"And it took me a while to realize it, but everything I've had to go through in this life, all the pain and sadness I've had to bear . . . well, its led me straight to you."
• • •
After tragedy strikes Mo...
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The house of the party Lana manages to drag me to is unreasonably crowded and extremely loud. I have a headache as soon as I walk through the front door, which is saying something.
The first thing I notice are the red solo cups. It's like everyone has one, and I don't let myself wonder what's in them. By looking at the beverage choices laid out in the kitchen, it's nothing good. The only non-alcoholic option I see is Coke, and the bottle is already more than half way gone.
In the corner of what I assume is the living room stands a group of people sharing a joint, which makes me shiver. The living room is littered with different groups, some drinking and smoking, some dancing, and others simply talking in clusters.
"Wow!" Lana cries over the music and conversations going on around us. "It's packed!"
"I can tell!" I yell back, unsure of what I should be feeling right about now. It's weird to be thrown into this kind of situation, and I can't help but feel a little awkward. I'm not exactly the best when it comes to socializing, and it doesn't help that I have a tendency to isolate myself.
"Come on!" Lana says at that moment, almost as if she can read my mind. "There are some people I want you to meet!"
Lana leads me around the house, introducing me to handfuls of people with almost every step we take. I'm talking to a blonde girl Lana has just introduced me to whose name I've already forgotten when the front door opens, catching my attention. I glance up to see who's entering absentmindedly, immediately regretting my decision. I watch as Jack and at least half of the football team walks in, and my heart inexplicably does a little flip when my gaze settles on Aster Pines's very own golden boy.
I don't know what's wrong with me. As soon as I see Jack, my heart starts to pound. Everything else around me fades, my eyes zooming in on him as if he's the only person here. Jack's golden brown hair is a little messy, almost like he's been running his hands through it. His green eyes are bright, and he flashes his movie star smile to the people he passes on his way into the living room. He wears a hoodie and jeans, somehow still managing to look like a model.
Oh Lord, what is wrong with me?
Jack suddenly catches my gaze, shooting me a small smile as our stares lock. My knees instantly go slightly weak, and I feel a little faint. I'm not sure what is about him in this moment that's making me feel like a schoolgirl with a crush, but I hate it. Whatever trance I'm in needs to stop, and now.
I walk away from the blonde I was formerly speaking to without saying goodbye, grabbing Lana and pulling her away from the group she was talking to and dragging her with me out of the living room.
"What's—" Lana starts, a confused expression evident on her features as she glances at me in surprise.
"I need a drink," I tell Lana in explanation, cutting her off mid-sentence.
