About a week had gone by since Vic's, and my, confession to each other. It had been a pretty awkward week to be honest. We didn't really talk much and half of the time we'd either avoid each other or blush like mad. Of course Tony had picked up on that, but I was guessing that Vic hadn't told anyone about what he had said to me. Well, apart from Mike then. But something told me that he had known all along.
"So he literally said 'I think I'm in love with you' like- literally?" Kellin asked as we entered yet another of the dress shops in town.
"Yep, literally." I muttered below my breath.
"I remember there was a time when you said there was no way you could like him." Hayley then pointed out, staring at me with a mischievous smile.
"Yeah well, shit changed, okay? Just like you suddenly got over Kells here and went after one of the pervy twins."
"Alex is not a perv!" Hayley suddenly yelled out in a growl.
Everyone in the store practically dropped what they were doing and turned to look at us. Kellin started snickering and I couldn't help but to laugh a little either. "Oh right, because sneaking up on girls in the shower is totally not perverted."
"Whatever." Hayley muttered.
"Right girls, let's just do what we're here for and get on with it, okay? Why did I even let you two convince me into coming with you?" Kellin then mumbled, rummaging through the countless of dresses that hung from the wall.
"Because you have an impeccable sense of style, mister Quinn." I joked playfully. Kellin simply laughed and rolled his eyes at me.
After hours and hours of shopping, Hayley finally found her perfect dress for the dance. I had already gotten mine some time ago, but no one had to know about that just yet. Hayley's dress was typically her; bright, happy colors, a flowy skirt and god only knows what other shenanigans. She was totally in love with it. And thank the lord; it meant that we were done for the day.
Back at home I was glad that my brother was having a good weekend. He didn't smoke crap, he didn't drink and he didn't act out. My mother on the other hand was somewhat on the nervous side, but when I'd ask her what was up, she'd just smile and tell me everything was fine. Like most of us women do.
After we had dinner together, the doorbell suddenly rang. My mother nervously shot up from her chair, but put up a fake smile when she noticed both Bren and me looking at her curiously. "Could you get that, Chelsea?" She then asked me, before scurrying off into the kitchen.
"Has mom been drinking?" Brendon muttered below his breath. I snickered and gave him a soft shove. "What? She's acting weird!" He exclaimed.
I sighed and nodded as I thought about it for a moment. Mom wasn't being mom. I really wondered what the heck was up with that. "Yeah... she is." I whispered thoughtfully before I got up and made my way to the front door.
I pushed the thought away for a moment and smiled as I opened the door. "Oh hell no, you're not going to the party in that." It was Jenna, looking at me full of judgment and amusement.
"Uh, what party?" I asked her, completely dumbfounded.
"Mike's party!" Jenna exclaimed, as if I was supposed to know about it. I raised an eyebrow and just kept staring at her. I honestly hadn't heard about any party. At all. Jenna groaned and rolled her eyes. "Mike's having a huge party at his house. He's not really 'invited' anyone, but everyone is allowed to come, so we're going."
"Why aren't you going with Austin?" I then simply asked.
She shrugged and pushed herself past me. "He's not feeling so good, so I'm taking you and that's final. Now let's change that outfit of yours."
Before I could protest any further, Jenna grabbed me by the arm and dragged me up to my bedroom. She made me change into whatever her definition of 'party appropriate' was, and before I even knew it, we were on our way to the Fuentes residence. Of course I was nervous as hell. I didn't know whether Vic was going to be there and how awkward it would get. I mean, of course he was going to be there, it was his house too after all.
"Is something wrong?" Jenna asked as we approached the front door.
It was already dark out and music was booming through the walls. Not surprising, there were quite a few people in and around the house. I really wasn't looking forward to this, but I tried my best to hide that. After all, Jenna didn't know about the whole thing between Vic and me. Only Kellin and Hayley more or less knew, and that was more than enough.
"Nope, I'm all good. Let's party." I told Jenna, trying not to sound hesitant.
The second we walked inside, all eyes were on us.
"Heck yeah, the cool chicks have arrived!" A voice yelled in a slur. I looked over and found Tony stumbling over towards us, with Mike closely behind him, his hands on Tony's hips basically keeping him upright.
"Hello to you too, Turtle." I muttered, slightly amused.
"Don't mind him, he is drunk as fuck." Mike laughed, saying his last words extra slow and loudly. "Anyway, booze is in the kitchen, help yourselves." And off they went.
Jenna grabbed me by the arm and immediately dragged me into the kitchen. Nervously I scanned for the slight- yet big- possibility of seeing Vic. But surprisingly, I hadn't spotted him... yet. I was wondering how he was doing. The way we sort of had been avoiding each other worried me. But perhaps that was just my awkward doing.
