Mia and I had gone shopping for some dress she saw online. We were walking around the mall aimlessly for an hour before we finally went into the store she saw it in.
"Oh my god, it's ugly in person," she held it up next to her.
"Bitch you made us look around for an hour. You better buy it now."
She laughed, putting it back.
"Okay, I promise one more store and we can go."
I loudly sighed as I followed behind her. I felt like a child following their mother. We got on the elevator when I noticed a familiar face walk by just as the doors shut.
I scrunched my brows as I turned to look again, but the elevator already began going down.
"I think I'm seeing things."
"What?" Mia looked up from her phone.
I walked out, quickly making my way to the center of the mall as I looked up at the second floor, hoping to catch a glimpse of him.
"What the fuck are you doing?"
There was no other sign of him.
"I thought I saw Tyler."
"Oh my god you are so fucking obsessed."
"I swear I just saw him," I sighed as she pulled me to the opposite direction.
"It's not him."
But it was. His past tendencies led me to believe that maybe he was stalking me again. But I let it go.
"Fuck, whatever."
"You need to get laid. Like really bad, Nadine."
I let out a chuckle as she eyed me.
"I'm serious. We're going out tonight."
I rolled my eyes.
"And where are you planning on taking me?"
"Brandon is throwing a party at his place tonight. You know his jock friends. They're cute."
I thought about the possibility.
"Brandon from high school? you still talk to him?"
"Uh, friends with benefits thing. You need that."
...
I was at Mia's place, borrowing her clothes, makeup, and shoes. She had everything I lacked; especially in the popular department. She was always surrounded with friends, boys, she pretty much kept in contact with everyone. I mean who could blame them? She was pretty, cheerful, always the life of the party.
"This. Put this on," She took out a red dress with a slit on the leg.
"That's too fucking much Mia."
"Not even! Look what I'm wearing." She pulled out a two piece set with some high heels that had pink fluff detailing.
"Well if I had your body I'd wear the same thing. This probably won't even fit me."
"Oh my god, can you just fucking put it on?"
I laughed as I undressed, sucking in my stomach to fit into this stupid size 4 dress.
"Mia, my ass is literally gonna rip through this."
"That's why it looks so fucking good on you. If I had your ass I wouldn't know how to act."
I chuckled, looking at myself in the mirror. I guess I cleaned up nicely. Mia handed me some heels that went with the dress.
I began to put my hair up in the usual bun, but she sat me down.
"Nope. You're gonna leave it down," she moved my curls around so that they landed around my shoulders. "You look fucking hot."
I smiled as we began to get our stuff.
"I wish Frank wasn't working overtime tonight." I replied, thinking about how much I wanted him to be here.
"It's actually a good thing he isn't coming. He'd be totally against you hooking up with a stranger tonight."
...
Mia began to drive up to the hills, again to the wealthy side of LA.
It reminded me of Tyler.
"Oh my god, look at his fucking house. Can you believe his mom remarried that rich dentist? It's crazy."
"Maybe we should just marry some rich lawyer and never have to worry about anything again," I gazed at the flashing lights coming from inside it.
"Bitch, don't steal my plan."
We laughed as we got out of the car and made our way up to the house.
We got inside, the loud music blaring the fuck out of the speakers.
"I'm gonna go get some drinks!" I shouted over the music.
"Get me some too!"
I nodded as I went to the kitchen, looking through the assortment of alcohols. I rarely drank, but I was feeling like I had no choice. In a frat party like this? I kind of had to.
I poured a mixture of some drinks into a red cup before taking a shot of vodka.
"Oh shit! Is that Nadine?!" I turned around, Brandon smiling as he took the bottle from my hand.
"Surprisingly, it is."
"Who would've thought you'd be at my party like, ever?"
"You know I would never come to any of your parties by choice. Mia dragged me here."
He laughed, taking a swing of the bottle as he eyed me.
"You look good. Here," he held on to my chin as I put my head back. He poured some more vodka into my mouth as he watched.
I sealed my eyes shut as I felt it burn down my throat.
"I didn't know you had it in you," he smirked.
"Whatever. Give me that," I took the red cup from his hands as I made my way to Mia. She was talking to some girls.
"Nadine! Come on!" Mia took the cup from my hands as she pulled me to the huge emptied living room where everyone danced.
"Wait, the vodka hasn't hit yet," I laughed.
"You're such a drag."
I made my way out of the tight space as I leaned on a wall on the side. I took more sips of the drink as I began to feel the effects. I watched as room became slower. I took more shots as I decided to join Mia on the dance floor.
We laughed, singing along to the music as we held on to each other. Time moved so much faster; by the time we knew it, an hour had passed.
We made our way back to the lounge where we refreshed with water.
Mia and I laughed about some stupid thing she did when we were dancing.
Then, across the room, he watched me.
My smile faded as I tried to focus my blurry vision.
Could I be seeing things again? It couldn't be him.
But I knew it was. He was sat in the couch all the way on the other side, a red cup in his hand as he stared at me.
"Nadine! Let's go get more drinks!" Mia pulled on my arm and I removed my gaze from him for a moment.
"Hold on," I replied, looking for him once again. Tyler was gone.
I scrunched my eyes, looking through the crowd to see if he'd appear again. I made my way through the crowd. I cursed as I realized he was gone. Fuck.
Then, by the door.
I saw him slip something into Brandon's hand. Brandon nodded as they said something into each other's ears.
Tyler left.
Mia pulled me back into reality.
"I was calling your name!"
"Mia wait—,"
"No! I want you to meet Brandon's friend!"
"Not right now I—,"
She pulled me again, but I retaliated.
"His name's Aaron!"
"Mia I don't fucking care!" I pulled my arm hard as I made my way to the exit, ignoring her shouts.
The fresh air instantly sobered me up as I looked both ways, but I'd lost him again.
...
"I can't believe you fucking left Aaron hanging," Mia eyed me as we drove away from the party. I had begged her to go home after the incident.
"I told you. I felt sick."
I lied. I wasn't going to tell her I saw Tyler again. She'd probably think I was going crazy.
"It's fine. At least we had fun."
She parked outside my house as I began to get out.
"I'll make it up to you," I said, crouching into the car's rolled down window.
"I mean you don't have a choice. Tomorrow's my last day here—you know what that means," she smirked.
"Fuck, we can't do something else?"
It was tradition that on the last day of her vacation Frank, her, and I would go to the club. She loved it; but as much as Frank and I hated it, we wanted to make her happy.
"Nope! I'll see you tomorrow!"
She smiled slyly as she began to drive off.
I got inside, making sure to not make any noise that would wake my mom up. I creeped up the stairs, sighing as I threw my stuff on the bed.
I began to get undressed as my phone lit up.
I liked seeing you enjoy yourself tonight.
-Tyler
My heart raced as I my mind took me back to the moment I saw him at the party. Did he know I would be there? How long had he been watching me? Had he been selling frat boys drugs for a while? Fuck, so many questions.
I didn't reply; But I was glad I wasn't seeing things.