A Twisted Love

Chapter One

It was Isabella's New Year's party. She was sitting in the kitchen, sipping whatever stupid thing she could get her hands on. It was a green drink, with fizzy bubbles in it. Robin quickly set it down once the fizz hit her nose.

Most of the people there were there for the party, she was there because of the people. Though she'd never say it, she was a people watcher. Not in the sit outside on the bench way, but in a curious way. She dreamed of being a psychologist, attending an awesome college, and having a great life. She had just applied to her dream school the night before and hoped to celebrate tonight. Shake off some nerves. She was wearing her cousin's silver dress, with a metallic-looking fringe. It was gorgeous, but certainly not her style.

Unfortunately, she had not anticipated just how many people would be at this party. Her cousin, Isabella, had invited the whole senior class for the ball drop, and she assumed not everyone would show.

So, she sat on the counter, still shocked everyone came.

"You look like a damn disco ball." A voice commented.

She looked up and her mouth went flat. The boy wasn't anything special. He was wearing a flannel, red and brown, with jeans. "At least I dressed for the occasion, instead of wearing my grandpa's closet."

He laughed and shoved his hands into his pockets. "I'm Scott."

Robin stared blankly, wishing nothing more than to go to bed. "I'm Robin."

"Neat." He was still looking at her.

After a few moments, Robin sat up a bit straighter. "Do you need something?"

"Can I not be friendly?" Scott looked confused, but surely, he knew what he was doing. Robin looked at him, perplexed. "Or should I go to be friendly somewhere else?"

"Do you go to our school?" Robin was trying to place the face, and yet no one came to mind.

"Is this a school thing?" Scott looked around. "I didn't know that. I came with my friend Linc. He told me that this was an open-door party." He gestured over to his friend, a boy whom Robin recognized quickly as Lincoln Mayer.

"Well, it's not really a school thing. It's just, Isa only invited the senior class from our school," Robin stammered. "But yeah, you're fine to be here."

"Then what's the issue?" Scott stepped closer to her.

"Nothing, I just was trying to figure out if you're a stranger or if I've had too much to drink." She scooted back a bit.

"Well, you can take another drink then, because I'm a stranger," he laughed.

He took one more step towards her, placing a hand on the counter beside her thigh. She scooted back again, this time too far. She heard her head hitting the linoleum floor before she felt it. The pain spread like water running over a web.

"Oh God, are you okay?" Scott stepped around the counter and lifted her up. "Changed my mind, you've had too much to drink."

"I'm fine," she grumbled, massaging the back of her head. "I just need to go to bed."

"Okay cool. Let's get you home." Scott smiled down at her. "I can take you; I haven't had really anything to drink."

"Don't worry, I am fully capable of getting there myself," she said as she began up the stairs. "Enjoy the party."

"Wait, is this your house?" Scott began to follow her up the steps.

"No, it's my aunt's house." Robin wasn't feeling terribly conversational. She was tired and in pain and tipsy. Her head hurt, her chest hurt, her everything hurt. "I'm just going to sleep in her guest room tonight."

Robin didn't register the noise coming from within the room until she opened the door to find two flustered teens on the rug. "Out of my room!" she shrieked.

The two teenagers rushed to clothe themselves and dove out the door within thirty seconds. Robin stumbled into the room and flopped onto the bed. The room was spinning in all sorts of ways. She heard herself snoring and felt the blankets being arranged around her before she fell asleep.

Someone was shaking her; a hand gripped her shoulder. "What?" she grumbled. There was a damp spot on her pillow where her mouth had been. Embarrassed, Robin flipped the pillow over, smoothing out the floral pillowcase.

"The ball drop is in 3 minutes, I figured you'd want to see it," Scott sat next to her. He had bottled water in one hand, and the other was still on her shoulder. "I brought you water."

"I see that," Robin muttered, reaching for it. "Wait." She inspected the water, slowly unscrewing the lid. "Okay."

"What?" Scott took his hand back and watched her awkwardly. "Is there something wrong with it?"

"I just had to make sure it was a new bottle. Not that I'm assuming you'd drug me-"

"Drug you?" He sat up straight. "Why would I drug you?"

"I'm not saying you would. I'm just wary of drinks at parties," she replied quickly. "It's fine though." There was an awkward pause before she looked at him and smiled. "Thanks for waking me up for the ball drop. How long did I sleep?"

"You slept through most of the party. Most of the people left already for some guy names Isaac's party." Scott was sitting crisscrossed on her bed, in his green flannel and blue jeans.

Robin's heart sank. She knew how important this party had been to Isabella. Launching herself from the bed, Robin practically flew down the hallway and down the stairs. Scott was running behind her.

"Isa?" Robin called, looking around.

"2 minutes." Scott was looking down at his watch. "Do you want to kiss at midnight?"

"What? I don't even know you," Robin stuttered.

Scott kept looking at her. "Is that a no?"

Robin stared for a moment. "How much longer?"

"One minute," he replied, not looking down.

She looked around the now-empty living room. There were discarded cups on the floor beside them. She looked like an abandoned disco ball at the party everyone fled from.

"Thirty seconds," Scott reminded her.

"Okay, but only because I'm superstitious." Robin pointed a finger at him. "Nothing weird right?"

"Just a kiss, Robin," Scott smiled.

There were fireworks outside as the two leaned together, meeting in what could only be described as a junction between superstitious and awkward.

When the two pulled apart, they stared at one another for a moment before Robin turned to resume her search for Isabella.