(5)

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

We arrived at the house which was located at the end of a dead-end street full of other beautiful, large homes. I wasn't expecting anything less though. The rich mingle with the rich.

I felt a wave of nausea roll over me as we parked a few houses down and began walking towards the rave. It was that feeling of unease. Like I didn't belong around such high society teenagers. I was sure that they would be able to smell my negative bank balance. The first thing that I noticed about the people hanging out on the front lawn and large wind around the patio, was the outfits. Velvet dresses, expensive leather platform shoes and boots. Bomber jackets and Guess denim.

My outfit wasn't poorly put together, I knew how to dress. But it was purchased from the thrift store and I was sure that it was obvious. Especially from the judgemental once overs that I received as I walked hand in hand with Leroy. Of course, that could have been another reason for the subtle scowls. To these girls, I was some outsider that was on the arm of the school's quarterback.

Cue the territorial bitches.

As we walked through the home and into the large backyard where people were spread out, talking, drinking, doing keg stands, dancing and there were even a few people in the large pool โ€” which wasn't too surprising considering the heat โ€” Leroy was greeted continuously. He was brief with his exchanges, he spoke few words and moved on as fast as he could after introducing me of course. I reminded him that I didn't need to be introduced to each and every person that we passed, but he insisted that it was the polite thing to do.

We stopped beside a group of people that were sat in a circle in outdoor garden sofas, passing a few joints around the large group. A lean boy with tanned skin and dark hair stood from the couch with an inviting and kind smile. "You made it." He exhaled a cloud of smoke and offered the joint to Leroy who declined.

"Wouldn't have missed it." Leroy smiled. "This is Ellie, Ellie, this is Eric."

"Nice to meet you gorgeous." He winked. His attention turned for a brief moment as someone attempted to hand him back the smoke but he waved them off and gave us a broad smile. "Where's Noah?"

"Probably balls deep in his own ego," a blonde scoffed from the sofa below us. She glanced up and flashed us an innocent smile. "Don't roll your eyes at me Lee. Your brother is an absolute self-obsessed nob jockey."

"Ellie, this is Cass," Leroy explained with a tired smile. "Cass, this is Ellie."

"Ahh the famous Ellie." She stood up with an energetic spring, causing the ringlets on her head to bounce. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Oh this is the Ellie?" Eric exclaimed, his finger waving between the two of us before he slapped himself on the forehead. "Of course. Yes. Lee hasn't stopped talking about you. Which is saying something because he doesn't do a lot of talking to begin with."

I turned and found Leroy watching me with that same soft gaze and wondered how it was possible that he was the same man that I had spent hours every single day on the phone with. I started to become a little paranoid, hoping that I wasn't the one that did all of the talking. But I was certain that he had done his fair share. I wouldn't have felt like I knew him as well otherwise.

"I love that top," Cass reclaimed the conversation and grazed the bottom of the cropped tank top with her fingertips. "Where's it from?"

I felt that familiar anxiety flare up. I didn't want to lie about who I was, but I was already feeling out of place and I felt like this would cement that I didn't belong. She raised her brows, waiting for an answer and I blushed, speaking in a more quiet tone. "It's from a thrift store back in Waco."

"Score!" She clapped her hands together. "I love thrift shopping. That's an amazing find."

Relief flooded through me. Her outfit didn't look like it was from the thrift store. She was dressed in a sheer blouse, tucked into the waist of a black leather skirt. But even if she was exaggerating to make me feel better, it worked and I appreciated it.

"Do you two want a drink?" Eric questioned, running a hand through his black hair.

Leroy looked to me for an answer and I gave a quick nod. I could have used a little bit of courage. I didn't want to be quiet and reserved all night. Not when it seemed that so many people knew who Leroy was. That would mean we would be engaged in conversation more often than not and I wanted to be able to speak up, I wanted to seem confident. A few drinks would bring me out of my shell.

โ€”

๐ŸŽถ With the lights out, it's less dangerous! ๐ŸŽถ

๐ŸŽถ Here we are now, entertain us! ๐ŸŽถ

๐ŸŽถ I feel stupid and contagious ๐ŸŽถ

๐ŸŽถ Here we are now, entertain us! ๐ŸŽถ

Cass and I were breathless, dancing around the small fire pit on the concrete patio, screaming our lungs out to the Nirvana hit while we refuelled on the unidentifiable liquid in our cups. We'd been at the party for about three hours and three drinks in, I had found the courage that I had been looking for. The umpteen amount of drinks after that were just for thirst.

