Never giving up on you - Completed.

24.

Caity

West Hollywood

Los Angeles, California

December 2010

Once again I was somewhere at a house party in Los Angeles, and once again it was because of Austin inviting me. And once again, I was the foolishly in love girl who obeyed to his invitation and drove over two hours, probably just to get disappointed again by the guy she came for in the first place.

Austin was in his element tonight, laughing with people he knew while mingling around and sipping from his cup. Luckily for me, Lillian had come with me this time, so I wasn't alone in this crowd of people I didn't even know.

'What is he doing?,' Lillian asked as her eyes trailed after Austin through the room.

'What he always does,' I muttered, staring after him too.

'Is he even aware of the fact that you're here?'

'Oh believe me, he is...' I bit my lip while he got stopped by a girl who seemed to be happy to see him. Austin's eyes lit up at the sight of her and they hugged.

'Oh my God,' I heard Lillian mutter under her breath. 'I thought we had come here because it was supposed to be a fun party and celebrate your twenty first birthday at midnight.' I shrugged.

'To be honest, I don't even know why we're here, Lil.'

'Well, then let's go.' She grabbed my arm and tried to pull me with her, but Austin looked our way

and without a word left the girl he was listening to.

'Hey! Where are you going?,' he asked, a smile on his lips and an arm around my shoulders as soon as he reached us.

'We were going ho -'

'- to get a drink,' I finished Lillian's sentence, throwing her a warning look. She sighed and rolled her eyes at me.

'Pathetic,' she mouthed my way and I subtily gave her the finger.

'Good, let's get you girls a drink. Come on.' He took my hand and pulled me away, Lillian following us in annoyance. Austin dragged us into the kitchen, where the usual stack of booze was piled up on the counter, people littering around it while drinking and laughing. 'Hey Jax, pour these chicks a drink would you?,' he yelled at Jaxin. Jaxin looked around and his eyes fell on me. He grinned.

'Oh hey Cait, you again, eh?'

'Guess so,' I said, managing a smile at him.

'Caity!,' someone behind me yelled and I turned around to look straight at Shayley's face.

'Shay!' He pulled me in a hug and I laughed, genuinely happy to finally see some people around I liked. I waved at Phil and Tino behind him, and they smiled and waved back.

'Who's this?,' Shayley asked, eyeing Lillian up and down. Lillian cocked an eyebrow at him.

'I'm Lillian, Caity's best friend and protector of her heart.' She threw Austin a dirty look, who raised his eyebrows and took a sip from his cup. His hand slid around my waist and he pulled me with my back against his chest. I looked back up at him and he winked, emptying his cup and putting it down on the counter. The butterflies in my stomach were caught in a whirlwind that didn't settle down, and I totally forgot about Lillian talking to Shayley and everything else around me for a moment.

'Cait.' Jaxin pulled me back from my thoughts and handed me a cup of whatever he had mixed. Lillian got one too and she sniffed on her drink, shrugging and then taking a sip.