Wisegirl

Chapter 3: Gone

"No" 

"Cmon"

"No"

"Please El! Pretty please with cherries on top!" 

"Absolutely not." 

I shook my head and sat with my arms folded across my chest. I was currently refusing to get ready for the party that Leila and Jake were trying to drag me to. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed a good party now and then, but not when I had more important things to do. For example, a history project that counted for half of my grade. 

"I am not going to this stupid party and getting a D in history." I added, gritting my teeth as Leila tried to pry me off her couch where I had permanently planted myself.

"Aw cmon don't be melodramatic, we still have the whole of saturday and sunday to work on it!" 

"We were supposed to start this a week ago! And anyway, if we go to this party we'll probably be spending most of saturday hungover and therefore unable to do any work." I replied pointedly. Leila and Jake sighed, giving each other a long, weary look. 

"Okay, how about we negotiate?" Jake said, sitting down next to me. I looked at him from the corner of my eye, seeing his puppy dog expression.

"Ugh, fine" I groaned as he tried to give me a hug. 

"We will be back by 1:30 am, no later. Also, I promise I will take 75% of the workload, and not complain about it." Leila said, pleading in front of me. I stared at her for a few seconds before sighing and giving in.

"You promise?" I repeated, eyebrows raised. She nodded so hard that I was afraid her head would roll off. 

"Fine" I agreed. Although I rolled my eyes, my mouth twitched up in a smile, after all, with friends like these how could I not?

"Also, I get to dress you" Leila added quickly before grinning and pulling me up. I groaned for what seemed like the hundredth time, since there was no other way of expressing my emotions. I hated dressing up, absolutely despised it, and here I was about to become Leila's personal barbie doll. 

Half an hour later, Leila stood in front of me with her hands on her hips, expression unbearably smug, as she inspected her masterpiece. As much as I hated to admit it, she had done a good job. (Elysia's outfit on the side) I was dressed in a white crop top, with black cigarette trousers and black heels. Leila had done a smoky eye on me, and nude lips to go with it, with a light blush. My dark hair cascaded down my shoulders in curls. All in the span of half an hour, while simultaneously dressing herself. I had to admit, my best friend had a talent. She wore a tight fitting black dress which landed halfway down her thighs, along with silver heels. Leila had gone for a maroon lip, and gone light on the eye makeup, with her fiery hair left down too. She looked like a goddess. 

"How is my masterpiece?" She asked Jake, grinning from ear to ear. When she didn't receive a reply, I looked over at her bed, which Jake was sprawled across, snoring lightly.

"JAKE" Leila yelled, throwing a blush brush at him. 

"I'M AWAKE" He exclaimed in reply, looking disoriented as he rubbed his head where the brush had hit him.  His eyes widened as he caught sight of us, jaw dropping.

"Woah, you guys look amazing" He said, practically drooling at the sight. Deep down, I knew he really meant Leila, and I could tell by the way he was looking at her, with stars in his eyes. Sometimes I wished that someone would adore me as much as Jake did Leila.

"I know. Now cmon, we'll be late!" Leila exclaimed, pulling Jake off the bed while also grabbing my hand. Jake didn't look too bad himself either, dressed in a black button down shirt and dark jeans, and him and Leila made a very attractive couple.

Fortunately, this party was only a few blocks down from Leila's, so we could walk. Unfortunately, it was freezing. 

"Who's party is this anyway? I don't even know where we're going" Jake complained as we trudged down the street. We had only been walking for 10 minutes and already my feet were killing me. Jake was also visibly annoyed as we continued to walk. Leila on the other hand had a kind of spirit that could not be damaged, and so was happily carrying on without a fuss. 

"It's Eric Johnson's birthday, you know the senior? And it's in this new club called Feria" Leila replied, cheeks rosy from the cold. Although it was no longer winter, spring nights in New York could still get pretty cold, the repercussions of which we were now facing. 

"I'm going to get frostbite and all my toes are going to fall off" I groaned, feeling goosebumps rise up all over my arms.

"Stop being such a party pooper El. We'll be there in no time!" Leila chirped, bounding along happily. Surely enough though, we were there in two minutes. 

After giving the bouncer our names at the door, we walked into Feria, a completely different world from the streets of Brooklyn. Music blared through the speakers as we walked deeper into the club, pushing past sweaty bodies pulsating against each other. The air was thick and smelt like perfume and sweat, and the strobe lights illuminated the space in blues and greens, making the scene surreal. 

"Leila, baby!" I heard a voice yell, as the host made his way to us. Eric was a heavily built senior, with hair cropped close to his head and a mischievous twinkle in his blue eyes. He held out his arms as Leila ran into them, picking her up. He then made his way to me, giving me a rib crushing hug, and Jake a handshake.

"Let's go take a shot kids" Eric laughed, leading us all to the bar where he picked up four shots of vodka. After wishing him a happy birthday, we all took a shot, the bitter liquid burning my throat. After excusing himself, Eric made his way to greet more guests. 

"Let's go dance El" Leila said, grabbing my hand and leading me to the center of the dance floor as Jake talked to some short guy in my Spanish class. As Leila and I danced, I loosened up a little bit, God knows I needed to. Soon, the music was the only thing I was thinking about as we moved in sync and occasionally sang along.

"I'm gonna get a drink!" I yelled to Leila, who gave me a thumbs up in reply and continued dancing. Reaching the bar, I sat on one of the stools and ordered a whiskey sour, my legs aching from the dancing and the impossibly high heels that I was in. As I turned, I caught a glimpse of chocolate hair, followed by a very familiar face. It was him. In all of his bad boy glory, doc martens and all. Getting off the stool, I began walking towards him, rehearsing all the things I would say to him in my head. As I continued walking, I grew angrier at the thought of him following me. Who did he think he was? And why wouldn't he leave me alone? He stood there, leaning against the far wall, smirking as if to tell me that I would never know. Anger bubbled inside me, rising further and further up as I made my way towards him. I would not have some creepy bad-boy wannabe (who happened to be gorgeous) follow me around New York City. 

Out of nowhere appeared a group of 3 girls, who came and started dancing right in front of me, blocking my view of mystery guy. Managing to finally push past them, I continued walking to where he was standing. Instead, stood and empty, black wall. He was gone again. Just like that. Poof, gone. Massaging my temples, I felt the blood rushing to my head, as my fear and anger for him grew. He had evaded me again, simply disappearing into thin air. 

Who was he?