It's 9:00 pm by my time, I check again to make sure. The party's getting crazier, it's like I've been missing out on the core social activities that bring together students of May blossom high.

Florida's party as I heard is the best not just because his parents are wealthy and occasionally absent but because he's a life of the party whose acquainted with almost everyone at ours and neighboring schools.

No wonder his supposed huge mansion feels like a coven, there's a crowd. You could get lost in this place, plus finding your way in the number of rooms that were in this house was another thing. I heard it contains sixteen rooms, Wow!!. Like what the heck does a family of three need sixteen rooms for?

I guess some people just love space and extravagance, I shrug.

I follow Cheryl loyally for fear of getting lost in the crowd not because it's what I prefer because she's still acting like a bitch towards me after I strode off from them at the parking lot.

I mean why should I stay around pretending I'm okay with her acting cold towards me but sucking up to Eric? It just doesn't make sense to me.

After I left them, I headed for class making sure I avoided Eric throughout the day. The only chance I thought we'd have to meet was during PE but he's in the football team and so has his practices in place of PE.

I kinda felt relieved, I missed him and wanted to talk about random stuff like his brother's stoic attitude, then if luck was on my side we'd be paired up for the activities.
But sadly, Cheryl was my teammate and we both sucked at dodgeball. Our opponents beat us shamelessly, I cared less even though it's part of our grades.

After school, we both caught the bus, got talking, and ended up planning how we were gonna drip to the—all time party tonight. So here we are looking like outcasts, actually just me.

I'm wearing denim, dangerously short with a shimmery tank top and my nice hair in a neat bun while Cheryl is putting on a nude spandex gown reaching her knee at least.

She fits in more than I do, I realize as I look around, sighting girls dressed in more glamorous dresses, with heavy makeup.

But this should've been a casual night party, not some dinner date. I'm feeling sensitive already but Cheryl grabs my hand leading the way to find us something to get drunk with.

That's not my aim tonight though, I want to make new friends. I realized the school ground isn't the best place for making friends, everyone seemed uptight and into themselves but here... Here, it seems the energy is different, the urge to associate is stronger and easier. I smile to myself in relief knowing that before the day was done I must've made lots of progress in socializing.

"Would you mind telling me what we just downed?!" I burp, squeezing my face. It tastes like beer mixed with lemon I'm not sure.

"I dunno," Cheryl shrugs chirpy. I can feel she's eager as well to see how the night turns. We search the expensive two-shutter fridge for something not spiked and we end up with a can of coke each. I grab a candy bar I find inside there and squeeze it into my tight jeans and walk towards the living room where the most tension is.

I see a boy and a girl on the long couch smooching. Not really, the raven-haired girl is all over him kissing, smooching, trying to mark her territory I guess. While some girls cheer her on.

Oh! I recognize Mindy as one of them. She's putting on the same purple beret but this time a red kinda lip shade.

I'm standing there thinking of what Mindy Brookes thinks she is? The nerve of her to walk up to me at the cafeteria blabbing on and on while I watched.

It ended with a series of curse words from me to her, she merely laughed and walked away. Since then I've hated her confidence, her fame or whatever made her known at our school.

Deep down, it's so undeniable how I wish to be like her, she's the kind of girl that's not scared of anyone. She's not an emotional suitcase wanting attention or love from some stupid gender like the girl on the couch.

"We all do admire her exotic style but don't seem too creepy with the look"
Someone whispers to my ear, I turn to see a redhead chubby girl smiling gaily at me.

My first instinct is to frown and try to wade her off but she doesn't seem to care.

"I'm Electra, you must've heard of me huh? Cos I've heard how confident you are for standing up to Einstein Hat" she grabs my right hand for a quick unsolicited shake.

"I'm Emm_"

"I know already. Told you, you were all over Mindy's vlog. Vampire queen, crazy ass bitch, psychopath, etc. I could go on. I get it if you hate Mindy and admire her at the same time, she has that influence on everyone, not just you. Look over there" she points to a corner where the snooker game is being played.

"Can you make out the two girls putting on the same style from the smokes?" she nudges.
Truly the place is all smokey and hard to figure out people's faces but I see the girls.

"That's Shania and Crème" Electra says.

"They're in my class, yeah?" I say once I recognize them.

My mind binges with familiarity for the first name she mentioned.

—Shania— Eric's ex.

I urge my eyes to look deeper with curiosity.

"She's the billionaire's daughter at school. I heard her long vacation was spent on a private yacht owned by her dad for a week's trip to Bali, I mean Créme Delarius, not the other one" Electra quickly corrected and I felt a little less jealous of Shania

"Yet she still eyes Mindy like a hulk. I once heard them invite her out on a girl's night but she declined" Electra gasps for emphasis.

"Why is she so interesting though?" I ask. I can imagine the type of girls Eric dated. Rich, posh girls.

"That I don't know. But who declines an invite from Crème the billionaire's daughter?! That's insane" Electra cries.

I watch them for a while before my gaze shifts back to the raven-haired girl, this time she's all alone on the couch fuming while Mindy and co are laughing at something, I'm sure it's her.

"Who is she?" I ask, pointing to the sulking girl.

"Well that's Jessy Caurrie she's Landon Brooke's girlfriend. I don't like her for him, she's too ambitious and doesn't know her place. Such wannabe" Electra sighs.

"Just look how she prides herself as if she belongs," Electra says, sounding so jealous.

At this point Jessy Caurrie waves at Electra who rushes in to engulf her in a warm hug, chattering away like a monkey forgetting all she had just said to me.

"Way to go wanna be" I sigh and turn from them. Enough of the gossip, I need to make genuine friends tonight.

I'm not sure where Cheryl headed to so I went upstairs to check after searching downstairs to no avail.

Ew, teenagers can be so gross, I make a mental note to knock before opening up a door because I just saw a half-naked guy on the bed orgasming with one finger deep in his ear. Where do I classify such freakish need?

I check several doors yet no sign of her. There's a nice varnished door at the end of the dark hallway so I decide to make it my final search.

One knock and I swing the handle open, it's filled with smokes as thick as a fog. The room is so stuffy and choked with people. It's like another party is going on here.

In my view, I see the host on a couch wasted, probably high as f**k. My eyes search the room with the soft music playing. I wonder if people like me are allowed here but seeing as there's no regulation I walk deeper into the poorly lit room.

My eyes landed on a familiar face just when I thought I wouldn't.

Einstein Hats. He's craftily puffing off smokes from every opening in his face. His bestie Philip Ryder is beside him chattering on about something.

I don't see any girls around him tonight, that's unusual.

I don't want him to see me here and certainly don't want any confrontations with him so I try to steal away from the crowd but his friend gives him a gentle push and his eyes land on me.

I didn't see but I could feel the cold stare, the chilliness of his gaze on my back, especially on my derriere. Damn! Today I had to put on these ass-revealing jeans.

Rushing towards the bathroom, "Why is everywhere dark?!" I turned the switch but nothing.

I'm feeling agoraphobic now, I need to calm my raging heart but someone squeezes open the door and his aura fills the whole room.

My heart is seriously palpitating and I'm certain I'm not in my right senses or else the Emma I know will never hide from anyone not him, but I'm scared.

"You came" he rumbles, his tone seeming excited.

><{{{(•>

The air is thick here 🌫️🌫️😶‍🌫️😶‍🌫️
We need to ventilate the whole place what do you think?😂

Drop a vote♥️