Chapter 9:
So, as it turns out, Shawn knows me from kindergarten, but I just don't remember it. So, Nash, Cam, Matt, Shawn, Carter, Taylor, and I are walking down this really nice neighborhood. It's about 7:30 PM, and Taylor says there's a party here. I didn't want to go at first, but whatever, it seems fine.
I approach the door of the house, and I hear thumping loud music. It's practically shaking the walls, and this place is huge. It's front doors stretch as far as I can see, and I ring the doorbell after we walked the huge front yard. Someone answers the door immediately, and the music becomes blaring. "WHO ARE YOU?" some boy shouts over the music to us. Taylor pushes through us and introduces us, "They're cool, they're with me," he says. The boy nods to us, kind of oddly, and looks to Taylor, "Hey, Tay! Long time no see, eh? How've ya been? Come on in!" He pushes Taylor inside, and we follow. This place seems never ending, and the music is ringing in my ears, my whole body vibrating with each beat. It's dark, and it smells kind of funny. It's busy. Like, really busy. It's full of guys and girls all around laughing and dancing. I haven't been to a party quite this extreme. Cameron recognizes a few people, so I begin to separate. Shawn is grabbing my wrist so we don't get separated by the crowd. We finally find an open gap in the crowd and we dance to the loud music. "HAVING FUN?" Shawn yells over the music to me. "YEAH. KIND OF BUSY!" I shout back. "AND LOUD" Shawn says. I look for the sodas and grab Shawn and I a soda. We're dancing, and he seems to be having fun.
After a few hours of walking around, socializing I decide to look for Nash and Matt. I push past the people to walk up the stairs, I see Nash on the chair on the porch making out with some really pretty girl. I look for more people I know. I see Matt in the corner of my eye. He's with Taylor and Jack. Before I turn away, I feel a heavy hand on my shoulder. I look to see the beautiful eyes that I can't stand seeing. "Chloe," Jack says in that voice of his. I push his hand off me, and begin to walk down the stairs without a word. "Wait- please, I just want to talk-" he says chasing me down the stairs. "What?! What do you want to talk about?" I yell. "Come to the backyard with me so I don't have to yell over this music!" he says grabbing my arm pushing through the crowd. He takes me to an empty spot of the yard that no one's at. We sit on a spot of grass and there are lights dangling around the house, which makes it looks pretty. "I wanted to apologize-" he starts, looking at me. "I don't want to hear it, Jack,-" I say getting up but he pulls me down. "Just hear me out. 5 minutes and then you can leave," he begs. I sit down, and he begins to talk. "What you saw at the beach was just a girl," he says to me softly. "She doesn't mean anything to me, alright? Yes, I know I screwed up and I regret it. I have no feelings for her whatsoever, Chloe, I promise you that," he sighs. "Then why did you tell her you didn't know me?" I ask defensively. He sighs again, knowing I would ask this. "I-I don't know. I was stupid. I made a mistake, and I regret it," I look away from him. "I was so heartbroken, Jack," I whisper. He nods, "How do you think I felt when you were crying there with another boy?" I look back into his eyes, full of anger, "Cameron's just a friend. I would never care about him like I care for you," I say.
There's a pause.
He looks at me, with a slight smile on his lips, "So you still care about me?" I blush, knowing he had caught me, "Of course I do," I say. He smiles, and looks at me, "Can you please forgive me? I care about you so much, Chloe, I can't lose you," and he puts his hand on mine. I look at our hands, and I want to move it, but at the same time, Jack looks so sincere. "I don't know what to think right now," I say to him honestly. It's silent again. He looks so upset, like he really means everything he's said to me. We look at each other for a minute, a thousand words racing through my mind per second. He leans forward, closes his eyes, and then his lips touch mine.
