The Fate of Our Hearts

Chapter 39 - The Party Is Over

Ren

Gio suddenly halts, and I nearly run him over. Heather, the stoner rocker chick and the friend Aayla dropped me for, is standing right in the doorway to the house, glammed up like a freaking rockstar. Her flawless blond wavy hair rests exquisitely on her leather jacket, and her delicate nose ring glints like a twinkling star on her ideal petite nose. 

She's always thought she is hot shit and above me... or at least that's how I've taken her snobby aloof behavior over the years. But as pretty as she is, just like in middle school, my gut tells me this girl is in trouble with a capital T, and my instinct is to back away. All the same, I gawk at her for a minute till a light waft of dank marijuana hits me, and she speaks. 

She eyes him coldly, "Gio. What are you doing here?" 

"Same as you," he replied tensely. "Where's TJ?"

A glint flashes through her sapphire eyes as she tilts her head to the side, "He's here." 

The tension between them is thicker than molasses, and even though Gio's face is composed, he grips my hand tightly, his arm muscles ridged.

My eyes dart from his to her and back again. "You know each other?" 

"Om my god! Ren!" 

Hearing someone call my name from just behind Heather pulls my attention from Gio. Suddenly, Aayla comes rushing up to me and gives me the biggest hug, reeking of weed. "Ahhh!" she squeals. "How are you!!"

I release Gio's hand and lightly reciprocate the hug. "Aayla? God, everyone is here tonight!"

Aayla releases me and laughs, "Oh yeah, everyone knows about this party. People are practically parking on the highway now." 

Suddenly, her hand flies over her mouth. "Gio! Oh my god. Everyone is here. I really wasn't expecting to see you. How are you?" 

Gio's jaw flexes, but Aalya continues oblivious. "Wait. Are you guys together?"

Heather shoots her eyes to me, raking me up and down. Her conclusion seems flatly unimpressed, and she flips her hair over her shoulder before brushing past Gio and moving through the crowd till it swallows her up, and she disappears. 

"Yeah, we're finally together now," Gio grits. "Apparently, you never told her I was looking for her, and she had a boyfriend last year. Thanks a fucking lot."

"Oh, well, um," Aayla falters, taking a step back. "I'd better find Heather before I lose her again. I'll see you guys in a bit. I'm so happy for you, though!" she calls over her shoulder as she disappears as well. 

I turn back to Gio, who still has his jaw set tight. Neither of us is in a party mood anymore, that's for sure. "You wanna go home?"

"Yeah, definitely," Gio grumbles.

We finish our beers and push our way inside. The house is in complete chaos. "California Love" by 2 Pac is blasting loudly on the stereo. People are dancing in the living room and on the coffee table. The kitchen is a wreck of bottles and booze. We weave through the crowd towards the bathroom.

"I'm gonna pee, and then let's go," I yell into Gio's ear.

I open the door to the downstairs bathroom, and the smell hits me before I see it. Some guy is puking in the toilet, while another is passed out in the shower, fully dressed, the water running over them.

Damn.

I close the door and head upstairs to find the other one. I glance back over my shoulder on the landing to see Alexis approach Gio. A pang of jealous protection vibrates in my stomach, but I keep walking—I'll be back soon enough.