Is it possible?

Chapter 10

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(trigger warning- content related to sexual assault)

We all engaged in conversation throughout the entire car ride, not allowing a moment of silence to intrude. It prevented my mind for wandering.

As soon as we arrived and stepped out of the car, Vincent was instantly by my side, bringing with him a comforting presence. He glanced at me hesitantly, as if silently seeking reassurance that I was comfortable with being there.

I hooked my arm around his bicep and tugged him toward the house, smiling all the while. His bicep tensed the moment I made contact. Holy moly.

A sudden scream diverted my attention from Vincent. Glancing forward, I spotted the class clown, Joe Freasty, dashing around the porch with a red solo cup in hand, belting out 'Single Ladies'. We all burst into laughter at the same time.

As we approached the house, the blaring music assaulted my eardrums, and we weren't even inside yet.

The moment we stepped in, the stench of alcohol hit me. It wasn't a pleasant smell, and I struggled not to think of my father.

Antonio and Daniel walked off first, joining a group of seniors outside, by the pool.

"We're gonna go get some drinks!" Rory shouted over the music, pointing to herself, Delilah, and Blake. I gave her a thumbs up and stayed by Vincent, unsure of what to do next.

I had let go of his arm a bit before we entered the house, but then I realised our hands were intertwined. His hand was so warm, sending a pleasant, electric tingling up my arm from where our hands touched. 

I tried to move away, attempting to slip my hand out of his. The sensation was odd and unfamiliar. But he tightened his grip, and when I looked up, I saw him staring at me with a slightly questioning expression. I quickly glanced away, feeling my cheeks grow warm.

Before Vincent could say anything, Joe came up to us, and they had a brief conversation.

Vincent was asked a question, and before I knew it, he pulled me to his side, resting his hand on my waist. "I'm here with my girlfriend," he stated. I instantly turned bright red. Feeling both of their eyes on me, I chose to stare down at my feet.

"You two wanna play some beer pong?" Joe asked, pointing to a table behind him. Both guys turned to me again, with Vincent asking the question silently while Joe observed our nonverbal exchange.

I nodded and smiled slightly, nudging Vincent so he could lean down, making it easier for me to whisper in his ear.

"Do I have to drink anything?" I asked softly. I had promised myself back in sophomore year to avoid alcohol, though it was nearly impossible with my father holding some kind of bottle of alcohol at all times. So I decided never to try it myself.

"Of course not, sweetheart," Vincent replied, leaning down to my ear. He stared at me for a moment, glancing between my eyes before gently tugging me toward the beer pong table, where a group of juniors stood nearby.

The two girls smiled and waved me over as soon as they saw me. For the first round, we ended up playing girls versus boys. Surprisingly, I managed to get so many ping pong balls into the cups opposite that I was practically a master. Vincent gave me questioning looks each time, probably wondering if I had done this before.

After a few rounds, everyone at the table was slightly more drunk than when we had started, and I really needed to pee. So when we finished the current round, I gathered my things and told the girls, with whom I had become great friends, that I was going to be gone for a few minutes. They asked if I wanted them to accompany me, but I declined. I didn't want to disrupt the fun.