"There you go, ladies." Jaime said, pulling me out of my thoughts. He handed both Jenna and me a beer and began to ramble about all sorts of things. Jaime was a nice guy. Especially knowing how much of an annoying father he had as our Spanish teacher.
Half lost in my thoughts again, I hardly even noticed Jenna walking away from me. "I will probably be back later. But Austin really isn't feeling well so I'm just going to check up on him. You won't mind maybe going home alone, right?" She asked.
"Uh, what? Yeah, sure, no problem." I blurted out, not really aware of what was going on.
Jaime walked out with Jenna and I was left in the kitchen... by myself. What a party. Basically everyone was having a good time, except me. I had to do something about that fact, so I downed my beer and grabbed onto one of the tequila bottles on the kitchen counter for dear life. I gradually sipped the bottle as the hours passed, vacating myself in the kitchen, as people walked in and out to get themselves more beer.
It was way past midnight and I hadn't heard a single word from Jenna. She was probably off fucking Austin and just left me behind in this mess of drunk people making out everywhere.
Parties were so not my thing.
After emptying the tequila bottle that I had claimed as my own, I went in the search for Mike- or Tony- to tell him I was leaving. "Hey, can you tell me where to find Mike?" I asked some random guy, trying my best to raise my voice over the music.
The guy just grinned and pointed upstairs, wiggling his finger to the left. "Thanks." I muttered as I headed for the stairs. I was feeling quite buzzed and walking up the steps was a bit of a challenge, but eventually I made it up there, stumbling over one passed out kid who looked way too young to be drinking... but then again, legally seen, weren't we all a little too young around here?
I made my way down the hall on the first floor when I realized this house was pretty damn big. There were two doors to the left and though I had no idea which room Mike would be in and in what state I'd find him in, I decided to just go for it. I opened the door to my right and stumbled in, being greeted by a surprised looking Vic, who was just casually sitting on his bed reading a book.
I looked around for only a moment, surprised by how neat and minimalistic the room was. "I'm obviously in the wrong room, my bad. I was looking for the other Fuentes." I muttered as I snorted in amusement.
Vic snapped his book shut and put it beside him, with a small smile playing at the corner of his lips. "My brother is in the room across from here, but he's a little... busy." He explained, making quotation signs as he spoke the last word. "Why, what's up?" He then asked as he got up from his bed and closed the door behind me.
Immediately it became almost dead quiet. "Holy crap, you've got some good walls in here." I exclaimed in surprise. The music from downstairs was completely gone. It was kinda peaceful to be honest. Vic chuckled at my reaction and shook his head. "Well anyways-" I then started. "I just wanted to tell him that I was leaving."
"You were here by yourself?"
I shook my head and sighed. "Nope, my date left me behind." Vic's eyes shot open wide as he looked at me, and I couldn't help but to laugh. "Kidding. Jenna dragged me here but she left a while ago. And now I'm leaving."
"Maybe you should stay here." Vic's look had turned serious and his voice changed into a worried tone. "I mean, you're- you're kinda drunk. And I assume you'd be walking home... alone. I don't want anything to happen to you."
"That's sweet and all, but where do you expect me to stay then? Downstairs between all of the drunk, passed out couples and creeps?"
Vic frowned and shook his head. "No, you can stay in here." He was very careful with his words. A lot more careful than when he blurted out that he thought he was in love with me. Maybe he had changed his mind? Seen the light? Was that why we were avoiding each other?
"I don't know if I really want to do that." I muttered, scratching the back of my neck.
"You're safe in here, promise. And you can sleep in my bed, if you want. I'm just gonna sit over there and read for a little bit longer." He looked back and pointed at the big beanbag seat behind him. "I'll be fine right there." He then added as he looked back at me with a small smile.
"Right- okay- thanks." I didn't really know what else to say. I was feeling awkward. And drunk. I just wanted to sleep and get it over with, to be honest.
Vic then walked up to his dresser and opened the top drawer, pulling out some clothing. He held a pink and white polka dotted pair of shorts and handed it to me. "This is still yours. And yes I washed it- twice. Might be a bit more comfortable to sleep in." He told me as he laughed softly.
"Pink does not look bad on you." I told him jokingly as I grabbed the pair of shorts from him. I remembered the day that I saw him in my shorts. I was annoyed and revolted at the time, but thinking back about it now, it was actually kinda cute.
"Yeah I was going to ask where you bought them." We both laughed for a moment, before it became awkwardly quiet again.
"I'm just gonna go check downstairs." Vic eventually started, breaking the silence. "You can go to sleep if you wish; I won't bother you or wake you up. I'll be back later and I'll be as quiet as possible, promise." The smile on his face was so reassuring.
I gave him a simple nod and sat myself down on his bed as I watched him walk off to the door. "Good night." He whispered, smiling back at me one last time.
I smiled back and nodded in appreciation. "Good night."