We go towards the house. He opens the door, letting himself in and I follow behind him. Like a lost puppy, how pathetic- Eleanor stop!
The house is already crowded, most of whom I have never seen before. Looks like more than just Electrical engineering students knew about this party.
Faint music plays in the background. The chattering and laughing in the room makes it impossible to distinguish the songs.
The place is enormous with plush sofas and a coffee table full of red plastic cups. In the corner, a gigantic table overflowing with snacks has been placed. Now, I can understand how horribly wrong I've dressed for this goddamn party. Though, I'm a hundred percent sure I will never ever put on those dark tiny little dresses that cover up the body next to nothing, or those shirts that are definitely not serving the purpose of a shirt. But I wish I had worn something darker.
We amble around, each and everyone approach us and greet him with enthusiasm, while glaring at me sideways; it seems, I've made more haters than I ever realized. I try to not think about how painful it is.
Occasionally, he introduces some of them to me and after they leave, he adds a few interesting stories about them, or how they got to know each other.
I wonder how he manages to be so social and just genuinely popular. Being likable and interactive comes so effortlessly to him, without even a second thought.
Adrien, throughout high and even middle school, was the most beloved and favored guy in the entire damn place. I always assumed it was because of his brother, but here, there is no older sibling to make the path easy. It's just who he is.
Sometimes, I envy him.
All the while, as everybody comes and goes, I awkwardly stand next to him. Avoiding eye contact, pushing my glasses up my nose, frequently moving my hair behind my ears. They help with lessening the non-stop anxious fidgeting of my fingers.
It takes almost an hour for him to get over the greetings and reach the kitchen. He pours a drink for himself, then looks at me as if silently asking if I want one, to which I shake my head no.
Every so often, he points out someone and starts speaking in hushed whispers about all the embarrassing stuff they'd done in previous parties, and I almost lose track of time as we both keep on laughing.
After a while, his friends, or maybe best friends- I'm not sure- gather around him and engage him in chatting about topics I have no clue about.
"Hey Eleanor," the one I can't remember its name but I know is Amelia's boyfriend calls out. Taking a sip from his red cup, he fixes his dark blue eyes on me. "How does it feel to be around us? The most popular group on this campus?" He sneers at me as his gaze travels from my head to toe, making me beyond uneasy. I wish he would stop.
I smile through gritted teeth, just for the sake of politeness.
The guy standing next to Adrien, with his one elbow on the counter, smirks at me. Ed - I think his name was - says, "Yeah, how does it feel to finally get your nose out of books? I mean, look around you, did the books do any good?"
The one with black hair and an eagle-like nose snickers. "I bet she read a book 'how to go to a party' or 'how to party' before coming here." And they all start to laugh.
I remember I read somewhere that guys hit maturity a few years after girls their age. Can't say I disagree.
"If Adi hadn't hung around you out of pity, Evans, you probably would've been getting wasted in a corner all by yourself," Ed adds, making everyone chuckle. But this time, Adrien shakes his head, glaring at Ed.
I try my best not to let his words get to me as I stare at him with a blank expression, "You know, not everyone needs a rich dad to pay for their tuitions and fees, just because of their lack of properly working brain cells. And not everyone needs the approval of some spoiled rich kid to survive college, but the catch is, you won't understand this. Anyway, you might as well check the mirror to see who is the one in desperate need of pity, constantly." And I finish with the most innocent looking smile that I can offer, but from the inside, I'm trembling, my heart is racing, and I hardly manage to keep my breathing even.
I replay the things I said in my head and a microscopic bit of satisfaction blooms in me.
If looks could kill, I'd be dead ten times over by now. Ed opens his mouth to retort, but Adrien gives him a warning look which forces him to shut his mouth instantly.
That's weird. He almost always supported those who could come up with more hurtful things to throw at my face.
I need a break from them.
"I'm gonna check to see if Amelia has arrived yet or not," I lie to Adrien and he nods his head, thankfully not catching on it as I make my way out of the kitchen.
Just as I step into the living room, the smell of liquor fills my nostrils. Someone has dimmed the lights, the music is much louder, and almost everyone is dancing in weird and absurd ways that are only possible when you're drunk.
It's basically next to impossible to find anyone, even if I wanted to. The best thing to do is, find a place to sit and just look at these drunk people.
I push my way through the crowd of sweaty drunk girls and guys towards the sofas. My eyes land on an empty spot, I dart for it before anyone else finds it. A sigh of relief escapes my mouth as I sit down.
The music is loud enough that I can literally feel it bounce on my skin, vibrating every cell in my body.
I look around, on the other side of the sofa I'm sitting on, a girl is straddled on a guy's lap, busy eating each other's face out. Clearly they've forgotten the existence and usages of a room, not to mention the term privacy isn't defined in their circle of vocabulary.
I never understood what goes on in someone's mind when they end up sleeping with other people. In a relationship, it's understandable, even expected, but one night stands? What drives them in that direction?
