Chapter 23 - Chapter 23

A white dress with a delicate, pale flower pattern flowed all the way to my knees, showing off my legs perhaps a little too much for my taste. However, I liked this dress. I had owned it for years now, and each time I wore it less and less as my insecurities grew.

Myra had been rummaging through my small closet, swiping from one side of the hangers to the other and stopping on dresses or outfits that might have looked good on me. But she shook her head and decided they weren't good enough, saying they were apparently 'too boring' or 'far too casual' for a party. So she began rummaging through her closet, and that wasn't much help either, yet she picked things out anyways.

She slowly developed a routine that consisted of opening the bathroom door, chucking in the new options she had chosen and repeating this cycle until a large pile massed on the floor. However, everything she had chosen were all things that didn't feel like me. I was either too self-conscious to wear them, or I simply just felt uncomfortable in them.

At least that was before she threw in the white dress. I had picked it up and held it up against my body, glancing at half of my clothes and hers mixed together, all lying on the floor next to my feet.

I dragged the light fabric over my shoulders and neatly brushed it down to see how it fit on me. Then, a single smile filled with memories brushed upon my face.

Myra burst through the door like she had the past five times and halted when she saw me. Her mouth gaped and the clothes in her hands dropped to the ground, their presence now a nuisance.

"Shit..." She looked at me through the mirror. "I think we found one."

I shook my head and sunk down to pick up the many things on the bathroom floor.

"You don't think it is too much?"

"Not at all!" She waved her hand in dismissal. "You look fucking stunning!"

I laughed with my face hidden and once more, shook my head, feeling slightly flattered.

"Now, your makeup!" She jumped up next to me, pulling out draws and taking out brushes.

"I don't wear much makeup. Just a light lip gloss and eyeshadow." I told her.

"Fine, fine, we'll do it your way. But be quick!" She said as she walked out of the bathroom, taking the clothes out of my hands. "Your friend... William is here already and it's almost ten!"

I didn't think much about the makeup I put on next. I did what I would do every other outing I went to; brushed the pink powder over my cheeks, coloured my eyelids and swiped the gloss over my pink lips to make their shade brighter. It didn't take much time and when I finished, I reached the living room, finding Will standing by the door, shifting from one leg to the other uncomfortably.

"Hey," I called out quietly and he raised his head to meet me.

His eyes went wide for a moment, taking in what I was wearing until he eventually smiled and greeted me like always.

"You look great!" He nodded at my dress. "I feel like I've never seen you outside of a pair of jeans and a blouse." He half joked.

"Thank you," I smiled widely back at him. "You don't look so bad yourself."

I looked at his black dress shirt, unbuttoned and rolled up his arms while the white, thin, long-sleeved shirt peered underneath as a layer. His dark blue skinny jeans were pinned around his legs and ended where his white converse began. It was simple, yet something that was much of Will's style. And in all fairness, Will was quite a handsome guy.

"Why, thank you." He grinned and looked over his outfit quickly.

"So now that everyone is here, should we get going?" Lars peered from around the corner.

"Uh, actually," Will smiled at them politely. "Emma and I planned on going in my car separately. Is that okay?"

"Fine by us," Myra smiled and turned to me. "Just make sure she doesn't bail out on the party."

Everyone laughed. Even Will who let out a chuckle of his own.

Then, both dressed up, Myra and Lars made their way out first. Then after a short talk with Will trying to convince me this was still a good idea, we both climbed into his car (Small considering how much money he owned).

"You ready?" he said from beside me, clicking in his seatbelt.

"Can you really be ready for these things?" I raised my eyebrows and looked at the side of his face in genuine curiosity.

Will laughed softly. "Not entirely." He turned to look at me. "You never know what big thing will happen next at these things."

Shortly after, Will started the car. He pulled away from the street and drove to the large frat house while I could have sworn I held my breath in anticipation.

I wasn't sure why I was suddenly so nervous now. Perhaps it was the fact Aiden could be there or that I hadn't been to a party in a long time. But my jitters didn't go away, even when we pulled up to the house and parked down the road.

It all appeared exactly the same as every other time I was here. I could hear the loudness of the music clear its way through the air and reach us as Will talked about some new food recipe he found. And as we came closer, the bright lights moulded perfectly into the windows.

So far, everything seemed to be going okay. Considering how nervous I was, it helped to know Will was beside me, talking to me like it was any other coffee date.

He pulled open the front door of the house, white and large enough to conceal all the noise that was hidden behind it. It was almost instant; the mixed smells of alcohol, sweat, smoke and the confusing lights all coordinated perfectly.

We walked through after Will told me to stick close to him, and that was exactly what I did. We passed through so many people, swerving around them, trying not to get noticed by anyone in particular.

If I were here alone I would have probably gotten lost by now, and I had to admit that I was, to some extent, scared.

"Do you want something to drink?" Will shouted loudly over the music.

I nodded and Will guided us through the large living room and into what looked like a kitchen. I couldn't know with certainty because of all the red cups and bottles covering the counters like a thick blanket. But in this smaller space, it was quiet and emptier and that brought me some comfort.

