The house party was in a different neighbourhood to mine, on the other side of town. It wasn't in the rougher or wealthier parts of town, it was just an area with average sized houses and affordable cars. Kids who lived in this neighbourhood tended to go to Longview High as Long Shore High was a little out of their way. It reminded me of where Joe lived.
On the drive there, Harry grumbled to Sebastian about how far out of their way the party was. The gym they went to was at the Beachforde Hotel and the party was in the opposite direction. The mid point between the two was the lighthouse.
Sebastian and Harry dropped me off without saying much more to me. I could tell I had bled them dry and they had lost all will power to reason with me. I could see where they were coming from, but I wasn't sure that they could see where I was coming from. I had to have the conversation with Billy and a party was the most convenient place to do it.
When they dropped me off, they said they'll pick me up on their way back from the gym. Roughly, between them getting to the gym, working out and getting back here, it meant I had two hours. No more. No less. I had plenty of time.
I made my way up the front lawn, ignoring the odd groups and stragglers cluttering the front yard. Every face I passed was a stranger. Somehow, I felt even more out of place here than I did at the party's I went to with the kid's I went to school with. It suddenly dawned on me I was the only outsider at this party. I was completely alone. I wasn't supposed to be here.
The final nail in the coffin was a group of football players, noticeably distinguishing themselves from the other guests via their green football jackets. Each were drinking a bottle of beer, laughing together, with their backs turned to every other person at the party. The image in front of me reminded me of the party my stepbrother's had thrown at the start of the year and how my stepbrothers seemed to stand apart from the rest of the guests with their exclusive group of friends.
My eyes searched for Billy in the crowd as I neared the front porch. I'd already texted him i was on my way, but I hadn't received a reply. I figured he hadn't heard his phone over the loud music.
Luckily I didn't step onto the porch unnoticed as a familiar tanned brunette with her hair braided turned around to see me coming up the front porch steps behind her. Her eyes seemed to catch the light of the moon as her chocolate eyes met my crystal blue ones.
"I didn't think you'd show up." She stated, looking down at my outfit, which seemed to support her assertion.
I wasn't dressed for a party. I was wearing a thin layer of make up, flared blue jeans and a strappless black top. In contrast, the girls here were dressed in pretty tops and skirts. They were dressed a little more causal than what the guests of Jack Williams' party wore, but you could tell they'd made an effort. Much more effort than me.
"Well, i'm here." I smiled.
Sadie nodded. "I can see that."
I attempted to keep my smile, but it was faltering as I struggled to figure out what to say to her. It was only when someone came up behind me and screamed Sadie that I cursed myself for not asking her where Billy was. I watched awkwardly as a girl and a boy stepped in front of me to hug Sadie. I hadn't known Sadie had more friends than Billy and Milo. I guess I was wrong.
The friends complimented Sadie on her outfit, which was only just a bit more glamorous than mine whilst I leant again the porch banister, watching them. I wasn't done speaking to her even though I felt like I was the last person she wanted to be continued to be pestered with, but I didn't care. I had to talk to Billy. Only then, I can leave.
When I heard someone say, we'll see you later, my head perked up away from my worn white sneakers and back at Sadie.
"You're still here." She noted when she saw me.
"That's right." I said, trying to smile again, but I could only force the corners of my lips to tug up slightly.
"Billy's not on this porch." Sadie said, her back to a bunch of the football players.
I nodded. "I can see that." I replied and nodded to the football players behind her. "Is he friends with them?"
Sadie barely had to look over her shoulder to know who I was talking about. "They're on the same team. Of course they are." She said, looking at me like she was thinking what kind of question is that?
"Is Milo good friends with them too?" I asked.
Sadie looked at me suspiciously. "It's his house party. He invited them. I'm guessing all of this, using common sense, points to a yes."
She didn't seem to like my questions. I could tell from the way she was eyeing my suspiciously that she was trying to figure me out.
