Muse

Chapter Three

The sun is shining in through the curtains, my eyes still sleepy. I moan as I roll onto my back sprawling my body across the mattress.

The party is today.

As I sit in my bed I take my laptop off the charger and place it on my lap. The videos from last night had already been downloaded so I decide to quickly edit them to kill time.

I look up towards the door once the knob starts turning, Liz peeks her head in and smiles. She pushes the door open further and walks over to the other side of my bed plopping down.

"You excited for tonight?" She asks. Her face already glowing and her braid matted down.

"As ready as I'll ever be. Hey tell me if you like this." I press play on the little bit I have edited from yesterday. The video starts with the frame I took of the rain falling with blurry city lights in the background, then quickly shifting over to Liz in the drivers seat and then to the concert. It all keeps flashing quickly across the screen, the music slightly gaining speed.

"That's all I've got so far." I smile, proud of myself and my little video.

"I really like it, I can't wait until you have it finished."

"Me too. I was thinking about filming something at the party but I'm too nervous to bring my camera."

"Yea, not a good idea." She points out and leans her head against my shoulder. We sit there in silence for a minute and I finally nudge her off.

"Come on, get up it's noon. We have to get ready soon."

Tarrah had texted her that morning letting us know that they would swing by and grab us before dinner since they just live in the dorms across from us. How Liz and Tarrah never noticed each other here before is beyond me.

I walk into the living area and see Liz sitting on the small couch with her feet up on the table. She stares down at her phone with her finger in her mouth biting her nails and not one bit ready.

"Are you kidding me? You're the one who wants to go and you're not even ready yet!" I nag her. A smile forms on her lips and she just shrugs running past me into her room. I open up the fridge, digging around for a snack. We have nothing.

"Liz go grocery shopping soon! It's your turn to!" She yells back an okay and I shut the fridge trudging back to my room with a water bottle in my hand. How filling.

With very little motivation in me, I curl the ends of my hair quickly, I tease it slightly so it's not just flat down on my head. A long sigh leaves my lips as I look in the mirror. I sit up straighter and tilt my head a little and smile.

My back quickly slouched again, my self esteem being obliterated by the reflection in the mirror. I roll my eyes and take out a little tube of lipstick, it is a very neutral tone, just making my lips seem more existent. The lipstick helps what I see and so I decide to take a break and wait for Liz by messing around on my laptop again.

I glance up from my laptop to see her walking into my room completely ready.

Tarrah texts saying they are here and to meet them outside. We walk outside and see a large black car pull into the parking lot. We stand on the sidewalk waiting, knowing it was them. They pull over in front of us, the car unlocking. I reach for the handle and tug the back door open peering inside before I step in.

Niall is driving, Tarrah in the passenger seat. Lei and Sage are sat in the back and I climb in next to them, Liz following behind. Tarrah tells us about how Ty had to stay home tonight because he apparently has the stomach flu.

"Were gonna meet some other friends at the party tonight but for now it's just going to be us at dinner." Niall butte in, trying to shut Tarrah up. My nerves settle a bit knowing that there wasn't going to be a big crowd at dinner.

We pull into the lot of a little diner and hop out of the car. Everyone walking in, Niall holding the door open for all of us. A table in the back corner is open and seems big enough for us, so we follow each other to it. A waitress comes by giving us menus and tells us she'll be back in a couple minuets. I skim through the menu, already knowing I am just going to get a regular burger and fries. The waitress comes back within minuets and asks us for our orders. She leaves and quickly comes back delivering some waters and two Cokes to our table.

"Thank you." I say as I reach over and take a sip from Liz's Coke.

"Get your own!" She bumps me, the Coke barely staying inside the cup. We both look at each other with gritted teeth, agreeing it was a close call.

"So Addy you been to a frat party yet?" Sage asks.

"Yea actually. Liz made us go to one the first of the month, some welcoming party."

"No way! We were at that one too, how did we not see each other?" Tarrah squeaks.

"We didn't stay long, someone spilled there beer on Liz and she was way pissed so we had to leave." Everyone laughs and Liz scoffs, pretending to be offended.

The waitress comes back with our plates of food in her hands. I eat very little, my nerves acting up again. A lot of people are going to be at this party, and that made me feel uneasy. I don't want to get completely drunk but I really need to let loose, I think to myself.

Everyone eats as much as they can, Niall finishing his food and picking off of everyone else's plates, none of us mind though. We pay our separate bills and leave.

The car ride to the frat house is mostly quiet. No one really has much to say. My brain keeps coming up with terrible scenarios of anything and everything that could go wrong tonight. I made Liz sit in the middle, giving myself a window seat. The sun is setting, the beautiful sky coated in pinks and bright reds. Cars are parked along the edge of the street leading up to the frat house.

The music is booming and disoriented people are mingling in the front yard. We walk up the stairs, Sage shoves open the door, the rest of us following behind. I walk close to Liz, feeling nervous. The house is crowded, most everyone in their own group of friends. Cups are lined across the kitchen counter and we each pick one up. I quickly bring it to my lips, hastily drinking the burning liquid. I keep sipping my drink, trying to calm myself down.

We walk over to a bunch of couches. Most of them occupied by people who resemble Tarrah and her friends. Liz sits down at the end of the long sectional so I quickly settle down on the arm of the couch next to her. Everyone greets each other and they talk for a little bit, shouting above the other noise. My eyes dart around, checking out everyone at the party. I then realized that one of the boys I had met at the concert isn't here. I think his name is Harry. He seems like the party, drinking, fuck boy type. So why wasn't he here? Actually, more importantly, why do I care?

"Hey Addy were going to go into the other room to play truth or dare, come on." Liz pulls me off of the arm of the couch and drags me behind her towards the other room. I bring my cup to my lips and drink it all. I drop it onto the floor like everyone else and wish for another. I need it.