A Known Stranger

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

                There had always been a reason as to why I hated attending parties. Sure when I had been dating Ryder, I attended them here and there but it was only because he, along with the girls, practically dragged me themselves to them. It seemed that all four of them (Ryder, Cole, Kimberly and Zoe) loved to attend them. If it wasn’t a party that either Ry or Cole were throwing, it was one that their fellow football buddies.

                If it had been up to me all those nights when there was a party, I would have been at home, finishing up some homework or catching up on episodes of Teen Wolf, Pretty Little Liars, and The Vampire Diaries, but instead of staying at home, I had been dragged to a party to waste away my youth surrounded by drunken, horny, teenagers.

                I always went because of them- my friends and boyfriend.

                But no matter how much I told them that I hated being surrounded by horny, drunken, idiotic, obnoxious, teenagers, my reasons were ignored and I was forced to go. After awhile, I gave up and just agreed after the first time they asked me if I was going. It was no use telling them no.

                But after breaking up with Ryder and cutting off connection with the girls, I stopped going to parties. I spent my nights at work surrounded by the smell of coffee instead of sweat, weed, and cheep perfume. I spent my nights bartending behind the counter at Starbucks instead of mixing my own drinks at some random party that was being thrown that night.

                I hadn’t attended a party in months, but tonight- New Year’s Eve- I was, and this time because I wanted too.

                Noah and I danced. Our bodies moving together in sync as some song played through the speakers in the living room. My hair was swept to one side over my shoulder, head turned to the side as I felt my boyfriends strong hands grip my waist, as my back was pressed up against his front. The lights were dimmed in the living room, fog surrounded us, the smell of weed, cheep perfume, and sweat filled the air but that didn’t matter.

                I was actually having fun.

                Every worry I had, had flown out the window. No thoughts about my mother, father, or dead brother swirled around in my head. Not a single thought of Ryder or Kimberly crossed my mind as I danced with Noah. For once, I had shut out the outside world and concentrated on the present. I let my senses absorb everything that had to do with Noah, and I let myself get lost.

                For the past three months, Noah and I had been growing together. Every day we learned something new about each other. Many more secrets were shared and pasts were uncovered. There was nothing left unsaid between us.

                I never thought that I could ever be this happy.

                Whenever I was with Noah, I felt something in me come alive, something that wasn’t letting itself be known while he wasn’t around. My heart always raced when I caught sight of him. My stomach made violent flips when he kissed or touched me, and my breathing would stop when he flashed me a smile.

                Never before had someone had this effect of me, and in all honestly. It scared me. It scared me, a lot.

                His grip on my waist tightened and I felt his cool lips graze my exposed neck. He placed a small kiss on my hot skin where the base of my neck and shoulder met before he continued to kiss upwards until his wet lips grazed against my ear.

                I was expected him to ask me if I was having fun, or if I wanted something to drink. But I never expected him to say those words to me. At least not tonight; not so soon. My heart raced before it stopped. My breathing hitched before stalling and my stomach flipped; my blood ran cold and I froze in my spot.

                “I think I’m falling in love with you, Fae.” He whispered; his voice, soft, deep and straight forward. There was no hesitation in his words; they flowed freely off his tongue and through his wet, plump lips.

                And as his words sunk it, slowly my heart began to beat- a little faster this time. I began breathing regularly and the entire zoo seemed to be running around in my stomach. I slowly turned around, no longer frozen in shock, and faced him, my grey eyes connecting with his hazel ones.

                Not a single trace of uncertainty traced his serious facial features. I could see it in his shinning eyes that he wasn’t kidding; he was telling the truth.

                Slowly, a smile began to spread across my lips. My hand snaked up his chest and cupped the back of his neck; my fingers softly playing with the strands of his hair. I had no words. I couldn’t muster up the words to tell him that, just like him, I was falling for him also. So instead of saying anything, I pulled his face closer to mine and kissed him, letting my emotions flow through the lip lock.

                Our lips moved in perfect sync. Emotions pouring in from both sides, his and mine.

                I could feel it. Feel the truth of his words behind his kiss. And I was pretty sure he could feel my own emotions as well by the way his grip on my waist tightened and pulled me closer to him.

                By the time we pulled apart, we were both gasping for much needed oxygen. His lips were red and swollen; his eyes glistening with happiness. I was pretty sure I looked about the same, maybe even a bit worse since one of his hands had been tangled into my hair.

                He smiled and brought our faces together, his forehead resting against mine as he locked gazes with me.

                We stared at each other for a few seconds before I licked my lips to open my mouth to reply, only to have my words drowned out by the sound of a few ear piercing screams followed by two gun shots going off.

                Chaos brought loose. People scattered around the dance floor began to run in different directions. My first instinct was to duck, and as my bare knees hit the ground, I felt Noah pull me into his side before turning me so I was underneath him.

                Screams pierced the air, and even though the music still played in the background all I could hear were the echoes of the gun shots going off.

                One following the other.