All American: Winter Break

Chapter Seven: Jealousy, Jealousy

The party was in full swing, while the house had been packed filled to the brim. A sea of familiar and unfamiliar faces crowded every inch of the home. Bumping shoulder to shoulder colliding against one another to squeeze through. Although the temperature outside had been in the upper 50's, inside had felt quite the opposite. A sauna that was heating up, and with every minute that passed, it had only gotten worse. A humid and sticky residue lingered in the air, while the sweat and alcohol droplets fell to the floor. Leaving an intoxicating smell from the liquor that seeped from the wooden floorboards below.

The crowd had gotten rowdier by the minute, as the alcohol, was being consumed at a rapid pace. Leaving tension to fill the air, and a few close calls in fights breaking out in the midst of it. It only ever escalated to a few pushes and shoves but before someone could throw a punch the situation was stopped immediately. It was to be expected since JJ had invited all of Los Angeles to the party. With unlimited amounts of alcohol at their disposal, and their egos bruised, it was bound that there would be built-up tension.

A group of boys shouting off into the distance took her out of the bubble she'd been in, tapping her fingernails against the marble island to calm her nerves. With the other, she held a beverage that had been mixed with different liquors. Pungent to the taste but it was the only way she could think of at that moment to relax. The heaviness she'd felt in her shoulders hadn't helped and everywhere she turned she would scan the room until she fell on a familiar set of eyes.

Layla gripped her cup tighter taking a sip of her drink watching Olivia through the dense sea of people that stood in between them, dancing with Kia and having a good time. Layla let out a long and exhausted sigh, clenching her jaw tightly she looked down to the island trying to think of anything else. It had been a couple of weeks since their falling out and it seemed as if she couldn't escape a night away without seeing Olivia. Even as much as she tried to not look for her at school, or at the party, her eyes seemed to almost always immediately land on them.

Her heart had still felt heavy from their last encounter but it didn't help to see that Olivia had been thriving without her. Happier, even which stung Layla more to think about. And as much as she wanted to look away from Olivia, she couldn't, causing the ache in her heart to become more prominent. Pushing her lips together to form a thin line, she was taken out of her thoughts the second a refrigerator door slammed. Turning to meet Jordan's eyes who made his way over to her. Cracking open his water bottle, he took a sip. His smile faded noticing the tense look in her expression.

"Hey Layla, you okay?". "I'm fine," she softly spoke. Looking up to meet his eyes, he could feel the weight in her gaze. Smacking his lips together he lowered his head, knowing there'd been more to the story.

The conversation fell short when he watched her eyes turn towards the dance floor where Kia, Simone, and Olivia had been dancing. Layla crossed her arms letting out a sigh before turning her attention to the almost empty cup in her hands. Jordan looked back to Layla who swirled her drink, before taking a sip.

"Are you?" Jordan asked. A simple question that she would usually brush over and force a smile to hide the pain she'd felt now carried weight to it. Even as much as she tried to hide her feelings, it was shown on her face as clear as day. She didn't know if it was a mixture of being lonely or the alcohol in her system. But without even thinking, she shook her head. Closing one eye she scrunched her face as if she'd been in physical pain.

"No...but I don't want to put you in the middle of it. I'm sure you have enough problems of your own. I'll be fine, Jordan go be with Simone. You should have fun tonight and not be worried about me,". Jordan placed the water bottle down, crossing his arms, he turned his back against the party, leaning against the island giving her his full attention. Layla turned to the side, with one arm on the island to support her weight.