Odd One Out

CHAPTER 30

Naya
Saturday, November 15

I hadn't felt this confident in years.

I had always been able to fake it pretty well, especially since my reputation always depended on it, but I felt genuinely good. It felt as though in losing my friends, I had finally found myself. Or at least, a part of myself.

"Naya."

I whipped my head to face him out of habit, a little too accustomed to the voice.

Shit. Speak of the devil...

Laney, Gia, and Rachel all approached me, each one of them with a drink in hand. Gia was already way too drunk to even see me correctly, which was not unusual for her. Rachel's eyes were out for blood even though her lips twisted into a small, forced smile, and Laney was...difficult to read. 

He and I usually understood each other the best, and we often times skipped words when figuring out what the other was feeling but now...nothing. There was nothing. I felt nothing from him.

I should have just stayed home. I should have never left my house.

When Bailey finally agreed to come join me, we decided it'd be a good idea to tell the group our plans, but no one responded. Ellis hit us with a thumbs up, and Jake and Viktor didn't respond at all so Bailey and I decided to make a girls' night out of it. 

And it had been so fun, despite the fact that we were both too uncomfortable to do anything other than stand in the corner and talk. But Bailey had left to the restroom, leaving me alone to fend for myself in the chaos of the kitchen.

People taking shots like they were made of air, others making out by the oven and there was someone puking in the sink, and despite it all, Laney and the group seemed to notice me out of everyone in that room. They could've gone straight for the Malibu that had a chokehold on Gia, or the group of dudes throwing ping pong balls into the oven, but instead they saw me.

How convenient.

"Hey guys," I greeted cautiously, my voice giving me away immediately. Relax. They don't need to know how nervous you are.

"Hey," was Laney's answer. That was all. Nothing else left his lips.

Rachel was eyeing me up and down, over and over again before she finally asked, "That jumpsuit is so cute, where did you get it?"

Gia burst out into fits of laughter as Laney frowned between them, looking over at Rachel for a moment but refraining from saying anything.

Okay...

"I um, I can't remember where I bought it—"

"Oh it's fine, I was just making sure you didn't steal it from someone and lied about it," she went on, staring me right in the eyes now.

"Rachel," Laney scolded, but her eyes were slicing through my skin already — there was no way to stop her.

This is the game she wants to play? Fine.

I'll play.

"That...doesn't even make any sense," I tried to reason. "You know, comebacks were never your forte, but cum backs were. I mean, at least you were good at something!"

Gia started laughing again, pressing the pink solo cup in her hands up to her lips and downing whatever drink she had left in there. 

Fuming, but keeping her guard up, Rachel spat back with, "It's funny, I felt so bad for you but then I realized...you'll still get to wear a jumpsuit in prison. Lucky you!"