I swallow harshly when we pull up in front of the party house. The amount of people already visible makes me ten times more anxious and I'm starting to just want to leave or stay in the car.
"Nina?" Braylee puts her hand on my shoulder. "You look like you're going to be sick. Are you okay?"
"Maybe we shouldn't make her do this, she doesn't look too good," Candice hushes sympathetically.
"She has to, Candy," Braylee nearly snaps. "That douche bag is fooling around on her-"
"That's not for certain," Candice argues back, her voice showing a tone of anger now.
"Are we going to take that chance, though?" My cousin points out. "If he is fooling around on her, wouldn't you want to know now instead of on her god for saken wedding day?"
"Guys stop," I whisper, my voice gone behind the lump in my throat. I swallow and nod my head as if too encourage myself. What Braylee is saying is right, I need to do this. For myself. "We came all the way out here, we're going in. I'm just overreacting."
Candice looks at me softly. "Are you sure?"
Braylee glares at her, but I ignore my cousin and nod to Candice's question. "I am."
I'm not.
"Okay then," Braylee claps her hands together. "Lets go. And Candice and I won't leave your side."
I thank them, and we finally - finally, get out of the car. The cold winter air hits me like a bucket of ice water, and I shiver in both nerves and from the freezing temperature of Michigan.
Braylee startles me when she throws her arm around my shoulders, leaning her head against mine. "I promise I have your back."
I look at her, feeling a huge sense of gratitude towards her, but also distinguishing the tone of voice she uses. Like if Baylee is right, and Eric is behind this door, she will do everything in her power to pick me back up.
"Thank you, Bray," I choose to go with instead. She smiles light heartedly and leads Candice and I both into the house.
The first thing that fully and thoroughly consumes every one of my senses is the heat. It's like walking into a sauna right off the bat, and not to mention the pungent smell of sweat and heat. I try to ignore it.
"I'm going to guess that you just want a soda, right?" Braylee asks in my ear, the music too loud for any other way for me to hear her. I nod. "Lets go to the kitchen then, that's where everything is."
Candice grabs on to my hand as to not lose me - or vice versa - and we make our way through the crowd. This party seems way bigger than the last one I went to - the only one I had to compare this too.
Braylee rummages through a few coolers before digging out a Dr. Pepper. She hands it to me and wipes her hair out of her face.
"You'd think they'd have a better collection of refreshments here," she comments and rolls her eyes. "As if they don't have enough kegs to last them a lifetime."
I snort, still shaky as I'm out of my element. Braylee goes back to grab her and Candice a mixed drink before they come back to me.
"So," I rock on the balls of my feet. "What now?"
I'm not sure what to do now that we're here, I was too worried about what I would find instead of really figuring out an agenda. I guess it wouldn't be this hard to think of something if I had experience with parties. Even then, we have to stay on the down low anyway. That's to not attract attention to ourselves before we can even catch Eric in the act. If there is an act to be caught.
"Well, we can go to my group of friends," Braylee says. "You know them of course, but even if you don't talk that's fine. We don't need people making a scene about you being at a party."
I agree with the plan - because why would I disagree - and we head over to the area where some of my classmates stand. They greet me, but I don't know them well enough to get into conversation. Braylee says that's okay, because all I really need to focus on is the door, and our surrounding areas.
The spot we're in, coincidently gives me view of the majority of the first floor due to the open concept, and spotting Eric should be easy. I've yet to see him, though. And as the hours tick by, my heart rate decreases in hope that he won't come at all.
Due to the tremendous amount of liquid I drink, I now have to pee, and seeing as Eric has yet to show up, I think it's safe to leave my post for a minute or two. Not to mention my legs cramping from sitting for so long.
"I'm going to run to the bathroom," I whisper to Braylee. I'm thankful that she's taking most of the conversations since I really didn't want to be here in the first place much less converse with others.
"Do you need me or Candice to come?" She asks, eyeing me as I stand up.
I shake my head. "I'll be fine. I need to stretch a little."
She smiles with an "okay" and I'm on my way again. The crowd is even bigger than when we arrived, so finding the stairs to get to the bathroom is a lot harder than I anticipated. This is due to the constant jostling I take while weaving my way through the mass of bodies. Regardless, I do find the stairs and I climb them fast to finally get away from the music a little bit.
I breathe a sigh of relief and tuck a piece of hair behind my ear. It's a lot cooler up here, and breathing is way more functional. I know going back downstairs is going to be a punch in the face, so I intend to take my time in the bathroom.
Now, the only problem is actually finding the bathroom. There aren't many rooms up here - many houses in Lincoln Park don't - but all the doors are closed.
Nervously, I try the first one and it comes out negative, so that leaves me with two more. One of them is the bathroom, but it's picking it that is going to be difficult. Just to get it over with, I go to twist the door knob to one of the rooms when the door opens suddenly.
