"Carmen I really don't want to go," I groan and complained for what seem to be like the 48th time tonight. "What if he happens to show up some how?"

"Then I'll kick his ass," Carmen hisses as she zips up her boots.

It was Saturday night and we were currently in Carmen's bedroom getting ready to head out in a bit, her and Angela had somehow managed to drag me into their shenanigans.

We ended up having lunch with Angela like she suggested yesterday, and I actually enjoyed it, enjoyed myself. I even ate a full meal. Angela never once brought up Isaac, and neither did Carmen, I mean aside from all the ruthless things she was gonna do to him if she saw him, but I was actually enjoying myself with the girls, i really was, it's exactly what I needed.

Carmen and I stayed up pretty late last night binge watching stranger things on Netflix, having a total girls night, painting each other nails, eating ice cream, Carmen even caught me up on her new life in the city.

My dad definitely indeed got off the car to talk to Carmen's mom. He basically gave her the whole run down that he was uncomfortable with me being so far away and handed her my medication because he didn't want me to be in charge of it while I was alone out here. Mrs. Rodriguez wasn't knew to my anxiety problem though, she was well aware of it from the day it started, she assured my father that I was in good hands and he left content, a little.

We were in the middle of our lunch when Carmen got her wonderful little text, we had went out to eat at a little bakery that Angela absolutely loved. We insisted on splitting the bill, so each of us paying can pay for our own plate, but Angela wasn't having it and paid the whole thing herself.

We were patiently waiting at the table for our waiter to return with Angela's credit card when I noticed Carmen anxiously sitting in her seat, "what, Car? Spit it out, you're nearly falling off your chair."

"I have an idea," she says cautiously, looking back and fourth from Angela and I. She glances at her phone really quick then looks back at me, "there's a party tonight," she says and I immediately cut her off.

"No," I shake my head rapidly. "No parties."

"Uhhhh," Angela hums to the right of me. "A party is not such a bad idea, Hailey."

"What?!" I exclaim. "Are you out of your mind? I don't want to go to a party! Guys," I sigh. "I literally just want to stay in and relax, please."

"Hail, what better way then to whine down and let loose?!" Carmen chimes in.

"He won't be around if that's what you're worried about," Angela mutters. I glance over at her, it was one of the reason why I didn't want to go.. "they.. um, h-his dad doesn't.. um," she continues to stammer. "He doesn't, they don't come out here."

"This is not his territory, right?" Carmen spits out what Angela was struggling so hard to say.

She sighs deeply nodding her head yes, "you don't understand how hard this is," she chuckles.

"That's what he said," Carmen smirks and I quickly scowl her.

"Carmen!"

"I had to, sorry!"

"He won't be there, Hailey, no one will, I promise. You'll be able to enjoy yourself comfortably, I know I will. Wait, I'm invited right?" She turns to Carmen, she laughs softly and nods her head yes. "Okay good just making sure," she chuckles.

"I don't know, Ang."

"Come on, Hail, you deserve to have a little fun."

Angela quickly agrees with Carmen nodding her head, "even if it's just for a few minutes. We'll totally leave if you're not comfortable," she smiles.

"Fine," I mumbled, already regretting my decision.

Excitement quickly washes over both Angela and Carmen, "oooo what am I gonna wear!?" Angela quickly blurts out. "I don't think I brought anything cute! I need to go shopping!" She smiles excitedly, shooting from her seat. "Wanna come with?"

"No it's okay," Carmen tells her. "We need head back, are you ready, Hail bear?" Carmen looks over at me and I nod grabbing my bag off of my chair. "I still need to come up with a good enough lie so that my mom will let Hailey out of her sight."

"Ahh," Angela nods her head as she retrieves her card from the waiter she thought was so cute. He shoots her a quick wink and she immediately blushes, which isn't very common for her. She shoves her card into her bag when she's suddenly snapping her fingers in front of her, "ooo! There's this painting class thing a block over, ugh what's it called!"

"Panting with a twist?"

"Yes, that! Tell your mom that we're gonna go have a girls night and take Hailey painting."

