I walked out of the bathroom just to meet a glaring Yvonne.
"What happened?" I asked, chuckling.
She kept on glaring at me. But then, her desperation she had suppressed earlier shoved its way out and sat evidently on her face until she couldn't anymore. "I want to pee!" She squealed in desperation, pushing me out of the way and closing the door on my face with a bang. I jumped slightly, still wanting to laugh.
"Sorry!" I shouted.
"You are not forgiven!" She shouted back. We both knew she was kidding but my apology was actually genuine.
The previous day, she had showed us around a bit as we slightly bonded over our love for coffees and country music. She was majoring in Anthropology with a minor in history while I was doing my major in Journalism with a minor also in history. Growing up, Netherlands was my sole dream but one day in 9th grade, I had volunteered to join the journalism club in my school because we all had to join at least one club and that was how my second dream was born; I had combined them both hence wanting to become a journalist in the Netherlands becoming my ultimate dream.
The bathroom door opened. "Phew," Yvonne muttered, relief all over her face. "I'll forgive you only on one condition." She added, wiping her hands on the towel on her bed.
"What is that?"
"There is a party tonight hosted by Jason. Jason James. Or more commonly known as JJ."
"Okay, where will this party be held? And who is Jason James?"
"Son of a business tycoon. I have known him and his gang since school. Start of a new semester that's why he is throwing a party," She explained. "But mind you, they are all in their second year."
I nodded, thought for a second, then answered, "Okay. Count me in."
I was introverted. I knew that. But I didn't want to stay the same. I wanted change. And this party would give me the opportunity to do so. It was going to be hard but I wanted to socialize, even if it was a little bit because something was better than nothing. And my high school experience was the exact definition of nothing.
"Damn, I didn't think you would give in so easily." She gave me an impressed look, throwing the towel she was using at me. I caught it on time, keeping it on her bed for her.
"Yeah, I want some change I think."
"I'm so glad. Trust me, I won't make you regret it." She winked, before grabbing her car keys and walking out of the room. "Be ready by six. I'll come pick you up."
"Where are you going?"
"To exchange the car with my car which my brother had taken for his road trip." She answered. Yvonne lived 30 minutes away from our campus. Talk about being lucky.
"I'll go then Hayes. Bye! See you!"
"Yeah sure. Bye."
I grabbed a book from my table (I was finished with my unpacking by this morning) and laid on my bed, continuing the half-finished book.
***
"We reached," Yvonne announced, unbuckling her belt.
"So fast?" I was trying to unbuckle my seatbelt but that stupid seatbelt wasn't just getting unbuckled.
"Yeah, I drove kinda fast too. The party house is nearby; I told you that before."
It took us only around 10 minutes to reach our destination which was believable because google maps told me it would take 12 minutes. Us reaching in ten was because she drove in a speed a little higher than the normal.
We got out of the car and started walking inside. The Iron Gate to the house where the party was headed was visible clearly even in the dark from the parking lot. She took the lead, the sound of her stilettos steady and confident, mirroring her usual confidence. A guard opened the gate for us as we walked in. The noises from inside the house were now clearly heard, with music blasting from each and every corner of the house. Few were outside smoking and drinking.
I was never a party person and I could literally count the number of parties I have gone to in my life. This was like the third or the fourth one for sure.
"Come in Hayes. It will be fun," She said, taking my hand and smiling. She gave me a light squeeze, a sign of reassurance that she was there with me. For me.
In all honesty, she was the first person with whom I had felt this comfortable so quickly. It was almost as if she knew me and the kind of person I was the moment we met. A good person reader, or maybe I was just too easy to read. Or she was what we call, our platonic soulmate, for me.
We walked inside, hand in hand as we witnessed a bunch of people dancing, drinking and laughing wildly as if the party had already started. The moment I stepped in, the air of the party hit me. This was exactly what I had avoided my entire high school but ironically, I was at one. So much for change.
But nevertheless, I had to admit: the house was cleaned up pretty well; the host knew exactly how to plan a party. I sighed, impressed but my confusion hadn't been expelled from me yet so, I looked over at Yvonne and to my surprise, she was taking a look around with a confused glance.
"Hey, the party starts at six right?" I asked, raising my voice because the music was too loud.
"Y-Yeah. I mean Jason told me it starts at six. Actually, don't ask me, I am confused too,"
I continued to stare at her with folded arm, to which she shot me back a look which spoke, 'Don't give me that look. We are in the same boat'.
"Come on, let's just join in. Maybe he made a mistake?" I said. I myself couldn't believe I was saying those words.
"Jason never messes with the party timings, espec-"
"Hey Yvonne! Welcome. Why are you late?" Someone with a deep voice interrupted her from behind. I turned around to see a tall guy with hair as dark as the night sky and warm chestnut undertone. His light brown eyes shone under the disco ball all around, his square strong face with a stubble making his high cheekbones stand out in the ever shifting colour of the lights. He was lean but fit. He flashed a toothy smile at us.
"Jason, you told me that the party starts at six," Yvonne confronted.
Okay, so he was Jason James. Or JJ.
"Oh shit. Didn't I text you that it's been shifted to five because the Dean said it's a college night so the party has to start early and end early?"
"No." She answered, annoyed.
"Oh shit, sorry. I promise it won't happen again." His eyes gleamed with sincerity and guilt, and for a flash second, I felt as if they already had something going on or they shared something in the past. The familiarity in their chemistry was just too evident.
"It's okay, but anyways, I don't plan on drinking tonight because I came for her," Yvonne said, putting her left arm over me. "She is Summer Hayes, my friend and roommate." She looked at me and smiled.
