No Filter

Chapter III (3)

Ally's POV

I exit the vehicle and lock it. I shove my keys in my handbag and march through the grass to the open area where my classmates resided. There were so many students, over two hundred at least. Some of the students covered another part of the woods.

The sun was at the horizon, slowly drowning from the sky. Liam and Sophia should have arrived before me. After I left his house, I went to the store to buy some personal items and a list of items my mom wanted me to buy. After I drop it off at the house, I came here.

My ears were at the danger of going deaf. The stereo was amped up and blaring my eardrums. I cover my ears. As I approach the fire, I feel someone's hands set on my shoulders. I turn around and see Liam, holding a red solo cup filled with alcohol. I can smell the scent on him a little. "What took you so long?" He questions.

"I had to go to the store," I answer. "How is the party?"

"Good," he answers. "But I'm glad you came. I thought you might have second doubts and decided to not show up."

"I did, but I thought about you, and I didn't want to let you down," I said.

I cover my nose, smelling the scent getting stronger. "Mm," I said, disgusted, "is that beer?"

"Yes," he answers.

"How many cups have you consumed?" I ask.

"This is my second one," he answers. "I've had too much stress, and this really helps me."

"Don't drink too much," I tell him. "It is a school night."

He holds an okay sign with his fingers. He takes my hand and spins me around with the music. I chuckle as the world spins in my eyes. And then he pulls me close to where our bodies collided. His hands wrap around my waist, and I was struggling a bit. Liam must be already affected by the alcohol. He wouldn't let go as I plead.

I stop fighting for a moment after the music stops playing. A complete silence except for the subtle voices around us. He is sober at the moment but was getting close to being drunk. He brings his hand and removes a lock of hair from my face. "You look amazing," his voice smoothens.

I feel my heart racing. My cheeks burned. And I resisted whatever it was that I was feeling. My stomach grew butterflies as I acknowledge the crinkles by his eyes as he smiles. I smile back, creasing my brows. This was not Liam. This was sober-Liam. A confusing and childish version.

"Liam?" I hear Sophia's voice.

Liam turns around, dropping his hands from my waist. "Sophia?!" He said with great confusion and joy mix together. "There's my lovely girlfriend." He wraps his arm around her neck.

I smile at Sophia, waving to her a little. "Hi," I said.

Sophia nods her head and rolls her eyes away from me. She looks at Liam and lifts his chin up. Liam chuckles like a child. "Are you that low in tolerance or what? Two cups and you're already drunk," Sofia says. Her nostrils flare with anger, and I knew she could potentially harm him.

"Don't be too harsh on him," I said. "He's just having fun."

"Alright," Sophia says. Liam leans forward to her neck, and Sophia backs away a little, giggling. "Liam, we're in public."

I bat my eyes and turn my sight off of them.

Liam whines, "But I want to." I sigh and walk off to my girls, who were sitting on a bench by the trees. All of them looked upset.

As the recognize my presence, Normani and Dinah scoot to the right while Lauren and Camila scoot to the left. I take the empty seat in between the two of them. "What's wrong with you guys?" I ask.