The Mighty Fall // l.h.

Chapter 4 • Handshake

• Mimi •

Rhiannon's party is tonight and, though I hate to admit it, I'm nervous. This will be my first time interacting with Luke since the meeting with the band and there's so much riding on my every move. No matter what I do, there's still a part of me thinking about how wrong it is to use a boy's feelings against him; I've had plenty of people use me for sex or fifteen minutes of fame and I know how much it sucks to find out that someone never truly cared about you.

But I need that award. If I don't have my career, I have nothing.

My headache has faded with the passage of time and I'm grateful. I don't know if I could go through with my appearance at the party if I still had that pain in my skull.

I tie my hair up into a braided updo that will be just casual enough for the house party and apply my makeup — a smokey eye with long, sharp wings and deep red lipstick. My outfit of choice is a tight black pencil skirt with a sleeveless burgundy satin crop top and black lace-up platform boots. Yes, these would be the same boots that I wore when I first met 5 Seconds of Summer, the ones with the painfully high heels. If all else fails, make the heels higher, that's what I always say. The higher the possibility of me tripping and breaking my ankle in my heels, the more confident I feel. Maybe that's weird, but it's the truth.

I receive a text from Rhiannon, letting me know that a few partygoers have already arrived, including the boys. Perfect.

When I arrive at the party, I'm honestly surprised by how many people are already there — cars pack the driveway and go all the way down the streets in both directions. In the night's darkness, it's easy to see lights pouring from every visible window, but the most obvious thing is the music. The loud dance music is practically shaking the house with the heavy bass.

I park as close as I can get with all of the cars and head towards the house. My feet are already aching, but I push through the pain.

Before I can actually open the door for myself, it flies open and a girl storms out, swearing and screaming drunkenly at the guy who follows her out, who I can only assume is her boyfriend. She's yelling at him about some girl named Amy who he was apparently flirting with during the party and he's denying every word, obviously much more sober and rational than she is. She stops shouting, starts to gag, and then bursts into tears. The boy pulls her into an embrace and she cries into his chest while he suggests that they go home so she can rest.

I'm not even in the house yet and this is already getting interesting.

I walk inside and the music gets progressively louder as I get closer to the heart of it all, Rhiannon's living room. People are dancing and talking and laughing and generally having the time of their lives — not exactly my scene. I move on.

In the next room, the kitchen, I find Rhiannon. She's talking to a few people who I recognize vaguely, pouring herself a drink. She sees me and smiles brightly.

"Mimi!" She exclaims. Thankfully, she can speak at a normal volume because the music is more bearable in here. "Do you remember Sarah and Evan?"

She gestures to the couple that she was previously talking to, who I greet with a quick smile and a wave. I can't say that I actually remember them from wherever I should be remembering them from, but I don't want to be rude.

"Where's Luke?" I ask Rhi, getting right to the point. I have one mission at this party and I'd like to get started as soon as possible.

"Hmm ... I don't know! He and his friends were here with the first crowd, but I don't know where they got off to."