3:17am || Brad Simpson

Chapter Three

I paced back and forth around my flat’s living room. It was now 8 PM, Lacey was on her way to my building to go to this party I was roped into. Why didn’t I just say no? Well I didn’t even give James a for sure answer, but now Lacey is in and I can’t bail now. How bad could loud music, booze, and sex be? Obviously bad enough to make me frantically walking in circles. I touched up my makeup and changed into a black and white printed romper. My first college party. Is it going to be like a high school party? It still shocks me how there’s a party on a Monday Night. A loud knocking on the door broke me out of my thought.

 

“Hey girl!” Lacey smiled. She was dressed in a black skater dress; casual but cute. “I love your outfit.”

 

“Back at you!” I laughed.

 

“This is where you live?” Her eyes widen while she peaked her head into the door frame. “I would have expected you lived on campus when I first saw you.” She chuckled. “But it’s lovely.”

 

“Thanks!” I threw out a laugh. “One sec, I need to grab my jacket and phone.” I left and returned in half a second. “Okay, so we need to leave by 1 because my classes start at 9:30. Cool with you?” We were now walking down the hallway to the elevator.

 

“Good with me. I don’t start my first class until 11, so it works great.” She nodded her head.

 

“I’m actually surprised you agreed to come.” I admitted.

 

“I just decided, why the hell not? It’s my first day of my second year of college and being invited to a party sounds pretty decent if you ask me.” She beamed while pressing the ground button in the lift. “I’m surprised James asked you.” I gave her a slightly offended look. “No, not like that! You’re the type of girl he goes for but he usually never asks people, they just show up.”

 

“Is it weird he said, ‘me and the guys are looking forward to see you’ or something like that I can’t remember.” I looked at her through a squinted eye. I was putting my car into drive now.

 

“Hmm, nope. He hangs out with these three other boys; well I mean he hangs out with a lot of people but they’re like his best friends.”

 

“But I only met him?” I pulled up the directions in my GPS.

 

“Maybe he just said that for you to want to go more?” She looked my way. “No idea, love.” I was humming to a  song that softly playing throughout the speakers, but Lacey started speaking again. “His friends names are Tristan, Connor, and Brad.” She stated. “If I may add, they’re all quite the lookers.” She laughed to herself.

“I guess I’ll see for myself.” I joined her echo of laughter.

 

We were now sitting in front of the frat house. It was nicely sized with a bunch of students out in the front yard with red solo cups in their hands and more entering the house. It was freshly 9 o’clock.

 

“Come on, Logan. Let’s get in there.” She opened her door, as did I. We walked in the party together. The amount of times I was checked out in the last 30 seconds was unbearable.

 

“Half these guys obviously never seen a girl before.” I joked quietly to her.

 

“Well look at yourself. Hottest freshman on campus.” She laughed while walking through the doorway. It was completely dark out and we were now trying to get through a sea of sweaty, drunken bodies. I looked to both my sides, and in that instant, Lacey was out of my view. ‘Great’ I mumbled to myself. As I walked further into the room, I was offered a drink over three times and finally agreed. I was handed a cup in a second and began taking small sips.

 

“Hey! You actually came.” His voice possessed a slight laugh. I turned around to face the guy I just met this morning.

 

“Who knew this many people would actually go to a party on a Monday.” I smiled. James was wearing the same pair of black jeans he was on campus but now just a white t-shirt and a pair of converse.

 

“Are you trying to see if my shoes match my eyes?” he jokingly laughed. I could feel my cheeks rising temperature in a matter of moments. “I’m just messing with you.” He leaned against the wall. James and I talked for couple more minutes until he gave me the pleasure of knowing he had to pee. I decided to go on the search for my friend a lost about twenty minutes ago.

 

A cup of some type of fruit punch and tequila mixture later, I finally found my friend, but to my disadvantage, she was talking to a guy and I wasn’t going to interrupt. I began walking the other way. I was steps away from what I imagined to be a bathroom until I felt my wrist being grabbed. I automatically looked down at the hand latched to my wrist and skimmed up to a cocky grin.

 

“Um, excuse you, let go of me.” A rude look was now rested on my face.

 

“Don’t be so hesitant, love.” His smile grew in size as did my squinted eyes. “I’ve never seen you around.” He said slowly. He began swaying his body against mine to the song that was playing in the distance. My skin felt like fire, the contact and alcohol taking a toll.

 

“Yeah, I wish we would of kept it that way.” I looked up at him, due to our large height difference. His body moved a little closer to mine.

 

“You’re feisty. I like it,” He chuckled. Don’t get me wrong, this guy was the most attractive guy I’ve seen all throughout high school and my first day at college, but this whole asshole act was not winning me over.

 

“I’m new.” I choked out as he rested his hand on my lower back.

“Mm, a freshman.” He closed his eyes a smirk still playing at his lips. “I’m Brad.”