"Sorry," I shrugged, "I was just curious about Billy's other friends. We haven't really talked that much about them." I said. "Besides, just because you're on the same team as someone, doesn't mean you're really friends with someone." I replied.
Sadie narrowed her eyes at me. "Kind of like how just because you live in the same house as someone doesn't mean you're friends with them, right?"
My eyebrows pulled together in confusion as I looked to Sadie, wondering what she was getting at. I wasn't sure. I had the sense she felt the same thing about me.
"You're talking about my stepbrothers?" I questioned.
Sadie shrugged. "If you like."
I rolled my teeth over the bottom of my lip, realising I should take this as an opportunity to get out of the conversation.
"Do you know where Billy is?" I asked.
"Inside." She replied and I thanked her and headed up towards the front door, feeling her eyes on my back as I walked through the doorway.
Something about her was making me uneasy.
I walked inside the house and down the hallway. I managed to direct myself to the kitchen, where groups of teenagers appeared to be playing a game of beer pong. Amongst the strangers, there wasn't a sign of Billy's familiar face. It was only then when I realised I was alone in a crowded room.
The chatter and laughter circled around me, but i couldn't detect a singular familiar voice. Each word or chuckle seemed to linger in the air without a source as I looked at the unfamiliar face's surrounding me. I had the strangest feeling this party was worse than me going to jack Williams' party or my own stepbrothers' party.
I was on my own here in a way I wasn't there.
It's funny how I never realised how much more out of place I was here than I was with my own family and friends. I've always thought I belong somewhere else, but now that I've thrown myself into that somewhere else, I realise how wrong I was. I might have belonged right where I was before.
"You're that Lakewood's sister, aren't you?" Someone approached me, surprising me.
Everyone around me seemed so caught up amongst themselves that I was surprised they noticed my presence.
"Sort of." I replied, turning in the direction the voice had come from.
Stood before me was an unfamiliar boy about my age. Behind thickly rimmed glasses, he had the sort of face that belonged on a magazine cover. His cheek bones and jaw seemed like they could cut me as a knife could. Yet, despite his seemingly perfect exterior, there was something uneasy about him. Sadly for me, it was only then I realised why. He was wearing Longview High's green football jacket, making me sorry for ever sort of admitting I had anything to do with my stepbrothers.
"You're brother, Harry, went out with my best friend, you know." He said, narrowing his eyes at me. I eyed the glass in his hand and wished it was simply a bottle of beer rather than what seemed like a spirit mixed with coke. "Then he moved onto her cousin while still leading Serena on."
I didn't know who Serena was, but I could only assume he was on about his best friend.
"That's really nothing to do with me." I said.
"That's the problem with you Lakewood's. You think you can do anything without any consequences. As long as no one finds out no harm done, right?"
"I'm not exactly a Lakewood." I stressed.
"Really? You look enough like a Lakewood to me. Who do you even know here?"
"Billy." I replied.
The boy scoffed and looked me up and down. "You stringing him along just like your brother did to my friends?"
"That's nothing to do with me."
"It is if you're doing the same thing to Billy. I'm not letting another one of you mess with one of my friends heads."
I couldn't help it, but roll my eyes. "Look, it's nothing to do with you what I do. I don't know you and you don't know me. Mind your own business." I stated, as calmly as I possibly could.
This boy had struck a nerve in me that I didn't know existed.
The boy scoffed and gave me a dirty looked before deciding I wasn't worth much more of his time.
I let out a sigh of relief when he was out of my sight and I was alone again. I'd rather stand alone in a crowded room than talk to someone who would talk to me the way he just did.
I eyed where someone had left a stack of red cups and a couple of bottles of soft drinks and spirits. I decided a little alcohol could help me feel a bit at ease and made myself a drink before deciding to explore the rest of the house.
I ended up wondering down the stairs to the basement. I followed breadcrumbs of laughter until I entered a room with people scattered around in. There were people gathered around on dark leather sofas and suede bean bags by a fire place that had stupidly been lit. It was more chill than upstairs, but it wasn't dead.
