I'm not in love with you... Right?

A party

Daphne

For the past week I'd been avoiding Matteo. At school, at walks around the town. I couldn't face him. Not when I knew how he felt for me. Not when I refused to accept I felt the same.

Unfortunately, Matteo had other plans. I was reading the new Percy Jackson books when a knock on my window scared me so much I dropped the book.

There he was. Sitting on the tree just outside my window with pleading eyes.

“Mind if I come in?”

“Yes, I mind! What are you doing at my window? Don't you realize how psychotic that is?!”

“You wouldn't pick up my calls, or reply my texts, I couldn't even get a hold of you at school so I had to resort to psychotic behaviors”

I sighed and opened the window hoping I wouldn't regret it.

“Can we talk about why you're avoiding me?”

“I'm not” I lied and he raised a brow “I needed some time to process things. Let loose”

“Have you processed things?”

“No”

“I'm sorry if I came off strong on you. I don't want to force you to like me or anything. I just-”

“How about we go let loose together. Crash that bitch's party”

“You want to go to Britney's party?”

“Why not?”

“Okay, then. Pick you up by 7?”

“Sure” I replied and led Matt downstairs, but before he left I stopped him and took him to the security room where I registered his fingerprint into the security system. “There. Now you don't have to climb a tree”

He smiled at me and I blushed a little.

“Get outta here”

“Hey!”

I locked the gate before heading back inside and sliding to the floor. What had I done? What was I thinking saying I wanted to go to Britney's party? I was becoming way too confident.

Nonetheless I got ready. My maids did a smoky dark make-up style and curled my hair which made me look so hot. I wore a short black dress that clung to my skin bringing out my shape. It was sleeveless, with a turtleneck but it had a cut around the cleavage area. She wore black, thick heels and honestly the dress was the most exposing thing she'd ever wore, after all, it stopped at her mid thigh, but she was stepping out of her comfort zone.

She couldn't believe the final look.

And neither could Matteo who did come pick me up at 7, waiting in front of his car only to see a girl that looked nothing like the usual me. It was clear he was shocked, but he quickly regained his composure offered me a hand down the stairs, opened my side of the car door, helped me in, got into the car from his side and started driving before saying

“And the hot get hotter”

I giggled and he smiled in return.

We got to Britney's house, which wasn't even as big or pretty as mine. Loud music was blooming and I was instantly hate with the smell of alcohol. I hated it and I guess Matteo sensed it, because the next thing he asked was

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Yh, of course I do”

We stepped in and Matteo instantly mess up with his 'homeboys' well I stood there dumbfounded because I knew nobody.

Matteo's friends dragged him to a table with pingpong balls and cups of red drinks and I followed instinctively.

Matt took one part of the table and one of his friends took the other part. They started throwing the ping pong balls into the cups with the red drink. If it didn't land in then they had to drink a cup. Matteo drank at least a dozen that round. Someone else wanted to play with him so that friend left and another took his place and Matteo kept drinking. And drinking. And drinking.

I felt uncomfortable. There was no way this was good for him.

I reached for his arm.

“Baby, how about we play another game. I don't think this is good for you ”

“Don't worry, Paper, I'm used to it” He replied but I could see the drunkenness in his eyes.

“I know you are, but-”

“He said he's fine, bitch. Leave. Or should I take somewhere? Somewhere your boyfriend won't hear you screaming my name” A boy at the side said, but before she could even process what was going on, the guy was on the table, all the balls, cups and the drink was on the floor. Matt sat on top of his and started denting the boy's face with punches. Blood was all over Matteo's hands and she was really regretting making the decision to come to this party.

She ran away from the scene and across the dance floor where a random guy gripped her arm.

“Where are you going, babe?”

“Who?-” before I could finish the guy and three of his friends yanked me into a room and pushed me unto the bed.

“Leave me alone!” I screamed trying to leave, but the guy's three friends held me down.

“You're too hot to leave alone”

I was crying. Screaming, but the music outside was so loud I doubted anyone would hear. I had never felt this fear in my entire life.

The guy's hands were all over me. They slid over my thighs reaching upward until they got to my-

Suddenly the first guy flew across the room an his friends scurried away scared.

“Animals.” A deep voice said and I stood up from the bed shaking as tears fell from my cheek. I stared at the boy that just saved me while adjusting my clothes. He walked up to the guy and kicked him hard before tying him to a wardrobe with a dress on the floor and calling the cops.

“I'm Brandon. Brandon Ambers” He held his hand out to shake it, but I stared at it suspiciously.

“A- Ambers? Are you... Britney's-”

“Brother. Yup. What's your name?”

“I'm Paige”

“Are you okay, Paige?”

“No. Not really”

“The cops will handle them, okay?”

“You know you called the cops on them at a party your sister organized with underage teenagers, drugs and alcohol? She'll get arrested”

“Don't worry, Dad'll just bail her out. Should I drop you home?”

“Yeah, let me just grab my boyfriend. He's too drunk to drive anyway” I sighed and left to look for Matt, but I couldn't find him.

I checked the pingpong ball game table, the balcony, garden and the dance floor but he wasn't there. I searched every nook and cranny, turned every door knob I could, but couldn't find him. Finally I opened the door at the end of the hall and saw him.

With Britney.

Kissing her.

I shut the door hurriedly and ran away in tears looking for Brandon.

I found him in his room and he looked at me with confusion.

“Where's your boyfriend?” He asked

“He's... Not my boyfriend anymore. I just want to go home”

“Okay.”

He led me to his car and drove me home, silence filling the vehicle, the only thing breaking it the distant police sirens.