In Another Life

V o'Clock - Unbirthday party

"Don't make it too late, alright?" Mom said sitting next to me in the car. "No, mom, don't worry. I'll be home by one." I opened the door. "And remember what I said: Don't do stupid things. You know what I mean with that. Guys on your age have their charms." Haley grinned on the backseat. "Yes mom. I have brains, okay." Haley and I stepped out of the car. "Not too much drinking!" mom yelled quickly before I closed the door. After mom drove away Haley and I stood on the street in the middle of the woods. I had asked mom to drop me off further away because it was 'so to say' too crowded at Jonathan's house. Well it wasn't really a lie because when we got there the driveway was filled with people.

I was amazed by his millionaire house and by how many people there were. I mean, if the people were already standing outside, how crowded mustn't it be inside? Plus, half the people were people I'd never seen before.

(BACKGROUND MUSIC)

As we went inside a cloud of music exploded my ears. Wow. The whole house was filled with dancing people. "How am I ever supposed to find Jonathan in here?" I asked myself out loud. "Don't worry!" Haley yelled. "Just follow the cheerleaders!" I nodded and did what she told me.

I pushed myself through the dancing and sweating crowd, looking for a bunch of cheerleaders. That was harder than you think without them wearing their cheerleader costumes and pompoms. Everyone seemed to look at me. Not in a 'wow who's that girl' way, but in a 'what is that thing doing here' way. I should've had to put on more make-up. Maybe it was because I was walking next to Haley. She's one beauty guru. Wait... where's Haley? Oh perfect. She already left me? She couldn't just stay until I found Jonathan? I got jostled out of the room and in a blink I stood on the patio. And there he was, next to the pool. Surrounded by cheerleaders hanging at his lips.

Should I go wish him a happy birthday? Does he even remember me? I can't just go up to him with all those cheerleaders around him... How awkward mustn't it be if I just stood there in front of him, not dancing, yelling happy birthday while he isn't even listening? 

"Guess who's back!" I looked behind me and there was Haley. As if she was there the whole time. "I thought you were gone." I said. "I'm sorry, I just bumped in to some cute guy but he had bad breath so I ran away. So, how is your Jonathan-hunt working out? Have you hit him already?" She giggled. "'Hit', get it? Like hunting. Hit 'on' him." She poked me. "Just no," I said.

I pointed my head at him and his girl gang. "He's having fun with his followers."

"Oh god he looks even hotter right now!" Haley swooned.  "You should go talk to him!"

"Eh no, I can't. He's obviously too busy with the other girls, like I told you." I grabbed a red cup off a plate that was being carried around by a boy. "Yeah and he's totally bored! Those girls don't know how to talk to him! They only like him for his gorgeous looks and his sexy abs and his beautiful eyes and his... I mean... They don't care about his personality or his feelings!"

"And I do?" I asked her ironically. "Duh! All I do with you is jabber about my feelings. And you listen to all of it!" I kept quiet for a moment. "Yeaah... Of course I do!" I soothed her. Awkwardly I sipped from my cup. "What is this?" I spit. "Give that to me." She grasped the cup out of my hand and pushed me forward. "You can do it!" she yelled while she took a big gulp from my drink.

Okay, here we go... 

I walked towards his group and my heart started raising. What the heck am I gonna say? Why am I doing this again? It's not like this is gonna make him fall in love with me or something...

Oh shit he saw me.

I stood still and tried to act as normal as possible. Just dance a little bit, he won't notice you.

Haley was looking at me with piercing eyes who were forcing me to do something. I took a step in his direction. Another one. Another one. What am I doing? This must look so awkward. Okay Annabelle, get yourself together. You can do this. Just. Act. Normal. What could go wrong? Nothing right? No! Don't you dare thinking about what could go wrong! Nothing is going to go wrong, okay! Oh and stop talking to yourself for god's sake! You're pathetic. Haley was right. I am pathetic. That's why I should do this. To prove that I am not pathetic.

I breathed in, lifted my head, straightened my back and I walked towards Jonathan. Non of the girls noticed me, they just danced as if they were the only one alive.

Jonathan's eyes caught me. I smiled as attractive as possible. He smiled back, opened his mouth...

... And then all of the sudden...