Paper Cuts (COMPLETED)

Chapter Twenty-Nine: This Is The End

I walked into the party with Will, Harry and Matt. Will had picked them up on the way, and they were silent in the car, nervous perhaps to speak at all. Will had a prestigious presence at school, which he wasn't ever arrogant about, but Harry and Matt were one of the many boys in sixth form who seemed to be intimidated by him.

The thumping music seemed to instantly calm my racing pulse, and I surveyed the small crowd in the living room. None of them were here. Outside, in a courtyard with a wooden overhang decorated with colourful lights, was where the party was at its epicentre. I opened the door and was met with a raging bass as everyone danced to Dizzee Rascal.

Jacob greeted Will enthusiastically, and gave me a tight hug with a whispered, 'dance your heart out.' I patted his back in response and smiled. Will mingled with the crowd, and eventually I was able to let loose, dancing with him, Harry and Matt in our own strange circle, executing the strangest dance moves we could think of. I was either dancing to get rid of the nerves, or because the nerves were making me restless. Will kept my gaze, watching me carefully. I offered a smile, and he returned it.

A flash of glitter in the corner of my eye made me turn around, and they glided in, all five of them dressed as the Spice Girls. I looked down at my Audrey Hepburn costume and back at them, feeling myself grow hotter in the summer heat at the sight of them.

Will wrapped his hand around my wrist, squeezing gently, and I gave him another convincing smile.

The party continued on as parties do, and we were at the point where everyone was either drunk or well on their way to it when the music stopped. The courtyard lights went off, and I saw Lola pull up a portable projector, pointing it at the white wall of Jacob's house. Everyone watched giddily as she set it up, cheers and whoops coming out of the dull quiet.

Microphone feedback whined through the speakers, and Thea stood up on the DJ platform, pushing the short boy aside. The boy gave her a dirty look before shuffling into the crowd.

"Hi everyone," Thea said in a sweet voice, and everyone answered in a primary school sing-song 'hi Thea.' I watched blankly as this happened before my eyes.

"I'm sure a lot of you want to continue with the party, but Jacob has allowed me to organise a surprise slideshow for his birthday."

I relaxed as a bemused expression slid over my face. I leant back into Will slightly, and he put his arm around my shoulders.

"We decided, however, to get creative," said Thea, looking around as though she were teaching a kindergarten class how to finger-paint. It was enough to make me hurl.

"Tonight, and I'm sorry Jacob, it's not about you," Thea smiled, and Jacob waved it off from where he stood in the front of the crowd, "Tonight we made a slideshow for our friend..."

A picture appeared on the slideshow, and my brain melted.

"...Sarah!"

Will's arm tensed around my shoulders, but I could hardly feel it. I stood frozen to the spot as sixty heads turned to look at me. Heat washed over my face, no doubt turning me redder than a tomato. I looked up at Thea, who paused her smile momentarily to match my glare.

Thea went on with the same sadistic enthusiasm, "We wanted to show those of you who don't know Sarah so well a little more about what she's like."

Drunk cheers went up, and the picture changed to a text message. It was the one from the group chat, except some of it had been cropped out.

Instead of the original message, the text read:

"I'll be friends with the kinds of girls that gang up on each other."