The Boy Who Broke My Leg

Chapter 12

"Alistair, sup dude", Hunter Hollis greets us as we walk into his house. He and Alistair do the bro handshake thing which I've never been able to follow.

"Woah, Vanessa, s'that you? Haven't seen you around in this scene awhile."

"Yep hasn't really been my scene." I give him a tight smile.

"I haven't seen you since, what was it? Dylan's party? That one where you kissed Mason and Jamir the same night and did like 4 shots in a row off Leo's abs? That was sickkkk",he punctuates with a grin.

God, this is so embarrassing. I try not to look at Alistair while I mumble something on the lines of "I don't really remember."

"I bet you don't remember! That hangover must've been sickkk. Hey why don't you come out to parties anymore you used to be sickkk."

I used to be sick as in depressed and do whatever I had to to get out of my lonely house and get drunk enough to forget everything. I'm pretty sure that's not the sick he's referring to though.

Alistair seems to catch my distress and nods at Hunter. "Cool party dude, we're gonna go hang out." He kinda grabs my elbow and steers me away.

I rub my neck anxiously. "I,um, -" I have no idea what I'm about to say next but I don't have to keep stammering since someone interrupts us.

"Hey Alistair."

I spin around and see a blond...is she a...what is she supposed to be? She's in a stapless black dress and white heals and a white headband. She has a white silk cardigain draped over her shoulder like a scarf. I subtly glance at her bare arm checking for goosebumps. Nope, she not cold. How?

"Hey, Raquel. What's up?" Alistair greets politely. Ah Raquel. I knew her name either started from a letter of the last half of the alphabet.

"I love your costume. Wait lemme guess, you're a Lifeguard?" she giggles at the end of the sentence, even though there's nothing funny about what she said. He's obviously a Lifeguard? It says so in big block white letters across his red hoodie.

I can think of at least seven sarcastic responses, my go to being the classic 'No shit, Sherlock'. Alistair just smiles like she's some genius and goes "Yep. And you are....?"

He trails the question which justifies the fact her costume makes absolutely no sense.

"I'm a nun!" she replies with a grin, which I'm assuming is pride for having the most unguessable costume.

I almost burst out laughing, assuming she's joking, but thank god I don't cuz after a few silent moments, we realize she's dead serious.

"A nun?" Alistair repeats. "Like the monastery kind?"

"The what kind? No, no it's religious", Raquel replies. "Though I put my creative spin on it, cuz you know. The dress was so like, much." Her dress definitely isn't much so I guess she accomplished her creative goal. I can't help she looks good though, not considering the costume fail. I also can't help but notice she's stepped at least another foot closer to Alistair during the whole guessing game and I scowl.

Alistair looks at me, amusement clear in his eyes about the costume. "Raquel, have you met Vanessa?"

She blinks at me like she's seeing me for the first time. "Hey,um, Vanessa is it. Have I heard your name before? Ooh are you an zombie?" she asks, pointing to my foot.

Alistair and I stare at each other for a few seconds in disbelief. I tug my jacket off my shoulders slightly so she can see the text. "Here, maybe the letters can help you out again." Alistair presses his lips together like he's trying to keep from laughing.

Raquel just looks at me confused again. "Ooh I remember where I remember your name. Didn't you go to some party last year and-"

"Oh there's Kayla I'm going to go talk to her catch you guys later", I say quickly and speedwalk out of the conversation. It's a lie of course, Kayla is taking her siblings trick or treating so she texted me saying she can't come but me and Alistair to have fun. She put asterisks around the fun.

I'm finally free of the conversation and I sigh in relief, thinking why I'd agree to come to a party where everybody knows of a past I'm trying so hard to avoid.

I feel an arm on my shoulder and nearly jump out of my skin when I see Hunter next to me.

"What's a pretty girl doing all alone?" he says, his words slurring. I'm sure in his inebriated state he thinks he sounds smooth but he just comes off as plain creepy. "Have a drink." He shoves his half drunk Red solo cup into my hand.

"I'm fine, really", I say, taking a step back.

"C'mon." He pushes the cup into my hand again and I take it and put it on a table next to me. He doesn't even notice, just grins like he's accomplished something. "So tell me what's wrong."

What's wrong is that you're being weird and I want to be out of this conversation. I'd prefer Raquel giggling in Alistair's face over fighting off this drunk guy. "Nothing's wrong."

"Nah, something is definitely wrong. Last year you were partying and making out and ish and now you show up to one party all year and don't even drink? Nah, man that ain't right."

"Nothing is wrong with me. I'm just not interested in this scene anymore." I disgusted with even having to explain myself to this guy. I start to turn around to leave.

He grabs my wrist. "Wait c'mon just prove it once. Prove it once that you're that old Vanessa again. Kiss me once and I'll leave."

My mouth falls open in shock and I rip my wrist away from his as I turn around and run right into Alistair. I look up in relief and he's pissed. His glowering eyes are directed behind me.

"No girl, nobody has to prove anything to you", he spits out in a voice I've never heard him use and it's so unlike him that I just stare at him in disbelief. "And I suggest getting the hell away from here before some girl whom you have to force into kissing you rips your balls out and shoves it into your mouth to shut you up. We're leaving."

"Sorry man, didn't know she was your girl", Hunter mumbles.

I think he mutters something like "yes, she's my girl" but it's too quiet to hear and there's no way he would've said that so I'm convinced it's my imagination.

He grabs my hand and walks away so fast I almost trip over myself trying to keep up with my cast. "Alistair, slow down."

"Sorry. Sorry I'm sorry", he sighs when we finally make it outside onto the grass. "I'm not sorry about what I said to that sleazebag though." His eyes flash in rage again. "I should've punched the grin off his face."

"No you shouldn't have", I tell him, wrapping my arms around his forearm to calm him down.

"I should've been with you. The jerk wouldn't have started talking to you if I was. I was trying to get away from Raquel, I really was, she just kept going on and on and I thought it was rude to interrupt her. Ugh, I just should've. I'm so sorry", Alistair rants, miserably.

"Chill, nothing happened. It's fine. I was leaving to find you anyways." I silently agree with him about the Raquel part.

"No it's not fine. Nothing did happen but it could've", Alistair protests, desperate to take the blame.

I wrap my arms around him and subtly inhale his scent. I'm such a creep. After a second of surprise, he hugs me back. "It's not your fault", I repeat.

"Okay."

"So what do we do now? It's only seven thirty. We were in that party for fifteen minutes", Alistair says, glancing at his phone.

"I have an idea." I speed dial 7. "Hey Kay, it's me. Which street are you guys trick or treating on?We'll come join you. We need to be around people who actually understand the brilliance of our costume."