SACRIFICED

Chapter 2

"Winter, I am so glad you could make it. You look so good," Jason said, raising his drink in the air and smiling brightly. I didn't know his smile could get any wider. I had a sneaking suspicion that he was bisexual, because at times he acted like a hormonal guy that wants to be in everyone, but then other times he would throw comments on how tight another guy's jeans were. That means he is gay, right? I am really not the person to judge.

"Hey winter happy birthday," some random guy called out to me. It's the thought that counts.

"Umm, today isn't my birthday, it's tomorrow but thank you, at least you remembered it's this month," the guy smiled, obviously embarrassed, and walked away. "Well, that was awkward," I whispered to Zoe.

"Don't mind him, let's dance" Chloe and Zoe pulled me to dance. I hate dancing. I can't do it. I never have, and I never want to. Especially not to celebrate anything. I don't know what I expected when I agreed to come to this. What exactly was my plan for this? The little voice that pushed me toward doing this suddenly couldn't talk anymore. I subconsciously looked around for Alec. Maybe I could talk to him.

"I thought you said you weren't coming tonight," I heard his voice without me. I had never been so happy to hear someone's voice.

"Maybe I lied." I turned around to meet his gaze. He looked good. I won't lie.

"Hmmm, I see," Alec muttered under his breath, smiling.

"I snuck out,"

"Wow, I never looked at you as that kind of person," He stated, actually said sounding surprised.

"Don't tell anyone, though. Just between the two of us,"

"Don't worry," he raised his fingers to his mouth and did the gesture that said my lips were sealed and he threw away the key.

"Do you want to dance?"

"I don't enjoy dancing. I'd be happy watching you if that won't creep you out," I said without blinking to add a psycho effect. He parted his lips, looking at me, maybe trying to figure out if I was joking with him.

"You're serious?"

"Yes,"

"Wow, o-o-okay,"

"Let me check if my friends are cool with me leaving first," I looked over my shoulder and they were nowhere to be seen "they are okay with it," Alec and I danced all night, more like Alec danced, and I casually stared at him taking a step or two when I saw him slowing down. He was not an awful dancer as I had imagined, he was really really good, in fact. I felt like Anastasia, you know, Cinderella's sister, that kept on stepping on prince Charming. I was not stepping on his toes. I just wasn't an excellent dancer.

"Do you want a drink?"

"YES," I think I yelled a bit. I will never do this again in my life.

*****

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you happy birthday dear Winter, happy birthday to you," everyone sang for me and my two best friends brought in a cake, they didn't even know I was coming to this party they must have gone through a lot of trouble to put this together. I love them so much. I blew out my candles. It wouldn't take a Harvard graduate to know what I wished for. Freedom, as CRINGE as that sounds.

As the party went on, people were getting drunker and drunker around me. I wasn't so sober myself. I had a couple of drinks already.

I was still 'dancing' with Alec when something caught my eye. Some guys were making a commotion at the door of the house with one guy from my school. The first guy was blonde and the third guy was blonde as well. They were probably twins since they looked alike. Now Zoe and Chloe can have different boyfriends that look alike. Not that it was my business, anyway. I didn't even know these guys. They didn't go to our school. Trust me, if they did, I would know they were all really pretty and my school wasn't overflowing with pretty men. The middle guy, who looked totally different from the other two, looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn't quite put my finger on where I had seen him before.