Snoop Dogg played on the flower shops speaker since I was working alone. I think my grandparents would have a heart attack if I played this while they were here.
It had been a pretty slow morning, not too many people coming it. I walked around, played with the ends of my hair, and smelt the flowers.
I'd be lying if I said Nicos' words didn't affect me. A tear or two may have rolled down my cheeks once I got home, even though I really had no right to be upset.
If he doesn't want to kiss me, that's fine. I can't be mad at him over that.
But I'm still upset about it.
I heard my phone buzzing against the counter, making me rush over to it and pick up. I answered, "Hello?"
"Hi, Elle!" Winters' voice spoke. "I know it's sort of last minute, but are you busy tonight?"
I shook my head, "No, I'm not. What's up?"
"I'm going to a party tonight and was wondering if you'd want to come?"
My first party.
"Yea! Where is it?"
"It's at my friends' house, it's a house party. Text me your address and I'll be there to pick you up at 8."
"Okay, see you then," I smiled before hanging up.
Winter is now my new best friend and I would die for her.
Just kidding. But she's definitely becoming a friend of mine, I hope.
I hummed to the Snoop Dogg song until the front doors bell dinged.
My eyes looked up, and the smile slowly left my face seeing Nico. He walked straight up to me as if yesterday had never happened, "Daisies."
"No please?" I muttered, walking around the counter to go and grab some.
I grabbed a bouquet, and I heard him walking behind me. I turned around while I kept them in my hands, and I wondered if he had been thinking about yesterday all night, just like I had.
I kept my eyes off of him and looked at the flowers. I spoke quietly, "There are dozens of other flower shops, you know."
I wasn't planning on looking at him, but his words made me lift my eyes up to his, "I know."
My sad heart warmed a bit.
I handed him the flowers, "Have a nice day, sir."
I turned on my heels to walk back around the counter when he grabbed onto my wrist and turned me back around, "Wait."
I looked up at him, curious as to what he could want.
"Why don't you stop by the tattoo parlor tonight? I'll be working from 8 pm - 11 pm."
My eyebrows lowered. Yesterday he stepped away from me, and told me that he didn't want to kiss me. Maybe he just wants to be friends. But as I look him up and down, and butterflies fill my stomach, I don't know if a friendship is what I want.
"I can't," I told him, making him look confused. "I'm going to a party."
"What? What fucking party?"
"One you aren't invited to," I replied, taking a step past him to go back to the counter.
He once again grabbed my wrist, and I turned around but pulled it out of his grip. I know he could've kept his grip on it, but he let me pull it away.
"I'm serious. What party?"
"My friend Winter is going to one at her friends' house, and I'm going with her," I told him, and his jaw clenched.
He shook his head, "Put my number in your phone."
"What?"
"Parties can go wrong very fast. Put my fucking number in your phone in case anything happens," he told me while holding his hand out to take my phone.
I stared at his hand for a moment, and he closed his palm quickly, encouraging me to hand it to him.
I handed it to him, and watched him as he put his number in it. He handed it back to me while talking seriously, "If anything happens, call me."
His eyes stared into mine.
"Why do you care?" I nearly blurted.
My eyes widened at my own words. He's always so cold and mean, and I'm starting to think that maybe he doesn't even want to be friends with me.
His head tilted slightly, "Don't be asking me that stupid shit."
His voice turned more serious. Angrier.
I wasn't in the mood to deal with this. I turned around, not taking another look back at him and his stupid daises.
I should crumple them up and throw them at his stupid attractive face.
----------
"I want to meet her."
"No! You're gonna scare her away."
"No, I won't."
My eyebrows raised at him, "Yes you will, Romeo. She's sweet, trust me."
He let out a sigh. Romeo wasn't too happy I was going to a party with somebody he had never met before, but he said he would let me go as long as I'd be back before 1 am.
A knock came from the front door, and Romeo and I both looked at each other at the same time.
