Serendipity Down the Block

Chapter 2: Who?

Walking into the house was near impossible. People were packed together like sardines in a can. Who owned the house was a mystery—no family pictures were decorating the walls, there only was a dull, dusky blue as far as Sierra could see.

"Whose house is this, Carmen?" Sierra's question falling on deaf ears.

"Woah," Carmen said, a few guys were doing keg stands in the kitchen.

"This is going to be a crazy night," Carmen said, glancing around the room. Besides the guys doing keg stands, a majority of people had a cup in their hands full of some cheap beer that one of the guys coaxed some junkie into buy. Sierra passed by the cups.

"Meet me at the front around 9:30," Carmen said putting her hair behind her ear, seeing Matthew, her ex-boyfriend, talking to some guys. She started walking toward Matthew—she was going to enjoy her night. It was not like anyone cares to notice me.

"9:30?" Sierra tilted her head to the side, "They'll realize I'm gone by then."

"Ok, then 9:15," Carmen said, starting to pass everyone by.

"What? No," Sierra started to say, music blasting over her voice. "Carmen!" she called out, but she was gone like water on a hot day.

It was no use getting Carmen to change her mind. There was just nothing Sierra was going to be able to do. There was no excuse in the world that would get her out of the yelling match her mother had in store when she got home.

I better just make the best of it.

Sierra took a seat on a sofa. She did not want to embarrass herself on the dance floor—that was Carmen's realm. On the sofa was where Sierra reigned, or so she thought. After all, that is what was the best about parties; instead of drinking and dancing, sitting down and talking where more in her zone.

On the dance floor,  people weren't as good of a dancer they thought they were; namely, Carmen. Sierra saw Carmen with a guy. Is that Luis? A bit of disappointment hung over her because she couldn't remember what Luis looked like. Carmen is dating him for Christ's sake, but it still eluded her what he looked like.

This relationship Carmen had was different from the others. Sierra remembered how Carmen would go on and on about her boyfriends and they would always be around her, only to break up in a week. However, Carmen did not talk much about Luis, and he never came around when Carmen was with Sierra. 

Whoever Carmen was dancing with now was to be quite close to her, but Sierra doubted that was Luis. She rolled her eyes, and without further thought, she scanned around for Miguel. 

"Hi... Sierra," she heard coming from beside her. She hadn't noticed anyone walking up or sitting down. 

"Hey," Sierra said, trying to sound more enthusiastic than she was to see it was Emiliano.

"You... Have a face," Emiliano said. He was only a bit tipsy, but the nerves made him sound blackout drunk.

"Yes. Yes, I do," Sierra said, she thought she saw Miguel coming out of the kitchen, but that guy's hair was too long and straight.

"I mean, a nice face. You have a really nice face," Emiliano continued to flirt with her, or so he thought. 

"Thanks, I think," she said, making eye contact with him for the first time; only because she hadn't checked that side of the room yet. Milo was a plain boy, with light brown, wavy hair that was always at an awkward length. He had green flecks in his round brown eyes which Sierra always found weird. 

Carmen would get her jaw broken if she is lying about Miguel.

Emiliano gained more confidence in himself since he finally broke some of the ice with Sierra. Being out of high school was going to prove that he could develop some esteem with girls—slowly, but surely.