Snapshot

CHAPTER 23

I was sitting right under the stairs in some big house for Niall's party. Sipping tequila as I watch everyone move around, dance, drink and mingle. I wasn't really up for some partying but I had to come, it's Niall's birthday.

We drove to this house high up somewhere, in a mountain, I'm not sure of.

Besides, everyone, the staff, basically the whole crew for the WWA tour was here. Taking the night off after a day of work. Relaxing, letting off some steam. I don't even know where the 5SOS boys are, as soon as we stepped in the threshold, they all scattered and disappeared.

There's one thing I know for sure though, they all first looked for food. Now, they're probably drinking, hitting it off with some of the few girls who were here and weren't part of the crew.

Luke hitting it off with a girl.

Now, that's not a nice thought.

But I just sighed in exasperation. Earlier, Luke tugged on my arm to lead me in the house but Uncle had me fetch something from the tour bus so I just lost him then, and haven't seen him since, like the other boys.

It was generally dark and the house really looked like a club, flashing neon lights illuminating the swaying bodies of people drinking their asses off. I was in a dark corner, hoping no one would notice me.

Obviously, I was wrong.

"Hey, Jinny-jinny," Ashton drawled, crashing to sit beside me.

"Leave me alone, party boy," I grumbled, his not too pleasant breath which smelled of alcohol, fanning on my face.

"You're so sassy when you're drunk," he mumbled, furrowing his eyebrows.

"I'm not drunk. You are," I said again, but maybe I am, I thought to myself as I tried to make out his face from the hazy darkness.

Have I drank too much already? I thought as I glanced at the empty glasses beside me. 5 glasses. Whoa. Maybe I am drunk.

I tried to stand up but fell as vertigo hit me. Fuck.

Ash held out to me cushioning my fall, laughing.

"Come on, let's find the gang," Ash said as I regained composure.

We stood and he led me through the back of the house.

We rounded up the corner to the backyard and as we turned, I felt all the dizziness and haziness from the alcohol disappear. Everything became crystal clear. I saw everything so sharp it hurt my eyes.

It was Luke.

Hitting it off with a girl.

Calum and Michael were oblivious, talking to the girls on either side of them. What womanizers.

Just like Luke.

I felt my eyes sting and start to water around the edges. I couldn't breathe, it was as if someone punched me in the gut, leaving me out of breath. My chest hurt, I could almost imagine my heart breaking into pieces and piercing my insides with its broken shards.

I kept myself silent, made no move to call his attention. Ashton was unmoving beside me as well, but unlike my broken expression, his was sort of smug.

Not a whole second has passed since I saw Luke and the redhead eating each other's faces off but to me it felt like eternity. I saw everything crumble right before my eyes. I saw him grip the girl's hips, how hungry he is for the kiss.

All my dreams for him and me, all the things we planned to do in the future. All the places we promised to go to together. Gone.

When I admitted to myself that I love him and that he loves me, too, I felt my world go brighter. Everything became more beautiful than it really was. I forgot my dark past and chose to live in the wonderful present.