It's Not What It Looks Like (Recently Completed)

Chapter - 3

Colette

I stare out the window of the speeding car, trying to compose myself. Apart of me wants to open the door of the moving car and jump out. I hate parties. Except for the company's year-end Christmas party, I have not attended any other parties. I haven't even attended school let alone parties. My hatred for parties is to do with being surrounded by so many unknown people than to socialize. But I stay put. I remember why I am doing all this. Lily. I will do anything to protect her. Even if I have to endure more pain.

Pain is a constant in my life. Zach's infliction of pain is nothing new to me. I have endured pain much worse than what Zach put me through today but the fact that it was Zach who inflicted the pain was difficult to come to terms with. But I will be okay. It's one more person who let me down no biggie. I will recover from it later; right now I have a bigger problem to focus on like Zach's aloofness.

His mention of 'break-up' was a douse of cold water. I didn't base my plan on the chances of getting pregnant after one time. I had planned to continue sleeping with him until I got pregnant but I can't do that if we broke up. All the work and sacrifices I did in the past 2 years will become meaningless then.

I take a deep breath and think about how to get the situation into my control. I try to look back at my actions and see if I did something wrong. Making Zach fall for me was pure luck. I didn't have any prior experience in the relationship department. All the knowledge I have came from vanity magazines and websites. I think back to any blog or article I could use in this situation. What do I do to make him go back to that head-over-heels in love Zach?

Before I could come up with a plan, we park in front of a huge building with some greek symbols it on them.

"Zach, where are we?", I coo trying to soothe his anger. I wonder, What has made him so angry?

"A fraternity house", he splits out. A shiver passes through me like a premonition and I have a feeling that something bad is going to go down.

I get out of the car and Pain shoots through me due to the movement of the sore muscles. I sniffle a groan and walk-behind Zach who is hurrying towards the house like his back is on fire. I try to catch up with him but the aching muscles slow me down and I lose him in the crowd. I look around and I don't find anyone. I ask a guy dressed in what looks like a tube where Zach is and he points me to the backyard. I push through the crowd and reach the backyard where there are more people. I look around and finally spot Zach sitting on a gazebo on top a small hill. I relax and slowly make my way to him.

I look around and take in the environment. It looks so much like the parties they show in movies. People with red sole cups chatting, laughing and goofing around. For a moment, I place myself among them enjoying life without a care in the world. What would it feel like to be free and to have choices?

I see a girl dressed in balloons move behind another girl dressed in a t-shirt with some drawings which is not clearly visible from where I am. She drops a bucket of ice on the girl wearing a t-shirt which makes her shriek. She jumps up and down making everyone laugh. A laugh bubbles out of me as I see the everyday life of normal people. It's one of my favourite activity. I love to watch people watching and I spend most of my time in parks or mall watching people doing regular stuff.

I was so engrossed in watching people that I miss the table on the way and trip over it pushing some of the items on the table on the floor. I apologize to the people next to and start picking up the tiny packets. Bending and picking up hurts the already sore muscle so I don't pay attention to what I am picking up. Only when I am done, I notice the packets I picked up are packets of condoms.

An uneasiness passes through me and I slowly look around. Everyone is dressed in balloons or condoms. One of them is in a penis costume which reads Mr.Safety. A girl has condom wrappers pinned all over her dress and other is wearing a skirt made out of condoms. T-shirt the girl on who the ice was dumped says "Feminist with Condoms".

A chill passes through me when I put two and two together. Zach knows. Zach knows about the condoms. I am caught red-handed. I understand his coldness now. This party is to expose me. I look around and everyone is staring at me. I panic and turn around to leave but I am stopped by Ryan, Zach's best friend. He holds me not letting me go.

"Where the hell are you escaping? This party is in your honour Ms Condom Tamperer", he says into the mic"

"Hello, everyone. Thanks for keeping up with the theme of the party and dressing up. I am blown away by some of the creative designs. Iva baby, you look hawt in that tube top made out of condoms.", he says looking at a girl who is wearing a tube top and a mini shirt which barely cover her ass.

"We have also arranged some games and winners will be getting an iPhone 11 Pro", he says and the crowd scream in delight.

A cold sweat breaks out when his attention turns to me.

"Before we get to that. We have to honour the person who made this event possible. Put your hands together for Ms Colette West, the condom tamperer"

Everyone cheer and hoot around me.

"Please Ryan", I beg him to let me go. But he doesn't loosen his grip. He proceeds to explain why I got the title and shows the clip of me replacing the condoms in Zach's room. He then goes on to explain how to check if a condom tampers or not. He takes out a condom from my bag and puts it to test. Obviously, it fails the test since I took back the box of condoms I had brought with me. Every one boo at me and Ryan asks if I should be punished. A unified cheer of yes answers his question. He asks everyone to pick a packet of condoms and makes me stand on the table.

" Now on the count of three, Please throw the condom at Mr Colette", he says.

My heart thuds as he counts down and when the makeshift flag drops, I am hit with what feels like hundreds of packets of a condom. The punishment in itself is not harsh but the humiliation is. I look around the 50+ people in the crowd to see if there is one person who looked past the stories Ryan told and the incriminating video clip to see that there could be a humane reason for what I did. But not one person even tried to understand I was only trying to save Lily. A person who has a right to live a beautiful life-like every single one of them here.

Tears prick my eyes at the thought of Lily getting hurt but I pull it back in and climb down from the table. For a second I contemplate leaving but change my mind immediately. I cannot leave without explaining to Zach the reason behind all the plotting and planning and hope he helps me out despite the deceit. So, I make my way to Zach in spite of the snarky comments, hard shoves,  catcalls and groupings. When I reach him, his glare burns holes in my body. I swallow the fear and think about Lily which gives me the strength to speak.

"Zach", I start and he interrupts me at once.

"Shut up. Not a word. I don't want to hear a word from your lying mouth", he yells

"I can explain", I say timidly but he is not ready to listen. He turned his teammate Aiden and asks him to take me away. I try one more time,

" Zach Please", I say but Zach yells "Shut the f*ck up and leave. I don't want to ever see you again."

Aiden clutches my arms so tight I whimper in pain but neither he nor Zach bothers. Aiden drags me through the crowd and throws me out of the frat house shutting the door on my face. I look at the closed door and all I see is the one door I thought could help Lily is now shut. I don't know how I am going to save Lily.

Author's note:

Another chapter. Hope you liked this one.

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