Against the Odds

Chapter 3

Ellie

We pulled up to the party house. The thumping bass of the music vibrates through the car. Mia's eyes danced with excitement as she turned to me. "Ready for this?"

I nodded, trying to quash the knot of nerves in my stomach. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Mia grinned and threw open the car door. "Let's do this!"

As we left the house, party sounds spilled out with us into the night. Music was tumbling from windows swung open to the laughter and chatter of the crowd. We walked around to the front door, where a group of people were standing, smoking or talking animatedly.

The atmosphere hit us as soon as we entered the room: it was full to the brim, and the energy was electric. Several people were already dancing on the dance floor with the rhythm of the music. The space was flashing with lights and a haze of smoke in shades of color. It was a far cry from the quiet, controlled environment of my usual evenings.

She waved immediately to all familiar faces, pulling me after her. "Come on, let's mingle a bit before we hit the dance floor.".

We waded through the sea of people as Mia introduced me to her friends and acquaintances. I tried my best to be sociable, but the events of the earlier run-in with Noah and my frustrating brother were still fresh in my mind. Still, the energy of the party was starting to get to me.

As we came into the bar, Mia ordered a couple of drinks and handed one to me. "Here, this should help loosen you up. Cheers!"

I took a sip, and the alcohol did its work, burning warm inside me. It was now easier to relax a bit, and the buzz of the party began to drown out the earlier stress. We went forward to the dance floor, where Mia pulled me into the crowd.

"Just let go and have fun!" she yelled above the music.

I allowed the beat to overtake me and move to its rhythm. The crowd which surrounded us started to take on a sea of faces and bodies caught in the exact same wave of energy. The dance floor was packed, and as the night went on, I found myself genuinely having fun.

I spun around to see a familiar face in the crowd. Noah stood there, leaning against the wall and smiling over the scene with that same annoying smirk. His eyes met mine for a second before he turned away. It was like he was bound to stick in the edge of my night, just enough to be an annoyance.

"Ugh, there he is," I muttered to Mia, gesturing subtly.

Mia followed my line of vision and rolled her eyes. "Just ignore him, Gabe. He's nothing more than a nuisance. We're here to have a good time."

I nodded, trying to focus on the upbeat side of things. We danced for hours on end, peals of laughter, loose and carefree. Mia's authentic enthusiasm was infectious, and for the first time that night, I felt really light.

It was nearing midnight when we decided to take a break and step out for some fresh air. The backyard was way mellower, except for the few people huddled around a fire pit. We just stood by the edge, catching breaths of that cool night breeze.

"See? This isn't so bad, right?" Mia said, nudging me playfully.

I laughed. "Yeah, it's actually kind of fun."

Just as I was relaxing, I heard that very familiar voice behind me.

"You're actually smiling, Ellie. I'm shocked," Noah said, his voice laced with sarcasm.

I turned to face him then, standing there with that same infuriating smirk. "What do you want, Noah?"

He shrugged and stepped closer. "Just came to see if you decided to lighten up a bit."