"There aren't any clean cups..." He looked through the cupboards. "They're probably in the other room." He began to walk out.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find us some cups." He said, but the look on my face made him add, "I'll be gone for one minute and then I'll come straight back. I promise, you'll be fine, Emma. Trust me." He smiled and left the kitchen.

Feeling out of place, I leaned against the counter and hugged my frail body. My shoes felt like a good place to stare until Will came back, so that was what I did until the door opened shortly after.

My head shot up hoping it was my only friend, but instead I was met with a tall boy walking in backwards, his face out of view yet I could tell it wasn't Will. The door shut and then I saw the red cups in his hands when he moved around.

"Excuse me, I-" I started to speak, but when his face met mine, every part of my body suddenly stopped working.

"Hi..." I manage a smile, uneven at best.

Aiden walked over to me with his cups, unreadable as always.

"Move." He said plainly.

Fumbling and nervous, I stood still.

"Move, Emma. You're in the way." He looked at the cupboards next to me as a sign for me to move.

"I- sorry..." I step aside, still staring at him since he walked through the door.

He mumbled something under his breath but I wasn't able to catch it.

Then without another word, he began to organise the cups into the shelves and ignoring me at the same time.

"Do you need any help?" I gesture to the new cups.

"No."

I wasn't exactly sure what to say next and I tried to come up with something quickly.

"Are you having fun?" That's all I came up with.

He didn't say anything. He piled up the cups as if I weren't here.

"The party is nice..." I trail off.

Aiden huffed and put down the cups he was organising down on the counter. His grey eyes were dark and menacing as they found me.

"Stop talking, will you?" He continues with the cups, bitterly and quickly.

"I'm just trying to have a conversation-"

"Well. Don't." He slams the small door shut. "We are not friends. We will never be friends, so stop pretending like we are."

I stand still next to him. I didn't say anything for the moment, not that I would know what to say anyways. He was back to his cold glares and threatening tones, and I knew not to mess with him by now.

Or at least I thought.

"Is it true that my name came up in your argument with Elijah?"

"You don't shut up, do you?" His jaw muscle twitches and a sigh escapes.

"I am just asking... why wouldn't I be after you almost sent him to the hospital?"

"Because it's done! It happened, okay? Leave it alone and stop talking!"

"I care about Elijah-"

"Go fuck him then! For all I care, do whatever the hell you want! Just don't bother me for it!" He threw the cups and slammed the door on his way out.

Not even seconds later Will walked back in with two cups in his hand. By the way he was moving so carefully I could tell they contained some kind of drink inside them.

"Are you okay?" He set down the drinks next to me. "You look annoyed."

"Oh- yeah I'm fine." I smiled weakly, picking up the cup and looking inside it, unsure of what it was.

"If you say so..." He glanced in my direction and brought onto his face a smile. "Come on, your friends are probably waiting for us."

We entered back into the traffic of people, finding our way around until we spotted Myra in a room with a couch and beanbags in the centre of it. Few people sat in there, Lars and Myra amongst two others.

I signalled Will to where they were and he walked us over. As soon as we entered the room everyone's head spun around to look at us, and suddenly I felt anxious.

"Emma!" Myra shot up from the couch. "You came!"

"Hi," I smiled widely when she approached us. She took me by the arm and sat us both on the couch next to her and Lars.

"Everyone," Myra calls the attention of everyone in the room. "This is Emma and William."

Some of them say hello, some of them nod and some of them, only look once and look away.

I grow more uncomfortable and restless when two more people walk in and take up the empty space that is left over on the beanbag and the other sits on the ground.

"How about a game?" One girl asks. She's blonde and has multiple piercings, ears, nose lip and a few tattoos that appear when she pulls down her short dress to reveal more cleavage and pulls it up at the waist to reveal more of her long legs.

"Which one?" Another girl asks. She's brunette, no piercings.

"Spin the bottle?" The blonde from before returns.

"We aren't twelve Amber, Jesus." A guy sitting next to Lars adds. He has brown hair and wears a few tattoos that peer under his sleeves.

"Mike I'm giving suggestions, do you have any better ideas?" Her sass is clear in her voice and the rest of the room went silent while the two bickered.

"Why don't we play that game where one person says 'ever drank before' and then whoever has, takes a shot?"

"You mean Never Have I Ever, dumbass?" A different voice speaks. I waver my eyes over him and his caramel colored eyes.

"Yes, Peter. That one." The one called Mike rolls his eyes and leans back against the couch.

Everyone got ready to play by filling up their shot glasses with a bottle of what looked to be vodka and sat back in their seats, when two more people walk through the door and shut it behind them.

"You weren't going to play without us, were you?" A woman, also blonde, wears her smirk like an expensive purse as she walked in with someone beside her skinny, curvy figure.

That someone next to her, wrapped so closely and whispering things into her ear, making her laugh and blush like a stupid schoolgirl, is Aiden.

"Oh God... this is going to be a disaster." Will spoke under his breath, to no one in particular.