Halftime

chapter 19

The front door was unlocked and we walked into the entrance of the house. My breath was sucked out of me as I tilted my head back and looked around. This was probably the biggest house I had ever set foot in.

Hayden grabbed my elbow and began steering me towards the back door, although how he knew where to go was beyond me. This house was a maze. Or at least it was to me.

We passed through the dining room which had a chandelier hanging from the roof, a table the length of the room and a large window that overlooked the backyard.

The backyard was huge, like the rest of the house, and from the window I could see a tennis court, crowded with people. I could also hear the music a little clearer from here.

Hayden continued to pull me through the rooms until we reached what I assumed was the living room. The living room opened onto the back porch and there were people sitting on the couches, some making out, while others played beer pong or were just filling the space talking.

"How are you not amazed by all of this?" I asked, spinning around as we walked through the living room and out the back.

Hayden shrugged but didn't answer.

"How do you even know where we are going?" I asked, now looking at the garden and massive pool right next to it.

"I just do," was his only reply.

"Violet!" someone shouted from behind us. We paused and turned around. Jack Lieberman was making his way towards us, waving at me.

"I'll start looking for Jess," Hayden told me, then before I could protest, he disappeared. I frowned a bit. That was weird. Besides, Jess probably wouldn't recognise him if he did find her. They had met but only once and briefly, so it would've been better for us to find her together.

Also because now that he had left it was probably guaranteed that I would get lost in the house.

"Hey," I said as Jack paused in front of me.

"You look great," he said with a polite smile.

"Thanks," I nodded at him, "um you wouldn't by any chance know where Jess is?"

"Jess?" he asked, a crease forming between his brows.

"Yeah. You've met her before. She's my friend. Really long brown hair, about this tall," I held my hand up to the approximate height of Jess. "Super drunk."

"Yeah," he said, "I know who she is. Damn Vee, here I was thinking you had made up some dumb excuse to try come to my party."

I laughed, "what? Why would I do that?"

He shrugged, "I don't know. I mean I guess you're right. You don't really come to parties."

I raised a brow, "maybe I do. Maybe I just don't go to your parties."

Jack laughed, grinning a bit, "fair point. But you should know, my law buddy is always invited to my parties."

I smiled, "well maybe next time I'll make an appearance." Then I got back to the more urgent matter, "but have you seen Jess?"

He shook his head, "no. Do you need help finding her?"

"Oh, yeah sure," I said, mainly since I didn't want to get lost, and it was his house after all.

"Let's look in the house first," he suggested and I nodded following him back inside.

We searched a few rooms in silence, Jack occasionally asking someone if they might have seen Jess around. I tried calling her but to no avail. Her phone was probably dead. Or she had lost it. Either wouldn't really surprise me.