The Lifeboat Clique Read Online Free PDF

the party but not of the party. Allowed to stay but completely unwelcome.
    â€œThis is the best party ever,” Sonny Boy said sarcastically in my ear. “Well done, loser.”
    I left the kitchen and wandered through the living room, which was furnished tastelessly—lots of fake gold inlay and faux French art. The beer bottles strewn everywhere and people making out on the couch could only have added to such tacky decor. I decided that since Croix wasn’t here and no one else seemed interested in talking to me, I’d give myself a lonely little tour of the house, maybe read some books from the bookshelf, and stare out the window and pretend I was a friendless, invisible old lady just waiting to kick the bucket, like I would be in about sixty years.
    I wandered down the dark hallway. The walls werelined with paintings of people from another century. They looked rich and pissed off, like they had somehow anticipated this night while sitting for their portraits. The hallway still had a new-house smell, and I wondered if anyone had ever lived here.
    I found a bathroom and went inside. It had two vanity sinks and was bigger than my entire bedroom. A cocker spaniel could have done laps in the Jacuzzi tub. The track lighting and fixtures were tasteful, and the marble floor had subtle flecks of silver. It was surprising to find such a stylish bathroom in such a tacky house, but the trusty purple shag bath mat was there as a reminder that the exception proved the rule.
    I sat down cross-legged on the bath mat and closed my eyes. This wasn’t so bad. You don’t necessarily have to be with other people to have fun at a party. The bathroom had a pleasant, just-cleaned smell even after all these months. It was sad, in a way. This house, for all its splendor, had a lonely, hopeful vibe to it. Just wanting to be wanted.
    I was meditating on this when someone pounded on the door. The doorknob turned and then jiggled.
    â€œHey!” a muffled voice called. “Let us in! Emergency!”
    I jumped up and unlocked the door. It burst open, and in came Sienna, supporting a very wasted Madison Cutler,whom I hadn’t seen yet, possibly because she was off somewhere getting drunk enough to look like she did now, which was a hot mess.
    â€œGet out of the way!” Sienna ordered, and I stood aside but didn’t leave, because I had nothing else to do while I waited for Croix to appear, and watching a drunk bitch taking care of a drunker bitch was better than the mother-gorilla-and-her-young videos on the Discovery Channel.
    â€œHey!” Madison mumbled, smiling at me, and I realized she had reached the point of drunkenness where snob functions begin to shut down. Possibly twice the legal limit, I estimated. “How’s it going, Phoenix?”
    â€œDenver,” I said.
    Madison’s eyes went big and her hand flew to her mouth, and Sienna hustled her over to the toilet, where Madison collapsed and began heaving her guts out as her friend held back her hair.
    â€œNice,” I said before I could stop myself.
    Sienna’s head snapped back. “What do you mean, nice? She’s very sick.”
    â€œI think you mean, drunk.”
    â€œAt least she was invited to this party. At least she wasn’t pathetic enough to come uninvited.”
    â€œYes, her dignity is an inspiration to us all.”
    Madison heaved again, and Sienna shouted, “Get outof here!” Her eyes were on fire, and her teeth were bared, so I supposed our conversation was over and it was time to move on. Just before I shut the door behind me, Madison’s hand came up and grabbed Sienna’s ponytail, perhaps mistaking it for the toilet handle, and yanked it down hard, and I was given the pleasure of seeing Sienna’s wild-eyed silent scream.
    I decided that moment was worth the whole party and wondered if I should just leave. It hadn’t been a terrible party, by pariah standards, and maybe I