Wink

Chapter Five

"Winter!" Mallorie yells plowing into me with a fierce hug. "What are you doing here?"

"I came with Cain."

"Oh. Well it's nice to see Cain get out more." Mallorie says with a tight smile. She takes Clay's hand and gives it a noticeable squeeze.

Cain shifts uncomfortably beside me and mumbles something about getting drinks.

I take this time to take in my surroundings. This party was nothing like the ones I had been to back in Colorado. There are organized areas for specific events and even the bracelets seemed to organize the party a little bit more. It's like a parent overseeing a child's party. Only instead of face painting and balloon animals there was beer pong and a Wii. The party seemed relatively drama free. I'm so not used to this.

"So how'd you meet Cain?" Mallorie asks me, "he's a pretty _ reserved guy."

"I was picking paint out for my room, he works at Lowe's, right?"

"Yeah he does."

Okay this was getting awkward. Why did Mallorie want to know how I know Cain? She's dating his brother shouldn't she know a little bit of his life.

"This party is different." I say.

"Yeah a lot of new or out of district people say that when they come," Mallorie tells me in an informative tone "we like to keep things civil, now."

"What was the 'now' about?"

"We had an issue last year. That's when everyone decided that an organized type of party would be a good idea."

That's strange because drama and gossip seemed to run a rampage when actually at the school. I know she's being vague but I don't push it. Something in her eyes tells me that she didn't feel like going into detail.

"I, uh, got you a well I brought a small cooler I wasn't sure what you wanted." Cain says.

"Oh you didn't have to do that." I start.

"No, it was no problem." Cain says smirking.

"Alrighty then, I'll have that Diet Coke right there" I say pointing to the left, bottom corner.

"Here you are" he hands me the drink.

"Thank you"

I see Mallorie looking between us with pained eyes. Like she's trying to figure out which nail polish to use at the salon or which doughnut looks the best at the morning breakfast. I wonder what she's trying to figure out.

As I begin to ask she looks away and says something about finding Clay. Cain also says something, but I can't hear him.

"What was that?"

"Do you want to dance?"

"Oh sure."

We make our way to where everyone is dancing.

As I go to take a drink someone bumps into me spilling my drink all over me.

"Hey, why don't you.." But that's all I could get out because standing right in front of me was Joshua.

~~~~~~~Flashback~~~~~~~
I'm dancing when I feel someone tap my shoulder. It was Jessica De'Witt.

"You're dating Joshua Hartly, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

Jessica pauses and leans in to whisper to me.

"I saw him going upstairs with some girl I've never seen before."

"Are you sure you saw Josh?"

"Positive."

I make my way up the stairs and see Natasha standing by one of the doors.

"Winter, let's go get a drink I know I haven't had enough yet."

"No, have you seen Josh. Jessica said she saw him come up here."

"Jessica's always trying to stir up trouble, why don't we go downstairs and dance some more."

Just as she's trying to get me downstairs I see Joshua coming out of one of the bedrooms with Mika.

Mika is a Japanese-American girl, long black hair, that's now matted down with sweat and her usual small eyes are open wide when she sees me. She goes to hide behind Josh who's walking towards me.

"Winter, Snowflake, lets talk." Joshua says as he's trying to cup my cheek.

"No, I don't want to speak with you." I tell him turning away, towards Natasha. "And you, I don't want to see you either."

As I'm running towards the door, I begin to cry.

~~~~~~~End of Flashback~~~~~~~