Truth

chapter 12

'Liv'

I quickly finish my first drink and wipe the back of my hand against my lips. I go to pick up another and take a long sip.
"Easy there I don't want to have to carry you home later." Charlie laughs and I can't help but join in with him, his happiness is infectious.

"Don't worry about me I can handle myself." I take another mouthful and return his bright smile. Charlie's green eyes shine with amusement, he seems to be always smiling which makes me wonder how him and Jace are even friends.

They're completely opposite to one another. Jace wearing all black along with his signature moody expression and for the first time I can clearly see his arms are covered with black tattoos that creep up his neck.

I wonder where else he has them? No I don't! Charlie has a preppy style wearing light blue jeans, a white tee and his jersey that I'm now wearing. Like night and day.

"You didn't have time to change your shirt after I left I see." Jaces hot breath fans against my ear as he whispers to me, making me shiver. Gooseflesh appears on my skin and I feel him smile at my bodies response but I frown at my own. Noticing this he adds.

"Always so angry, well not always..." The intensity of the kiss we shared floods into my mind and my face begins to flush. How does he have this power over me with just a few words?

Charlie's voice interrupts Jace's taunting and I find myself greatful.
"I completely forgot to ask for your name."
"It's Liv." Jace's harsh voice answers for me, then he tips back his head draining the rest of his drink from his cup.
"Liv that's a pretty name, that's short for something right?"

Jace is glaring at Charlie and Charlie is matching his glare with equal intensity. I'm caught in the middle of a fucking stare off.
Deciding that both of them are killing my buzz, I walk towards what looks to be the kitchen leaving the boys to it.

I search around on the cluttered counters tops and my eyes meet with a familiar bottle of whiskey. I grab a fresh cup from the stack by the sink and pour the brown liquor in, topping it off with coke.

"I haven't seen you here before are you a freshman?" I turn around and I'm met by a beautiful girl. Her hair is brown with streaks of blonde styled into tight wild curls. Her blue eyes are expertly painted with black and her smile is surrounded by full red lips.

She's wearing the most gorgeous beaded black dress which shows every curve of her body and her outfit is finished with black strappy heels. I look down at myself and I'm met by that fucking coffee stain again. I cringe in embarrassment at my appearance, I really should have took the time to change.

"Yes I've just started, I thought I'd come to see what the parties are like, I'm Liv by the way!"
"I'm Abby but call me Abz! Well as you can see they are amazing!" I can't help but laugh at her cheerfulness and feeling the need of the same happy buzz, I knock my drink back.
"Girl your hardcore! your going to fit right in here! You know I expect to see you at every party now right?"

"Well maybe next time I'll wear something a little more fitting for a party!" I shout over the music.
"Deal! right we need shots, shots and more shots! Boys rack em up!" She calls out to a small group. One of the guys grabs six glasses from the cabinet and fills each to the top with a clear liquid.

"Here you go baby." The guy who has brown, shoulder length curls with the same eye colour to match, slides two glasses over to Abz kissing her cheek and then passes another two to me, keeping the last for himself.

We hold up both the glasses in our hands and clink them together knocking them back one after the other.
"Fuck!" My body shudders as I swallow down the liquid and Abz laughs doing the same.

"There you are I thought I'd lost you." Charlie enters into the kitchen and moves to stand infront of me.
"Well obviously I am taking care of her." Abz rests her small arm across my shoulders, flipping him off with her free hand.
"I needed a stronger drink and shots apparently."

"Being a bad influence again are you Abz?"Charlie acuses and Abz's twists her face in exaggerated mock insult which I can't help but laugh at.
"Liv doesn't need any influence I'll have you know she was knocking them back before I arrived!"

"That doesn't surprise me!" Charlie laughs and I nudge him with my elbow. He grabs hold of my arm pulling me towards him, so I'm only inches away from his face.
"Hey now your not going to turn into a violent drunk on me are you." He speaks softly next to my ear, making a flush of red creep across my cheeks.

"Well this looks cosy!" Jace loudly interrupts making his presence known, wearing a charming dimpled smile. I hear Charlie groan as he pulls away from me, looking between the two of them I feel the tension radiating. Did something happen between them when I left?

"Liv was just showing us her killer drinking skills!" Abz sings out and Jace pull his brows together at her comment, loosing all trace of his dimples.
"Is that so?" I don't know why but I suddenly feel embarrassed.

I turn away to go back to the counter, making myself another drink to keep buisy. I'm well aware that I've drunk to much but that's always been my problem, I never know when to stop.

"I'll have one of those Olivia." I spin towards Jace's voice to cuss him out for using that damn name again but bump straight into his hard chest which makes me stumble back. His hands move to my waist to steady me causing an involuntary gasp to escape my lips.

When I peer up at him behind my lashes, Jace is staring at me darkly. His tounge darts out, licking across his bottom lip. I feel intoxicated from watching him and not from the alchole. What the fuck am I doing.. again? I pull away from his grasp and head towards the back door desperate to get some air.

I find a step to sit down on and breathe out a sigh of relief. I need to get back to my dorm room, I bet it's late now and no doubt Sammie will wonder where the hell I am, I should message her. I begin to panic suddenly remembering my forgotten purse, what the fuck did I do with it?

I try to scan through the drunken haze of my mind to remember the last time I had it. It's got to be back at the bar! How could I be so stupid? I can't even get an Uber to get back, especially without my keys!

I can't go banging down the door and waking Sammie up. What a mess, why do I always do these things to myself? Why am I such a fucking mess?

"You alright? Looks like you had abit to much to drink what happened to those killer drinking skills?" I haven't got the time for Jace and his fucking digs right now and why is he following me?

"No I left my bag at the bar, I can't get back to my dorm room." I sulk.
"Well what a predicament you've got yourself into." I roll my eyes at his tone and unexpected laughter escapes his mouth.

"So you thought you'd follow me around to stick the knife in further did you? Maybe they will let me stay here tonight." I rest my head in my hands in defeat. I don't really want to stay here but what else can I do?
"You don't want to do that half those guys in there are creeps."

"Then you tell me what to do then because obviously I'm incapable of looking after myself!" My voice breaks at the last part of my sentence, knowing it to be the truth. A vicious cycle I can never seem to break.

"Look I've had one drink, I'll drive you back to the bar to get your stuff, just don't go crying on me." I look up at him from my hands.
"Why would you do that?"
"Cos I'd rather get you back then stand here awkwardly watching you cry." He waits for me to get myself up and leads me back out to his car.