"I thought you had to be 21 in order to go there," I wonder out loud.

"Not necessarily, we can go paint we just can't drink, but that's besides the point, it's not like we're really going," Angela grins.

"That's actually might work," Carmen vouched.

I stood quietly to the side as Carmen and Angela went over the details to their lie. I start to snort softly as I listen to their conversation. Carmen and Angela, they were alike in so many ways, yet they came from two separate worlds. Maybe that's why I felt so comfortable around Angela, because in a way she reminded me of my best friend, in a way I felt like Carmen was still around although she lived miles away now.

"Okay text me," Angela says. "I'll pick you girls up, we can go in my car. Wear something sexy, Hailey, you might run into a cute guy tonight."

I scoffed, "guys are the last thing on my mind right now, Angela."

She smiles widely shrugging her shoulders, "you never know, I'll see you guys later then, be ready by 7:30!"

We said our last goodbyes and then went our separate ways. It was now 7:46 pm and we were still waiting on Angela to pick us up, although she said she was on her way already. We killed the rest of our day watching some more Netflix until Carmen's mom got home from work, and Carmen put her little lie into work.

Unlike my father, Mrs. Rodriguez didn't need much persuasion and easily agreed to let us go. My dad on the other hand would've hounded me with 45 questions, agree to letting me go only if he was able to take me, this way he could make sure that I was actually going where I said I was. Over protected much?

Angela shows up to Carmen's apartment a few minutes later and of course comes upstairs to meet Carmen's mom, Mrs. Rodriguez immediately falls in love with her, it was kind of hard not to. Angela was the sweetest girl you could possibly meet, she was smart, polite, beautiful, the total package.

Of course just like every other time she's gone out, Angela looked like a fucking gem in her outfit. She was in a black and white striped open shoulder crop top, pairing it off beautifuly with some black leggings that hugged her every curved. Something I admired about her, about Carmen, and Madison, they weren't afraid to embrace their bodies, they were comfortable in their own skins, and as for me well.. here I was trying to cover every inch of it.

I forgot to bring an under shirt and was forced to borrow one of Carmen's, and of course she had to hand me a stupid crop top, luckily I was wearing some high waist jeans so a lot of my skin wasn't being exposed. I threw on a denim button up for a little extra coverage. My dad for sure would've had a cow if he seen what we were wearing, I could already here his voice in my head. "Aren't you girls a little dressed up to go do some panting?"

Mrs. Rodriguez on the other hand, she thought we looked so cute, especially her daughter. Carmen was in a pair of dark overalls, also wearing a crop top underneath, and really did look adorable in the damn thing. We gathered up our things, said our goodbyes to Mrs. Rodriguez and took off.

Carmen sat up front with Angela giving her directions to the party, as I sit in the back of her Camaro. I annoyingly start to think of the last time I was in Angela's car, the last good memories I had with Isaac. It was the night I had picked him up drunk and he poured his heart out.

Next thing I knew I felt my cheeks feeling some what damp and hadn't realized that I started crying. I quickly go to wipe the tears away from face before Carmen and Angela notice, but it's too late.

"No, no, no, no, no, why are you crying, Hailey?" Angela gazes at me through her rear view mirror and Carmen's quickly turning around in her seat. I was sitting directly behind the driver seat.

"I miss him," I cry. "I can't do this. This was a bad idea, I should've just stayed home, my home."

"Hail bear, stop. Breathe, take a slow deep breath."

"Do you want me to take you back home, Hailey?"

"No," Carmen answers, looking directly at me. She smiles, "she's gonna stop crying, put her big girl panties on and have some fun tonight. She's gonna get drunk with her two amazing friends tonight and not have a care in the world, we can cry tomorrow, okay? I'll let you miss him tomorrow." I let out one last breathy sob and nod my head.

