BROTHERS

Chapter 30

TWO HOURS LATER

"Seriously, do I really have to wear this?" I said as I looked down at the black mini dress that laid on the bed along with some accessories. "This isn't even a dress, it's a piece of cloth! Penelope, really."

"Relax, it'll cover... just enough. Besides, you got curves nobody's ever seen, let loose a bit"

"Well, I don't exactly plan to let loose at a party where I could get sexually harassed!" I protested. "Yeah, yeah. Look, we'll just go and see how the atmospheres like. If I don't like it, we'll leave!"

"Well I hope you don't like it..."

Deep down, I felt uncomfortable. Uncomfortable that I had to go to out with Penelope to an event I really didn't want to attend. It felt wrong, but I wanted to seem cool and show Penelope that I could at least be willing to try. "Are you almost ready?" She said, walking into my room. "Umm, yeah. Let me just put on my earrings" I said, reaching over for the pair of diamond earrings my dad had gifted me on my fourteenth birthday.

"You sure love those earrings" Penelope said, admiring me. "Well, my dad bought them for me, why wouldn't I?" I said, smiling. "Okay, how do I look?" I stood up, pulling the dress down as I looked up at her. "I'm surprised. For the first time... I don't think I can recognize you kitty" she said, winking at me.

"Whatever, let's just get this over with!" I said, brushing off her compliment as I grabbed my phone off the vanity table and walked out the room.

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Since Penelope didn't have a car, we took a cab to Jacob's house. We knew we were in the right place when one house in the neighborhood had lights flashing around everywhere and people outside drunk dancing. I already didn't like it. "Thanks" Penelope said, handing the driver a twenty before opening the door and helping me out the car.

"Okay, so rule number one. Don't take drinks from anyone and have fun!" Not too hard. She said, smiling at me. "Now come on, let's have some fun!" She said, taking a hold of my hand as we approached the house of chaos.

When we opened the door, we were instantly surrounded by the heavy smell of alcohol and sweat. When I looked to my left, I saw a group of people making out and when I looked to my right I saw another group of people snorting up illegal drugs. "Penelope we need to go! There's freaking drugs in this place" I said, tugging at her arm. "Relax, the cops won't be showing up" she assured me. "Come, let's go somewhere else" she said, leading me to what appeared like the dance floor.

"Stay here, I'll go get us drinks" she said, nodding at me. "What? No. I'm coming with you!" I said, taking a step closer to her. "Katherine, the coolers are close by. I won't be going anywhere. Just try to dance and blend in, nobody will hurt you" she said, rolling her eyes.

"Okay..." I said, watching her go off as I stood around the people dancing. "This is embarrassing" I said, walking away from the dancing crowd and finding myself a chair to sit on.

-PENELOPE'S POV-

A swarm of people almost trample me over, getting me lost. I stumble away and end up in a different part of the house. I can still hear the music blasting in the living room. I walk through a hallway, wondering if there's a cooler somewhere for me to get Katherine and I some cold beers.

My hand skims the walls as I walk through, and I make it another living room. I see people shooting up heroine, wrapping an elastic rubber around their arms. Some are lighting up crystals of meth on a hot spoon.

I see the very well known Jacob sitting on the couch where girls are practically crawling all over him. He leans over to the glass coffee table, lining up each line of coke with a black card.

I walk up to one of them, "Do you know where I can find a cooler?" I cross my arms. He sniffs the line and looks up at me with his head tilted slightly back. "Back there." He nudges his head, I nod and take strides towards the direction.

As I'm about to enter the next room, I see a purple illuminating light that shines on the wall. I hear the low sounds of kissing and grunting. I peek my head in, seeing couples groping and kissing each other.

I pay no mind, and walk toward the cooler placed next to an ottoman. I flip it up, half the ice is melted, leaving a pool of water swaying around. The cold consumes my hand fully when I reach inside and grab two beers.

I'm about to grab two more, for extra until I hear a grunt. The door bangs against the wall, I turn my head.

I see Lucas, being pushed up against the door as a smaller girl runs her hands up his body. Their lips connected, messily devouring eachother.

Without knowing it, tears bubble against my waterline. My heart clenches and my chest tightens with a ache. I bite my inner cheek, feeling a burst of iron fill my mouth. I grip onto the beers, my palms going numb from the cold.

The droplets of water forming on the outside of the glass causes it to slip from my hands. One bottle escapes my grasp and clatters onto the wood floor, shattering to pieces.

His dirty hands grip on her waist, pushing her down to the floor. He looks at me, his eyes connecting with mine. A part of me wants to smash the next bottle onto his head.

I couldn't ever do that to him though. The first part of me goes into self-blaming. Just a couple a days ago he wanted to fuck me in a dirty school bathroom. Now he's at a party with a different girl.

My feet feel planted to the floor, but I find the strength to pull my head out of my ass and start moving before my knees lock on themselves. I push past them, and once I blink, the tears I'd been holding fall to my cheeks.

My feet follow my ears, I keep turning corners until I get somewhere silent. I end up outside in the backyard. The pool has white lights that show the steam above. Just as I'm about to break down, I hear him.

"Penelope," He calls out to me, my back remains staring at him. "Penelope." He says my name again, this time he's closer. He grabs my arm, and his touch stings. I pull my arm away, turning around.

"I didn't know you'd be here tonight." The look of guilt is shown on his face.

"That's your excuse? You just decided since I wasn't around, you'd fuck around with someone else who was desperate enough to give it up?" My voice breaks. I sniffle, he stays silent and stares at me.

A tug on the corner of his lips. His lips turn into a slow smirk.

"Penelope, you're hurt?" His response catches me off guard, and my jaw drops. "I-" He chuckles and covers his mouth. "Oh dear. I've done a number on you, haven't I? Listen, what we are is just a fling? Did I not make it clear?"

The more, and more he speaks the more my heart withers away in pieces.

"I didn't take you as a girl to care, Penelope. That's the only reason we were messing around in the first place."

All I see is red hot anger. My blood feels like it's bubbling and at the verge of searing through my skin and pouring out of me.

"Is that what you think of me?" I tilt my head, my voice raises. "What else are you, Penelope? You aren't known to keep a man." He talks to me like I'm a slut. Like I'm some dirty whore he found at a club and is paying to fuck.

"Fuck you." I spit, launching the beer I had in my hand at his head. He ducks, covering his head. I hear the sliding door shatter to pieces.

My ears start to ring, blocking out any noise. My body feels like it's swaying, and my vision doubles. I shake my head to gain back focus.

"Are you crazy?" Lucas yells, and it's a blurred noise. I don't respond and walk past him. Once I enter the house and feel the warmth flood me, and the smell of alcohol and sweat, it's only then I run to find Katherine. I had left her alone for longer than I intended, I can only hope she's okay.

I manage to make my way through the big house and back to the dancing crowd. I made my way where I left her but she's nowhere to be seen. The music is pounding my ears, and I hear a low ringing.

Where the fuck could she be?