[Edited]

~Hailey~

The best thing about university I'd learned was the partying.

Everyone who was anyone certainly knew how to pull them off, even though we attended a very strict institution and partying was prohinited. Nevertheless, the staff had long ago learned to turn a blind eye to the Friday night parties that were always held in the games room because it was easier for them. 

The room they were held in was ginormous, taking up the whole of the underground floor in the most prestigious dorm block, 'Wing B'. The ceilings were huge and soundproof and the sheer size of the room allowed a crowd of hundreds to fit in all at once, providing the perfect venue.

Each week there was a different theme -- the week prior had been a 'swinging sixties' theme where everyone had dressed up as someone from that era. This week the theme was simply 'disco' which meant glitter, sequins and anything shiny or florescent. At least that's how I'd interpreted it, and I

With my arms covered in orange and purple glow sticks and my body clad in a skimpy purple sequinned dress, I stumbled down the winding stairs through the double-door entrance, already half drunk. Layla was linking arms with me, wearing a matching orange sequined dress and the same coloured glow sticks strapped to her arms and wrists like cobras.

Her hair was slightly astray, blown about by the heavy wind as we'd practically run from her dorm singing god-knows-what.

Behind us, the rest of the girls were wearing even crazier short dresses which were eye-watering fluorescent colours, such as green and even yellow. All hair within the group was tied up with eccentric looking scrunchies -- our signature look for the night which 

Squinting my eyes at the grinding bodies as we fully stepped inside, I realised we may have gotten the dress code slightly wrong but I didn't really care. At least we stood out which was a good thing - we were the elite and were certainly meant to stand out from the rest.

"Let's par-tay!" I shrieked.

The room itself was rectangular in shape, with freshly painted white walls and ceilings, and marble cream-coloured floors, meaning the whole thing had a modern club look going for it.

There were also two floors. The top floor, which we were stood on, stretched across the right hand side of the room ahead of me, for at least twenty metres. It overlooked the floor below it and had a waist-high glass barrier to stop people from falling around the edge. 

Looking over the glass barrier, I craned my neck. Across to the far left of the room the modern bar and very tall DJ stand - both made of a light sort of wood - stood in full action. The lights overhead flashed in sync with the twisting fairy lights, lighting up the makeshift 'dance floor' on the floor below.

Cool.

I'd guessed all furniture, including the vending machines, white leather sofas and pool tables had been stylishly arranged directly below me on the bottom floor (as they always were), to maximise the dancing space. 

All too soon another, livelier track played and the room became much dimmer to the point of near darkness.

"Can you see Scott anywhere?" I yelled at Layla who was watching the people below with a goofy expression on her face. Her body was almost crushed against me. When she didn't reply I jolted her, causing her heard to snap up.

She frowned. "What?" 

I rolled my eyes and leaned in closer. "I said, can you see Scott?"

"Oh!" She shouted. I watched as her eyes cleared as she scanned the crowd with a newfound intensity. After a moment she shook her head, "Nope, sorry!"

I huffed. Over my shoulder, I met the eyes of Courtney who was linking arms with Amanda and gestured for her to come over. Like an obedient lap dog, she pulled Amanda over straight away, her face brightening at the summoning. Her and Amanda looked just about ready to do anything.

"Go and find Scott," I told them both.

They both stalked off towards the direction of the staircase as fast as they could.

After they'd left the rest of the girls came to join us, forming a large circle that no one dared to barge past. Ingrid, an exotic olive-skinned beauty (a complexion I'd always envied), sipped on a colourful drink which had a mini umbrella floating in it. 

Layla immediately narrowed her eyes at the liquid filled glass and pointed her faux nails at the drink. "Where did you get that from?"

Ingrid smiled widely, her perfectly straight teeth making me envious. "Someone handed it to me on the way in."

"That could have anything in it," I told her with disbelief. "Like drugs! You shouldn't be drinking it." Before she could complain I snatched it out of her hand and handed it to the next person who walked past us, with a scowl.

She looked stunned. 

I cut her off. "Don't be. Just don't take drinks from strangers again." She actually looked ashamed as she stared down at her dress. No one could say I didn't care about my girls.

"Stop that," I told her. She did.

Beside me, Layla shrieked. "I see Scott!" She suddenly screamed as she leaned dangerously far over the barrier. I fought to pull her back while looking at where she was pointing. Just as she'd said, Scott was stood by the bar standing with a couple of drinks in his hands.

"Let's go," I growled. With more strength than necessary I pulled Layla's slim body away from the railing and dragged her behind me, leaving the reat of the group behind. "Move it people!" I elbowed anyone in my path as I fought my way to the top of the staircase. "Coming through!"

We swam through a sea of bodies, making our way across the dance floor. A pout was no doubt stuck to Layla's face as she constantly whined for me to let her go and dance. Although she was my best friend, Layla acted like a whore when she was drunk and I cared for her enough to not want her to get HIV, so I refused to release her.

"Spoilsport!" She moaned. 

Finally, we reached the bar

"Hi!" I greeted them brightly as I stood closely next to Scott. He nearly jumped, almost spilling his drinks.

"Hey," he grinned when he saw me and then stopped. "Layla looks a bit drunk," he commented in amusement as she slumped against me.

"Ha ha." I scowled. "What time did you get here?" 

"About an hour ago," he replied just as a beautiful golden-haired girl slunk up to us and took one of the drinks from his hands. Oh hell no.

I stiffened. "Hi! I don't think I know who you are," I told her with a fake smile. To anyone who had any sort of reputation, that was one of the biggest insults I could've given her.

