Stairways | A Surviving Summer FanFiction

Part 25 - VIPs

That evening, you sit on the edge of your bed as you watch some of the action still going on down at Bells Beach after the opening rounds of the 360, when you hear a soft tapping at your window. 

You edge closer to investigate the sound, but with your light on in the room it's impossible to see out the glass. It must just be a tree branch or something knocking against it, you think. But after a couple of minutes the tapping is relentless, and you pull up the window, jumping in surprise as you catch a glimpse of what's below.

"What are you doing?!" you whisper-shout down to Summer and Poppy, who are stood in the middle of your garden, their bikes thrown on the ground beside them.

"We're breaking you out, Y/n!" Summer calls up to the window, a huge grin spreading across her face.

"Where are you going?!" you shout back.

"Don't you mean where are 'we' going?!" she calls up.

"Well that depends on where 'we' are apparently going!" 

"To a party!" She calls back.

"Don't you mean a VIP party, America?!" Marlon suddenly appears behind you, swinging his legs over the window sill and hanging over the other side by his hands before dropping a few feet to the ground.

"C'mon, Y/n! Why wouldn't you want to go to a party?!" Poppy calls.

"We tried knocking on the door but your mom practically slammed it in our faces." Summer laughs. 

"That's because me and Marlon sneaked out earlier today! And we got caught! What if she finds out again..."

"Relax, Y/n. It'll be fine. Don't you want to come support Ari?" she says, giving you some sort of looks that makes it seem like she knows something. "And Bodhi?" she quickly added.

"Of course I do, but..."

"No 'buts'! You're coming with us! Now!" Summer exclaims, beckoning you down.

You sigh, pondering your choices: go with your friends and have an amazing night but maybe get caught and grounded for life, or stay home and have a boring evening without being grounded even more. 

You don't even realise you've swung your legs over the window sill. When's the next time you'll get to go to a VIP party with your friends? 

You and Marlon grab your bikes from the garage, and the four of you head of in the direction of the venue. You still have no idea how you're going to get in - only Bodhi and Ari are VIPs - but you suppose you're trusting Summer this time. 

When you arrive at the party, music and light blares from the open doors which are being guarded by security.

You follow Summer and the others around the outside of the building, staying close to the wall as to not be seen by the guests through the windows lining the top of the brick.

"Hey, Marlon. Help me." Summer says, and before you know it she's on his shoulders, peering into one of the slightly ajar windows. 

"Guys, this is insane." Poppy says; she keeps peering round apprehensively, as if she thinks someone will jump out and arrest you in a second. 

"Relax, Poppy." Summer says, but it looks like she's having no luck in finding an entrance. 

You let yourself lean against the wall and slide down until you're sat on the concrete in defeat; soon after Marlon and Poppy join you. You know it's useless - almost as useless as thinking you had a shot at being in the 360 as an actual contestant.

"So you guys are just giving up?"

"Summer, it's a lost cause. We're never getting in." Poppy says.

"Of course we are! We just need a new plan." she says optimistically.

"Were not VIPs, Summer." you reply.

"As I told your brother, Y/n, VIP is a state of mind." she says, tapping the side of her head with her finger. "And I think our luck is changing." she smirks, and you follow her gaze. A caterer, carrying a tray of food pushes open one of the back doors. Summer lunges at it, and quickly shoves her foot between the door and the threshold. 

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You, Marlon and Poppy dart in between party guests, not even stopping to gaze at some famous faces you see along the way. Summer hangs back in the crowd, taking in the atmosphere.

"Summer, what are you doing? We need to find Ari and Bodhi!" Poppy shouts over the loud music.

"If we wanna stay here we've got to act like we belong!" she replies. "Hurrying through the crowd like criminals makes us look like we're not supposed to be here."

"Because we're not." you say, but Summer continues acting like she was invited to the event: complimenting people's outfits and saying hi to people she doesn't know. You finally make it outside, the seaside air refreshing on your skin after the stuffy atmosphere inside. The party extends across a sea-view balcony, and at the very edge, leaning on the balcony railing, are two familiar people. 

You quint to get a better view, but immediately wish you hadn't. Bodhi is resting her head on Ari's shoulder, the both of them deep in slow conversation. To your surprise, Summer keeps on walking towards them, and reluctantly you follow.

"'Sup losers?" Summer exclaims, but you can hear her voice waver and an awkward smile plays on her lips as she watches Bodhi quickly distance herself from Ari.

"Oh, great." Ari groans sarcastically. "How did you guys even get in?"

"Relax, bro. This isn't school - you can't get a detention." Marlon jokes.

"They could disqualify us though." he says, and you feel slightly guilty - if he got disqualified because you sneaked into a party you didn't really want to go to, you'd never forgive yourself.

Suddenly, the song playing inside changes, and Bodhi's face melted into recognition. "I love this song! Okay, that's it - i'm dancing." she says, rushing back into the building, closely followed by Poppy and the other two, leaving just you and Ari. There's an awkward silence for a moment, but it's you who decides to speak up first.

"How are you? After today?" you ask tentatively, knowing how you felt after your hold down the other week, even if his ended in him taking the wildcard spot and yours going home feeling sorry for yourself.

"I'm okay. Really. It was just a hold down; they happen all the time. As you know." He adds on the end, and you nod.

"You and Bodhi seem to be...cosy." you say, then nearly punch yourself for saying it.

Ari answers quickly, defensively. "She's just nervous, I guess. About the 360." 

"It's okay, I get it." you say softly.

"Then, how about we go dance?" he asks, and he takes your hand in his, warmth prickling your skin as he leads you inside.

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A/N: Wow it's been so long since I updated this I am so sorry! I kind of lost motivation but now i'm back into writing expect another chapter soon. 😊

Phoebe x