.

"Please come get me," Maddy slurs on the other end of the line then is cut off by the sound of another person's laugher. Obviously male laughter. And, of course, I'm going to get her.

My eighteen-year-old sister partied hard. Harder than any 18-year-old should ever party.

I wish I could say that this was the first time she has called me trashed from some random field in the middle of nowhere but I am not a liar.

"Do you know where you are?" I ask slowly. I'm basically speaking to a toddler, which I'm used to since my toddler is sleeping nicely in her crib.

"Uhm, I'm at that same field as last time. The one with the trees that look like a U."

"What the hell are you talking about?" I ask. I've been to many field parties and have never encountered U-shaped trees, hell, I've never seen a tree shaped like that ever.

"Where are we?" She whispers to someone. I don't hear the answer.

"Okay it's, like, behind the high school. You'll smell the bonfire."

"You better be right at the edge of the field, Maddy. Okay?"

"Yeah, Sure."

"Maddy I'm serious. I have to wake up Peyton and I don't want to take her outside."

"Got it, Finn. Seriously," She says laughing.

Peyton barely stirs as I lift her tiny body from her crib and put her in her carseat. She hates the car more than anything in the world, so if I can do this quickly and efficiently I might be able to make it to Maddy without any tears.

I head right over to the high school and drive around the building towards the back to where the field begins. Maddy, of course, is no where to be seen. I expected this. She always does this.

I call her phone four times with no response. Maddy is the most immature and selfish that has ever walked this freaking Earth, I swear. I'm muttering that as I unbuckle Peyton and gently lift her. She stirs only a bit and then places her head on my shoulder with a sigh.

I pray to anyone that is listening that Peyton not turn out like Maddy. I will do everything in my power to make sure that doesn't happen.

I'm watching every step I take to make sure I don't fall over twigs or beer bottles while holding onto Peyton. She doesn't stay sleeping long because the most typical high school field party is taking place right before my very eyes.

There are probably fifty teenagers dancing, singing, and screaming around a humongous bonfire. The girls are in tint shorts with guy's hands making homes in their back pockets.

Drunk teenagers, alcohol, and fire just shouldn't mix, but for some reason it always seems to.

Peyton is taking in the scene with her sleepy blue eyes, I can feel her heart beating in her tiny chest. She probably thinks she's having some sort of nightmare.

"Have you seen Maddy Sullivan?" I ask the guy nearest the keg. For some reason I always assume the guy near the keg is in charge.

"Nah, haven't seen her for a few hours. She isn't the beer type." He chuckles and winks. If I wasn't holding Peyton I would have probably punched him in the face. "Ask West. She always knows."

"Who's West?" I ask getting visibly angry at the thought of some random guy always knowing my sister's whereabouts.

"Over there in the chair," Keg Guy says nodding towards the circle of chairs near the bonfire. West is a girl.

"Hi," I say awkwardly and the girl looks up. She has brown spiral curls that fall way past her shoulders. Her eyes are green in the lighting from the fire and her legs are long in the shorts she's wearing. She isn't interacting with anyone. No one is even standing within a few feet of her.

"Hey," She says then looks back down at her phone that isn't even turned on.

"Do you know where Maddy Sullivan is? I'm her brother."

She looks up at me with wide eyes, "Finn?" She asks.

"Yes," I say, "Do you know where she is? She was supposed to meet me by the edge of the field. But--"

"But it's Maddy," West finishes.

"Yeah."

"I'll go get her. I think she's by the clearing further out..." West's voice sort of trails off and I know that the clearing must not mean anything good.

"Do I want to know?" I ask.

"No," She says.

West walks away and I watch until I can't see her anymore. She is beautiful and I can tell she is hurting. No one comes to a party to sit by themselves. Except for me, I guess before all of the responsibilities fell on my shoulders. Back when I only had to take care of myself not Maddy and Peyton too.

I sit down on one of the chairs as Peyton continues to look around taking in everything.

"Why would you bring P to a party?" Maddy says hysterical laughing. "My brother brought a baby to a party."

"I told you on the phone I didn't want to bring the baby into the party. I wanted you to meet me at the edge of the field. Remember?" I ask now noticing the way her clothes are completely twisted.

"This is my brother Finn. He is absolutely no fun. And Finn this is my best friend, Westlyn, who is fun only sometimes," She's laughing.

"Let's go," I say to Maddy then, "thanks for finding her," to West.

"No problem," West says.

I look back and notice that she is still watching us as we leave.