Last week has passed in a breeze. Mostly I have stayed at home, busy helping Pops in repairing his old car. I enjoy spending time with him. Sometimes we don't talk, we just do our own things in silence. I think I got this from him. We both don't mind the silence.

Silence is comforting.

I don't hole up in my house all day. I go for walks or drives around the town. However, I just prefer to keep to myself. I know how to have a fun time, but that side of me only comes out when I am with someone with whom I feel comfortable. 

It is not like I am rude to people. I will be friendly as I can be, which as far goes to talk to them without showing annoyance on my face. 

I stop putting up the ingredients on the kitchen counter, for dinner, when I hear the doorbell. Pops has gone to his friend's house for dinner, and I don't think he will come back home anytime soon. So, it can't be him, moreover, he has keys with him.

I drag my feet across the floor to answer the door, feeling agitated because the doorbell rings constantly.

I think whoever it is, has forgotten to remove their finger from the doorbell.

"Stop assaulting the doorbell, you fucking asshole," I shout feeling annoyed, as soon as I open the door, "Otherwise, I will break your finger into two."  

"See, now you believe me?" Kris laughs loudly pointing at me, then she looks at stunned Jake whose hand is in midair as he quickly removed his finger from the bell.

"Jake said, he can't imagine you as someone who can curse or even get angry," Kris shrugs still laughing, "I told him that you curse just fine."

"Anyone would curse if you will continuously ring their doorbell," I open the door wider, allowing them to come inside.

"Yeah, they would," she shrugs, "But that's not the point. The point was to show him that you don't remain calm and composed all the time."

"If you really want to check my vocabulary, then you should try to disturb my sleep," I lightly laugh, "I will make your ears bleed with a string of top-class curses," I nod at Jake.

"No, need, thanks," Jake shakes his head and laugh, "I am good."

"Are you guys staying for dinner?" I ask them as I go back to the kitchen, "I am making pizza," I tell them as I check the ingredients.

"No, we are going to a party," Kris leans against the kitchen door frame, "So, keep away all the things and get ready."

"Party?" My eyebrows pull together in confusion, "For what?"

"I don't know for what," she says making a face, "But we have to go," she pulls me, outside the kitchen, by my elbow.

"Kris, I don't know whose party is this and I don't even know the reason behind this party," I gently remove her hand, "Not everyone, is like you who throws a party for no reason and I am not even invited."

Kris loves to throw parties, she simply enjoys being a hostess. She doesn't need any specific reason to party, she sometimes just come up with the most stupid reason to party.

"Oh, C'mon," she rolls her eyes, "You are talking like you know everyone here. It is Jake's friend's party and I know him too, so you don't need an invitation. Everyone is going to be there and I don't want you to miss the fun."

"Everyone is going to be there, this gives me another reason to not to attend the party," I shake my head and sigh.

"Please, Avery," she pleads.

"We can go clubbing, instead of that party," I suggest.

"We will go clubbing some other time," she pushes me towards my room direction, "But now, we are going to this party. So, go get ready."

I change into a maroon spaghetti strap jumpsuit and apply light make up on my face. I style my hair into loose curls. Feeling happy with my look, I go into the living room where Kris and Jake are waiting for me.

"Wow, you look amazing," Kris winks at me.

"Thank you," I give her an uneasy smile, not knowing what else to say.

It is not my fault that I get slightly confused when somebody compliments me.

"Oh, God!" Jake dramatically sighs, "Now, I have to look after two beautiful girls."

"Don't worry Jake, you only look after her," I lightly pat his shoulder and smirk, "As I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

Northedge is not a small town. It is a pretty much-developed town with all the amenities. Most of the people have white picket fence kind of houses, which I think really adds to the beauty of this town. However, there are different residential areas depending on the financial class of the people. 

Whoever has thrown this party belongs to the upper class, because all the houses in this area are screaming money. Every house in this part of the town has a modern exterior, which is exact contrast to the houses which I have been used to see around here.  

"I have never been to this part of the town," I turn my gaze from the window and look at Kris who is sitting in the front seat while Jake is driving the car.

"There is a lot in this town which you still have to see," Kris says as she re-touches her makeup.

"But, don't worry, now I am going to show every place," she shifts her body in the seat, so now she is facing me, "We are going to have so much fun," she grins.

Soon Jake pulls the car in the driveway the house, which looks bigger than the rest of the houses. 

The exterior of this house is a perfect blend of a modern and vintage look. There is a large front yard, covered in perfectly trimmed grass. Small flowers bed, on the side, separate the front yard from the driveway. 

