Giggles and crunches from food swirled in my ears and my body threatened me again. It would either be vomiting or passing out. Kelly gripped my hand tighter because she heard it all too. Everyone here knew something in one way or another. I was horribly out of the loop and wondered what my mother knew–or thought–of this life that she failed to at least warn me about. She must have had a lot of trust in me before she died. Hope you still have it up there, mom, because I have no idea what I’m doing.

Money talks and dead men don’t played in a loop in my head.

Adrenaline had been pumping through my veins since I stepped foot into the frat party and it showed no signs of slowing down–I needed food. The table in front of me boasted a lot of carbs, and I had a feeling I burned through whatever energy I had left. I nabbed a bunch of snacks.

I kept my voice low. “You heard the same things, right?”

She nodded, eyes peeled on the crowd. Her arms were comfortably crossed over her stomach as she surveyed. “Mhm. Keep your toes out of the water–piranhas everywhere.”

Understanding started coming to me. If I wanted to even stay above water I would have to take her advice in unconventional ways. Last semester, she encouraged me to branch out and I knew this wasn’t what she meant by that, but I needed to take the advice regardless. “I need to start swimming with them.”

She raised an eyebrow. “What are you thinking?”

“The things I heard–I need to know what’s going on. I’m tired of feeling like a child.”

The crowd was still laughing and cheering over a dead potential whistleblower's kid. Whatever food I managed to eat threatened me with resurfacing. We pretended to mingle while keeping our eyes and ears open to where certain people with specific colors of wristbands started to migrate. They looked to be heading to a door in the back guarded by two large, imposing men. Guards. Someone approached them and showed them their wristband to be let in.

I had the most prestigious one. Purple.

I bet I could get in.

“More exclusive area?” she whispered.

“Where we find secrets,” I replied.

We beelined it for the door and were let in with no hassle. Purple wristband.

The atmosphere inside was alien to what the party was. The noise was almost nonexistent–like the walls were designed for it. No flashy lights or loud music. Just clusters of people engaged in hushed conversation and a woman on a harp in the corner.

She looked like a prisoner over there.

I looked around and I saw secrets, business, and lies in the mouths of everyone.

More snippets of conversations wafted by as we waded through the tables and over to the bar.

“...he’s worried about shipments...”