Clarissa slowed the car to a halt outside of a house that I didn't recognize. It looked dark and from where she parked, I couldn't see anyone on the lawn. It didn't look like much of a party, and I stared at the back of Clarissa's head, wondering if she had been mistaken.
Cory leaned forward in his seat to lean across Clarissa's lap, peering out her window. "Is this it?"
Cory leaned forward in his seat so that he was leaning across Clarissa to peer out her window.
"Is this it?"' Cory asked Clarissa speaking my thoughts out loud.
Clarissa shook her head scattering her dark hair. "No, of course it's not, silly. This would be the worst party ever. It's around the block; I'm just parking here because I'm guessing it'd be impossible to park any closer."
"Oh, okay," Cory said resting back against his seat as he undid his seatbelt.
Without another word, Cameron popped open the door he had been crammed next to and we all crawled out into the night, grateful to have personal space back again. As we walked, no one spoke so I looked up at the sky to amuse myself. The moon was once again hidden behind thick downy-like clouds.
Cameron nudged me, and I glanced at him.
"Looking for a UFO?" he joked.
I smiled. "Yeah, I hear they're common around here."
Miles blinked at us from his place a few steps behind but said nothing. Even so, I felt bad for the joke.
We could hear the party before we ever saw it. As we came up to the scene, we were greeted with lights and loud music. Clarissa led the group across the lawn, kicking beer cans out of our way as we went. People were engaged in conversation, laughing and talking loudly. Their glazed eyes watched us with mild interest, but I pretended not to notice.
Clarissa's mood, on the other hand, seemed to lighten. Suddenly, she stopped checking to see if we were behind her, and went into the house with Cory on her heels.
Left alone once again Cameron turned to look at me. "Well, she seems fine now." He shrugged.
"Yeah. I'm not worried about it."
Cameron scoffed. "I'm worried she's gonna forget we're here. How long do you think she'll want to stay?"
"I don't know," I said, tapping my fingers to my lips. The last party I had gone to with her had resulted in me physically dragging her away.
"Well, might as well make the best of it. I'm gonna go find some snacks," he said.
"Okay, I'm staying outside as far from the other people as possible with Miles if you need me. Parties really aren't my thing," I admitted to him.
Cameron shook his head. "Same here, if we're all being honest. I'll be back in a few minutes, permitting I don't get stuck in the house."
"Alright," I said dully.
Cameron observed the area before he made his way through the throngs of people and disappeared almost instantly among the cheerful, drunk kids. I turned to look at Miles who returned my look.
"What exactly is a party?" he asked and even though his face was calm he had that same gleam of awkwardness in his eye that Cameron had had.
"It's a social thing where people meet and talk and hook up," I said shrugging and gesturing to the array of people who were within sight. Most of them were laughing and a few were kissing and wrapped around each other. A couple of them watched us walk by wordlessly.
"Hook up?" Miles questioned, scrunching up his face as he spoke. "What's that?"
I shook my head, small smile on my lips. "Never mind, it's not important."
He shrugged and looked uninterested. "Okay."
"Hey!" I heard an unfamiliar voice call from the crowd suddenly.
I turned and scanned my eyes through the various people to find the source of the voice and noticed some boy I had never seen before waving at me from the crowd. I rolled my eyes and looked away without feeling any interest.
Miles heard him too. "Do you know him?"
"No, I've never seen him before in my life. He's just flirting. That's exactly why I hate parties," I said. "It's just a bunch of drunken immature guys that flirt with everyone and girls egging them on."
I walked closer to the house, the music pounding into my ears as we skirted along the side, partially obscured by the yard decorations. The backyard was filled with its own drunken yells, and I sighed, slowing down. Miles did the same, watching as I leaned against the house, sliding all the way down to the ground as I did so.
Instantly, cold seeped through my shorts, and when I lifted my hands, I realized they were covered in mud. Grimacing, I made no move to get up—the damage was already done.
Miles watched me before he scanned the crowd. "Are you worried about Cameron at all?"
I forgot about the uncomfortable feeling on my skin as I looked up at him, caught off guard by the question. "Why would I be?"
"Aren't you worried about other girls flirting with him at this party since he went in there alone?" he asked.
I shrugged and leaned my head against the hard siding of the house I looked up at him. "Not really, I mean it's none of my business," I said, my heart twinging in violent jealousy at the thought of Cameron making out with someone the way the strangers in the front yard were. "Why do you ask?"
"Why is it not your business?"
"We're only friends," I replied. "He can talk to whoever he wants, I don't care. As long as he's still my friend at the end of the day it doesn't really matter much to me."
"You guys seem more than friends to me." A new voice joined our conversation from behind us.
Miles and I turned to look at Cory at the same time.
"Oh no, not him again," Miles muttered, instantly looking the other way.
I had the opposite reaction—instead of pretending he wasn't there, I glared coldly at him. He smiled in return, holding up his beer can in a salute.
"Why's that? Cuz we hang all the time?" I rolled my eyes.
"No, because he stays the night. Because not a day goes by without you being glued at the hip." He paused to take a sip of his beer. "Y'all must be really good friends if you know what I'm saying."
I stood to my feet, sliding in the mud and forgetting that it was all over me. "What are you implying?"
Cory smiled again, not at all offended by my tone. "Well, if you aren't with Cameron, who are you with? You must be crushing on someone."
My eyebrows pulled together. "If I am, it's no concern of yours."
"Oh, come on. Don't be that way. What do you say you and I do something sometime?"
I scoffed, jaws hanging open as I fought my disbelief. "And what of Clarissa?"
He shrugged. "She don't have to find out." He laughed like he had just told the best joke.
I thought about Fiona suddenly, how Cory had hurt her down to her very core with cruel and selfish tactics like these. Cameron was right to hate him—he didn't love Clarissa, the only person he ever cared about was himself.
Breathing slowly through my nose, I scanned the area, hoping for a glimpse of Cameron, but I didn't see him. I'd have to handle this situation on my own...until Miles decided to chip in of course.
"Haven't you ever heard of boundaries? I'm her best friend you piece of shit."
He blinked, gulping down another mouthful of beer. "I know."
"You know so you should know what you just said is wrong. The girl loves you so why do this kind of shit to her?"
"What she doesn't know won't hurt her," he replied, crumpling the can in his fist before looking up at me. "So whataya say?"
"I say you're on your own," I replied, turning my back to make a face to Miles.
He growled, a deep low rumbling that started in his chest but grew louder, the noise sounding like it was coming from a rabid dog. He looked down then, the shadows concealing his face from sight.
"Miles?" I asked uncertainly.
His head snapped up to look at me then, moonlight glinting off his eyes. His face twisted, nose scrunching and eyes drawn tight with angry. Every one of his teeth had sharpened into dagger-like fangs.
A sinking feeling in my stomach told me I was about to finally learn what it was that Miles ate.