Chloe,
Funny. I don't believe you. And even if I did, once you're, in you're in. They wouldn't let you go easily. Especially if your downgrade down the social ladder is landing you next to Jack.
Just be very careful.
As for me, I'm great. I miss you, and I miss my old home, but I'm great. Things are oddly quiet here. It's nice.
Monica
Lacrosse was one brutal game, its physical intensity almost rivaling the ferocity of level one's most terrifying members. Maybe even Sophie Rutherford.
Our partitioned section of the stands gave us a perfect view of the field, where navy and white colored uniforms clashed barbarically in favor of a black rubber ball the size of my fist. I could understand why each player was dressed in what looked like a freaking suit of armor.
I could spot William on the field, he was a little taller than the others in navy and had a band around his upper arm to signal his captainship. Watching him made me a little uncomfortable. I swear I winced every time he collided with another player or their stick.
By half-time, the score was six to four in our favor, and by full time we had won eleven to nine. William had undoubtedly scored at least eight of the goals and assisted with the others. It was easy to see why he was captain.
"Come on!" Maddy said enthusiastically as soon as the final whistle called and the crowd burst into applause. "We should go down there and congratulate them."
The others didn't look too keen, but Sophie and Lola joined us as we maneuvered between the chanting sea of navy and towards the lacrosse buildings which I'd hidden in on Monday afternoon.
"Everyone's looking at you," Maddy said into my ear as she linked her arm in mine. "You're wearing the last name of the best player of the game on your back."
"I guess I am," I said, looking around to see a number of eyes pinned on me, darting away as soon as mine made contact with them. One stood out though, and that was the cold stare of Lola Davenport who was trailing behind us.
The boys took a while to come off of the field, they were too busy basking in the joy of the win. When they did, they were still breathing deeply and covered in mud and sweat, helmets and sticks in hand.
"Congratulations," Sophie said loudly when Max and Zach walked our way. William was too busy talking with the man I assumed to be their coach.
"Thanks, Soph," Max said. "Where were your pom-poms?"
"Must have left them in the car," she said snidely, her top lip curling.
"Great job boys!" Lola said, a contrast to Sophie's enthusiasm as she went as far as to sweep the two of them into a hug. What I first thought was an over-the-top gesture of congratulations turned out to be a lot more when Lola's hand subtly roamed to the waistband of Max's pants, where I saw the flicker of a small white baggie be secured before his shirt fell back over it.
"Thanks for your support," Max said with a smile that induced shivers down my spine.
I looked to Zach, whose eyes were flickering between Max and Lola as if deciding how he felt about what he just witnessed. I guess we had that in common.
I was so absorbed in processing their exchange that I almost jumped when someone's arm snaked its way over my shoulder and squeezed me close against them. "What did you think?"
William's mossy eyes were shining, looking even more piercing as they contrasted with the flush in his skin. His hair was pushed smoothly out of his face with moisture and he just looked so alive, his scent and heat entrapping me.
"It was brutal," I said when my mind and lips finally found the ability to work together again. "I can't believe you'd subject yourself to that."
William laughed, and I felt his chest rise and fall against me. The way his arm was around me could have been just a friendly gesture, or for the show of our relationship. I couldn't tell which.
"But congratulations," I went on. "You played really well."
"Wow, a compliment from Chloe Whittaker?" he asked in mock surprise, his voice low enough for it to appear like an intimate remark to those around us.
"Don't get used to it," I said, smiling despite my words.
"Wouldn't dare it. Anyway, we better shower. We'll see you girls back at Maddy's, right?"
"I think that's the plan."
He slapped the shoulders of both Zach and Max simultaneously before the three of them headed towards the showers. I turned to look for Maddy, who had been beside me moments ago, but she was already talking to number two from Richmond Prep.
It was almost getting dark by the time all of us minus the three on the team piled into the chauffeured car which was taking us to the Danton house. From the sounds of things, the girls just wanted to get drunk, while Piers and Francis were discussing something, their voices kept low.
