I try to leave.
I push my way through the crowd, barging through guests to try to find a way of escape.
But as I reach the door, it comes to my dismay that it is locked. I go to find Laura however she has lost the key. As a result, everyone is currently trapped inside the house until she decides to go look for it. Unfortunately for me, I am about to suffer from a panic attack at how claustrophobic I suddenly feel.
"You ok Paige?" Asks Laura, making her way over towards me as I began taking in deep breathes. My hand is clutching against my chest and I am bent over.
"Yeah." Breathe. "I'm good." Breathe. "Just a bit... claustrophobic."
"Well we can't have that," she gently takes my arm. She guides me carefully out of the crowded room which I think is the living room and out into what appears to be the hall. "Come up to my room, no one should be in there." We climb up the stairs, one at a time. Laura flickers her light on and I stumble helplessly over to her bed. "What are you wearing?"
With the yellow glow of the light illuminating the room, my un-party-like clothes are now visible.
"I didn't have time to change," I make up quickly. The truth is I never intended on coming in the first place until I saw Miss what's-her-face enter with Mr Jerk. With the help of the glass of water Laura hands me, my fingers massaging my forehead, my vision comes back clear as well as the anxiety calming in my mind.
"Come on, you can wear something of mine."
"No, I'm fine..." I try to insist that she doesn't have to help me anymore, that I just want to go home. But Laura has already opened the doors to her closet and is searching through her rack for something I could wear.
"Here, wear this." She flings a skimpy red dress over in my direction. Considering Laura is a tiny girl and she buys outfits a dress size smaller anyway, how on earth am I going to fit into this without my boobs or bum popping out? "I'll be down stairs with the others. Come join us when you are dressed." Laura giggles.
Wait... 'Others'? As in, other cheerleaders. Oh no.
"Oh, I'm ok. I think I might just go-" Go where, home? Will that fix everything? It might make tonight end faster, but what happens when I go back to school on Monday? I have no friends.
The stone hard truth hits me. Great, I'm going to be a complete loner for the rest of the year.
"Just gonna what?" Laura asks, half way out of the door.
"I'll... I'll be down in a min." I smile.
"Awesome!" She cheers. "My lip stick is on my dresser by the way. You can borrow some."
"Really?" I exclaim in appreciation. How come she is acting this nice? Is it because I agreed to do her homework?
"Sure. That's what friends do."
Friends? But before I can question it, she has already disappeared.
I get changed quickly and apply more makeup. Laura may not have been my first choice for a new friend, but I think we have the potential to bond and form a friendship. Not to mention how jealous Lacy will get!
So with the dress just about covering my butt, I slip on some heels I found in her room (thankfully my size) and walk down the stairs.
"Howt!" A guy comes up behind me and I feel his hand rest below the rim of my dress. His breath reeks of stale beer and it tickles the back of my neck.
"You talking to me?" I spin around and catch his eyes. H is a senior also in my year. I doubt he has even acknowledged me before I put this dress on. Which has only been two minutes and I am already being hit on.
"You bet hot stuff," he winks. Then he leaves. Ok... No one has ever called me hot before. Not even Josh.
"Paige!" Laura calls me over.
"Hi," I smile to her friends, wanting them to accept me now, even if they are drunk, so they will like me when fully conscious again.
"You look so good!" Compliments Laura, beaming from ear to ear. It is a great feeling to receive such complements I normally wouldn't usually get or even care about.
"Thanks, you girls look amazing too."
"Paige, you don't have a drink!" Cries out a blonde that is stood beside Laura.
"Oh yeah, sorry. Take this," Laura hands me a red cup. She doesn't say what is in it. As I look around, all the girls are asking for refills or are downing the beverages, despite the fact it still remains a mystery of what it contains. So, wanting to fit in, I do the same.
After two drinks, I definitely feel a change in mood. Inside me my brain is aching to dance. I want to let loose and have some fun, just like I used to when I went to parties with Josh. I may not have liked the alcohol but it made me have fun.
"Come on!" I pull the girls over to the dance floor that is located in her living room. The furniture has been pushed to the side to leave room in the centre for speakers and an area to mingle.
With my arms waving in the air, the alcohol rushes down my body and controls my movement. "Sexy!" Comments Laura with a giggle, copying me with a slut drop.
I laugh with her and sing along to the music. Her other friends join in and more girls crowd around us to dance. The energy has risen and the music has been turned up. But all I can focus on is having a good time.
Then I remembered the scene from earlier- Nathan checking out that blonde. Should I inform Laura on what I saw? She never told m officially that they are dating but they seem very close. However I've never been in this situation before, but when Josh was cheating on me, I would have wanted to know about it as soon as possible.
"Hey Laura. Can we talk?" I walk over to a more quite section of her house. I am glad when she follows.