"Okay."

~~~

The party Carmen got invited to was out in the suburbs, and although I didn't want to be here I was so grateful that the party was happening inside rather than out in the freezing cold. The house we were currently in was pretty big, of course not nearly as big as Issac's or Angela's house, but it was definitely bigger than mine. Carmen and Angela immediately got hit on the minute when we walked into the party, and I was a little glad that they were getting all the attention. I was basically the little ugly duckling next to two beautiful swans, and I was okay with that.

Carmen ran into a couple friends from school here and there, and of course introduced us. They all seemed like pretty amazing people, totally Carmen's type of crowd, especially a guy name Maxwell. Apparently Maxy, as Carmen liked to call him, was the one to invite Carmen to the party tonight, they had a couple classes together and had grown close since Carmen moved out here. He was super outgoing, outspoken, funny, basically everything Carmen was, they had so many things in common that for a second I thought they might have been hooking up on the low and she wasn't telling me about it, up until Carmen explained that he was extremely gay, and in a committed two year relationship.

We were currently in what seem to be the dinning room of the house, as I stood to the back quietly watching Angela, Carmen, and Maxwell play flip cup. Carmen begged and begged me to play with them since they needed a fourth player on their team, but I really didn't want to be the reason why they lost, I was still new to drinking, I'm pretty sure I would've probably puked trying to chug my drink.

I was actually staring to get a little annoyed with Carmen and Angela though. They were literally asking how I was feeling, if I was okay, every fifteen minutes. I know that they don't mean anything bad by it, I knew that they were only doing it because they cared and were worried about me, but I was annoyed at the fact that they were more concentrated on me than having fun. I didn't want to be that party pooper so I was trying my hardest here to have a good time, but it was a little hard when they continued to asked if I was okay over and over, reminding me that everything wasn't okay, that I wasn't okay.

As if on cue, Carmen turns to look behind her, looking in my direction, mouthing the words, "you good?" I sigh deeply while mentally rolling my eyes and plaster the biggest fake smile on my face and nod my head yes, drinking the last of the beer in my cup that Carmen's friend had brought me. Carmen knows me better than I know myself though, she narrows her eyes at me not buying the smile, and I quickly pick my cup up in the air, pointing to it.

"I'm gonna get more," I shout over the music. Carmen furrows her eyebrows not having heard me and I try again. "MORE," I mouth pointing at my empty red cup. I point towards my right where the kitchens at and mouth, "I'm gonna get more!"

Carmen's facial expression lighten up and she nods giving me a thumbs up, mouthing the words, "hurry back." I nod my head while smiling and make my way towards the kitchen where all the drinks are at. I roll my eyes, exhaling deeply once my face was out of plain sight.

The kitchen basically has an open layout, but on the opposite side of where we were hanging out at so Carmen and Angela are out of view. The open layout leads to the back of the house, where there's actually quite a few people hanging out in the freezing cold. There's actually not many people hanging around in the kitchen, they come in, get what they need, and head back out to the party. I stand to the side for a quick second not really knowing where to start or what to get, it's not like I knew how to make drinks, or where the beer that Maxwell got me was at.

There's two girls, surprisingly not Italian, standing at the kitchen island in the middle of the room making some type of drink, talking among them self, laughing, eyeing me weirdly. I probably look so fücking weird just standing here. I uncomfortably make eye contact with one of the two girls on accident, and she smiles, "are you looking for the keg?" The what? I think to myself. Just nod you idiot! Not wanting to look like a bigger loser than I already did, I smiled and nodded yes. Both girls giggle softly and the first girl points at me, "its right behind you," she smiles.

I turn to look at what she's talking about and then everything quickly falls in place. There's a big red bucket behind me filled with ice keeping a steel of barrel cold. Ohh! A keg!! Duh. I turn around to thank the girls, but there suddenly long gone and I'm left standing alone in the kitchen. I grab the little hose thingy placing it over my cup and attempt to pour some beer into my cup, but only little droplets come out. I try a few more times and nothing comes out still, I even try shaking the stupid hose like if that's actually gonna make it come out.