If she could detect my hostility she didn't give it away as she shook my hand - a custom with the more elite upper class students. Hmm... She was definitely someone then. I knew that seeing as she'd been the one to initiate the handshake.

"Pleased to meet you," she addressed me with a voice like silk. It reminded me of all things classy and sophisticated. "I'm Jenna Stevens. I'm actually in the second year, which may explain why you don't recognise me," It sounded as if she didn't believe that but her smile never gave it away. "Scott and I go way back," she hinted. 

Oh dear lord.

She was Jenna Stevens. 

Jenna was the 'me' of the second year, maybe even greater than. Everyone knew of her even if they hadn't spoken to her face to face. She was like a goddess -- she had the perfect grades and had the body of an athlete, although she had hidden claws that were more lethal than mine when unleashed.

From hearing the rumours, I knew she could bring anyone down with the words she spoke on her tongue, except for a select few. I'd hoped I was one of them.

I swallowed, morphing my face into one of polite interest. I would not let her know that she'd gotten to me. "Oh, how nice," The words burned on my tongue. Liar! Why hadn't Scott told me about her?

She's been my idol.

Until then.

When I noted the way they stood together in ease, I cringed. She'd probably been more to him than a casual fuck by the looks of things.

I immediately hated her.

Scott was still grinning, completely oblivious to the way we were tearing down each other with our eyes.

He's mine, I told her with a lethal glare.

As if that's going to stop me, she replied back. Her eyes were penetrating mine like laser beams, or attempting to.

When Scott's hand glided down my back, I seemed to relax and was the first one to break the silent war we were having. Maybe he'd guessed what had been going on after all.

"I think we should take Layla back to her dorm," he whispered so that only I can hear. A flicker of annoyance flashed across Jenna's face at the intimate gesture, warming my gut more so than any alcoholic beverage I'd consumed that night. Wiping my face of all emotion, I turned to face Layla who looked like she was about to fall asleep at any moment.

I nodded my assent.

After saying goodnight to everyone we pulled away and made our way towards the stairs. We were about to climb up when Scott suddenly paused for a moment before scanning the room. I tugged on his arm. "What's up?"

He frowned, as if remembering something he'd forgotten. "I need to tell Tristan that we're leaving," he admitted. My gut soured at the mention of his best friend's name although I tried not to let it show. "I promised I would stay past midnight, but it's only," he looked at his watch. "Eleven."

I scoffed. "What, does he need someone to hold his hand?" He gave me a look that told me to shut up. I did.

Tristan Parker.

If there ever was an ultimate 'bad boy' it was him, as cliché as it seems. He was the real deal. 

Before Scott and I had gotten together the two of them had made a hefty reputation for themselves in college as players - sleeping with any girl who had so much as even looked their way. Most of the girls had seemed happy enough to go with the flow from what I'd heard - both Scott and Tristan were by no means ugly.

In fact, if I had to choose who was better looking, I would definitely say Tristan.

It was his strong jaw and constant 'windswept' hair that had many of the girls falling for him. Oh, and I couldn't forget his playful eyes or the way he was always up for anything - no matter how wild. These factors combined made him near irresistible.

"Do we have to?" I asked him.

He nodded.

I forced back a sigh. "Fine."

When we reached the side of the room that was sheltered by the top floor, it was easy to see where Tristan was.

As usual he was the centre of attention, standing on an expensive looking pool table and chugging down anything alcoholic that was handed to him. Standing next to him was a stripper who was twerking her ass off to the bass track.
When the sound of a horn went off he threw the glass down into an unoccupied spot and threw his arms up with a cheer. The large crowd surrounding him yelled loudly as he pounded his chest.

I rolled my eyes.

As we stepped closer (I was almost dragging Layla by now), his eyes met mine and Scott's. I didn't miss the way his face turned into an ugly scowl as his gaze rested on me before skipping over to his best friend. Ugh.

Tristan was as popular as he was partly because he generally got on with everyone. Despite the fact he played girls like puppets I had to give it to him, he wasn't deliberately cruel to anyone, although he didn't go out of his way to be with anyone who wasn't like him. He was stayed within the popular clique.

There was only one person I'd known Tristan to openly despise, and that was me. 

When we approached him, he slowly climbed off the table avoiding my gaze as if it were the plague itself before pulling Scott in for a one-armed hug; slapping his back. "Where have you been?" His eyes were strangely clear despite the mass alcohol consumption he'd just committed.
"I haven't seen you all night."

I only noticed when he finally graced me with eye contact that his voice had held disproval. "Hello, Hailey," he greeted flatly.

Obviously he'd thought I'd taken Scott from him on purpose that night. I sighed.

I merely nodded in return, knowing he's only acknowledged me for Scott's sake. His gaze flickered back to his best friend. "You want something to drink?"

Scott shook his head. "Hailey and I are about to leave, I came to tell you."

Feeling pleased at Tristan's irritation, I concealed my smirk by focusing on Layla who was currently slumped against me. She was getting heavy and increasingly drowsy. Gently, I nudged her to keep her awake, whilst ignoring Tristan's burning stare which was aimed at the back of my head.

"I'll see you tomorrow then," he finally said. I knew he was pissed. I could hear it. Letting out another big breath (this time of relief), I slowly walked away from him as Scott said his goodbyes.

Almost immediately afterwards, Scott hoisted one of Layla's arms over his shoulder, easing the burden.

"Thanks," I breathed.

We ambked our way through the dancing crowd once more. "Don't mention it."

I didn't look at Tristan once as we left the party.

---

A lot of explanation in this chapter, but hey ho. Please vote and share for faster updates! X