Same Time

six.

j a i m e e

+

The walls of the house are shaking as I enter the living room, keeping my head held high. I wasn't dressed for a party, that much was obvious, but Libbie begged me to at least show my face. A very distinct aroma of beer and perfume hits me and it makes me dizzy. The vibrations from the music makes the floor shake and I attempt to push myself through the array of sweaty bodies.

Two parties in the space of a few weeks- What an achievement.

Grabbing a drink from the kitchen, I sneak a quick glance around the house and notice Shayden sitting in the corner of the room, with a girl practically sitting on his lap. My stomach churns at the sight, jealousy igniting my stomach as I force my eyes to snap away from them.

"Are you alright?" Taylor appears out of nowhere and asks.

"Yeah, but I can't believe I let you shit-talk me into coming out. Again." I nod my head, focusing on him instead. "Where's Libbie?"

"Upstairs with some boy." He shrugs, lifting his cup and taking a sip. "I've not seen her in a while."

Warning bells go off in my head and I rush off without saying anything else, heading for the stairs. Once I'm upstairs, I start searching through each of the rooms.

All I can think is that I can't let it happen to her too.

I can't do it.

"Libbie?" I open the last door, seeing two bodies rush to get away from each other as I see my best friend try to cover herself. Turning my head so I don't seem weird, I just ask, "Is everything okay?"

"One sec, babe." She says flirtatiously to the boy whose face I didn't see, before wrapping herself in a bed sheet and coming to meet me at the door.

"Are you good?" I question instantly, lowering my voice. "No one knew where you were, I was worried."

"I'm fine. What? Did you think he was going to hurt me?" Libbie mocks, chuckling. "You know I'm not the sort of girl who would let someone do anything to me that I didn't want."

I recoil back as if she hit me, trying not to take offence to her words. As if it was that easy.

"I'll see you later." I reply quietly, flinching back as I hear another couple in the adjacent room. "Just stay safe, okay?"

"Yeah, whatever." She dismisses, "See you later, Jaimee."

A weird nostalgic feeling hit me, confused on how people could do this so naturally. My body no longer felt like my own, drifting and floating through the accumulation of bodies without even considering my surroundings.

"Hey."

I break out of my thoughts, eyebrows furrowing as I turn and see Shayden's friend that I met at the first party.

"Jaimee, right?" He clarifies. His arm is up as he holds the back of his neck, face awash with sheepishness as I acknowledge him.

"Yeah." I breathe out, nipping at my lip. My memory goes blank. "Troy?"

He barks out a laugh at that, relaxing us both. "Close- It's Tory. I thought I recognized you."

"Yeah, same. And sorry, I'm terrible with names." I apologize, shrugging nonchalantly.

"Don't worry about it, doll."

"You seem awfully out of place. Is everything okay?"

He seems shocked at my question, but answers all the same. "Shayden was supposed to be my designated driver but he's already drunk and I can't stay here sober."