A deep sensual laugh from behind me startles me, and I'm quickly turning around, taking a step back. "Need some help?" He grins and I'm immediately being met by the stormiest blue eyes I've ever seen. He was tall I'll give him that, not nearly as tall as Isaac though, nor as handsome as him, but this guy did have some handsome features, he was attractive no doubt about that, but something felt off.

I shook it off not wanting to be rude, "i think it's empty," I tell him.

He continues to smile widely, instantly shaking his head no, "impossible, they just brought it out not that long ago. Watch out," he mumbles and I take a step away to let him do whatever he's gonna do.

He pumps the little lever on top of the keg a couple times and reaches for the hose in my hand. I don't miss the way his fingers graze against my hand as he takes the hose away from me and it makes me a little apprehensive.

He holds the hose over my cup, pouring beer into it, his eyes never once leaving me as he continues to smirk. He glances down at my chest for a quick second and I really start to feel uncomfortable.

I immediately start wishing that this party was happening back home, where I actually knew people, where everyone, well mostly everyone, feared Isaac, meaning that no one had the balls to come near me, look at me, let alone hit on me and put me in an awkward situation like this.

The instant the guy finishes pouring my beer I quickly thank him and motion to leave when I hear his deep voice behind me.

He scoffs, "so quick to leave baby?"

Funny how a word I use to love hearing so much could make me want to puke the one good meal I've had in a couple days.

I should've kept going, I shouldn't have stopped, I shouldn't have turned back, but I did.

"Huh?"

He chuckles pouring some beer from the keg into his cup this time, "I know I'm not the best good looking guy here, but damn I didn't think I was that ugly to scare you off."

"I didn't say that.."

"So then you do find me attractive," he smirks mischievously, lifting his thick eyebrows.

"I didn't say that either."

"You're also not denying it," he winks, continuing to smirk.

"Thank you for the beer," I say as polite as I can, and turn to leave again.

I really start to get anxious and annoyed now. Mr. Whoever the fuck his name is, quickly runs in front of me, blocking my way out. "Hold up, whats the rush. Why don't you come hang out with me and my friends, have some real fun."

"No thank you," I try to go around him and he moves blocking my way out again.

"Come on, baby, I won't bite. Unless you want me to," his lips tug to the side again.

I inhale a deep breath trying to keep my anxiety at bay, "I am not yours, so stop calling me baby."

"Ooo, feisty. I like it," he says taking a step closer and I immediately step back. "Come on, i have a little party favor with your name written all over it. It'll help bring the edge down, along with some other things hopefully."

"You're a pig," I hissed disgustedly. "Can you please get out of my way."

"Yo!"

A deeper voiced hollered from behind me.

"Are you deaf or just stupid? I believe the lady said to get the fuck out of her way," it growls angrily, getting closer and louder with each second.

The ignorant asshole in front of me shoots a hard glare at the mystery person behind me, glances back at me and mutters something under his breath before taking off.

"Thank you," I exhaled a few seconds later, finally turning around to see my awaiting hero. What do you know, It's another tall, handsome guy, but this ones in a dark hoodie, with his hood thrown over his hat, being so mysterious. For some strange reason he  actually looks really familiar.

"Don't mention it," he chuckles. "I saw you from where I was standing and thought you could use a knight and shining armour," he smiles mischievously and i quickly remember where I've seen this beautiful face before, that sinister little smirk.

"Hey!" I quickly snap my fingers. "You're that guy from Vinny's house!"

He chuckles sensually again while nodding his head, "and you're that girl," he grins. "Where's the boyfriend at tonight?"

There's a small sudden ache in my heart at the mention of Isaac, but I'm not going to let it get to me. I came out to have fun, I came out to forget about him for a night, and that's what I intended on doing. "What boyfriend?" I sassed.

My handsome, knight and shinning armour, as he called himself, looks a little taken back. "Oh, I'm sorry," he shakes his head. "I hadn't realized you weren't together anymore."

