The Valiant

Chapter 8

We get out of the jeep and look at the huge mansion in front of us. Drake and I are going to Cheryl's party. I am dressed in a black t shirt with a leather jacket over that, which goes well with my brown hair you have to admit. I am wearing skinny jeans and knee high black boats. My wavy brown hair is down and I am wearing black eyeshadow and a touch of red lipstick. Drake is wearing a white t shirt with a black jacket and pants and black shoes, his black hair a bit messy. We approach the door and can hear the loud music from inside and the cheering of the teens inside. I look over at Drake nervously and he gives me a reassuring smile. I smile back before we walk inside.

We are immediately faced with a crowd of teens and the smell of alcohol. I scrunch up my nose in disgust as we weave our way past dancing teens and the occasional couple sucking one another's face off. We find a open area and just stand there. A boy with red marks on his face from multiple kisses offers us each a cup of alcohol, which we kindly decline. Soon, a blonde head find its way to us and Cheryl appears, smiling at Drake and ignoring me. I roll my eyes and before I knew it, Cheryl drags Drake off to I don't know where. I sigh and sit down on a chair and read a book on my phone. Someone soon sits down next to me. I look up and see a bow with red hair and freckles and smells of alcohol staring at me

"Hello," I say softly, trying to be polite. The boy smiles and shows his rows of crooked teeth.

"Need some company?" He asks, breathing the horrible. Smell of alcohol in my face.

"No, but thank you," I say and go back to my phone. The boy narrows his eyes and sits closer to me and tries to turn my face to him. I try to resist but I find myself glaring into his brown eyes, which study my face before he begins to lean in. My eyes widen as I slap in on the face. Three scratch lines appear where I slapped him. He glares at me and then grips my arm painfully and starts dragging me towards the stairs. I scratch his arm, trying to get free. Soon, someone stands between me and and the boy and tears his arm from mine. I look up to see Drake punch the kid. The kid stumbles and touches his lip, where blood is pouring out from. The boy turns to Drake and tries to throw a punch, but Drake dodges and the boy goes falling face first into a girls lap as she was making out with her boyfriend, the girl screams and pushes the boy off of her and her boyfriend starts to fight the boy. Drake backs up and stands in front of me, checking for injuries and such. He lifts my right arm and studies the bruises on the skin. He looks at me and I shrug.

"What the hell happened here!?" A new voice shrieks loudly. Cheryl stands behind Drake, staring wide eyed at the mess and the fight still going on with the two boys. Her eyes land on me and she walks over to me and stops next to Drake.

"You!" She says loudly, "you started this! If I never allowed you to come then this wouldn't have happened, you whore!"

"Oh I'm the whore?" I snap loudly, glaring at her, "you only threw this party so you could get laid with him!" I point at Drake, who blinks, shocked. Cheryl gasps then slaps me across the face. Drake starts yelling while a few gasps and murmurs are heard from the crowd. Drake pushes Cheryl away and grabs my hand and walks me outside to the pool, where no one is at since the night is cold and the water would be cold. He has me sit down on a lounge chair while he sits on one next to it. He then lifts my arm again and studies the bruising.

"What exactly happened, Payton?" He asks, taking a glance up at me before going back to study my arm as I begin to tell him everything that happened up to the point where he arrived.

"Do you like Cheryl?" I blurt out. I put my hand over my mouth as my eyes widen at what I said, "I-I'm sorry. T-That was inappropriate," Drake smiles and chuckles at me and I blush a bit.

"It's fine," he says, smiling a bit as he wraps some bandages that he had in his pockets around my arm, "and to answer your question. No, I do not like Cheryl, she is quite annoying," I laugh softly.

"Was she trying to make a move on you?" I ask curiously. Drake looks at me and studies me before a smirk appears on his face.

"Payton Riley is jealous," he says, still smirking. I roll my eyes and look down at my hands as an awkward silence surrounds us.

"Thank you," I say suddenly, looking at Drake, who looks shocked.

"For what?" He asks, staring at me.

"For everything," I say softly then I hug him. He tenses them wraps his arms around me as we hug. After a few minutes, a step away and blush as I hug myself, feeling awkward. I feel Drake's gaze on me and I turn around to meet his gaze right in front of my face. I study his face silently as his hand goes to my cheek and he slowly leans closer to me, tilting his head slightly. I take a breath as I stand on my tippy toes and meet his lips with mine. I wrap my arms around his neck as his hands go to my waist and pulls me closer to him. I get a warm feeling in my chest as we kiss, like I have been waiting for this for my whole life.

I pull back for air and I rest my forehead against his, taking in short breaths as I smile at him. He smirks at me as his hand finds mine.

"I'm tired," I finally say softly, "we should go back," Drake nods in agreement as we walk through the house, hand in hand. We walk by Cheryl, who smiles flirtatiously at Drake and stands up to talk to him, but gasps when she spots our hands and I can feel her glare as we walk past her and out the door.

~

We enter the building and spot Josh flirting with a redhead in a corner. He looks over at us quickly before returning to the girl before he looks back at us. He narrows his eyes at our hands and pulls the girl past us and up the stairs.

"She's not mine to own, huh?" He says while passing us. I stare after him and sigh, yawning as well.

"Well, I'm going to bed," I say and start heading up the stairs, "good night," I feel him staring at me as I walk up the stairs.