why not party here?’

He had one hand on his board, the other around Erica’s waist. Mina’s friend saw her and waved, a huge smile on her face. Mina gave her a thumb’s up. Erica had always wanted to bag the DJ. Last night she’d gotten her wish and now she was hanging out with him, probably until the end of the party.

Inside, it was a bit quieter. The furniture in the living had been shoved up against the walls or carried outside. The scratch marks on the expensive hardwood flooring would have gotten Mina grounded forever, but since her parents had left, she didn’t have to worry about what they’d think. A bluetooth speaker had been set up, with softer, slower music playing here, couples holding each other and swaying in time to the melody. There were a few older people here; Mr and Mrs al-Hamadi were in the middle of the floor, while Jeanine Garlen was cuddled up beside her husband on the couch, both of them enjoying the atmosphere.

On the other side of the house, Mr. Cutsworth, a man who’d always seemed to be wearing a scowl whenever he’d seen Mina running around and snapping comments about those ‘damn Orientals’ was now holding court with a bunch of young black men, telling them about his experiences fighting in Korea and what it had meant for him. For their part, his audience were hanging on his every word, boys and young men who’d thought themselves tough hearing what the once cantankerous old man had gone through.

In the study, a pair of cops were leaning over Amy, who was twirling a lock of hair and biting her lip. A few months ago after one too many shots, Amy had confided that one of her fantasies involved handcuffs, several police officers and creative use of a nightstick. It looked like she was well on her way to crossing that off her list and she subtly waved Mina off. Mina nodded at the officers. They’d been called in for a noise complaint, but decided to hang out here instead. She couldn’t blame them. In fact, she was amazed they’d been on duty. Maybe they’d been holding down the fort until they’d finally said ‘fuck it’.

Mina checked on her other friends, at least the ones who could come. Some were spending the weekend with their families, others had left before the party. Most of those who’d come were having a good time. She spent a few minutes talking with Petra, who was sitting in a quiet corner with her big dog, Max. Max was laying across her legs, whuffling softly. She’d had him since he was a puppy, and he had cancer now. She’d been planning to have him put down before it got worse.

The hostess gave Max a scratch behind his ears and Petra a hug. She sent a few texts to her other friends, left some messages. A few left her on read, others just had ‘message sent’ below the texts. Callie spent a few minutes on the phone with Mina, saying she was sorry she couldn’t come and she hoped the party was phone. She was leaving, she said. She just wanted to call and let Mina know, so she wouldn’t worry.

A few more people drifted into the party, as others drifted away. Some brought in food and drink to keep the party going, but things were probably going to be winding down over the next little bit. Mina circulated around, smiling and talking. She was glad so many people were enjoying themselves, but she’d hoped... well. Everyone else had fun. That’s what should matter.

Then, like a miracle, a familiar blue sedan screeched into the driveway. Mina saw it coming and raced to the front door before the driver had a chance to ring the bell, throwing herself into Jason’s arms. She didn’t waste a second and held him tight, kissing him. They’d been chasing each other for years, but things had never worked out long enough for them to get together. She’d wanted to see him more than anyone else and when she’d heard that he and his family were heading out of town and he couldn’t be there, her heart had broken.

“You made it,” she breathed when she finally let go. “I was worried... I thought you couldn’t come. Your parents...”

“They left,” he told her.

“Oh. I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right,” he smiled. The expression was hurt and sad and longing and happy all at once. He brushed some of Mina’s hair back behind her ear. “I said goodbye. After...” he stuttered, then stopped. “I wanted to see you.”

She smiled, taking his hand and leading him into the house behind her.

They raved outside, bouncing and grinding against each other as DJ Master Jay Gee lay down beats with Erica pressed up against him. They slow-danced in the living room next to the older couples, and headed upstairs after, a giggling, handcuffed Amy getting marched up behind them alongside the police officers. One of them genteelly stepped in front of her to open the door to the guest room. As she stepped inside, she tossed a wink over her shoulder at Mina and mouthed the words go get ‘im.

Mina lead Jacob into her room. Unlike the guest rooms and master bedroom, this had been untouched by other amorous party-goers. The young woman had kept it locked in hopes of this moment happening. Jason leaned over her, pressing his lips to hers and then they melted into each other’s arms. In the few hours they had, they had a lifetime.

In the afterglow, Jason was sitting on the edge of the bed, Mina laying on her side next to him. He smiled, kissed her, holding her hand. “I wish we could stay like this,” she told him. “We could, you know. We don’t have to go back out there with everyone else.”

“I know. I want to see, though.” He paused. “Will you come with me?”

She cuffed him. “You’re going to ask that now?”

He smiled apologetically. “Let’s go outside.” He led her by the hand out onto the front lawn. The sunset sky, the last one anyone on Earth would see, was glowing orange. Even through the smoke rising from the burning city, they could see the meteor without a telescope. Twice the size of the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs, the news said.

A few of the neighbours were out watching too. Most were hidden in basements and evac centers like that would matter. Some of the party-goers were assembled on the lawn, sitting on chairs and couches that had been hauled out of the house, drinking and laughing away their last few minutes, with any and all rivalries and enmities forgotten.

Taking an empty spot, Jason put his arm around Mina as she curled up against him. They looked up at the sky and waited.