"It looks like everyone came to this party," Kris scowls, "There is no empty spot to park our car," she points at the cars in the driveway.

"Chill, babes," Jake says, as he stops the car in front of the main door, "I am going to drop you off here, then I will park the car at the back side of the house."

"Okay," Kris gets out of the car, as I follow her.

Five minutes later Jake comes and all three of us get inside the house. 

"Holy Moly!" I whistle as I take in my surrounding. I feel like I have stepped into some night club. 

I slightly narrow my eyes to adjust my eyes to the dim lightings of the house, while my head bobs with the upbeat music. From time to time neon lights flash according to the beats of the music. On my right side, there is an elevated platform on which a DJ table is set up. Surrounded by the dance floor, on which people are grooving to the tunes of DJ. There is a fancy bar on the opposite side of the dance floor, along with the large food counter. 

"Happening, right?" Kris smugly asks, her body moving with the music.

"Totally!" I smile and nod my head.

"Do I have to go through the list of dos and don'ts, girls?" Jake asks, as his eyes move from Kris to me then back at Kris, in a serious tone.

"We will be fine, babe," Kris lightly pats his chest, "Relax!"

"Let's have some drinks first," Kris says as she holds my hand and pulls me through the crowd towards the bar. Jake walking closely behind us.

I have met Jake a few times only, but I find him a genuinely nice guy. He has a protective side which comes out in public, otherwise, he is a really friendly guy. As almost half of the town has come to this party, so since the moment we have entered, he is being all protective and alert.

Kris leans over the bar and orders something. She empties her glass in one go, when the bartender hands her the drink, making me frown. Jake orders a beer from himself, while I am still trying to decide what to get for myself.

"Look who is here?" I hear someone says from my left. I shake my head in frustration knowing, too well, who this person is.

"I didn't know the cursed child is back in the town," Victoria sweetly smiles, as I turn to face her.

Victoria was Kris's friend before I moved here. Victoria never liked me from the beginning and when Kris became my friend, this added more fuel to her hatred. She was a quite manipulative person, even as a kid. She trash-talked about me with almost every other kid and then they also started to maintain their distance from me. I was never into making new friends and all, so it never bothered me. 

However, whenever we meet, she always succeeds in getting onto my nerves. She has named me a cursed child because my mom died while giving birth to me.

"Guys, you know, her mother died as soon as she saw her face when she was born," Victoria making a fake sad face, "She is the perfect example of a curse, who knows she is the reason of her father's death, too," she says loudly gaining the attention of the people around us, even with the music playing in the hall.

"Got your two minutes of attention from the people, at my expense?" I smirk, keeping away the hurt from my face, and cross my arms, "Happy, now?"

Even though her words directly pierce my heart, but as always I will not give her the satisfaction of knowing that she has succeeded in hurting me.

"Bitch," Kris seethes, "Stop talking rubbish!" she stands beside me and glares Victoria.

"I am not talking to you, whore," Victoria scowls at Kris, "So, take your slutty self far away from my eyes."

A wave of pure rage runs through my body when she insults Kris. 

For once, I can forgive you for insulting me. However, I can't tolerate if anybody messes with the person I care about, and Kris is definitely someone for whom I can do anything.

"Yes, I am a cursed child," I slowly nod my head, clenching my jaws "I killed my mom, the moment I was born," I take a small step forward while staring at her.

"So think, if I can kill my mom, then what I am going to do with the person who messes with me or my friend," I say in a menacing tone, "So, be very careful of what you say or do, Victoria. As I am not someone, who will let you get away with your nonsense," I clench my fists tightly restraining myself from breaking her face.

"Apologize to Kris, now," I harshly grab her arm and pull her forward, as her eyes widen in fear, "Before I make you," I tighten my hold on her.

"I will not apologize to her," she tries to sound strong, as she struggles to free her arm.

"Apologize, now," I say in a sharp tone. I slightly twist her arm, making her wince in pain.

The idea of dislocating her arm is so tempting right now. 

"I am sorry," she says through gritted teeth while looking at Kris.

"Good girl," I smirk and leave her arm.

"You will have to pay for this," she moves away from me while glaring at me.

"Sorry," I shrug, "I only pay for high-quality things," I grin smugly, whereas Kris and Jake are laughing loudly.

She looks around and when she finds everyone near us laughing at her, she immediately leaves from there looking embarrassed.

Even though she has left, but her words are still stinging me. All this music and chatter around me is not enough to silence her words which are ringing in my ears. Closing my eyes, for a minute, I attempt to gain control of my emotions, as I feel suffocated from inside. 

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