"Sure, what is it?" Laura is more intoxicated than I am. If I tell her, she may react too dramatically or she may not be so bothered. It could go either of two ways.
"Um, it's about Nathan," my voice shakes as I contemplate whether I am doing the right thing or whether I should leave it.
"What about him? You don't fancy him too, right?" Her eyes expand at her assumption. "You know we are dating."
So that clears it up.
"No! No that's not it." I hold up my hand in defence.
"Then what is it?" She takes a sip of her drink. A long sip.
But before my words can form in my mouth, Nathan has already crept up behind Laura and pulls her into a hug. She turns her back from me and kisses Nathan.
"What was it you wanted to tell me?" She asks with Nathan's hand holding hers. He doesn't regard my presence and continues hugging her. "It doesn't matter," I mumble then walk off, leaving them to it.
I cant watch anymore.
"Hey Paige!" A girl summons me over to her group, the group Laura is in.
"Hi Bethany," I hope that is her name. I vacate the kitchen to follow her back into the room where the party is more alive. It looks a little bit more empty than before. I guess Laura found that key.
"You should see that guy over there." Phew, I must have got her name right then. Wait, what guy? I rotate my head and my eyes dilate at the image in front of me. "He's so good looking." I agree with her statement, nodding with my mouth going dry.
"Who is he?" I ask over the music, Miley Cyrus banging out from the speakers.
"Ethan. He's captain of the soccer team." Bethany flutters her eye lashes, pretending to faint. "He's to die for."
"Why don't you go over and talk to him?" I suggest, sneaking another glance over towards the broad shouldered jock with mysteriously dark eyes and chocolate brown hair, thick enough to run my fingers through. Gosh he gives me chills already.
Beth shudders. "I couldn't."
"Why not?"
"I can't just go over and talk to him!" She shrieks as if he is some sort of prince or something. "If he's been checking you out, why would he want to be with me?"
"Wait. He's been checking me out?" My heart pounds as I gaze back over at him to see his eyes gliding down my body. They rest comfortingly on my eyes and he nods my way, in a 'sup?' expression.
"See," Bethany sighs. "But that means you could have a shot with him." She then beans.
"It does?" I have only just broken out of a relationship. Is it time again for a new one? I guess Nathan is no longer an option. So why not?
"Go on!" Encourages Holy, another girl in the group.
"Go before he leaves," squeaks a brunette I think is called Ruth. They all usher me over in his direction. I check my reflection in a mirror as I pass and I take in a breath.
"Hi, I'm Paige," I begin, a spark of confidence whirling up inside of me. The girls have all rushed back over into their corner to spectate.
"Hey," his voice is deeper than expected, adding to his handsomeness- if that is really a word. "I'm Ethan."
I then think I am going to reply back with something cheesy or cliché, like 'I know who you are' or something like 'I know your name.'
But I don't. In fact, I don't make a complete fool out of myself as expected.
"I saw you checking me out before. You like what you see?"
Ok, where has this new found confidence evolved from? Is it the alcohol that has given me the courage to wink at him? His lips shift into a grin and he leans on the wall behind him, crossing his arms.
"Yeah, I like what I see." His eyes close then reopen, a desire sparkling in his brown orbs. "If you do?"
"I do," I smirk. Ok, when have I ever smirked before? This mysterious alcoholic drink is working wonders.
"You want to hang out sometime?" He asks, stepping closer towards me. He reaches out to take my hand. "I would love to get to know you better." He flashes a pearly white smile. Gosh his smile. His lips.
"Yeah, that would be great." I say, not too overly excited yet interested enough for him to know I like him. His eyes graze over my dress one last time. My cheeks instantly flush at the remembrance that this dress isn't the right size for me. However he seems to like it nonetheless.
"Hey Ethan! Ride's here!" An unfamiliar voice echoes from the other room. Perhaps it's one of his team mates. Beth did say he is on the soccer team. I have never met any of them before, considering they are classed as the rival team for the footballers.
"Sorry but I gotta roll." He backs away a step and takes in a last sight of me. "See you at school tomorrow," he winks then exits the party. I watch as he leaves and butterflies erupt in my stomach.
"Sooooo," Bethany jumps as I approach her and the girls again. Laura and Nathan are also standing with them now. "What did he say?" She asks eagerly, the other girls interested in my response as they gather round.
"He said we should hang out sometime," I grin.
"That's awesome!" Comments Laura, smiling back at me. Nathan has his arm wrapped around her side. He doesn't take any notice of my conversation with Ethan, or bother I am going to hang out with him.
For some reason I want Nathan to be bothered. Maybe not jealousy, but I at least want a reaction from him. I keep staring at him but it doesn't come.
I don't know what I want him to do, just a look my way perhaps? But why would he? He's dating Laura. And anyway, I may get a new date. Being friends with Laura and her gang seems to be looking up to be a bright idea. I hope it stays that way.