We both started running toward the front door at the same time, trying to trip and push each other to get there first. Definitely not on purpose, I accidentally kicked him in the balls while trying to trip him, making him stop running and lean against the kitchen table while he groaned.
I stood back up to my full height, adjusting my hair and dress which had gotten messed up. I nodded, "Good attempt, loser."
I walked toward the front door, swinging it open. Winter wore a black dress, the same color as her hair, and black heels. Her jaw dropped, "You look stunning, Elle!"
I took a step out and closed the door behind me before Romeo could walk again. I linked my arms with hers as we walked to her car, "So do you."
I wore a white dress and heels, and I had my hair straightened.
Winter drove a small pink car that made me smile. It smelt like flowers, and I realized it was coming out of the air freshener that she had hanging from her rearview mirror.
"You don't have to drink if you don't want to," she told me. "I'm not a huge drinker, I usually just have enough to get tipsy. It's like having the same fun, but without the headache."
Her words made me smile. I don't like to drink, and now I felt more comfortable not doing it.
She parked on the road, and it was clear which house was having the party. Red solo cups lay in the yard, and drunk people both stand and sit on it. The porch is filled with people, also, and smoke came from a group of people standing on the far right.
Her car comes to a stop, and we get out at the same time.
"Don't go too far away from me," Winter squeezed my arm. "I trust the guys here, but you can never be too careful."
I nodded, and we started walking up the yard.
People called out Winters' name as we walked by, waving at her. It was obvious she was very popular and liked.
We entered the party, and ironically enough, the same Snoop Dogg song that I had playing earlier was on.
A group of people waved at Winter to go over to them, but she gave me a smile, sensing that I might be uncomfortable. She stayed with me instead, and we headed into the backyard, deciding that the house was too busy.
We leaned against the balcony railing while the rap music still managed to reach our ears. I told her, "You seem to know a lot of people here."
"I do," she nodded. "But I'm here with you, and not them."
I want a matching tattoo with her right now.
Just kidding.
A guy stumbled his way out of the party, holding a plastic can in his hand. He made his way over to Winter and wrapped his arm around her, "Hey, Christmas time. You guys should come inside, Kai is about to try and drink an entire bottle of vodka in one drink."
Winter and I glanced at each other and started speaking at the same time.
"He shouldn't do that-"
"That doesn't sound smart-"
The guy cut us off, "Boo, boring. Okay lame heads, stay out here."
I laughed at the insult as we watched him walk back inside. Winter a 'pfff' noise, "That guy is going to need his stomach pumped."
She grabbed onto my wrist, "Lets go be there in case anybody needs to call 911."
We laughed and entered the party again.
Kai ended up not doing it, and starting pouring the bottle onto people that would call him a 'pussy.'
Winter and I didn't drink; we danced together to the music that shook the floor beneath us.
A guy I didn't know came up to Winter, "Hey. Didn't think I'd see you again."
Her jaw dropped, "Oh my god!"
She wrapped her arms around his neck. I watched, trying to piece together what was going on. She pulled away and filled me in, "He and I spent the entire party together a few months ago and never saw each other again. I don't even know his name."
I smiled at how excited she was to see him again, and he was clearly just as excited to see her. They started flirting with each other, so I looked around the party.
My heart stopped seeing a strong back with black hair. My lips parted slightly as I watched, waiting to see Nico turn around. But when they did, I let out a breath, seeing that it wasn't Nico.
Why the fuck was I thinking about Nico?
I shook my head and turned back to Winter, and the guy was asking if he could put his number in her phone.
She slapped her forehead, "I forgot my phone in the car, I'll go get it."
"No, it's okay!" I told her. "I'll go get it, and you can keep talking to him."
Her pink lips turned up in a smile. She thanked me and handed me her keys, and I pushed past all of the drunk young adults that were in my way.
I stepped outside, letting out a small groan seeing that her car is parked further away than I remember. Ignoring the pain from my heels, I walked along the sidewalk to get her phone for her.
