After Elliot

24: Amnesia

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"Chug, chug, chug, chug!" The crowds' voices ring in my ears as I take part in the drinking competition. I've lost track of how many parties I've been to in the past few months, I'm sure I can't remember when I tucked Liam in. It wouldn't matter if I did anyway. We've been avoiding each other.

I slam the cup down on the table- first place. The crowd cheers and I throw my hands up. Oh yeah, I'm going to have a pretty great buzz tonight. "Ok, ok, that's enough," Haden appears from within the belly of the crowd and grabs my arm. "Let's go," He pulls my cheering form away from the mass of people, but I don't have the idea to resist him- yet. As soon as we break free of all the sweaty and drunken teens, my mind clears, somewhat, and I rip my arm away from him.

"What do you want?" My voice wavers, but I quickly straighten it out. He can't know I'm drunk. Ross suddenly appears out of nowhere, and Sean follows. "We're taking you home, Ana. You've had enough." He comes for me once more, but I jump out of his reach. "I don't want to. I'm staying," I state, with power, as I place my hands on my hips. "We don't have time for this, Ana-" Ross begins, but I cut him off, "You can't make me."

They all exchange looks, and Sean comments, "We've been told to use force if required," and takes a step towards me. I back up, again, in reply. "Tell Liam if he wants me to leave this party, then he's going to have to come and get me!" I almost yell, then stomp off towards the kitchen to down some more alcohol. I'm so not drunk enough for this.

"If it's Liam you want, it's Liam you'll get," I hear Ross's voice very close behind me, and I spin around. I find no one there and shrug. Must just be my influenced mind. I down the contents of another red plastic cup, then slam it back to the table for a refill. The guy behind the keg smiles, and happily obliges. Before I know it, I've lost track of alcohol consumption, I'm dancing like a wild woman, most likely grinding on every guy at the party.

I'm not a slut. It may seem like I am, but even after all this time, I can still feel Liam with me- and I don't want that. I want to feel someone else. I don't want to feel guilty when I dance with other guys, or flirt with them. I guess since we never officially broke it off, I can't move on.

Or maybe it's because you still have feelings for him, you idiot!

I shove away my own self conscious and push myself harder into the guy dancing behind me. He seems to notice my actions, and smiles against my neck. Score one for Gates. "Do you want to get out of here?" He questions, a sheen of sweat covering both of us due to all of the dancing we've been doing. I stiffen at that voice and realize who I'm dancing with. I spin around, and tousled blond flashes a grin at me. I shove him away, then cross my arms over my chest.

"What are you doing here, Jameson?" Anger seethes through my voice, and I clench my fists. He merely giggles, then steps towards me again, "I'm 'taking you home,'" He sniggers at his joke, and I slightly stumble to the side as I prepare to run away from him. "Ah, ah, ah, Ana. You're too drunk to try anything," He warns, but I stumble back again. "Get away from me," The slurring to my letters are undeniable.

He creases his forehead and pouts out his lips, "Now, now, don't be a mean drunk." "I thought it was 'If it's Liam I want, it's Liam I'll get,'" I air quote, or at least I think I do, around the statement Ross whispered to me. He shrugs, "Well, I'm his advocate," then grips my upper arm and begins to pull me along. "I'll scream," I claim, holding up my finger at him as if it will stop him.

"Sweetheart," He emphasizes, grabbing my finger and pulling me to him, "everyone here knows me. They know who you are. They know that all I'm doing is taking you home. So go ahead, scream all you want, because it's really not going to matter." He's in my face, a taunting smirk plastering itself across his face. "Fine," I shrug, then begin to erratically shriek my lungs out.