"Oh hey there," His eyes shifted to me. "I'm Jason James and the host of the party. Welcome to Dalewood, where you get to meet the most amazing kind of people, starting from our squad." He said in an amused tone. This guy was surely proud of his "squad". He then lent his hand out for a handshake.
"Hi, I'm Summer," I greeted back, taking his hand. "And the party is amazing. Thank you for the warm welcome."
"Oh, thank you so much. That's so sweet of you. Feel free to hang around and ask me for anything," He offered me a warm smile, before turning back to Yvonne. "Yvonne, the whole squad is upstairs and it's been so long so you got to join us. Bring her with you. That way, she can meet more people."
"Not any other people, but your squad. If there are any pole dancers upstairs from your dad's bar then I'm not coming. She won't feel comfortable."
"Yeah, my squad are also people and why do you still think we do all those kind of things? We don't and you know it." He assured her.
She smiled as if she cracked a joke. "Yeah right, whatever."
"Don't believe whatever she says about us. She likes to say things like this all the time." Jason turned to me as he defended himself.
I laughed at it, not knowing what to do. He then turned to her again as he added, "Now let's go. We have a lot to catch up with."
He said the last part more quietly as if he didn't want her to hear but as I was nearer to him, I heard it which added more to my little suspicion. But, I couldn't guarantee the fact that she didn't.
Soon, both were leading the way so I quietly followed them. I trusted her and it was enough for me. We took the stairs, stopping when we reached the third floor. It was less crowded and quieter which brought instant relief to my soul. There were even lesser rooms, with the only sound coming from the opposite end of the floor - faint and lighter. He took us both to the same direction from where the sound was coming, multiple voices laughing and talking as the voices fainter earlier clearly heard now.
There was a huge entrance door right at the end of the massive hallway, leading to a huge room inside. Jason entered, spreading his arms out as he excitedly asked, "Boys, guess who's with me right now?"
I entered the room to see around 5-6 guys as expected, all with a full glass. They all looked up, hearing his voice, but I noticed one of them in particular. With warm olive undertone, blue eyes, dirty brown hair and sharp features, it almost felt impossible to not notice him. As he looked, his chiselled face got more into shape showing off his perfectly-shaped jawline and cheekbones, a natural blush of pink glowing all over his cheeks. Even from a distance, I could see his freckles on his pointed nose, scattered bit by bit while his thin bow-shaped lips parted ever so slightly making him look so adorable. His mysterious aura felt thin yet calm. It was almost as if this guy could just breathe, and I'd still find it worth admiring. His serious eyes then suddenly fell on me and I was sure I'd faint from how intense and deeply beautiful it was. I legit could see the sparkling ocean water on his eyes, swaying gracefully, all bathed under the warm sun accompanied by the sound of its satisfied waves. This unknown guy right here was legit giving me a full-on virtual ocean experience with just one look and it shocked me to my core that someone could do that to me - was doing that to me. To say he was the most beautiful human I had ever laid eyes on sounded less than the bare minimum; I needed something beyond words to do justice, because all the words in the dictionary, or should I say in the world, fell short in front of him.
He was that beautiful. God really had favourites.
What was he? What was the instant connection that I felt? And why couldn't I explain it?
"Summer. Hello?" Yvonne shook me hard, suddenly snapping me out of it all."Girl, are you even listening to me?" I looked at her in a rush, worried for a second if I got caught staring (or should I say drooling) over that man by everyone in the room. But, to my gladness, her facial expressions said it all and calmed me down.
I didn't get caught.
"Oh yeah," I snapped out. "I'm sorry... I wandered off."
"Yeah, you did," She replied. "Anyway, I would like to introduce you to some people. To Jason's friends."
"Best friends," Jason added, correcting her.
She rolled her eyes at him playfully at that. Then, pointing her finger to the guy on my utmost left, she started the introduction. "This is Ryder Hudson, Ian Hastings, Liam Brown, Preston Miller an-"
"Elijah. Grey." The mystery dude from earlier stood up, interrupting Yvonne and introducing himself.
The moment words escaped his beautiful lips, numbness took me over. When he stood up, I noticed him more - with a tall and muscular figure, he stood confident, looking at everybody from time to time, laughing alongside and never saying another word. The conversation going on was now on mute to my ears because my eyes were fixed on this man. He wore a white t-shirt which had something written in the middle with the same sky blue his white and blue varsity jacket was, pairing it with blue-washed boyfriend jeans which folded slightly at his ankles showing the white striped socks he wore with white Air force. His dirty brown hair was messy and untamed, adding more to his beauty. Suddenly, his deep piercing blue eyes met mine with such intensity that I felt like he would hypnotize me the next second if I didn't look away.
Except that I didn't.
I couldn't.
It was like my whole body and every part in me had signed an agreement that allowed him to hypnotize me just by his eyes. If eyes could capture, I would have been captured, happily. And that was the problem.
Instantly and immediately, I hated the way he made me feel because I felt so powerless and so dependent and the elephant in here wasn't how he made me feel - it was how I had never, ever felt like this for anyone else ever before, let alone at the first meeting.
I had always felt I had everything because I was blessed in many ways of life - at least I considered myself to be. I got everything that I had always asked for and I didn't ask for more because I never felt the need to. And why should I? I was happy and content. Like truly. It felt like I had everything. Every single thing.
Until tonight.
Now, it was almost as if my bag of happiness wasn't really enough anymore. Something else felt missing. And this something else seemed so strong and powerful because the desperation in me to find out what, made me grow so restless in the middle of the party. It was then it hit me that it had always been missing but it took tonight and a chance encounter of one beautiful guy to make me realize it. But now the problem was, I couldn't really figure out what. What was it that I was missing?