The Stranger

Chapter 7.

"Favorite food?" I thought about it for a couple of seconds, not wanting to say a food that's too common and unlikeable. "Pizza." He sucked his teeth, while leaning his head against the car window. "Everyone loves pizza. I need you to dig deeper than that, Daze." "Okay, okay." I replied while biting my lower lip. It amazed me at how patient he was. We spent 3 hours together in his car; talking about our dreams, places we've traveled to and where we dream of going, favorite books, movies, colors, candies, and now food. I released a soft sigh, "I'd have to go with.. egg rolls." His eyes widen as he busted out into tears. "Egg rolls!?" As I started to feel embarrassed, I eased my head down slowly, gazing into my lap of twindling thumbs. Ugh, you're so stupid! Why would you say egg rolls. Now, he probably thinks I'm so weird for liking egg rolls. I didn't want to go too common with the foods, but I guess I went a little too rare.

Noticing that I was serious with my response of egg rolls, he shortened his laughter. "I'm sorry, Daze." "It's fine, really." I replied, still looking down into my lap. "If it makes you feel any better, I like egg rolls too." This caught my attention. I looked up meeting my gaze with his. "Really?" "Really." He reached for my hand, rubbing my thumb with his. "How about we do something fun?" He said breaking the silence. "Like what?" "Let's go to Laney's party!" I rapidly blinked my eyes in annoyance with a flat response of "No." "Daze, don't be like that." He said sucking his teeth. "It'll be fun. It's so many people attending, I'm sure you guys won't even run into each other. Besides, I'm going to be right there with you." His words were very comforting, I'll give it to him.

I drifted into my daily thoughts: Maybe it won't be so bad. The chances of me actually running into Laney's presence is slim to none. And, he said he'll be right beside me; I won't enter the party alone, he'll be my smoking hot date. Ugh, I guess I can live just a teeny bit. It's not like Laney didn't invite me. My thoughts were yet again cut short by the vibration of my phone. It was Alex. Several messages were received by him, unread.

Alex: Daze, I haven't heard from you. Are you okay?
Alex: I guess you are really knocked out!
Alex: Thinking of you..

Those were just a couple. I started to feel guilt in the pit of my stomach, because I sure as hell wasn't asleep. I was in the backseat of a silver bmw, cuddling with Oscar. Maybe if I didn't think about the tragedy I created, things wouldn't be so badly. I could just play it off and take this all to my grave. Yeah, that sounds about right. "Daze, are you down?" Oscar asked. "Yes, I'm so down." Before I knew it, we were pulling up to Laney's mansion party. There were cars parked everywhere! On the sidewalk, the grass, in her garage, and wherever a spot was available. "Wow, it's.. it's a bunch of people here." I said in amazement, looking out of his tinted windows. "Yeah, I heard her parties are always like this." I continued to look out the window of the passing party-goers. Some of them attended our school and others, I didn't quite recognize. He parked the car, and escaped the driver's side before I could even blink. The passenger side opened, and there he was. Curls swooping in the wind, a plain white tee, distressed black jeans that cuffed over his retro Jordans. "Ready, my rupunzel?" He extended his hand as I grabbed it gently with mine. "Ready." As he closed the door behind me, I felt a burst of confidence walking down the sidewalk with Oscar. He clapped up a couple of his friends as he introduced me, "This is my girl. Dazie." Majority of them nodded in approval while others replied with a simple "How you doin'?" in a new-york accent. For someone who recently attended our school, he knew a bunch of people already. "You sure are the hot commodity around here." I said. He shrugged. "Guess I just know a lot of people."

We finally entered Laney's party, after what felt like a 7 mile walk. "I'll grab us a drink. Just yanno, walk around and make yourself comfortable." I nodded in agreement. "I'll try and find some friends." He leaned in kissing my forehead, "That's my girl. Live Dazie." We parted ways, as I walked around the mansion. I saw a few family photos of Laney and her loved ones. Shaking my head,  I didn't realize, I was speaking outloud. "If only she listened to me." Thinking on what happened between me and her, I began to feel lonely. She was my best friend for years; it killed me inside that she picked Dean to listen to rather than me.

I walked around a bit more, gazing at more boring family photos; ran into a couple of drunks, until me and Oscar finally met again. "Hey! I got you a nice drink. Nothing that'll have you too wasted, but it'll create a small buzz." I smiled while taking the drink, "Thank you, O." We found a spot to relax at by the pool as we sipped on our drinks. "I'm going to use the restroom." I said after some time. "I'll be right here." I got up and walked to the nearest restroom. As I opened the door, I heard shuffling. I turned on the light and saw two bodies huddled over the sink. "Oh!" I screamed. "I-I'm so sorry. The bathroom wasn't locked." I covered my eyes with my hands, but still created a small peek to try and paint out who was in the restroom. They could have at least found a bedroom. "Dazie?" I heard a familiar voice. I uncovered my eyes and to my surprise it was Laney and Alex. My mouth dropped in astonishment. "W-what's going on here?" I choked out. Laney was still struggling to fix her shirt; while Alex was zipping his pants up. "I, uh, I tried calling you Daze. I texted you. To, uh, see if you wanted to come to Lane's party." I pushed my eyebrows together, filled with rage. "Yeah, so, you can be trapped in a restroom with Laney?" I scoffed and walked out, not even in the mood to use the restroom anymore or hear his blabber of lies.

Alex was with me less than 10 hours ago, and here he is in a restroom, fondling with Laney. He knows she's my arch-enemy and yet he sleeps with her! And how classy of her. A restroom? I was filled with rage as I approached Oscar. "Can we go?" He met his gaze with mine, noticing something triggered my feelings. "What's going on? Are you okay?" His concern turned me on even more. "No, let's just go, please." He stood up, interlocking my hand with his. As we turned around, Alex appeared in front of us. I sighed, rolling my eyes to the night sky. Why? Why, oh gracious God?

Alex seemed frozen in his steps, as he looked at me and Oscar holding hands. "So, I guess, I'm not the only one with secrets." Oscar released my hand, and made his way towards Alex. "What's that suppose to mean? We got a problem?" Alex backed up, with his hands in surrender. "No, we don't. I just find it intresting how Daze was just in my bed, and now she's snooping out with you." Oscar balled his fist up, and before I knew it, Alex landed on the concrete floor with a bloody nose. "Oscar, stop it!!" I screamed out. As much as Alex hurt me by sleeping with Laney, I still didn't want anything to happen to him. As I stooped down beside Alex, Laney ran up and shoved me down to the ground. "I refuse to sit back and watch you steal another boyfriend of mine!" "Oh, please!" I replied with attitude and shoved Laney back down beside Alex. I stood up continuing, "You both deserve each other!"

Oscar appeared behind me, gripping my waist and dragged me out of the party. "Is it true what he said?" He asked as we got closer to his car. I rolled my eyes in frustration, "and if it was? What does it matter?" "It matters to me, Daze. I'm out here, introducing you as my girl, and you're out here sleeping with your best friend?" I threw my arms up, allowing them to flop on both sides of my hips. "It was one time, okay? We weren't even official yet." I said wavering my fingers between the space of us. "Yeah, we're not." He shook his head and got into the driver's seat.

"So, what? You're going to just leave me here?" Without saying a word, he drove off. I stood there in my pity and disbelief that my Friday night of "just live a little Daze" turned out this way.