if by chance | ✓

08 | a freaking nightclub

[ 08 ]

R H Y S

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Shoving the last Cheezit into my mouth, I rapidly run down the stairs to enter the Student Council office room.

"Yo Crawford, you're late ─ anyway, we are leaving for Archer's place, you coming?" Noah asks, collecting his stuff from the chipped wooden desk.

The only other people in the room were Juniper Liu and Riley Adams. So I figure Eugene had already left. The fact that he still isn't ready to believe that he was sick, hurt right in the pit of my stomach. Mrs. Cooper wanted me to speak to him, when the time was favourable but since last Thursday, I haven't got a single chance to even say hi to my best friend.

"Hello? Why are you so zoned out?" Noah snaps his fingers in front of my eyes, bringing me back to the present.

"Er...what were you saying?"

"We're leaving for Archer's ─ you know what, never mind, you're probably solving some equation in your head!" Riley says, shaking her curly head in annoyance.

"No, um, I was wondering if Eugene was here." I muttered.

"Oh, yeah, he just left a while ago." Noah tells, pinching his eyebrows.

"He went home?"

"That we are not supposed to know." Juniper comments for the first time in a while as she rapidly switches off all the extra lights.

Juniper Liu is White Oaks' sorority captain for the basketbalk team. Best friends with Luna and as dominating as a lioness.

"There's a party at Archer's place. I know you're going to turn me down again, but, you can give it a try you know." Noah offers as he lazily walks towards the exit door with Riley.

"Besides, it's just people we are all close to, I suppose." Juniper adds, pulling her pin straight raven hair into a tight ponytail.

I contemplate for a moment, mentally scanning through my schedule to ensure that there were no pending assignments or an upcoming test.

"Sure." I blurt out, much to my fellow Council members' surprise.

"Am I dreaming or did Rhys Crawford just agree to come along to a party?" Riley snorts.

"Ley, don't fool around!" Noah laughs before putting an arm around my shoulder.

"But we're going to pick up Eugene on the way!" Juniper says as we walk out of the campus.

I wonder if he was home. A major part of me was worried about his health. Since I couldn't expect Mrs. Eliot Cooper to keep a watch on his grandson 24×7 ─ as his closest friend, it was my responsibility to check up on him. So I agree to Juniper, hoping it would give me an opportunity to talk it out with him.

✦

The jazz music blasting through the loud speakers welcome me as I make my way into the drunk crowd at Archer's basement.

I eye Juniper who mouths a sorry for telling me "it's just people we all are close to", earlier. This, clearly, was nothing less than a freaking nightclub.

And in almost three minutes, I'm all alone in a room full of people I barely know.

The Morrison residence was the kind of house you'd only dream of if you were me. As I beeline for the kitchen to satisfy my stomach, my eyes observe the neon lights playing in the beige and white walls. Chandeliers adorning the ceiling and old family portraits hung up next to the glossy shelves.

From what I hear, the Morrisons were once the wealthiest family in this borough. Naturally, the elite blood shows quite well in the present generation aka Archer and Amber Morrison. Though I must say, the girl is significantly not as much of a party animal like her brother.

"Rhys Crawford in a party? Am I really that high?!" Eugene Cooper remarks, popping up out of nowhere.

"Bro, you're here? Seriously?"

"I should ask you that." He snickers.

"We went to pick you up. Your grandma said you're out with some friends....anyway, you could have told me." I say, running my fingers through my hair as a wave of frustration runs down my veins.

"And what brought you here Mr. Nerd?" Eugene asks, dodging my words.

We were near the kitchen now. The air was gross with the smell of sweat and booze. And maybe chicken nuggets.

"I don't know. Breaking the stereotype I guess." I state nonchalantly.

On an important note, I could feel that Eugene was drunk ─ which he should not be, given his health conditions. But I choose to keep shut, since reprimanding him now won't have a possible effect.

"I'll just go grab a punch or something." I say before moving past him.

The first thing I see next is a stranger guy slouching down on the floor with a giant bottle of Patrón Silver tequila hugged to his chest.

And then I see her. Yet again.

Coraline Eastwood in a shimmery blue outfit that outshone every other girl in the room. Beside her, Amber Morrison (who I suppose is her best friend) in a peach sequin dress.

"You?" We both say in unison, making Amber crunch up her nose in confusion.

"Duh" Coraline says, rolling her eyes.

"Rhys, didn't know you'd come. Anyway, welcome. Um, you can grab something to eat ─ there's the kitchen on the left." Amber offers, smiling softly.

"Thanks."

After exchanging one last glance with Coraline, who looks at me like I'm some weirdo, I dive into the kitchen just in time (wrong time) to see Archer Morrison engrossed in a quite heated up kiss with Noah Eastwood.

✦

a/n : kinda short chapter, sorry! but i'll make it up to y'all after my first semester exams are over. :') oh, and the cliffhanger must have hurt, eh?