It was only then that I realised I'd found the person I was looking for.
Billy was sat on one of the sofa's, chatting with someone I didn't know. However, he wasn't the only familiar face in the basement. Milo sat across from him with his hand resting on the girl sat next to him's thigh. My stomach twisted in knots when I realised that girl was none other than Taylor.
I pushed down my own discomfort and forced myself to put on a smile. I just wanted to scream at everyone in the room, but I knew I couldn't. I didn't belong with these people, I was a stranger to them. Why would they believe me when I say something about someone they've all grown up with and spent time with? My voice would be futile. All I know is hearsay, Molly never told me herself. I only heard about it through someone else and I'd be disrespecting her privacy if I attempted to give her a voice at Milo Jackson's party of all places.
I walked over to the group and Billy spotted me instantly. He flashed me a smile and budged up so I could sit down next to him. Billy put his arm around me when I sat down besides him and I tried to act like I was comfortable. I tried to ignore the fact that i was now sat across from one of my best friends who had a rapists hand on her thigh.
"Hey." Taylor said to me sweetly. Taylor blushed when she noticed my eyes on Milo's hand, but I quickly looked away before anyone would notice how uncomfortable it was making me. Especially when Taylor didn't seem to mind. "We were wondering when you'd get here. You just missed Joe." Taylor continued.
"Joe's here too?" I asked and Taylor nodded in response. I turned to look up at Billy. "You didn't tell me you invited them."
Billy looked down at me confused. "Thought it was a good idea." He said, shrugging. His eyebrows tugged together in confusion. "Would you rather them not be here --" Billy asked in a quiet whisper.
"No of course, I'm glad they're here. Just surprised, that's all." I replied in a quiet voice, glancing back at Milo's hand. "Taylor," I called, trying to get her attention again. "Where's Joe gone?"
Taylor shrugged. "Someone phoned him so he stepped outside to answer it. The signal's bad down here."
I nodded and rolled my teeth over my bottom lip. I wish he hadn't left Taylor alone with Milo, but I'm glad she's been here with him rather than alone with Milo.
"You're brothers give you a hard time or something?" Billy asked me. "You seem distracted."
There's a lot to think about.
"No, I'm fine. I can't stay long, though. My parents are making them pick me up on their way back home." I said, realising I didn't want to remain in the company of Milo and his friends any longer than I had to.
Billy nodded. "You said you wanted to talk?"
Before I could reply, one of the girls sat on one of the bean bags jumped up, catching our attention. She said she wanted to play a game and asked Milo if he had some pens and paper. Milo nodded and pointed to some draws next to the fire place. The girl thanked him and walked over to the draws, taking out what she needed and then headed back over to us. She ripped the paper into little squares and handed us one each with a pen.
I turned to Billy, who kept glancing at me as we watched the strawberry blonde explain the game. I gave him an apologetic smile before Sadie Sinclair entering the room with Joe behind her caught my attention. Sadie took the other free space next to Billy and Joe came and sat down next to me. I smiled at him, but he responded with muttering something to me about me taking ages to get here.
"We can talk later." I whispered to Billy, but he only so much as nodded at me before turning to talk to Sadie.
I could tell he didn't want to talk later, he wanted to talk now. Making him wait was just taunting him with wondering what it was I wanted to talk about.
I turned my attention to the game and the girl handed Sadie and Joe a bit of paper each. She then went on to explain that on the front of the paper, the girl had written down one of our names on it. Then on the back we had to write something about them, a character trait of sorts and then we put it into a bowl and it gets picked out. Whoever guesses who it is, doesn't have to drink. The rest do.
I looked at my piece of paper and read that it said Milo.
Q: How do you think the rest of this party is gonna go?
A/N :
Sorry this was so delayed I had exams due, then I got sick but I'm fine now just stressed about being behind now as I have more exams after new year too :/
I've recently set up a Tik Tok writers account. For those of you interested go and follow me on there @classicdisposition