Tale as Old as Time

4. ever a surprise

Never in a million years did I think my first party back in New York would be at Nicholas Williams's house. But there I was, standing outside the gates of his mansion in the little black dress I had bought earlier that day with Sage and wearing my favorite black Louboutin's. The Williams's house looked just like the ones next to it, only times five hundred. It was just as big as I remembered it. Maybe even bigger. Is that possible?

I started to get nervous. Sage was the only person I really knew that was going to this party. I obviously knew Nicholas, but what help was that really going to be? It was times like this that I really hoped Ben would hurry up and get here already.

But Sage had managed to drag me this far and she wasn't going to give up anytime soon. She gave me a little push and an encouraging smile as I started walking towards the entrance with her following closely behind.

When I walked through the double doors and into the snowy white foyer, I was instantly met with loud music and teenagers dancing on one side and a ton of drunk ones sitting by the Williams's large bar on the other.

"At least Nicholas knows how to throw parties," I observed out loud to Sage.

"Are you kidding? Nicholas is like the king of party throwing," Sage practically had to yell back to get her voice to carry over the loud music.

The insanity that was this party was exactly what I needed to get my mind off of the big move. Something about it made me slightly nervous though. Back in Richmond, people looked out for themselves and only themselves. While it normally didn't bother me, when it came to parties, no one was safe. Eventually, after certain tabloids caught wind of an over the top, end of the year party, almost everyone was threatened with expulsion at my old school. The administration cracked down on rules for parties. In school suspension at best, instant expulsion at worst.

In those moments, I was never happier that my father was loaded. Sizable donations. That was the only thing that kept me going to school with my friends. But as long as the rules aren't like they were in Richmond, I should be fine here.

"I'm gonna go us something to drink. What to come with?" Sage offered, breaking me away from my thoughts.

I shook my head, still staring at the masterpiece that was Nicholas's party. I instantly regretted my decision when I thought about it more rationally. What was I supposed to do at a party where I knew no one?

But when I turned to tell Sage that I would come with her, she had already disappeared in the sea of people.

Damn it.

With no clear path to get to the bar area, I decided to work my way around people to try and find Sage. In my attempts to get through, someone dripped some of their drink on my arm, my feet were stepped on twice, and I was shoved three different times.

The fourth time someone shoved me, I wasted no time pushing back. I didn't even look back to see who it was that I had shoved. And I didn't care.

I take it back, Nicholas Williams throws really shitty parties.