Steph spent that night screaming about the films and shouting and crying over Casey and Matt but that person has dissappeared as right now, she is in her room, wearing the most reveaing dress she owns, trying to make herself look irresistable. Of course, I told her that what she was doing wouldn't make a difference, but she said she wanted Matt to see that she was moving on. Deciding that she could do whatever she wanted to, I said nothing else and instead, I went to my own room, where I chose the pale orange dress. Even though it is tight, it's only a little bit above my knee so I don't feel as bad about wearing it.
From watching Steph the other day, I learnt how to apply make up better and so now, I am using her techniques. I used to wear make up before, but I only ever wore the basics. Now, I have been introduced to more complicated and difficult products. I straighten my hair and leave it to hang over my shoulders, not bothered to do anything else with it.
I open my wardrobe doors and see that I have no shoes that will go with the dress. Why didn't I buy any? Hopeful, I knock on Steph's door and ask her for shoes that would go with the dress. I watch her pull out a pair of orange, stiletto heels.
"Have you got any others?"
"No, why?" She asks and I look down.
"I can't walk in them," I admit and I see her roll her eyes.
"Yes you can, just walk normally, you'll be fine." Then, I just walk out of her room, put the shoes on and practice walking around. When I fall twice, I start to panic. It'll be okay, I convince myself, adding the last minute parts to my make up. If I fall over and make a fool out of myself, I'm blaming her.
When me and steph are both ready, we wait for Kelly to arrive. I was a bit reluctant to accept the lift from her after what happened last time, but I was reassured that it wouldn't happen again. My nerves are increased as I plan on talking to him tonight. I've been thinking over what I am going to say, trying to decide what makes me sound strong and what would just piss him off.
"Lily!" Steph shouts and I realise that I have been day dreaming, and have missed Kelly arrive. I apologise and carefully follow them out, successfully making it to the car without falling. Of course, I took the lift and so my accomplishment isn't as impressive, but I am still proud of myself. As Kelly drives, I start to get even more apprehensive about the party. What if he just walks off? What if he doesn't show? Thinking about it won't help, so instead, I listen to Steph explain how she is going to confront Casey. Honestly, I can't wait to see what Casey says.
We arrive at James's house, which is huge by the way and walk inside, the music vibrating the entire house. Kelly leaves to find James and so me and Steph make our way through the rooms, Steph picking up random drinks and downing them for 'confidence'. I wonder whether I should do the same thing, and then I think not. I wouldn't be a fun drunk.
"Hey!" A man calls and when I turn around, I see Kyle walking towards us. Thankfully, he isn't with Nathan and so I have time to prepare. Since there are less people here, I can walk without bashing into people, so I make my way over to Kyle.
"I need to talk to you," a husky voice says in my ear and when I turn, I see Nathan walking away. Of course, being the idiot I am, I follow behind him. He leads me into one of the back rooms where there are no people. I feel a little intimidated but I don't let it on as I am trying to seem confident and sure of myself. He stops, so I stop and then he turns to face me.
"I want to apologise for the other day," he says actually shocking me. He wants to apologise?
"For what? Not explaining how someone else's blood was on you or for pushing me against a wall and scaring me afterwards?" I ask, so he knows how angry I am.
"I scared you?" He asks, smirking. I roll my eyes.
"No, I like it when men threaten me when I am pushed against a wall with nowhere to go," I mock, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
"I'm apologising for all of it, I shouldn't have left you like that without explaining and I am sorry for threatening and scaring you, it won't happen again."
"Okay, I'll forgive you if you explain everything to me," I say, copying his famous smirk. He laughs and invites me to sit beside him on the sofa. I follow him over, sit and then gesture for him to talk.
"Okay, I got into a fight with someone, no one you know, but I am a good fighter, I'll tell you why later but since I am a good fighter, I didn't get hurt, instead I just really hurt the other guy," he explains but for some reason, I don't believe him.
"Why didn't you just tell me that before?" I ask and he smiles, but he looks embarrassed?
"If I told you, you wouldn't believe me," he replies but I shake my head.
"Try me." He lets out one short laugh before looking at me, and I mean he really looks at me.
"I didn't want you to think I was a bad person, I didn't want you to be scared of me, but then you were and I knew that you deserved to know the truth," he admits and I shake my head. It seems so cute that he didn't want me to think that.