As the minutes tick away, the pounding in my head keeps worsening, with nothing to do as a distraction the obvious downs on me, I'm not used to places like this, nor am I comfortable.
At first, it was fine. In fact, better than fine, it was great. I never realized it was so easy to hang around Adrien- if he's in the mood- almost as simple as his older brother Jayceon, but the key problem is his friends. I might one day be able to put up with chimpanzees and gorillas, but never these assholes.
Ed's words reply in my head, loud and clear amidst the deafening music. What if he's right? Maybe Adrien hung around with me out of pity. Looking at it practically, who would want to spend time with a girl like me? I can't even keep a conversation going for over two minutes! And who am I kidding, I truly am boring... I have nothing special or fun to contribute, so it's safe to say no one enjoys my company. At least my sister Avery made that obvious and always tries to avoid me at all costs.
Not having any friends while burying my nose in books got me here, made me who I am today; if I hadn't spent so much time studying, I would have had a better social life. I mean, I never realized how lonely I am- of course, from time to time the depth of loneliness hit me, but never like this.
Everyone in this room - no, this house - has someone to talk to, dance with, laugh along with. Not a single soul is sitting alone and watching others.
A pain shoots through my chest, forcing me to inhale sharply; what have I done?
Amelia was right, I have missed out a lot. This doesn't seem right- hell, it doesn't even feel right.
What if I was wrong and in reality, I've failed? If this was the right path, I wouldn't be sitting here all alone. The whole twenty one years of my life has been lost, I've spent sixteen years of it studying and making sure I had decent grades and keeping my parents proud of me. But now... now I don't think it was worth it. There's nothing I've done with my entire life except study and read various books and novels and try to reach my parents' expectations. My life is this never-ending cycle of studying and reading.
My throat closes in; I need air, I must get out of here.
Abruptly, I stand up with trembling hands and wobbly knees and force my way through the crowd and towards the door, I throw it open, allowing myself out of the house. Outside, I gasp for the fresh air.
The cool night air fills my lungs, my heart pounding fast and loud, filling my ears with the drumming sound. I bend down, placing my hands on my knees as, once again, the familiar pain shoots through my chest. My eyes start burning with the gathering of unwanted tears as the agonizing truth dawns on me.
I might have won in the academic part of my life, but in reality, I'm the loser. I've lost in life, in overall means.
The truth is, I have nothing other than this goddamned B.E. degree.
I need to get back to my room, I can't take this anymore.
I take out my phone out of my purse and try to get a cab or an Uber or anything to get me out of here; but then I look at my phone's screen more closely and realize it's out of signal.
What the actual fuck!
I start walking around the house - maybe I'm in a blind spot. But just as I do so, along with moving my phone up and down, I realize there is no connection. Apparently, this entire place has been built in a blind spot... or, what if Adrien has put one of those devices that block all the signals... No! That's insane! I'm being ridiculous and paranoid.
I try to remember the turns he took while driving here, but it seems like my memory is refusing to recall anything.
With shaky breaths, I turn around and walk back into the house. Looks like I have no other choice other than asking Adrien to drop me off or call a cab for me. Even after all these precautions I took, I still can't do anything!
Again, I push through all the sweaty drunk people and make way to the kitchen, only to find out neither he nor his friends are in view.
Great! Just fucking great.
With a huff, I turn around. Where am I supposed to look for him now?
I gather the last of my remaining strength and decide to go towards the dining room, but after hardly reaching there, there is no Adrien in sight. Cursing under my breath, I make my way to the other side of the hall.
A white wall with an archway in the middle of it, separates the living room from whatever is on the other side. I slowly walk towards the archway, the music is lower here.
The sound of laughter that comes from the other side makes me slow my pace. It's Adrien along with his group of friends, laughing loudly over something.
Maybe I should wait until whatever the topic they are talking about finishes and then intrude?
I place my hand on the wall as I start contemplating whether or not I should go in, and then I hear Ed's voice. "Dude! I never thought you'd be able to convince Eleanor Evans, the ultimate fucking nerd, to come to your party! If I had known, I never would have taken part in this bet!"
Ed's words resemble to a bucket of iced water being poured on my head.
They put a bet on me?
"Ed, I've known her since elementary school, what did you expect? I know which buttons to push." Adrien chuckles and adds, "It was beyond obvious I would win this bet. It wasn't even that hard!"
"Wonder what she's doing right now?" the same dark blue-eyed guy from earlier asks.
"Probably sitting in some corner like a coward," one of the guys - that I don't know - says and others agree.
"We shouldn't care. The point was to bring her here and win the bet, which I did and won. Let's see how long she survives and how the rest of the night turns out to be. Any of us could win the following parts." The other guys along with Adrien chuckle.
"Dude, I still want to get her drunk and have a little fun with her. It's our last night on campus, can't go without getting laid," Ed says and the rest snigger, agreeing.
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((Thank you for reading this chapter, I hope you liked it... what do you think about Eleanor? And the bet? And Adrien? :)))) Anyway, if you did like this chapter, don't forget to vote!))