~LOSING IT ALL ~
•
06| THE PARTY AT WHITLEY'S
•
"LOOK WHO DECIDED TO WAKE up before everyone else." Jennifer coos immediately I waddle through the front door. Behind her, the kettle whistles on the stovetop.
She's in a red, skimpy nightgown, and her dark hair is all over the place. With no makeup and fake lashes, she appears....younger, and naturally beautiful.
"Yes, I went out for a run." I answer, nonchalant, as I kick off my Stan Smith. The kettle shrills, then sputters when she switches off the heat. "If you knew he was going as well, why didn't you wake me up. I wouldn't have minded."
I swing my gaze to the stairway to see Dale disappear up the steps. "Well, I didn't because I didn't envision him going as well." I say, dryly, traipsing exhaustedly across the room to the kitchen.
In the kitchen, I pull open the door of a small refrigerator, crouch down and retrieve a chill bottle of water. "Where's Jayden. I didn't see his truck outside." I grill, after gulping down half the bottle of water.
Stretching on bare tiptoes to reach a cup in the cupboard, Jennifer says grudgingly. "He said he had to meet up with some professor."
"But, it's a Saturday."
"Doesn't count when you're in college, babe." She points out, putting a tea bag into her cup, and sloshing in water from the kettle. Wisp of steam dances away from the surface of the cup, entangles with the cool air and disappears.
"Milley?" I ask, watching her cross her thick legs at the ankles, and take a sip at her tea without milk or sweetener. Dark eyes meets mine over the cup, and she jerks a finger upstairs.
"She's been on FaceTime with Becky since forever." She says, lowering her cup to the island."What can I say. It's love."
A smile pulls at my chapped lips. "Yes." I simply say, turning towards the stairway.
"I'm going to make myself a sandwich, do you care?" Jennifer asks, deferentially. I pause, and turn to look at her. "With roaf beef?" I quip, a smirk tugging at the corner of my mouth.
"Certainly." She says, her eyes flashing with a cunning gleam.
"Then, I'm officially on board."
Upstairs, I pass Newt's bedroom. It is slightly ajar, but still impenetrable dark inside. However, 'Sunshine's Gone' by Jeff Cormack pours loudly from his hi-fi stack.
I stop in front of Camille's door and wrack my knuckle against the wooden door. "Come through." She says behind the door, and taking the doorknob, I push her door open.
Everything in Camille's room is prim and proper. Lavender walls, bookcase full of meticulously stacked books, tidy desk, sport posters and photos up on the walls, and lot of pots of flowers.
She is leaning against the headboard of her comfy bed, tucking her feet up beneath her, in halter and short, with her iPhone to her face. I watch the early morning sunlight stream through her window onto her blonde hair that falls off her shoulders. She's grinning like a crazed woman.
"Yo, is that Hayley." Becky Fullerton grills, immediately I plop down on the bed beside Camille. I stare at the screen at her and smile heartily.
Becky Fullerton, small face, wild brown eyes, ombré hair in a pageboy style with a nose piercing, stares animatedly back at me. "Hi, Becky."
"Hey, Hayley. What's up?" She asks. Her voice is husky and loud. "I'm good." I say. Camille flings her arms around me, and tugs me to herself. "It's been a while since you last stopped by."
Becky pouts, dimples flashing. "Gosh, yes." She agrees. Her background is bright, she's outside. "I've been so busy lately with work, classes and...parties." She drawls and laughs.
Oblige to join her mirth, I laugh too. "I would drop dead if it's anything different." I counter. Camille buries her nose inside my hair.
Becky leans closer to her screen and half-whispers. "Actually, there's a party going down tonight at Whitley's. It's going to be a bump, why don't you'll come?"
Camille is up against me, intrigued. "Tonight at Whitley's. Does he know we're going?" I ask.
"There's no invite, love. You just have to be there." Becky assures, wiping her nose. "Okay, time?"
"Ten-ish."
"We'll be early." I say with a smile. "Of course." Becky returns, smiling evenly back. Having had enough, Camille preys away with her phone.
"All right, that's enough." She says, standing on the bed. "Go and have a shower, Hay, you reek." She adds, prodding me off her bed with her leg.
"W-wait, what?" I gasp, sniffing at my armpits. The waft of sweat hits my nostrils and I cringe. It can't be. Reminiscing how close I had been sitting by Dale, embarrassment causes my flesh to crawl.
"Oh, hell!" I wail in anguish, what does he think of me now. Does he think that I stink like a person who hasn't been in a shower for weeks. "Kill me, Mill." I say, deflated.
"I wish I could. Now, Out!"
Stumbling out of Camille's bedroom in defeat, I cross into mine, and slam myself against the back of my door, head hanging low, wishing for any possibility of disappearing into thin air.
The sound of hissing water hitting tiles fills my ears from the adjoining room, Dale's room, and I cuss volubly. So much for going out to jog. I self deprecate, puffing out my cheeks.
The embarrassing thought about my body smell dissipates when Becky's words reechoes in my head. The party at Whitley's.
"Fuck. I have to find something to wear!"
•
Thank you so much for reading "LOSING IT ALL"
Please don't forget to vote, comment below and to follow me for more.
The next chapter will be of course published on Wednesday. Stay tuned.
XOXO:)
YOU ARE READING
LOSING IT ALL //HAYLEY PARKER
RomanceHayley Parker's life was hypothetically going just smoothly. She had an amazing boyfriend, and housemates who always had her back. Well, not until Dale Randall saunters into her comfortable and normal life, changing her every perspectives about love...
