Problems (EDITING)

#29. The Party (Prom Part 2)

RUBEN'S POV

I know I swore never to drink, but I'm with Alma, and its one beer that I'm sharing with her. The party is great, except for the puking and grinding people. But that's at every party.

"Like, couldn't they go do that in private? It's seriously gross." Alma says.

"I know." I reply.

"And just please with the puking in the plants."

"House of Night? The twins, right?"

"How'd you know???"

"It's totally NOT because I've read them."

She laughs, and gets up to use the bathroom. While she's there, I decide to go out to the floor and dance.

ALMA'S POV

I have to use the bathroom, so I tell Ruben. As I'm walking to the basement to use the bathroom, I admire the house. It is literally, a fucking mansion.

I'm almost it the bathroom when someone stops me. I don't recognize him, but he apparently knows me.

"Hey. You're Rubens little bitch, aren't you?" He slurrs, grabbing my arm. I try to pull away, but his group tightens. "Ya know. Ruben stole my girlfriend from me. The little bastard. I wonder if he knows what its like to find out that your bitch has been with someone else? Or how bout I just do him the favor of breaking his girl, Hm? How does that sound?"

I struggle to break free. "Let go of me!" I yell.

His palm connects with the side of my face. "Shut up." He growls.

Ruben. I need to call Ruben. I think to myself. My free hand slips into my pocket. I speed dial him, as best I can, while still trying to break free.

"Bitch. Stop fucking struggling." He says, slapping me again. "Ruben deserves a broken girl."

I feel the phone vibrate in my hand, meaning the call has been connected. I very slightly hear his voice.

Alma, are you okay?

"Just let me go to the bathroom!" I say loudly, hoping that Ruben hears.

Alma, you cal- he cuts himself off as he hears the other guy talk.

"Its okay Alma. I just want to break you." He growls. He yanks my hair and I screech.

I feel the phone vibrate again, probably meaning Ruben disconnected.

The guy pulls me into a darker corner of the party.

RUBEN'S POV

My phone buzzes, and I look at the screen confused. "Alma, are you okay?" I ask, knowing she wouldn't call unless she was lost or something.

Just let me go to the bathroom! She says.

"Alma, you cal-" I start to say that she was the one who called me, so why was she being like that?

I hear something that I can't quite make out, and then I hear Alma screech. I hang up, and run, feet pounding against the hardwood, down to the basement, where Alma went.

I skid to a halt in front of the bathroom, and look around for Alma, and who ever was with her. I cant find them. I see someone materialize from a dark corner, and he grins at me. I smile back, and continue looking for Alma.

Bzzt. Bzzt. I pick up my phone. Its Alma.

"Baby, where are you? Are you ok?"

I hear sobbing from the other end of the line. I-i'm in some dark corner. Across from the bathroom.

"Okay, I'm looking for you baby. I'll find you, and then I'll bring you home, okay?"

O-okay

I hang up, and look in the shadows for her, and find her finally. I help her stand up, and together, we Wally to the up the stairs, and out the front door.

"Alma?" I ask.

"Y-yeah?"

"Do you want me to see if you can spend the night at my house?"

"I-if its okay." She whispers back.

I call her parents, and they pick up. "Hey." I say when they answer.

Hello Ruben, is everything okay?
I look at Alma, and she shakes her head, pleading me not to tell her parents what happened.

"Ya!" I say, cheerfully. "O was just wondering if Alma could spend the night over at my house?"

Can you hold on a minute?

"Sure." I wait for a couple minutes.

Ruben, are you still there?

"Yup, still here."

Okay. Her mom said its okay, so ya, she can spend the night.

"Okay, thank-you sir." I say, and hang up. "Baby, I'm sorry. It was my fault. I should have come with you." I say to Alma.

"It'd okay Ruben. You didn't know."

If its not my fault, then why do I feel so guilty?