cast l.h

week three part three

I follow behind Henny and a couple of her friends to the near by apartment complex the party is at. When we arrive it looks like its been going on for a while. Red solo cups are thrown everywhere, drunken couples are making out in halls, and the prevalent party smell of sweat, beer, and smoke lingers inescapably through the area.

What was I thinking? Why did I want to come here... How did I find this so much fun in High School?

An hour passes and I manage to lose every single person I know. Which is one.

I sit on the kitchen counter sipping on a water bottle I had brought for myself. ¨Well will you look what we have here,¨ a boy slurs slightly in my direction.

I narrow my eyes and realize it's the boy who had run into me earlier and left without apologizing. He walks over to me, getting fairly close in proximity.

His breath reeks of cheap tequila and I turn my face from his, ¨You surely clean up nicely. I hardly recognized you.¨

He has dark brown eyes that one could argue reflect his personality. He is average height with shaggy brown hair. I can't help but think of my old best friend Calum when I look at him.

¨Personal space,¨ I respond, using my foot to move him farther away from me. He doesn't get the hint and comes back just as quick.

His slurring southern accent retorts ¨I am just being friendly, didn't mean to offend ya doll.¨

I sip my water again avoiding eye contact atttempting not to roll my eyes at the word ¨doll.¨

¨I feel like we got off on the wrong foot, I'm Kyle.¨ He says extending his arm towards me.

I shake it for a second ¨Izzy.¨

¨Pretty nam..." he begins but is interrupted by Henny shouting it into the kitchen. She stumbles over to me in a drunken manner and hugs my legs. She then turns and hops a hug onto Kyle making them both stumble..

¨You too,¨ she motions, ¨follow me.¨ She shouts running from the kitchen to the backyard.

I slowly follow behind but eventually make it to a small group of her friends huddled. ¨Glad you're all here, and that Izzy and Kyle met. I got us some party favors.¨ Henny whispers quite loudly.

Everyone but me leans closer to close the the circle. I soon know them as Chris, Matt, Lyla, and Kyle. I peek in and see in her hand are several little pills. Pills I can tell are clearly ecstasy. I jump back from the group needing to separate myself from the drugs and those people.

C'mon Izzy, it's not a big deal. You've done it before and you were fine. Stay and have fun.

no... No! NO, stop it.

I nearly run out of the house, but am pulled back by Henny and Kyle. In unison they ask ¨Where are you going?¨

¨I need to go home.¨ I say.

¨Why?¨

¨I don't owe you answers, I just have to go.¨

¨You don't want one before you leave?¨ Henny asks slipping a pill into my pocket. I take it out and give it back.

¨Thanks but no thanks.¨

Kyle shuffles from foot to foot while staring me up and down like I am a prey and he is a predator, ¨Party pooper.¨

¨Sorry I can't take drugs and drink like all of you do." I mumble.

¨Sorry I'm not a prude darling.¨ I almost laugh at his response because he clearly does not know me at all. He knows nothing about my life or why I can't do any of those things.

I roll my eyes and walk back to the main campus to find my car. I do my best to get home as quick as possible. My thoughts are eating me alive. The temptations I just endured were extremely excruciating,

As expected I arrive home before curfew, it only being 12. I attempt to enter the house quietly. Noise is coming from the family room. I set my things by the stairs and go see Shyla. She sits on the larger couch watching an old black and white movie.

I can't help but smile at the large boy spread out asleep on the smaller couch. I tiptoe to my aunt and sit down next to her. Almost instantly she can tell something is wrong and my face falls.

¨Didn't have fun?¨ She asks in a quiet tone.

I look over to the other couch to see if he's still asleep, I don't want to say anything personal in front of him. But he appears to be sound asleep. I turn to my Aunt and tears I hadn't known I was holding back spill out.

I lean into her arms and silently cry. I'm not even sure if she understands what I'm saying because it is choppy ¨There was so much temptation, it's so hard. I didn't know anybody. I felt like an outcast. No one understands.¨

Her long fingers gently rub my head and neck in a calming manner, ¨I understand.¨ is all she says. I don't bother responding but instead fall into a deep sleep in the arms of a woman who feels more like my mother than my actual mother.

Luke's POV

I stare at the time passing by on my phone minute by minute, not quite sure what I am waiting for. Shyla cackles at the movie pulling me from my strange trance. I glance over to her making eye contact and giving her a small smile.

She can tell something is up with me. She always has been able to for my whole life. All day I have felt a bit off and quiet and I can't figure out why. I think back over my day and try to figure out the moment my mood shifted.

The work today wasn't too hard, all I had to do was clear some walking paths. I ate well and had good sleep last night. What is wrong with me?

My mind unexpectedly flashes to the encounter with Izzy.

¨Well unlike the many girls who, I am sure, do find you charmingly funny, I am not one of them.¨

It's been bugging me for awhile. Why would she assume I am like that? Yeah, I get some attention from girls but none of them interest me. She just assumes I sleep around all the time I think. Maybe that is what bugs me.

I doze in and out of consciousness, often nodding off. I expand my long body across the small furniture and close my eyes.

Just as I become comfortable I hear the front door open and close. I know who it is and I don't feel like getting treated badly right now so I fake it. I deepen my breaths and close my eyes.

I can't see but the room's energy changes. She walks in and pauses, then she continues to sit next to Shyla.

¨Didn't have fun?¨ Shyla asks her.

Izzy doesn't respond at first but I hear her do something else. I assume she is crying. For some reason my heart sinks. I know her and I aren't friends, or anything close to friends but I still don't want her to cry. I wonder what happened.

She eventually responds, ¨There was so much temptation, it's so hard. I didn't know anybody. I felt like an outcast. No one understands.¨

No one understands what? Maybe if she didn't push me away so much I could understand. I mean I don't know 99% of what she's talking about but it's not like she knows my life either. She can't have it that bad.

¨I understand,¨" Shyla says.

She understands? Why is everything so secretive? Shyla is usually so open and tells me things. What is being kept from me? Maybe I should text Ashton and ask. But then again, Izzy doesn't seem to know my secret and I wouldn't want to tell her.

I guess it just isn't my business but I can't help being curious. You know what they say though, curiosity killed the cat.

A/N

gonna be more Luke POV so hope you like that... ohlala would it be weird for the ship name to be Lizzy... because lukes mom's name is Liz. WELL SCREW IT IT'S GONNA BE LIZZY.