"That's a miracle," I scoffed. "Seems like everyone else in town knows."

"Well I don't exactly live on that side of the city," he shrugs his shoulders, smiling. "Are you okay though?" His devilish smile is now gone, and there's a gentleness to his husky voice.

I blankly stare at him, "why wouldn't I be okay?"

He snorts softly crossing his arms along his chest, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cross any boundaries. I just figured that you guys were all in love and shit."

I frown a bit, quickly trying to shake it off before letting it get to me. "You never told me your name," I say, trying to change the subject away from Isaac and I.

"I didn't think you wanted it," he replies, licking his lips. "It's Ax."

"Axe? Like the body spray?"

He chuckles at this while shaking his head, "without the E, its short for Axel, my actual name."

I furrow my eyebrows together, slightly turning my head. Axel? The same Axel Angela had told me about? I mean it had to be, how many other guys out there had a name like Axel.

Axel snorts softly, uncrossing his arms. "I'm gonna take a wild guess and say you've heard about me."

Crap. Did I make it that obvious? I shake my head softly, "what is there to know?" I smile.

"Careful darling," he grins. "I don't think Matteo would appreciate you flirting with me."

"I was not flirting!" Was I? "Plus, I am no longer his concern, remember."

"Relax beautiful, I'm only teasing you."

"That's not funny," I grumble.

"It's a little funny," Ax pinches his fingers together and I surprisingly giggle. "I do believe that you owe me your name now."

"Oh," I tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "Its Hailey."

Ax stretches his hand out in between us and I put my small hand in his thinking he's gonna shake it, but he doesn't. Instead he grabs ahold of it, bringing it up to his lips, and kisses it softly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Hailey."

I kindly retrieve my hand back, blushing like crazy for some reason. "It's nice to meet you too, Ax."

He continues to chuckle softly reaching for a red solo cup from the counter next to us. "Tell me, Hailey," he talks while looking down at his empty cup, now filling it up with some ice. "What are you doing all by yourself at a party?" He grabs a tall bottle of some sort of whiskey, pouring it into his cup. "That can be dangerous for pretty girls like you," he points the bottle at me. "Never know what kind of creeps come to these type of things," he smirks.

I laugh a little nervously, continuing to watch him make his drink, only he's not mixing anything else into his cup. It's just whiskey with some ice, gross. "I didn't come alone," I tell him.

"Oh no?" He replies, now taking a drink from his cup.

I shake my head no, "I came with friends, but I needed some alone time, they were starting to suffocate me." 

"How so?" He stares at me curiously, when a pair of hands is grabbing onto his shoulders from behind, lightly shaking him.

"Shit, Ax, I didn't think you were actually gonna come!"

I stare at the person behind him and of course It would be Cris fucking Roxwell, just my luck. I was starting to dislike this guy the more and more I saw him. 

"Man you should know me by now," Axel laughs deeply, clasping his free hand with Cris's as they go in for a bro hug. They pull apart and Ax's is quickly reaching for Cris's chin, inspecting his face, which is clearly still pretty banged up, no thanks to Isaac. "What the fück happen to you? You look like shit dude."

Cris's yanks his face away from Ax's grip, glaring in my direction now and I want to coward away for a second. "Why don't you ask your little friend right here."

Axel starts laughing, taking another sip from his drink, "Matteo did that to you?" He points his cup at me as if I were Isaac. "What the fuck did you do to piss him off that bad?" He continues to laugh. "You didn't hit on Hailey, did you?"

"No," I say bravely. "He didn't. Tell him, Cris, what did you do."

"What's she talking about?" Ax smiles, looking from him and I.

"Nothing," Cris grimaces at me. "What happen, princess? Where's lover boy at now? Finally decided to switch up sides, shack up with my cousin?"

Cousin? I stare at both guys clearly dumbfounded, "you guys are cousin's?" I arch an eyebrow.

"Sadly," Axel mumbles sarcastically, playfully rolling his eyes. He wraps an arm around Cris's neck pulling him down a bit, towards him. "Cris here is my baby cousin, huh baby boy?"

Cris attempts to get out from Axel's grasp but fails miserably which causes his cousin to chuckle softly. He tries a couple more times when he finally succeeds, "get the fuck off me," Cris utters, shoving Ax a bit.

