Potholes

Chapter 66 As told by Parker

"So," Rowan glanced up through the rear-view mirror to get a better look at the mystery boy that had newly resided in my backseat. "What did you say your name was again?"

"Cody," I heard him reply from behind me, "Cody Davis."

"Cool," she continued, "and where are you from?"

"Florida state," he said, nodding his head.

"Really?" Emmet chimed in sarcastically, raising his eyebrows at me, although Cody didn't seem to pick up on it.

"And where exactly is this party?" Rowan furthered her questioning.

"You're gonna wanna take a left up here."

The party was not, as previously stated, at 'the beaches'. Instead we found ourselves at the driveway of a busy and noisy frat house. As I followed Emmet out of the van, the blaring music and rumble of voices immediately reached my ears and I was well aware this was going to be a JoYrIDE. Eva followed suit and slipped out of the backseat, her arm wrapped around Cody's.

Cody was not unattractive, that was for sure; he had shaggy blonde hair and was tall and muscular, even more so than Hayden who had played football all his life. He looked like the protagonist's quirky, athletic, charming surfer love-interest in some cheesy romance film.

Rowan got out of the van too and, to no one's surprise, looked mortified.

"This should be fun," I said to her as she walked around the side of the van.

"I'm not sure 'fun' is the word you're looking for," she replied, not drawing her eyes from the party. Hayden, on the other hand, looked overjoyed.

"Hell yeah, bro," He exclaimed. It was times like this where him and Rowan's differences were so apparent to me. I wondered how they were compatible at all, but maybe it was their opposite personalities that drew them together. Either way I was surprised by Hayden's oblivious-ness to Rowan's disinterest to things like this surprising.

We accompanied Cody inside and almost as soon as we were through the doors red solo cups were shoved in our hands.

"Oh, no thanks," I tried to say, but the music drowned my voice out.

We sneaked past groups of party-goers to get to a slight clearing in the people, where Cody asked us, "can I get you guys anything? Drinks? Water?"

I can't remember what or if anyone replied, I was too focused on what else was going on in the house. There were people packed in every corner, flashing lights, spilled drinks, and the odd couple making out in whatever free space they could find. It was almost exactly like the house parties you'd see in movies, that I always thought didn't really exist.

"Are you okay?" I heard Emmet's voice say in a whisper.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine," I said when I realized he was talking to me. "Just was never really invited to these types of things."

"It's okay. Me neither," He said, giving a reassuring smile as he looked down at me.

"I'm gonna head over that way to chat with some of my brugs," Cody said after a couple of minutes, "you wanna come?" He asked Eva.

"Sure," she nodded, flustered.

As they headed off Rowan said, "what are the chances this will end well?" referring to Eva and her new love at first sight.

"Slim to none," I said.

"I'm going to slip away for a second too," Emmet said, leaving my side before I had the chance to say anything to him.

Emmet was gone for a lot longer than a second, and soon enough Rowan and Hayden had disappeared too. I stood uncomfortably in the corner we started in, being polite to anyone who came up to me but was clearly not in the mood for any detailed conversation. I glanced down at my phone again and again, watching as the minutes tick up as the bubble of worries in my stomach grew. Where was everyone? Was Eva okay? Was Rowan okay?

But the question that kept rising in my mind the most was one that possibly would have gone better unanswered: Where was Emmet?

On my way to attempt to find a bathroom I saw the back of his head, and was about to call out to him when I realized who he was talking to. He was leaning against a wall in the living room, talking with a grin on his face to a girl with long brown hair and a leather mini skirt. They were leaning uncomfortably close and when he made her laugh I felt my stomach turn. Suddenly the murmur of voices in the room seemed unbearable and the obnoxious music felt like it was ripping my head in two.

I shut the door of the bathroom and locked it behind me, then tried to steady my breathing and make my heart feel like it wasn't falling through the floor. The sound was muted in the room and I felt like I was in one of those 'Somebody else by the 1975 but you're in a bathroom at a party,' YouTube videos, but the realization I came to in my head was keeping me from feeling that same calmness those videos caused me. I was in love with him.