Leroy and Eric sat on the couches, a beverage in hand while they chatted with other friends around them. Occasionally I would catch Leroy watching me with a small grin, one side of his mouth turned up in amusement. I was sure that I looked ridiculous, but I was having fun so I didn't care.

A song change had Cass and I squeal in excitement and I took a moment to down the remainder of my drink before the lyrics began. I threw the plastic cup into the fire and began bouncing up and down with Cass, our hands in the air as we belted out the chorus to Killing In The Name Of. There were a few other people doing the same around the yard, shouting the words, getting hyped up as the outro neared.

"Those who died, are justified, for wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites!" we screamed, our voices becoming hoarse because of all of the shouting. "Those who died, are justified, for wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites!"

Cass was on form as Noah came sauntering around the corner with a sway in his step. His gaze settled on Cass and he leaned against the back of the couch, sipping on his beer as he watched her with greed. She wasn't oblivious to his ogling and she directed the lyrics at him, emphasising the 'fuck you' part.

"Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me," she shouted, rolling her eyes and letting them flutter shut as she spun around in a circle that almost seemed... flirtatious. I wasn't a big fan of cursing so I just continued to dance, mouthing over the words that she so vehemently aimed at the younger Lahey brother.

He didn't seem bothered at all; he seemed more amused than anything and I wondered if there was more than just hostility between the two of them. It almost looked as though the sexual tension was being masked with anger and insults.

He stood up and began walking towards her; she carried on dancing beside me, shouting the lyrics as he got closer and closer.

"Fuck you I won't do what you tell me! Fuck you I won't do what you tell me!"

He came to a standstill in front of her and she laid a solid slap across his cheek which no one seemed the least bit surprised or concerned about, least of all him. He just continued to smirk down at her before he wrapped a hand around the back of her neck and kissed her with obvious aggression.

I had no idea what the hell I was watching, but it didn't seem healthy. I glanced over to Eric and Leroy but they were engrossed in a conversation and when my attention turned back to Cass, she was very much into the kiss, the two of them having at each other as they backed towards the house.

What the fuck just happened.

I turned around and stumbled on my own feet, becoming further challenged when I walked straight into a firm chest. "That's their thing," Leroy said, his gaze glancing towards the house before it fell back on me. He kept one hand in his pocket and used the other to hold my waist so that I didn't fall over. "They hate each other so much that they regularly fuck. No one gets it. No one tries and we leave them to it. Should we go home now? It's midnight."

I stared up at him, not sure if he was even speaking English. But I heard home, so I nodded and let him lead me through the garden so that we could go out the side gate. We waved goodbye to the guests and Eric thanked us for coming but kept his butt planted on the couch.

I felt like I was competing in the American Ninja as we wandered across the garden beds out front. The dark further made it difficult for me to make sense of where I was standing or what we were doing. No matter how many times I shook my head, my vision remained blurred. But there was no mistaking the strong arms that kept me from falling flat.

We reached the car and Leroy opened the door, helping me inside and promising food when we got back to his house.

"Oh no, Leroy," I slurred, my head hitting the seat as I whined. "Your parents! It's the first night. They'll think I'm a drink!"

"You don't look like a drink?"

"A drunk." I made a loud psssh noise as I burst into laughter. He just continued to grin and buckled me in before he went around to his side of the car.

"I won't let them see you," he promised as he slid the keys into the ignition and the car purred to life.

"I'm so sorry." I leaned across the centre as he drove, turning at the curve of the dead end and heading back towards the main road. "I'm so sorry babe. This is so not me. I'm such a mess."

"Babe?" He chuckled, flicking his head towards me for a brief moment. "I like it when you call me that."

"I like you."

He laughed. "I like you too beautiful."

I wasn't sure if it was butterflies that were causing havoc in my stomach, or if I'd just had far too much to drink. I was going to assume it was a bit of both. We made it home faster than I had anticipated and I squinted at the house as he glided into the driveway.

"Shit," he muttered, switching the ignition off and biting his closed fist. "Mom and Dad are still up."





You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net