Soulmate

Chapter 25: Stupid Becca

Grace

    "Grace! Who in the world brought beer? Your parents are going to kill you!" she shouted over the electronic music. Her hair was in a thousand tiny braids and her makeup was heavy; I noticed it even in the dark. Only a few strobe lights were going all over in the living room.

    I shrugged my shoulders and looked around at all the sweaty bodies in the living room. My hair felt sticky and I felt the strap of my dress slipping off my shoulder. "Some guy who graduated a few years ago! Michael Castro! I don't really remember him, but his sister, Alicia, is in the grade below us! She told him!" I shouted, avoiding her gaze because I knew she was disapproving of my decisions for this party.

    "Your parents are going to be pissed when they find out!" she shouted, trying to get me to look at her. I tried to walk passed her, but she blocked my path out of the kitchen. "Grace! Seriously! We need to get this under control!"

    I raised an eyebrow at her as I grabbed a beer off of the counter. "What is there to control? It's just a party! You've been to tons of them! No big deal," I shot back with a smile, wondering why she was acting so serious all of a sudden.

    She stared at the beer in my hand and then bit her lip. Suddenly, she reached out and grabbed one of her own. "Fine. Then, here's to graduating!" she shouted as she cracked it open and downed it without even blinking.

    Something competitive burst inside of me, I found myself wanting to open the beer, and wanting to drink it as quickly as Becca had. But I couldn't go through with it; it just wasn't me. So instead, I smiled at her as she threw the can onto the floor, and then I pushed passed her to get back to the party.

    I didn't look back at her as I went into the living room where my furniture had been moved around, so people could dance. A few of the guys had set up a video game on my TV and a few girls were sitting near them or on their laps while other people danced in small groups. It was intimidating, I wasn't sure what to do because I've never really been friends with these people before. They don't even care about me; they just care about the party.

    Quickly, I headed over to a boy I had met, his name was Jake, and he graduated last year. He talked to me earlier and asked me to get him a beer, so I did as I was told. He thanked me when I brought it to him and he leaned against the wall, staring at me even though I wasn't sure why he was looking me up and down.

    I raised an eyebrow at him and ran my fingers through my smooth hair. I was wearing a red dress that had thin straps and a low, revealing top. It clung to me, except when it got to my waist, that's when it flowed out and around to mid thigh. I didn't feel comfortable in it at first, but I was starting to forget I was even wearing it. "What are you staring at?" I asked, looking over my shoulder.

    He smiled and took another sip of the beer before he answered me. "You. You're very beautiful," he breathed. I wanted to believe him, but I knew it was the alcohol talking. It's hard to say how many drinks he's had already, but I assumed that it was time for him to stop drinking while he was ahead.

    I smiled back even though I didn't particularly like the way he was staring at me. I suppose it's my own fault for putting on an overabundance of makeup, curling my long hair, and emphasizing my big chest with this bright dress. "Well thanks," I murmured and I looked down at the timer on his wrist. I knew he wouldn't be my soulmate.

    There was something about his big brown eyes, his blonde hair, and his perfect smile that just didn't sit right with me. He was stunning, and he had a decent body from what I could tell. He was muscular, but still thin, like some kind of movie star. I knew there was no way that a boy like him would end up with a girl like me. That's not how real life works, but that's okay because I didn't really want to be with him anyways. He was just nice to look at.