"I don't think that you're a bad person, if you want, you can start over?" I offer and he smiles, laughing again.
"Okay, I'll start over. Hello, my name is Nathan Riley." I giggle and shake his outstretched hand.
"Hello Nathan, I am Lily-Rose James," I copy and we both end up laughing. He then takes my hand and leads me back into the rest of the party, which to be honest I had almost forgotten was happening. I am very aware that his hand is in mine and I think he knows. I feel so stupid but I feel safer like this and I don't want him to let go. He asks about me, where I work and what I like for a whle as we walk around and I like the fact he wants to get to know me.
We soon find Steph, Kelly, James and Kyle, all dancing in the middle of the living room. I've noticed how James and Kelly never leave each other. Kyle is dancing with Steph, well they are bumping their bums together and how James and Kelly are dancing together, their bodies mixed in ways I never though possible. There are people I have never even seen before drinking around them but I ignore them and focus on the people I know. I wonder where Casey is, did they already fight? Did I miss it? As soon as we reach them, I ask Steph but she tells me she is coming later and how she wants to slip it into conversation, just to see her reaction. I agree and join them in dancing, bashing my bum against Kyle's. Then, I see Casey, her dress as short as ever but her boobs more on show, walking up to us, drinking and dancing with random people.
"Heyyyyyyy," she slurs and when I look at Kyle and Nathan, I see them roll their eyes, causing me to laugh. Casey hugs Steph but Steph doesn't return it, instead she suggests that we all play a game of never have I ever. In the game, a person will say never have I ever and then a fact. If you have done what they said they haven't you have to drink a shot, but if you haven't done it, you don't drink.
Being the non drinker I am, I say I don't want to play, but Steph insists it will be fun, winking after. I laugh and sit in the circle. Of course, I am nervous because I don't want to drink anything.
"Are you okay?" Nathan asks and I nod. I am sat by him and Kyle in the circle but from here, I can see Steph and Casey perfectly.
"I'll start!" Casey says, raising her hand. "Never have I ever done it in a park," she says and I watch James and Kelly drink, looking guiltily at each other.
"Really guys?" Kyle asks and James shrugs, winking at her. I cringe and look as they go around the circle.
"Never have I ever had sex with someone who was in a relationship," Steph says and I look directly at Casey as she picks up the drink and swallows it.
"Who was it Casey? Oh yeah, I know, it was Matt and oh yeah, he was with me," Steph says and Casey turns a bright shade of red.
"Shit's going down," Kyle comments and I nod, looking at the argument happening.
"How did you know?" She asks, her voice barely above a whisper.
"You're a bitch, did you know that? How could you?" Steph asks, standing up. Casey copies her.
"I didn't mean to, we were drunk. I barely remember any of it, it was mistake," she says and Steph laughs in her face.
"You're damn right it was mistake," she says, but Casey suddenly becomes defensive.
"I said it was a mistake, calm down," she says, looking at the rest of the group for support, but it's clear who's side we are all on.
"Don't tell me to fucking calm down," Steph snarls, stepping closer to her. I share a worried look with Kelly but we seem to decide together not to do anything yet.
"You want to start something? Well how about we say how you replaced me with little miss prefect over there! Ever since she came you have barely seen me! I don't even know what so special about her, she is as ugly as fuck and she is nothing like you," she says and I just look down. What did I ever do to her? I immediatley go red and feel tears welling up. I wouldn't normally cry at something like his, but it hurts more than I thought it would.
"Don't listen to her, you're beautiful," Nathan whispers and I smile at him, thanking him without saying anything, I dont trust my voice right now.
"I'd rather be with Lily than you any day," Steph says and walks off. I take a deep breath as she leaves but it seems Casey has other plans.
"Just because your boyfriend would rather sleep with me than his own girlfriend," she says and Steph turns around, practically running at her. As fast as we can, we all get up and stop her, holding her back. I struggle due to my shoes, but the boys can hold my bit for me.
"Fuck you!" Steph calls and Casey replies," Matt already did." Nathan and Kyle control her and lead her away, but I am left with Casey.
"What do you want?" She spits.
"Nothing, I don't want anything to do with you, ever," I reply and walk away, trying really hard not to trip over. When I finally found the back door, I stepped outside, thankful for the fresh air. I found a small table and chairs and so I sat down. I kept thinking about what she said, the things she called me, what she accused me of doing and even the way she looked at me. She always looks at me like I am dirt, like I am nothing and I hate it.
