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The Party

To say I was spooked was an understatement. 

I kept flinching at every sound, text or movement. I was on edge.

"How's your hand?" Evelyn asks, slouching down beside me. I shrugged, "Doesn't hurt anymore." I flexed my swollen fingers as much as I could, swallowing a yawn. 

"When do you think lunch is?" Mason said, "Is that all you think about?" Evelyn teased. Mason nodded, "Yes. I'm hungry." 

We had left the museum, thankfully. James had helped me with my answers for the booklet and I was rather tired. "I'm not hungry. I wanna go back to the hotel and sleep." I yawned finally, "Same. I'm honestly over it." Evelyn agreed.

"I heard there's a party later, do you guys wanna go?" Mason smirked, raising his eyebrows, "Do you really think that's a good idea?" I asked. He shrugged, "Sure, why not? I mean, we have nothing else to lose. We're already being stalked." 

He said it like it was nothing, "Why the hell not." Evelyn said, high-fiving Mason, "What are we high-fiving for?" James asked, making his way back over to us.

"We're going to a party later."

"Oh cool, you coming?" He asked me. I shrugged, not really in the mood for anything. I have a bad feeling... "Come on, it'll be fun." 

"Guys, this person is already on the school trip with us. What if they're at the party and make us, I don't know. Do something?" 

"Like what, Sofia?" Mason argued, "I don't know. Where even is this party?" 

"The beach, starts at 7." 

I rolled my eyes, "This is such a bad idea." I mumbled under my breath, "Yeah, maybe. But when are we next gonna go to a beach party in San Diego?" 

"Okay, you have a point. Fine, I'll go." I finally caved, sighing as Evelyn winked at me.

+ + + 

It was nearing 7pm, and we had free time until tomorrow. But our rules are we have to tell Mrs Brickerely where we go. Our plan was to tell her we're going shopping.

"I'm excited. Do you think I'll meet any cute girls there?" Evelyn gushed, flopping onto the bed.

The temperature had changed from rain to sun, and it was now hot as balls in San Diego. Thankfully, we packed for all weather.

"You look cute." I smiled, struggling to draw eyeliner with one hand.

"Thanks." She winked, doing a twirl.

She was wearing a plain baby-pink skirt with a white boob-tube and sandals, "What are you wearing?" She asked. I shrugged, nodding to my outfit, "This?" I said.

"What?" She screamed, "You can't wear jeans to a beach party. What if there are boys!" She huffed, "I don't want to meet any boys. I just wanna have fun." 

Which wasn't totally a lie. I just want to be ready in case anything happens. Which everyone has said is silly, I'm just being paranoid.

"I don't know Evelyn, I just have a bad feeling something's going to happen." I said, looking back at her through my mirror.

"It'll be fine, promise. Now, let me help you pick an outfit." 

Twenty minutes later, we had finally hauled ass out the door. Evelyn had bullied me into wearing a yellow summer dress and sandals with her. But the dress had a lot of skin showing for a 'summer dress'. 

"Told you we'd be the same size." She winked.

If I pulled the dress down over my ass, my cleavage would show, but when I pulled it back over my boobs, my ass would show.

"Hope you wore your swimsuit." She asked me, "I did, why?"

Evelyn stopped in her tracks and started dead at me, "Because. It's a beach party, Sofia. There will be sand and water." I snorted at her serious face and she rolled her eyes, "Why won't you be sexy with me."

"Because. I'm insecure." I said.

"Who's insecure?" A new voice said, joining us in the elevator.

"Sofia. She doesn't want to be all sexy with me because she's insecure." Evelyn mocked me. I poked my tongue out at her and fixed my hair in the wall of the elevator - which was a mirror.

"Well, I think she looks great." James complimented, winking at me. "I do too." Evelyn huffed.

We Ubered to the beach - which would have been an easy 10 minute walk, but Evelyn complained about her feet hurting. 

"This is sick!"

"I'm gonna get us some drinks." Mason said, venturing off into the crowds of people.

Yeah! By Usher was playing in the background, a huge caged in fire was raging and a drink bar-stand was close by. "Sex on the beach?" Someone said.

"What?" I said, turning around, "Do you want a sex on the beach?" Mason laughed, handing me a drink. I took it from him and nodded, "Thanks." 

"I'm gonna take it you don't get out much." Mason laughed. I shrugged, it was just us now. Evelyn had found some girl to dance with and- I don't know where James went.

"Not really. It's just me and my Dad at home and I don't really have any friends." 

"I noticed." He mocked.

I took a sip of the drink and winced at the strong taste, "This is-"

"Vodka." He said, "Right." 

No, I've never had vodka before. No, I've never been drunk and no, I've never been to parties. I just don't know my tolerance or how to socially interact with people.

"Are you gonna be okay here?" He asked me, shouting over the music, "Where are you going?" 

"What? I'll see you-"

"Wait Mason I-"

But I lost him over the swarms of heads and bodies. I sighed, gripping my cup and wrapping my arms around myself, suddenly feeling very self-aware.

I walked around the beach, trying to find my friends, or anybody from my class. But nobody looked familiar. No one. Surely we're not the only one's from our class here, right?

"You look lost." Someone said, tapping me on the shoulder, "Excuse me?" 

"You look lost, you okay?" It was a girl, she was pretty, "Oh uh- yeah. I've lost my friends." I chuckled, "I can tell. You here on a vacation..."

"School trip." 

The girl smirked, "Right, come with me. My friends and I are by the fire." She said, taking my hand and leading me to the fire.

"I'm Lindsay." She introduces, "Sofia." I clear my throat, standing awkwardly beside her. "Sit." She pats the log beside her and I scooch down, pulling my skirt over my knees, "This is Belle, Andrew and Faye. Guys, this is Sofia." Lindsay smiles.

I give them all a shy wave and turn my head, staring at the crashing ocean.

"Do you think it's cold?" Lindsay asks. "What?" I say, coming back into reality, "The water. Do you think it's cold?" 

I shrug, "Probably. Why?" 

"There's an annual tradition at the end of a San Diego bonfire to go swimming but no one's done it since someone drowned a few weeks back."

Tragic.

Lindsay continued to chat with her friends. It was nice to be alone, but I still felt alone. Considering all my friends were gone, I knew nobody and I was wearing a dress I didn't feel comfortable it, drinking something that danced on my tongue.

Woah, is this what being drunk feels like? 

+ + + 

Hiiiiiii

How is everyone? Hope you liked this chapter.

What are your opinions on Lindsay and her friends? Good vibes? Bad vibes? Let me know ;)

Thanks for reading Xx