Happy Everly After

Chapter 23

My eyes widened in shock as I saw them together. They were both fully dressed, except Owen was shirtless, he had his hands on her waist and moved her to the side as he realised, I had disturbed them. His expression was one of genuine shock while Cassie's was one of annoyance.

"Sorry", I managed to choke out before turning and slamming the door behind me.

I practically flew down the stairs, my heels clicking loudly against each step. Somehow, I managed not to trip and fall. But my emotions were a jumbled mess - hurt and anger mixed together with a dash of stupidity for feeling hurt in the first place. I knew they were seeing each other, so it shouldn't have come as a surprise that they were having sex. But seeing it first hand still cut deep. I needed a distraction.

In the kitchen, Charlotte sat on the counter with Isaiah, kissing him passionately. I quickly scanned the room and grabbed the nearest bottle of alcohol, deciding to leave them be for now. We would definitely be discussing how Owen and Cassie weren't supposed to be at this party later though. I unscrewed the cap and took a swig, grimacing at the burning sensation as it went down my throat.

Vodka. The devil's juice. It was my kryptonite.

I pushed through a slow-dancing couple who seemed to have picked the wrong song, and a group of guys forming a chaotic mosh pit. My eyes searched for Elliot. He blended into the corner of the room next to a showy over the top bookshelf. He waved me over excitedly and patted the seat next to him.

"I didn't think you were coming back" he said like a kid on Christmas.

"As promised", I replied between sips of vodka.

Surprisingly, I didn't gag this time; I was getting used to the taste.

"What's in that bottle?" he asked, eyeing it warily.

I thrust it at him. "Here, have some".

"I don't know", he said hesitantly, reading the label.

I rolled my eyes. "Elliot, if you want the full high school party experience, then you have to drink", my tone was harsher than intended.

He looked hurt but took a swig anyway. Immediately, he began coughing and retching. I felt guilty for pressuring him into drinking when he clearly didn't want to. All because Owen had put me in a bad mood. It wasn't fair.

"I'm sorry, Elliot", I gestured to the box of tissues next to him. "You don't have to drink if you don't want to".

"It's okay", he dabbed at his mouth.

But it wasn't okay. I had been trying so hard to leave my old self behind and become a better person. But in that moment, I couldn't help but wonder if I was just hiding the real me. Shaking off my self-pity, I turned my attention back to Elliot. I wanted him to have a good time despite how shitty I was feeling. The vodka had fully taken over my system as I suddenly sprang up from my seat and offered him my outstretched arm.

"Come dance with me!" I exclaimed, swaying and almost losing my balance.

He looked nervous and absentmindedly pushed his non-existent glasses up his nose.

"I don't dance, Everly...I mean, I can't really dance", he stammered.

"So what?" I whooped. "Just follow my lead". Taking one last gulp from the nearly empty bottle, I reached for his hand and pulled him to his feet. Above my head, I held his hand and led him towards the dancing crowd.

My head was spinning just as much as our bodies were. I held his hand and danced circles around him, while he awkwardly swayed to the beat of the music. This boy had no rhythm, but the look on his face told me he was having a good time. And in that moment, that was all that mattered.

I whirled around to face him as he stepped towards me, and our bodies collided in a tangle of limbs and laughter. we locked eyes, his sweet smile captivating me. In a moment of spontaneity, I pressed my lips to his. He instantly reciprocated. It wasn't earth-shattering in the slightest. Truth be told, he wasn't a very good kisser. His hands found their way to my hips and held on gently as we swayed to the music, the crowd parting to give us space as we locked lips again.

As we broke apart for a brief moment, I couldn't resist wiping away the smeared lipstick from our clumsy kissing. But something ignited within me as I looked into his eyes - perhaps it was the vodka coursing through my veins.

Without hesitation, I took his hand and led him towards what I hoped was an empty room. We stumbled upon a couple already engaged in some intense activities, but I paid them no mind as I continued my quest for seclusion. Finally, my memory (surprisingly intact despite being intoxicated) kicked in and I remembered Isaiah's house had a den.

We made our way through the office, our fingers intertwining in excitement until we reached the door. With a hopeful twist of the handle, it opened easily - luck was on our side tonight. Inside, we found a massive projector and seats that wrapped almost all the way around the room. We had managed to slip inside undetected.