Someone took my hand from the overwhelming crowd and pushed me inside a dark room, which smelled like fabric conditioners and detergents. Great. Now I was stuck in a stock room filled with soaps with someone I didn't even know.
Then I felt his hand...
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Owen was five minutes late. I knew he was hosting the winter break party but he should knew better that waiting was not a best part of me. Not only it was too cold waiting outside the house but also because my parents were waiting behind the curtains to see who was going to pick me. They thought of Owen as someone I would date but that wasn't possible. I'd known him for years and there was no way any romantic feeling would emerge now.
I got up upon spotting his car came to a stop. He honked and smiled as he waved me over.
"Sorry!" he called out as I was coming closer. "My parents hold me up for a little while before they left the house."
His car smelled terrible. I buckled on my seat, saying, "There's probably a dead rat under my seat." My nose scrunched up in disgust. I faced him. "Why is your parents always leave when you're hosting a party? Aren't they afraid you might do drugs or something? Maybe bring girls in their beds to do something nasty?" I shrugged.
He glanced a moment to me, chuckling. "You think too much, you know. My parents trust me enough to hold out some of the guys to use their room. They know so well that I won't do drugs so you should forget all those unless..." he trailed off.
I raised an eyebrow. "Unless what?"
He gave me a suggestive smile. "Unless, you know, you want to use their bedroom for—"
"Owen!" I exclaimed. I pursed my lips. "I can't believe you're going to say that." He was laughing and I was having thoughts why was I friends with him again.
"Oh, by the way. I got a text from someone you know." He had a suggestive smile and by that, I knew who he was talking about. "He said that he'll drop by sometime in the night. I think you should see him."
I hummed as he parked his car. There were people in his house already and the music was blaring loud. This was one of the benefit of having a huge house at the end of the street because he could do things like this without getting reported. Although I doubted he'd be reported since his dad's in the high rank officials. Bias, right?
We didn't get out of his car first. He's waiting for me to answer him. So I unbuckled and said, "I don't think it's necessary to meet someone who's from the past."
He held me at an arm's length. "I think you should. You know, clear what hasn't been clear." Then he got out of his car and walked towards his house. He greeted some of the guests on his way inside. I slammed the car's door when I got out.
"Aria?"
The voice stopped me and for a moment, I regretted not getting inside with Owen. I turned around and came face to face with Nathan, my sort-of ex-boyfriend. "Hey," I greeted.
"So it's really you." He walked closer to me. "I missed you."
I let out a breathe, smiling sarcastically. "I don't think you'll miss someone like me," I said.