I jump back in surprise, my hand over my beating heart, the rate only increasing when I take note of who it is coming out.
Jace West, shirtless. The shock on my face is evident I'm sure, but that doesn't even stop my wandering eyes. He's built. I could always faintly see the ropes of muscle on his arms, but with the whole upper body bare, it's a whole other story.
Abs in perfect rectangles span against his stomach, and raised pectorals are perked which it seems from the cold.
Jace sees me after a while and he glances at me confused. "Nina? What are you doing here?"
I've done an awesome job at being on the down low.
"I - I -" I can't even get the words out. I wish Braylee was here so she could assist me in this crucial time.
My stuttering comes to a halt, though, when a girl by the name of Cassandra Ramo walks through the door that Jace has just come out of. She looks flustered, when she spots me, though, her face turns into one of surprise.
"Oh, hi, Nina," she greets. "I didn't know you were here."
I've always liked Cassandra, we have third hour together, but at the moment I don't particularly care for her. It's like a switch is clicked on in my brain, and I suddenly feel hostile towards her.
"Likewise," I stiffly respond. Jace's eyes are only on me as Cassandra and I stare at each other before she smiles awkwardly.
"Um, I'm going to head back down," she tells Jace before smiling stoically and walking down the stairs.
Now I have the need to leave.
Ironically, as I go to follow after the girl, Jace grabs my wrist, stopping me from leaving.
"Let go of me," I assertively demand, my voice coming out harder than I wanted.
"Not until you answer my question," he rasps.
What are you doing here?
"None of your business," I answer as monotone as I can.
"Really," he snorts. "Then would you mind if I called Eric up right now-"
"You wouldn't," I begin to panic. If he called Eric, then that could ruin my plan. Or my relationship.
"Then tell me why the fuck you're here without him?" So he's not here? I breathe out in relief.
"Braylee forced me to come." It half true.
"Bullshit," he calls me out and takes a step closer to me, his hand still on my wrist. I grow increasingly warm.
"It's true," I try my best poker face. "She didn't want to come alone, so she asked me. I figured it wasn't that big of a deal so I came."
He eyes me strategically. "And she let you come up here alone?"
I shrug. It's not any of his business what I do, so I don't know why he's acting like it is. I have a boyfriend that does that.
"Do you know what kind of creeps would like to prey on an innocent girl like yourself?" He questions rhetorically, almost angry.
I narrow my eyes at him and tear my arm out of his grip, my skin burning from his touch.
"I'm going back down to Braylee," I tell him. "Go pester Cassandra."
I turn on my heel, but stopping when I hear Jace again.
"Bitter?" I can hear the teasing in his voice, but instead of commenting on it, I bite my tongue and go down the stairs.
I'm too angry to go back to Braylee and her friends that annoy me with their bizarre stories, so I turn left instead of right when I get to the landing. I don't know where this leads, but at this point I could careless.
So, I walk further through the house, this section less crowded then the other. There still are people, but it's more casual and laid back in here.
I'm muttering to myself on how annoying Jace is, that I'm not even paying attention to any of my surroundings.
And I wish I had been because when a loud noise attracts my attention, my eyes are drawn to a sight that has me shaking with nerves. The view makes me sick and I start backing away because of it.
I feel like I can't breathe, like I'm gasping for even the slightest cure of air. I'm clutching at my shirt - wear my heart beats - as if I can tear it out and relieve myself of this burning ache.
A pair of hands grab my shoulders, pulling me back, but I pay no mind. My ears are too clogged to even make out the voice, though, the smell is a dead give away.
"Nina?" It's like I'm under water. "Nina? Nina, snap out of it."
He's in front of me now, blocking me from the horrific sight, and he grabs me where my neck and head meet, shaking me.
As my ears become clear again, I can finally hear that I'm crying.
"Let's go," Jace looks far more than concerned as he grabs me and leads me towards the entrance. All the while my eyes stay on Eric.
Eric and two girls.
____________________
Holy shit it feels good to write again!! School is finally done, and all my studying and not updating paid off as my scores were extraordinary. I thank you all for the wait, and I promise I will update way more often because of my free time :)
Watty's 2017! Submissions are up and running and so far I have entered four of mg stories; Relationship With My Boyfriends Best Friend, Forbidden Love, Tage Kolosov, and Too Complicated. If you head over to TheWattys you can go to the book Watty's 2017 and read the instructions on how to vote! I'd appreciate it if you all helped me win a watty this year!!
What do you think? Were you beginning to think that Eric wasn't there? What's up with Jace and Cassandra and how Nina felt about it? Can you believe Eric? I just want to punch him in the throat ;)
Don't be a silent reader!!
Enjoy. Love you all <3
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Twitter: KearaSanders
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