Reality || L.H.

Chapter 33

The party's already in full swing when we pull up. Calum hops out and practically runs to the house, Ashton right behind him. Michael stays behind to walk with me and Luke, shaking his head at the other boys. Ash trips over a lawn gnome and face plants into the grass. But he just pops right back up and keeps running.

I laugh, glancing over at Luke as he shuts the car door behind him. He grins down at me as he laces his fingers through mine. Michael makes a face at us, but I can see the smile he's trying to hide. Deep down, he's just a little soft, fuzzy kitten. But he'd rather die than admit it.

Calum runs back to the front door to get us and introduces us to all his soccer friends. Most of them are either drunk or stoned by now, but they all make an effort to be nice. Luke pulls me over into the armchair around a coffee table where a bunch of semi-drunk people are talking about something pointless. I take a seat on his lap, content to just sit for a while. He plays with my hair while I lean my head against his chest, closing my eyes as I bury my face in his neck.

I doze off for a while. Not too much later, Luke mutters something in my ear and I hum a response back to him, not quite sure what he said. He slides me off of his lap and gets up and I'm too tired to even react. When I finally wake all the way up, he's still gone.

Calum and the other boys aren't in sight either. How long was I asleep for?

I get to my feet and wander around. A girl is twerking on the staircase with her shirt thrown over a nearby lamp, looking like she's dangerously close to throwing off her lacy bra too. I hurry past her and dodge the drunk couples sloppily making out in corners.

Ashton is in the kitchen, leaning up against the counter with a drink in his hand as he talks to a short girl with red hair. She smiles up at him as he says something that makes her laugh. He takes another sip from his cup and rests an arm on the counter behind her.

He's actually got some moves.

I smile as I fill up a cup of my own. Why the hell not? I can go to parties and get a little tipsy and not be stressed about anything for a change. School, Luke's medical bills, drama... it all melts away.

I tip back the cup and take a swig. Ashton's busy with his girl. He's barely even acknowledged my presence in the room. I set my drink down on the counter and walk out of the kitchen, looking for Michael, Calum and Luke.

I find Calum making out with a girl with long shiny blonde curls. She's supermodel gorgeous and they look awfully close to getting a room. One of his hands grips her ass and the other creeps up under her shirt. I make a face and leave to check another room.

Before I look around the next room, I'm pushed up against the wall. A boy I don't know pins me against the wall, his breath hot on my neck. I struggle to push him off of me.

"Hey, beautiful," he murmurs into my ear as he places a kiss to the edge of my jaw.

I try to break free from him but he only tightens his grip on me. I start to panic. There's no one to help me. I don't know where my friends are. I don't have anyone to help me and I'm not strong enough to run away. I don't want to know what happens if I can't run away.

"Looking for a good time?" he says as his mouth trails lower.

I fight his arms and try to aim a kick to his dick, but I can't. "Get the hell off of me," I hiss, spitting in his face.

"Baby doll, I have no intention of ever letting you go." He brings his face back up to mine and smirks. My stomach drops to somewhere around my ankles. His touch is like poison. As he slips a hand down to grab my ass, I jump. His grip is hard enough to hurt. He doesn't care about me - he just wants to fuck, no matter how he can get it.