I finally reached her car and walked around to the drivers side. I unlocked the door before opening it, and I bent down to reach her phone that sat on her seat. I stood back up to my full height before turning around.
My heart stopped beating seeing somebody standing directly in front of me now. I held my hand over my heart, "Jesus, you scared me. Do you need something?"
"Whats your name?" the guy smiled. "Haven't seen you around here before."
"Yea, I'm here with a friend," I nodded my head. "My name's Elle."
"Pretty name. Is that short for anything?"
I shook my head no, not wanting to give him much information on me since I don't know him.
He chuckled, "It's not nice to lie, Maribelle."
My blood felt cold. I stared into his eyes, trying to figure out if I knew this guy or not. He had a smile on his face, but the emotion didn't reach his eyes.
"....Do I know you?" I asked.
"No, no. You just dropped your ID while you were bending over," he pulled my ID out of his pocket, holding it out for me to take between his index and middle finger.
I gulped. I took it from him and mumbled, "Thank you."
I tried to take a step past him, but he blocked my way, "Who are you here with?"
"Does it matter?"
"Feisty," he smirked. "You need that attitude changed."
"Fuck off," I spat.
I took a quick step past him, but the second I felt his hands touch my arms, I turned around and elbowed him in the nose. He held it while he stumbled back in pain, red blood dripping out of it.
"You fucking bitch," he gritted his teeth.
He grabbed onto me again, jerking me toward him. He threw me onto the ground, but I kneed his stomach, just like how Nico showed me. My knees scraped against the road and so did my palms, but I ignored the pain as I watched him grab his stomach and groan.
I pushed myself up, not caring that my heels had fallen off during the interaction. I ran back into the house, none of the drunk people paying attention to the fact that my breathing was panicked.
My eyes found Winter, who was smiling at the guy he was flirting with.
I walked over to her while blinking the tears out of my eyes. Her face filled with concern once she saw me, "Elle? What happened?"
"S-some guy out there....I got away, it's fine, but I think I'm gonna go-"
"I'll take you home," she cut me off, and I felt terrible making her leave.
As if she could read my thoughts, she cut me off, "Don't even try and argue, because I'll win."
A small laugh came out of my lips. She said goodbye to the guy and got his number, and she held onto my hand as we exited the party together.
I felt relieved seeing that the guy was no longer by her car.
I picked up my heels off of the ground before we got in, and the pain on my knees and palms began to settle in. I didn't put them back on, I just kept them in my hands. Winter was quick to pull away, and I was thankful that she didn't drink.
"Are your parents going to be home?" she asked me, and I nearly rolled my eyes to the back of my head. My parents were asleep by now, but Romeo would be up and waiting in the living room. And I didn't want him to see me with blood on me and tell my parents, because then I'd never be allowed out of the house again.
My mouth hung open for a moment, "I'm going to see if you can take me to my friends house."
I turned the radio off and pulled out my phone. My thumb hovered over the call button before I finally pressed it, hearing the ring against my ear.
He picked up quickly, "Elle? Everything okay?"
"Um, would it be okay if I stopped by the tattoo parlor? I just need to borrow some band-aids and maybe a sweater or something."
He didn't give me any questions, "I'm not at the tattoo parlor right now. I'm at home."
I felt my heart drop. Shit, I'm never leaving the house again.
"You can come to my house. I'll unlock the door and send you my address," he replied, making a smile form on my face.
I whispered, "Thank you."
I went to hang up when his voice speaking made me stop, "I'm really glad you called me, Elle."
The smile on my face grew bigger. He ended the call, and a text with his address followed shortly after.
Winter drove me, and as she parked in front of the large house, she said, "Are you sure this guy is just a friend?"
"Yes. At least for now."
She nodded. She leaned across the seat and gave me a hug before I got out, my bare feet walking along the lush grass.
I stared up at the house. It was big - bigger than mine.
My heart started beating faster in my chest just looking at it. A light switch turned on inside, lighting up one of the front rooms. I took a deep breath,
And then I started walking towards his front door.
Word count: 2597