We Are Tidal

Chapter Seventeen - A Final Breaking

Chapter Seventeen

A Final Breaking

I limp weakly, fingers interlaced with Damien's and cursing the cold as we moved towards the block of apartments that border North Campus. I had fallen during rehearsals and bruised the sole of my left foot badly - but that didn't stop me wanting to go out tonight. I wait for Damien to tell me I was silly for having bare legs in November, but he says nothing. 

It was immediately obvious when I had arrived at his apartment a little while ago, dressed and excited, that he had already been smoking with James and Cole. As usual, I said nothing but took his hand and we left to go to Elio Luca's house party with James and Cole walking behind us, passing a can between them. 

It was a short walk, no more than ten minutes or so, but it was enough time for me to remember that Elio was one of Art's best friends and lived with his other best friends, Samuel and Aaron and for my heart to begin beating harder than ever. 

"It's been too long since we've been to a party, this feels good," I say, for the sake of saying something. We hadn't even reached the apartment's outside stairs and Damien was already swaying gently, likely in time to an inner piece of music I couldn't hear as I was decidedly un-high.

Damien says nothing but looks at me sideways. His dark eyes take in the goosebumps visible on my arms. I was scantily dressed, that much was true. My black crop top and black, faux leather skirt did look incredible though, that much I was sure of.  Damien shirks off his large, denim jacket and hands it to me. 

I shrug it on, deeply breathing in the scent of the musk and spice cologne he has always preferred. 

"Let's enjoy tonight, right?" He says, sending me one of his brilliantly charming smiles. It was broad, slightly crooked and instantly coaxes a mirroring smile from me. I lean up and kiss his cheek, leaving a deep red stain. 

*

Inside, Elio was putting on his usual epic spread with music, drinks and... people. Elio Luca and his chaotically curly hair and wild grin had somehow attracted himself friends from all kinds of groups across campus, from the cheerleaders to the Anime and Manga society. However, it was obvious from the arms they had around each other when Damien and I pushed through to the kitchen, no one was closer than Elio, Samuel, Aaron, and Art. 

Damien kisses me quickly before muttering something about getting a drink but proceeds to find the balcony and the smokers. I shake it off and run towards Willow at the same moment as she spots me. I grab her in a rib-shattering hug. 

"You're not mad?" She whispers in my ear.

I laugh into her hair and squeeze her harder still. 

"I wasn't mad even when I did see you and Kit," I say, knowing that I truly mean it. 

Willow pulls back and holds onto my arms and I see that her eyes are damp, causing her gold eyeliner to blend with her black mascara. After I had seen Kit and Willow together in her dorm room, I had left as quickly as possible, sure I was interrupting something tremendously intimate.  

Later, Willow had called me but unsure of what to say, had text me instead, saying that it wasn't what it looked like. At the time I felt more of a sting that she was under the impression that I would ever judge her.

Willow glances over her shoulder. I follow her gaze and spy Kit and Albert doing shots in a corner of the dining room off of another boy's chest with a whole host of Snapchat cameras recording the scene.