Unraveling Sarah Cresley

"What would you rather do on a Friday night, watch Texas Chainsaw Massacre for the zillionth time or go to a party where Sarah Cresley will be present?" No contest.

"Party. If I go to this, do I have to talk to Sarah?" Ariella was one of the few people who knew about my crush.

"Um, yeah! It's been way too long." The last time I actually spoke to Sarah was when I said "pardon me" when I accidentally bumped into her. If I went to this, Ariella would for sure "make" me talk to Sarah. She thought my crush was the best thing ever, besides her own relationship. She was also one of the few people who actually knew about it.

~~~~~~~~~

The party was in full swing when I arrived. I recognized Death Cab for Cutie blaring from the speakers. Michael Nales was playing beer pong with Shelbi Vega and the rest of the cheerleading squad, some of them Sarah's friends, including Jordan and Scarlett Hart, the two most popular girls, and fraternal twins at that.

Jordan has dark blond hair and green eyes, and Scarlett has black hair and black eyes. Rumored to be witches, they think they're queens, especially Scarlett. Scarlett was also Sarah's best friend. There was also Mia Rayport, who has blond hair and blue eyes, Rachel Griffin, a redheaded, brown-eyed beauty, Angela Montgomery, black-haired and brown-eyed, and Sara "Honey" Blynn, blond-haired and amber-eyed. They may call themselves queens (except for my Sarah), but everyone else simply calls them the Beautifuls.

I thought it was stupid. Not to label them a clique, but to give them a name. Sarah thought it was stupid too, or so I'd heard. She considered them good friends, and that was that.

Anyway, Ariella went to look for her boyfriend, Damon Sage. He was mostly into cars, leather jackets, cigarettes, and Ariella. And getting drunk and/or high on occasion. I thought he was pretty plain and not very dynamic, but Ariella was head over heels for him.

I headed to the kitchen, where Sarah sometimes stayed at these. She wasn't there. I searched all around for her. I moved past people who were chatting, eating, drinking, smoking. Sarah was not among them. My mind was completely focused on Sarah now. I started to lose hope, when I heard crying coming from the bathroom. I opened the door, only to see my Sarah bundled in a ball and sobbing.

I closed the door behind me. "Sarah, what's wrong?"

I noticed that she had curled her hair even tighter and wore tight leather pants and a crop top, her feet adorned with black leather boots.

"Sarah?" I sat beside her, ignoring the butterfly battlefield in my stomach. She only cried harder, smearing her makeup even more. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to-"

"I was raped!" she cried. I sat there frozen in shock. She looked up at me for the first time. She had black makeup trails down her face.

"S-Sarah..." My mind raced, trying to pinpoint faces among her male friends. Then anger bloomed in my chest. "Who?"

"This group of girls, they...they started beating me. And he...I thought he liked me."

"Who?"

"Michael Nales."

"Sarah...I'm so sorry." I wrapped an arm around her, inhaling her warm Spanish amber and rose and gardenia scent. She buried her head in my chest and sobbed. For a moment, I pretended she was my girlfriend.

Reese, you are a heartless imbecile. She's hurt, and you're only thinking of yourself. Still...do you love me like I love you?

"I can get my friend to take you to the hospital," I said.