"Hi," I murmur as I look up at him and he walks passed me as if he doesn't even know who I am. I press my lips together and decide to continue on my journey to find Bren before the alcohol in my system encourages me to do something I'll regret.
After searching through the crowded living room for several minutes, I still can't find him. I decide to look on the back porch and immediately regret it when I step outside. I see Chase standing with a group of people, one of those people being Brenden.
Everyone turns to look at me as the back door slams behind me and my face immediately turns red. "Hey Alivia," one of Chase's friends smirks and I immediately feel uncomfortable.
"Bren, I was wondering if we could talk." I say and Brenden turns around quickly, almost falling over as he does. "Okay," He says while stumbling towards me and I turn to open the door, not wanting to have our talk out here in front of people that don't even like me.
"Alivia, wait," Chase's voice catches me off guard and I'm even more surprised when I turn around and he's striding towards me. He leans down and places a kiss to my lips and I am too shocked to move as he pulls away and walks back his friends who are staring at me awkwardly.
I turn my attention back to Brenden as I guide him inside and find a quiet corner to pull him into. "I'm really sorry for making you feel like I don't have time for you and Sophia this past week." I say quietly while scanning his face, unsure of what his current emotion is.
"I just didn't want to bother you with my problems," he says while staring at the ground between us and I frown.
"You could never bother me, Bren."
He lifts his head up to smile at me and I playfully nudge him.
"Okay, okay. Enough with the heavy talk."
I giggle and loop my arm in his, walking us back to the kitchen where Sophia is sitting on the counter with Jake between her legs. Their lips are connected and she's got his hair tightly fisted in her hands.
"Hey Brenden," a familiar boy from the first party says as he appears in the kitchen. Brenden attention is now on the cute blonde haired boy and I find myself awkwardly staring at the two couples in front of me. It made me sad to think that this would never be Chase and I as long as his friends were around.
I make myself a mixed drink and decide to walk around while I drink it. I see Chase in the center of the living room and he motions for me to come over to him. I smile while walking over to him and he wraps an arm around my waist. I continue to sip on my drink as I watch the interaction he has with multiple people. More and more people join the never ending conversation that he and the people surrounding him are having.
One of the people that joins the conversation is Zayn. I don't even realize that I am holding my breath until his eyes land on me and I quietly gasp. The feeling he gives me just by looking at me is something I can't describe. At least not right now when my thoughts are jumbled and fuzzy.
"Are the two of you a thing now?" One of the girls asks Chase and he smiles down at me.
"This is my girlfriend, Alivia."
My lips part as I stare at all of the shocked individuals that are glancing back and forth between Chase and I. I was starting wonder if this reputation thing was something I could handle or not.
My eyes meet Zayn's again and he's slightly smirking at me.
Whatever was going on, I had enough and I needed air. My head felt fuzzy and my body felt like it was overheating. I tear myself away from Chase's grasp and start weaving through the people until I make it out the nearest door. I realize that I am standing on the front porch and take a deep breath, letting the cool air seep into my lungs.
I glance behind me when I hear the front door open and close. When I see Zayn, I immediately look at the ground expecting him to walk passed me like he can't see me. Again.
I'm surprised when he comes to stand next to me, staring out at the road as we both remain silent. He lights up a cigarette and I try to keep myself from coughing as the smoke lingers between us.
"Does your boyfriend know that you tried to fuck me last weekend?" Zayn's voice interrupts the silence and my eyes widen as I look over at him.
"First of all, Chase and I just started dating." I scoff and take a step away from him.
"Secondly?" He sarcastically remarks.
I roll my eyes while opening my mouth to answer him, "Secondly, nothing happened between you and I."
"You're right," he says emotionlessly before flicking his cigarette and making his way back into the house.
I sigh and turn to go inside not long after he does, hoping to find Chase. I knew I shouldn't have come to this party and all I wanted was for Chase to give me a ride home.
I check the spot in the living room to see that he is no longer there.
"If you see your brother, can you tell him I need a ride home?" I call to Brenden who is still in the kitchen with the boy who's name I still don't know. He gives me a nod and I mouth him a "thank you" before continuing my search for Chase.
I decide to head upstairs to see if he's in his bedroom. Each step takes all of my focus as I try to take them slowly, I wasn't that drunk but my equilibrium was definitely off.
Once I reach Chase's door, I open it without knocking and am immediately covering my eyes as I see a couple half naked on his bed.
"Um, I'm so sorry!" I quickly blurt out before realizing who is actually on the bed.
"Chase?" My voice cracks as I stumble backwards in disbelief. I stare at them with my lips parted, completely thrown off.
He was just introducing me as his girlfriend not even ten minutes ago.
I reach forward and slam the door closed before turning and walking down the stairs.
Part of me wasn't surprised and the other part of me was disappointed. I knew this was the type of person he was. Everyone else knew it too and I was too naive to consider the facts. I brushed everyone's opinions aside and let myself believe that things could work. This is the type of thing that kept happening to me.
I continue walking down the steps as I hear Chase calling my name. I don't even turn back to look at him as I continue to make my way towards the front door.
I feel a hand on my arm, forcing me to turn around.
I look Chase up and down to see that he's only got on his jeans. The rest of his clothes were left on his bedroom floor where his one night stand was still waiting for him.
Everyone is staring at us at this point and someone even turned the music off so everyone could hear us.
"Alivia," Chase breathes and I start laughing. The type of laugh that unexpectedly leaves your body because you're just too angry to do anything else.
"Save it, Chase. I really don't want to hear it." I say as I attempt to turn back around but his hand on my arm stops me, again.
"It wasn't what it looked like," he says and I slap his hand away from my arm.
"Fuck you," I spit before turning around and trying to leave for the third and final time. I make my way out the door and down the sidewalk before I even think about looking back. I wish I would have brought a jacket.
"Let me take you home," a voice says from behind me and I turn around to see Zayn.
