Drowning

Chapter 12:

It was tough to see through the thick crowds of people clustered in groups. Surveying the crowd one more time, I began to grow frustrated and finally pulled out my phone to text Anna.

Me: "Where are you?"

I stared at the phone impatiently, waiting for a reply. I saw the prompt showing she was typing back.

Anna: "At the bar."

I started to walk towards the bar and stopped dead in my tracks about ten feet away. I saw Ezra leaning back against the bar on a stool with some scantily clad purple-haired girl standing between his legs. Her hands were on his stomach and he was leaning into her. I could feel something in me turn sour watching them. It made sense he liked girls who looked like her and little miss nose ring. He was gorgeous; he could have anyone in this bar. Except for me, of course, I wasn't interested in him that way.

I looked away from Ezra and saw the top of Aiden's spiked Auburn hair. I slid between bodies and wiggled through the crowd towards the bar. When I got there, Anna screamed my name and wrapped me in a huge hug. She had already started attacking the free drinks the band got for playing here tonight. The look on her face said she was feeling really good right now.

At the sound of my name, Ezra jerked his head to look at me. I saw his body tense when he realized I was there. Without even looking, I could feel his eyes moving over me, studying me like I was an exhibit placard in a museum. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his eyes lingering a little too long on the curves of my hips. He shook whatever he was thinking away and turned back to the purple-haired skank who was begging for his attention. Did I imagine it, or did Ezra just check me out? My mind must be playing tricks on me.

Aiden came over and wrapped his arms around my neck and pulled me into a hug. I squeezed him back tightly. He rocked me back and forth, swinging me around. Aiden must have had a drink or two with Anna tonight. He spun me around to the side and looped his arm over my shoulder so I could face the group.

"Aieee." I let out a high-pitched scream when warm fingers squeezed the bare skin on my lower back. I jumped high in the air and wrapped myself into Aiden, who pulled me in to keep me from falling over.

Ezra turned to look at me again when he heard the noise I made. His body was tense and he looked like he was about to jump out of his chair. He carried the same expression JD did when he was pissed off about someone messing with me. Three days in and I had apparently already gained a new chaperone.

"Hey, little girl, want some candy?" Mark whispered in my ear like a creepy serial killer.

"Damn it. You scared the shit out of me." I turned around and started smacking Mark on the arm. He bent down to laugh and swung his long hair back when he stood back up.

"That never gets old." He cackled between fits of laughter.

Anna threw back a shot of some brown liquid at the bar. Aiden noticed me watching her and smiled.

"You want one?" He asked me.

"Nope, I'm good," I said. "I have to drive later."

"You can ride with me?" Aiden suggested.

"You're drinking too," I said.

"Yeah, but I stopped. I'll be good by the time the show's done. I can take you back to the house." He smiled, looking down at me.

"It's fine. I don't really want to leave my car here overnight." I looked back up when I felt eyes on me and saw Ezra smirking in our direction when I turned Aiden's offer down. Someone needed to tell Ezra it is not polite to eavesdrop on other people's conversations. He should pay attention to the girl who was grinding herself against him instead of trying to figure out how he was going to harass me tonight.