The Lifeguard

Chapter 30

College has been buried in my mind. I've been thinking alot about other things that I totally forgotten about college. Normal girls my age usually worries about college applications and acceptances, but here I am worrying about things that beyond a typical person wouldn't thought of. I haven't given alot of thoughts on which college I want to attend between Stanford and Columbia. I'm running out of time, but I still cannot wrap my mind on it. I'm way distracted to decide.

"Are you done?" asked Sean as he knocks on the bedroom door. He has been waiting in the living room for a while. "May I come in?"

"Yeah," I shouted.

Sean came in. He saw me sitting down on my bed. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" he asked, as he sat down beside me. "Don't you wanna go to the party anymore?" He's talking about a party to kick off the start of the semester in few weeks. Sean invited me to go with him, Ava and Jace. However, the lovebirds already left.

"No. Nothing's wrong." I stood up from my spot, and walked to the table to grab my phone. Mom gave me my electronics back before I left home. "I was just thinking when I last went to a party," I told Sean.

"Don't you remember? I thought you were a party girl," he mocked. "You must have many memories."

I rolled my eyes. "It's not that. You know how stress I am, I just didn't except that I'd be thinking about parties at all."

"That's why I want you to be with me. It's a night to party, to have fun. No drama. No problems." He headed to the door. "Let's go." I followed him out the door, and we left.

We arrived to the party. A loud music greeted us as soon as we entered. The bass pounded hard as if the ground is grumbling. People jumping up and down as the beat strikes. There's chatters and laughters here and there. Sean grabbed my hand tight, as we walked through the crowd. He was walking in front of me, and I followed him, still holding his hand. We headed to the pool area in the backyard. There are people swimming on the pool, others are just hanging out on the edge.

We saw Ava with Jace near by. We approached them. "Hey!" Ava greeted. She looked down to us, smiling. She was looking at my hand which is locked to Sean's hand. "Have a seat."

Sean lets go, pulling a chair out for me. "I'll get us drinks. What do you want?" he asked.

"Anything is fine," I answered. He nodded before leaving with Jace.

I remember partying with my friends back home. The atmosphere seems different now compared when I am with them. Before, I used to be the girl hanging out with the group of people that are going all out. I don't remember sitting down in a party, and just hanging out with few people. I was the center of a crowd, but now I am outside of the crowd. This time, I rather have fun with my inner circle than being around people that I barely know, and just met. Sean and Jace came back with drinks. We spent the time talking, laughing, and joking with one another.

Hours passed. I started feeling warm, and dizzy out of nowhere. I thought it was because of my surroundings so I decided to ignore it. Sean and I had been staying outside because it was just too loud inside the house. "You alright?" Sean asked when he noticed how quiet I was. "Don't you wanna mingle with people?"

I managed to smile. "Nah. I like it here with you... Ava and Jace. I'm enjoying this."

"Well, Ava and Jace went inside." Sean took another sip on his drink.

"They'll be back." I looked around the area when I saw Leah by the back door. There was a guy in front of her, facing its back on us.

"What is it?" Sean asked.

I turned to him. "It's nothing. I just saw a familiar face." I looked again where I saw Leah. The guy in front of her was gone. A while after, I started feeling an itch, but I ignored it. "I'll just head to the washroom," I told Sean.

Sean nodded, "okay."

As I was looking myself in the mirror, I noticed myself turning red. I didn't feel anything other than an itch and a headache. I got out of the washroom, when I saw Connor. He was waiting outside, like he knew I was gonna be there. "Zoe," he says in a low voice. I didn't say anything to him. Instead, I began walking away from him. I took my time trying to walk steady because I began feeling dizzy again. I got out of balance then suddenly, Connor came, holding me up. "Are you alright?" he asked.

I shrugged his hands off. "I'm fine."

"You're red, and swelling. What did you eat?" he asked, sounding worried.

"What?," I answered.

"What did you eat? Did you have brownies? Is that what you ate? That contains nuts. Zoe, you're allergic to nuts." Connor grab me again. "Come on. I'll help you out."

I pushed him. "Why do you care?"

Connor approached me again, and tried to grab me when I saw Sean walking towards us. "Hey. What's happening?" Sean turns to Connor.

Connor lets go of me, taking a step back. "Nothing. I was trying to help her. She's having an allergic reaction," he tells Sean.

Sean turns to me now. "You are? Why didn't you tell me? We should go." Sean held my hand. He looked at it. "You have hives. Yeah, I'm taking you back to the hotel."

"You should bring her to the hospital," suggested Connor.

"I'm fine. I only had a small bite. It's mild, it will go away. Sean, I'm okay," I tried to convince him. "I only need to take antihistamines. There's nothing to worry about."

"Do you have some with you?" Sean asked.

"No. I didn't bring any."

"I'll take you back to the hotel," says Sean. "You can take it there."

"I'll help," Connor offered.

"I got this," Sean says to Connor. He moved closer to me, supporting me. "Thanks, man," he says to Connor before we left.