𝐚𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜 • 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐛𝐲 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐤

fourteen

"I can't believe you're hosting the afterparty at your house," I laughed at Tyler as we were all standing in his living room, so many people crowded around us. "You're an insane human being, you know that, right?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I know. Even I can't believe I did this."

My eyes panned around the room, barely able to see anything because there were just that many people around. "I'm gonna go find Emilia."

"I think your big brother has a thing for her," Tyler chuckled.

I choked on the air I was breathing. "Excuse me?"

Tyler burst out laughing. "I'm surprised you hadn't noticed this yourself!"

"So it's World War III when he sees you and I having a normal conversation on the bleachers 'because you're his best friend and that's fucked up' but he can shamelessly do this?" I snorted. "What a hypocrite."

"We can't help who we fall in love with," Tyler chuckled in reply and swung an arm around my shoulders. He did that a lot. "You should know that."

I laughed. "Shut up, I don't wanna be reminded of him. And besides, I was, like, thirteen. You don't get to hold that against me anymore."

"So we don't speak about the guys you dated after?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

I rolled my eyes playfully. "You're not one to talk, you did ask me out once."

"Yeah, years ago," he chuckled. "Oh! There's Emilia!"

I looked over to see where he was pointing and spotted her as well. "Thanks! I'll see you later, Ty, thanks for hosting the party!"

"You're welcome!"

I left and pushed my way through the crowd, trying to keep in the general direction of where Emilia was.

"Where the fuck did she go?" I muttered to myself as I couldn't find her. I sighed and just turned around, giving up on trying to find her and headed towards the kitchen. Luckily I knew where Tyler stashed his drinks and I knew he wouldn't mind me getting one.

Hell, I was pretty sure my underage ass bought some of the bottles that were in there.

I opened the bottom cabinet on the far right and sat down in front of it, looking at what was inside. After not being able to choose, I closed the cabinet and walked over to the fridge. I decided on a good old can of beer and closed the door again. But not after taking a second can and stashing it in my back pocket.

I danced my way through the crowd, at one moment dancing with a random guy, until I eventually reached the back door. By then I had already downed both cans, so you can take a guess how long it took me to push through the crowd. While having fun of course.

I opened the back door, venturing out into the cold air. Tyler had a pool in his backyard, it was lit up by the spots in the pool sides and it looked so cool in the dark of the night, I kind of wished it was warmer. I would've jumped in, clothes and all.

"Hey, Arabella," someone said and swung their arm around my shoulders.

I looked at his face. It was the same guy from last time, who was also on the football team. I pushed his arm off me. "Jackson, is it?"

"Yeah," he laughed and swung his arm back around me, taking another chug from his beer. He reeked of alcohol already. "We won that game."

I nodded and pushed his arm off me again. "I'm aware."

I looked around at the other people by the pool, but no one was here anymore. Jackson placed his arm back onto my shoulders. "So, we had something going on last time, don't you think?"