When we arrived, the huge house was already crawling with caterers and cleaners. Unlike some of the other modern mansions which had hosted the recent parties level one had attended, Maddy's house was a lot more classic, carrying a rustic feel to it with its wooden panels and the flowerbeds in the windows.
Maddy invited us into her home by finding two expensively branded bottles of wine on top of a cabinet and passing them into the hands of her guests. She laughed, tossing her ink black hair over her shoulder before pulling a third off of the shelf, pulling the cork from the top and downing at least two large gulps.
Sophie rolled her eyes. "Always a show off, Mads. Where are your glasses?"
After we'd each toasted to Arlington's win – despite the actual players not even being there yet – the girls went into what looked like a room dedicated to being a makeup studio.
"My Dad had it built so the paparazzi wouldn't catch him without his face done," Maddy said, rolling her eyes as she threw herself onto a plush leather chair which was angled towards a shiny crystal counter-top. "And Mom loves to make herself look like a drag queen, so it works."
I thought we'd ventured into the room to touch up our own make-up, but when Maddy started clearing space on the counter before pulling out a baggie identical to the one Lola had snuck into Max's waistband, I knew my thoughts were much too naive.
"It's good stuff," Lola said, perching besides Maddy, her skirt stretching over her wide hips. "Jonas already wants more."
I tried to keep my breathing steady, I knew if they knew that I was so innocent and inexperienced with all of this then I'd be left vulnerable. So I kept my cool, and leant against a table on the far end of the room, watching from afar.
"Here," Sophie said, her hand sifting through her purse for a few seconds before pulling out a few black straws.
Maddy carefully organized the snowy contents of the bag into six straight lines with what looked like a premium credit card. "One for each of us."
Oh God.
"Maddy, I don't want one," I said, almost pleadingly. "I've—I've never done it before."
So much for not appearing vulnerable.
"You've never done it before?" Sophie asked, her lips forming into a pout, as if she was marveling at a sweet young child. "That's okay, there's a first time for everything. It's not that bad, there's all this hype about it being dangerous, but it's just a bit of fun. Like getting drunk without having to drink loads."
"It really isn't that bad," Maddy agreed. "And look, I only gave you a little!"
With the eyes of all of them on me, and the cocked, challenging brow of Lola Davenport daring me to say no, I just nodded my head stiffly. If I only did a tiny bit I might not even feel it, not to mention I could probably control how much I actually breathed in.
"Here," Sophie said, shoving a straw into my hands. "You go first."
"How do I..." I trailed off, staring at the little line of powder.
"Just sniff it, like you're trying to smell the fragrance of a delicate little flower," she said. "Don't snort though, for god's sake."
With shaky hands, I did as she instructed and lowered the straw over the line, my cheeks flushing with all of their attention on me.
It wasn't that bad. I sniffed lightly, and that was enough for the burning powder to enter my nose and make my eyes water. I'd been expecting worse, and so I leaned back nonchalantly, as if it was nothing at all.
But, about twenty minutes later, I felt a little different.
People had started arriving at Maddy's, including Arlington's lacrosse team. They entered in a bout of loud noise and movement, and my head was starting to feel dizzy from all of the people, some I didn't even know, enveloping us all in hugs and introductions.
You're such an idiot, Chloe, a voice in my head whispered harshly into my ear, you're here for Monica, and you let them pressure you into coke. After all you've seen them do, you still let them. Now you're more vulnerable than ever.
Just as my turbulent thoughts almost brought me to run away from the crowd, William's face appeared in it, his smile warm as he chatted with someone over the sea of heads. I immediately sifted through the people to reach him, his company feeling a lot safer than anyone else's around here.
When he saw me he quickly made polite farewells to end whatever conversation he was having and dragged me to the side of the room instead. "Hey, are you okay?"
