Chapter 1

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I looked up from my phone to see Ethan falling asleep with his head leaned to the side, his perfectly gelled hair falling in a small wave over his forehead. I smiled lovingly at the man in front of me and stood up to make my way over to him. I sat down in front of him on the floor and lightly brushed the hair from his forehead to the side resting my hand on his cheek. His brown eyes fluttered open and he looked at me in surprise. 

"You look uncomfortable." I smiled. I took my hand away from his cheek and brought in to my lap. He was sitting at an awkward angle, resting his back on a small bench under my bedroom window.

"What time is it? I haven't been sleeping long have I?" He panicked, standing up rapidly.

"I don't know, I just noticed" I shrugged and looked at the wall clock in my room. It's at 4 pm. I raised an eyebrow at him and held back a laugh remembering he had to go meet his best friend to work on a project in 10 minutes. "You are a little late to meet Dallas though"

"You have got to be kidding me!" He gathered all his things in a rushed manner and shoved them into his backpack. He closed the zipper and swung the bag over his shoulder and grabbed his phone.

"I have to go! I am so so sorry Dal," He said kissing my forehead. He looked at me for a second before giving me a small smile and walking out the door. In our 7 months of dating, he hasn't changed. Always forgetful. 

I fell back-first against my bed and let my mind wander. Ethan is an amazing guy. So understanding and always puts others before himself. His broad shoulders are always open to cry on. His ears are always there to listen to you no matter what and his voice is always there with the best advice. His style never changes. Solid color shirts with black jeans and white shoes. Always the same. He must own at least twelve pairs of white shoes. He has a real thing for them as well as for hair product. I swear he cares more about his hair than I do about my own. It's always black and clean-cut, short on the sides with a fade and the top layered to the side, gelled to perfection but in a casual, almost messy way. His dark brown eyes always dancing with joy and a random pun to say at the perfect time in his mind. There's nothing like a day around him. He's always been a happy-go-lucky guy. You never knew what to expect from him.

I'm snapped out of my thoughts by my phone ringing. I stand up from my bed, making my way over to the nightstand and picked it up without looking at who's calling. 

"Hello?" I say nonchalantly. 

"Get ready, I'll be there at 8 to pick you up!" I recognize the cheery voice immediately. It's none other than my best friend Samantha. 

"Why and where?" I laugh at her lack of explanation.

"I'm taking you to the biggest party of the year girl!" she laughs. "better yet, I'll go to your house early and help you get ready."

"I don't really feel like going to a party Sam" I whine.

"no. ooooh no, you aren't doing this!" She scolds. "You never come to parties with me. You need to go to at least one party in your lifetime Dahlia! This is so unfair."

"I've been to parties" I defend. 

"Your own birthday parties don't count" I can just picture her rolling her eyes at me and I stifle a laugh for her sake.

"It's a no Sam" I stand my ground. " I just don't see the point in drinking and dancing around like an idiot for fun"

"Well, you don't have to drink if you don't want to and there are no rules that say you have to dance to have fun" 

"Okay.. your point?"

"My point is that you'll never know what a party is really about if you never go to one!" She argues and I start contemplating this whole thing.

"Well, I don't know anybody there. I don't want to be the Wallflower of the party." I sigh.

"Ethan will be there" she rushes, which makes me question if he even knows about the said party in the first place or if she'll just convince him to go so I can agree. "And Dallas will be too. And all of the girls I hang with. You can make friends, I'll help you!"

"Maybe"

"NO! You're going! end of discussion. I'll be at your house at 7." and with that, the call ends.

Sam has always been the party animal of the group. She's always out and about having fun with people I don't even know. She also always tries to bring me along and I kindly reject. It's just not my type of scene. I would rather be at home watching a movie or at some random coffee shop with Ethan. But I guess giving Sams way a try for a change cant hurt. She always goes on and on about how I'm young and beautiful and how I'm wasting my days by being holed up at home or at work too much. I don't mind it, I don't see a problem with it.

I finally make up my mind and decide to have fun for one night. If tonight goes bad, I will never step foot in a party ever again. But if it goes as well as Sam always says it will then I might start listening to her more.

I walk over to my closet and go over my options for tonight's outfit. It's freezing cold outside so definitely not something too revealing. I take a few minutes to look over everything and make a choice. I grab a black, skintight long-sleeve shirt with somewhat of a low cut collar and normal jeans with a few holes on them. I go over my shoe options and settle on a pair of all-white converse. I set the shoes on the floor next to my bed and I put the clothes in a small pile on my bed. I glance at the wall clock. It's only 4:30 but I decide to get out of my current school outfit and take an early shower so my hair will be dry by the time Sam gets here.


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"Girl, you look so good" Sam claps her hands. I give her an amused look before turning to take a look at myself in the bathroom mirror. Once I fix my perfectly straightened hair to give it the boost of volume I want, I feel pretty confident and agree with her.

I'm wearing minimal makeup. Not too much but you can see a slight difference. I refused to but Sam was insisting on it and I complied to please her. I walked out of the bathroom and into my room to gather my stuff in a very tiny black backpack that went well with my outfit and swung the straps over my shoulders. 

"Are you sure Ethan will be there?" I said and shot my best friend a worried look.

"Yes, I'm positive" she smiled at me and looked at herself in the full-body mirror.

"You look gorgeous Sam" I complimented her and she flipped her hair over her shoulder jokingly. 

I meant it. She had on a red crop top and white jeans and some really cute sandals. Her blonde hair was in perfect beach waves like always and her green eyes topped the whole look. She's always been gorgeous, and to her advantage, she knows it.

"Let's go girly" She locked arms with me and led the way out of my house and to her car. I begged her to let me ride separately in my own car so I could leave in my own time but she pouted, saying she needed a designated driver. How could I say no?

We got into her car and made small conversation about what to expect. 20 minutes later, we had arrived. 

"It's going to be so much fun," She smiled, reassuring me. "I promise"

"I sure hope you're right" I sighed and got out of the car at the same time. I looked at the people in the front yard and I couldn't even begin to imagine why they would be outside in this temperature. I could literally freeze if I stayed out here so long.

"Let's go meet up with Ethan and Dallas," Sam said as we started surfing through the crowd and making our way into the house.

If I knew then what I know now I would've gone back home before I stepped foot in that house.

Maybe.

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