He laughs, "you're getting weak, bitch, no wonder you got your ass beat."

"Fuck you." Cris bites back. "Where's Ivan?"

Axel tilts his head back towards the patio, "out back with everyone else."

Cris sends me another hard glare before taking off, without dismissing himself. "Just ignore him," Axel murmurs. "Lord knows I try to," he smiles. I don't say anything, I smile in return. "Are you gonna drink that?" He points at my cup and I look down at it.

"I-"

"Because you haven't took one sip from it since we've been standing here, it's probably all hot by now."

I smile again shaking my head no, setting my filled up cup on the table besides me, "I'm not a big drinker to be honest," I admit.

"Hmm, I would've never guessed."

"Is that sarcasm that I detect?"

"What?" He exclaims placing a hand on his chest, acting like what I said actually hurt him. "Me? Sarcastic? Never," he chuckles softly. I giggle quietly and Ax holds his hands up in front of me, "wait right here, don't go anywhere, alright? I want you to try something."

He doesn't give me a chance to reply, he quickly sets his cup down on the counter and turns to walk away. It looks like he's gonna walk out of the kitchen for a second, but stops right in front of the stainless steel fridge. He opens both of the top doors, reaching for something inside. It was one of those fridges that had the freezer drawer on the bottom. He closes the doors back up and smiles in my direction, making his way back.

He holds two little containers with a lids on them up next to him, "have you ever had a Jello-O shot?" He grins. I smile and shake my head no, Axel then hands me one of the two jello's in his hands, and I stare down at it. "What?" He grilled.

"Can I have the green one?" I smiled.

He smiles, amusement clearly written all over his face and trades my red jiggly shot for his green one, "I was trying to be polite ya know, most people usually want the red one."

"I'm not most people," I uttered, squeezing the little plastic cup and attempt to suck the jello out.

"Yeah, I can see that," Axel mumbles, as he continues to stare at me while shooting his own shot. His intense gaze actually starts to make me a little uncomfortable and I have to look away.

"There you are!" A soft feminine voice says from behind Axel. At first I think it's a girl who's probably looking for him, up until I lean to the side and see who's actually walking up behind him.

It's Angela.

"Carmen sent me to see what was talking you so long," she says walking up to me, paying Axel no mind. "Are you okay?"

I instantly look up at him and give him a look that says 'this is what I was referring to', he simply smiles, waiting patiently. "Yeah sorry, I got caught up talking," I tell her, looking over at Ax.

She frowns a bit and turns to look behind her, "Axel..." she quickly mutters under her breath.

I don't miss the sudden change in Ax's demeanor towards her, "Angela.." he gritted through clenched teeth.

They stare each other down for a couple seconds, when Angela's the first one to break their tedious eye contact. "Come on," she grabs my hand pulling me with her, but we don't get far, she quickly comes to a halt when we hear Ax's voice behind us.

"You're a long way from home, Ang.. Where's your body guards at? Does daddy know you're out here?" She doesn't reply.

I turn to look towards her, as she continues to look in front of her, her chest starting to rise a bit. I notice that Axel's suddenly standing behind us, well behind Angela. He leans down to whisper something into her ear, but his voice strains and I pick up on what he tells her. She instantly flinches at the sound of his voice, "then again that really doesn't matter, does it tesoro?"

He mumbles a couple other things, but of course he starts to speak in Italian so I don't understand what he's saying. He stands back up to his full height and walks around her, passing us. Her turns back around to face us one last time, as he continues to walk backwards. He brings his cup up to his lips, taking a drink from it and smiles, his eyes then shifting over to me.

"It was nice seeing you again, Hailey," and turns to leave the kitchen.

Did this chapter feel rushed to you guys? I felt like it was rushed at the beginning, then again I was writing this at a tattoo shop while I waited so maybe that's why? Oh well, whatever, I hope you guys enjoyed it still! lol

I'm still trying to figure out if I want to give you guys a chapter in Isaac's POV or in the third person/authors POV like last time. Decisions, decisions, what do you guys think? lol I hope you're enjoy your weekend though! & like always thank you for reading ❤️

-K