I nodded quickly, then shook my head. God, I was turning into a mess. "Is it that obvious?"
"What happened?" he asked.
I didn't want to say. I didn't want to tell him I'd caved into the pressure and was now high on the drugs the girls had given me. I bit my lip, feeling so detached. The sense of touch in my fingers was delayed and inaccurate, and my body strangely light and buoyant.
"Chloe, what happened?" he repeated.
The look I gave him must have told him everything he needed to know, because he swore profusely before grabbing my hand and leading me towards the back of the house. "How could you have been so stupid, Chloe?"
I screwed my eyes shut, knowing he was completely right. I'd ruined my night and any chances of finding out who this Mike guy was and getting revenge for Monica. Oh, Monica. I'd let Monica down completely.
William's hair was still wet from his shower, and he smelled of pine body wash and fresh clothes. His hand hadn't left mine from when he'd led me out, despite hardly anyone being around to justify his intimate contact.
"Stay here, I'm getting you water," he said before dropping my hand and disappearing from view.
Where his hand had left contact with mine quickly grew cold. It was an odd sensation, like that particular part of me had been held into place and now it was left floating and insecure. I wanted his hand back on there, to be my tether to alertness when my mind was growing so fuzzy.
Chloe, you're such a fucking idiot!
What was becoming the most frustrating thought of all was how much I was relying on William to be my safe person. And how much the sensation of his stupid lips on mine was sticking to my thoughts like honey, so sweet and warm and an absolute bitch to rid myself of.
I processed the cold bottle being pressed into my palm and then hands on my shoulders guiding me outside and into the support of what I at first thought was a swing. It wasn't a swing, though, it was just a normal outdoor couch. It was just my mind that was spinning.
The air was cold on my face, helping to sober me as I gulped down as much as I could of the cool water.
"You know," I mused, my voice a little shaky, "If it wasn't for your jacket I'd be freezing my ass off right now."
"No you wouldn't," William said. Then I felt his hand brush against my forehead. "You're burning up."
"I feel so cold," I said honestly, and when I looked at him again I couldn't look away. The stupidly annoying feeling of being locked in his gaze had overcome me. Maybe it was a combination of the proximity, his lips, and the mistake of taking drugs, but it was slowly overwhelming my senses.
"It's probably your body trying to reject whatever they gave you," he said. "How much was it?"
"Not that much," I said, trying to remember. "The others did much more than me."
He sighed, his eyes searching my face for something I couldn't quite place. "I shouldn't have let you go with them alone."
"Isn't that the whole point of our arrangement?" I asked.
He shifted his weight on his feet, breaking our eye contact before spreading warmth as he sat beside me, so close our bodies were pressed against each other. I was still feeling drowsy and dizzy, and I felt as if I could easily collapse from my seated position, so I instinctively reached out to grab his arm.
He felt stiff, but was quick to relax against my touch. Then he started brushing away the tangle of hair which had fallen in front of my face.
"How long will it take to go away?" I asked.
"If it wasn't that much, maybe an hour or two," he said. "You're probably going to feel like shit after, though."
I groaned, and then leant my cheek against his shoulder when my neck became increasingly weak. I could hear that music had started playing inside, but outside still seemed so quiet and peaceful. His steady breathing was the only thing I could feel, and my untamed senses were starting to become acutely aware of that.
God, when had I become so attracted to William? The coke was the only explanation. Under normal circumstances there was no way my heart beat would escalate at just the feeling of his palm over mine.
I raised my head, hoping that detaching as much of me as possible from him would help me think clearer, but it didn't. He was staring at me, looking worried, those jade eyes burning into mine like wildfire. And when my gaze dropped to his lips, I stood up abruptly.
"I'm going to use the bathroom," I muttered before I could do something stupid. Like kiss him.
Dedicated to @egimonae for her wonderful comments on both wattpad and twitter which were so heavily biased towards Will and Chloe getting together ;-)
Thanks for reading ♥