I did nothing to her, I was even really nice to her when we first met, but she just hated me from the start.
"Are you okay?" A voice asks and I stand up immediatley. Stupidly, I lose my balance and end up on the floor, pain flooding my knee. "Oh my God," Nathan whispers running over to me. He helps me stand up and then sits me on the chair. I look down, red with embarrassment and then see the blood pouring from me. I feel Nathan freeze and when I look at him, he is staring at my knee.
"Nathan?" I ask and he jumps away from me, turning away. "Are you okay?" He shakes his head.
"Urmm, I'm just, urrrm, God, I'm scared, oh so scared of the blood," he admits and I smile to myself at how cute that is.
"Could you go and get me a plaster? Then the blood will go away." He nods quickly and storms inside and then within a few seconds, he is back outside, a first aid kit in his hands.
"You didn't need to bring me the whole kit, one plaster would have sufficed," I joked and heard him make a noise that sounded like a laugh but it was the laugh of a stranger.
"I just wanted to make sure you were okay," he mutters and I smile as I place the plaster over the cut and clean the blood with one of the antiseptic wipes.
"All done," I tell him and he turns around, breathing deeply. He looks distressed but as he moves closer to me, he calms down.
"You didn't answer me, are you okay?" He asks and I smile falsely, nodding.
"You're a rubbish liar, what Casey said isn't true, I promise. You are not ugly, you are beautiful and even though you are different, I like that about you," he confesses and when I look over at him, I smile, letting him know that I am okay.
"Thank you," I whisper and he nods as we sit in silence for a short amount of time, just thinking. Then, suddenly, he takes me in his arms, holding me like a bride on her wedding day.
"What are you doing?" I screech as he takes my shoes off my feet, holding them in his hands.
"I'm carrying you because you're injured, why do you wear these shoes anyway?" I laugh and roll my eyes, holding his neck for support.
"I wear them because they look nice but I knew I couldn't walk in them, I should have just wore my black ones," I ramble on and watch as he starts to laugh at me but this time, it's his laugh, the one where he scrunched his eyes and his dimples show in his rosy cheeks.
He effortlessly carries me inside and through the house, ignoring the people as they stare curiously at they boy holding a girl with no shoes on. I pretended they don't exist ad they are unimportant to me.
"Kelly had to take Steph home you know after the whole thing so I offered to take you, is that okay?"
"Yeah, why are you always dropping me home?" I ask and he he shrugs, showing his famous smile. His lips pull up his face, reaching his eyes, showing cute deep dimples and bright, white teeth.
"I'm sorry for being so rude then also," he adds and I shake my head, reminding him if the fact that we started over. We arrived at his car without me even realising we had gone outside. He gracefully sat me in the front seat of the car before slamming the door and walking to his side. What a gentlemen.
Nathan P.O.V
She looks so beautiful as she sleeps, her head resting against the window of the car. I wonder if she is comfortable, or if she is just so tired she doesn't care where she is, just that she needs her sleep. I wouldn't blame her, not after the events if the party. I honestly would not have held back from punching Casey if she was not a girl. How dare she call Lily ugly. Lily is the most beautiful girl I have ever laid eyes on but I know that no matter how many times I tell her, she will not believe me. That is another thing that I like about her, she doesn't know just how beautiful, kind and sweet she is.
I park up outside her block of flats, not sure in what I should do next. Deciding against taking her back to my flat, that would be strange, I exit the car and pick her up again, taking her things with me as I carry her again. I'm not complaining though, I like being this close to her. I remember picking Steph up from flat 223 before, so I walk upstairs, Lily's sleeping body in my arms. When I reach her floor, I find the door and with difficulty I open it, making as little noise as I can. I don't want to wake her, she looks so peaceful,
I walk in and open the first door but when I see the mess of clothes, shoes and make up, I walk past and open the second door. Inside I see a room with picture frames, books filling bookshelves and papers piled into heaps and so I lie her on the bed, knowing this is her room, and cover her in her quilt, wanting her to stay warm. Before I leave, knowing she will not remember, I kiss her temple and then reluctantly I leave her there, a note beside her explaining what she needs to know, leaving out what she doesn't.