18. Act Natural

Liam

It's become a bit of a tradition now, to throw a party for Holden, even if he doesn't really one want one.

Well, he says that he doesn't, but we always notice the happy look he has on his face afterwards.

He's never really fussed about his birthday, but as his best mates, we have do something for him, it's basically our responsibility.

However, if I'm being really, really honest, this time this party isn't solely for Holden. Of course it's mainly for him, but for me, it's a little bit for Julie too.

I just can't seem to talk to her during school, every time that I do, she just seems to shy away and or gets so timid.

It's as if it'll hurt her if she talks to me. I'm not sure if I scare her that much or generally , she's just easily spooked.

I do think think I'm that scary. At least, Rena's never said that I am. She always spoke her mind around me, at least I think she does. But with Julie, I just can't seem to get her to talk to me.

There's also the fact that I can't ever seem to catch her alone. She's always with someone or huddled within the group.

When I spoke to the guys about it, they suggested I invite her to this party, since she'll be alone - kind of - and outside of a school environment. It would probably be the best time.

What they had said made sense. I hadn't spoke to Rena about it, but I'm sure she'd agree anyway. She agreed for the party already, so that was something.

"Chill man, she'll be here. Stop acting so damn nervous," Andre told me.

I had been pacing around for a while now, I just couldn't help it.

"Shut up. I'm not nervous," I snapped at him.

Okay well, that was an obvious lie. I'm pretty sure that the only thing that I felt right now was nervousness.

Andre seemed to know this too. "Yeah sure," he scoffed at me.

"Go DJ or something," I shoved him away from me, his presence was just annoying me right now and adding stress that I really didn't need.

After after shoving me back, he thankfully walked away.

"You okay, Liam?" Chris asked.

"Yeah," I gave him a smile and then just shrugged. "I just don't want to mess up with her," I told him honestly.

If all goes well, then this will be the first time I actually speak to her properly. Truthfully, I want to ask her out, but I just don't want to say the wrong thing and have her bolt or make her cry.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine. Just act natural and ignore anything Andre says," Chris then told me and I couldn't help but laugh at this.

Just act natural, hopefully I can do that.

***

The party has been going on for half an hour now, why isn't she here?

Hopefully, Rena didn't let her back out. If anything, I'm sure she's offering her some reassurance, calming her nerves or something.

That was one of my favourite things about her, not that she was always there and helpful and a great friend - all that goes without saying - but it was that she had this calmness about her.

"Liam," I heard Rena call my name and instantly I turned towards her.

"Rena, you made it!" I practically yelled the words and unable to help myself, I hugged her straight away, picking her up a little.

I could hear her laugh at my actions and I smiled. After a long time of being away - because of my stupid self - I'm so glad I can be like this with her again.

This wasn't the first time that I was seeing Rena at a party, I had spotted her a couple of times, but I didn't really say anything. I wasn't really sure what I should say and just kept my distance, but now, that doesn't apply.

When I finally put her back down onto her feet, I saw that Julie was standing right next to her.

"Hi, Julie," I greeted her.

She looked so amazing in white, practically like an angel, I couldn't even take my eyes off of her.

"Hi," she then said, shyly.

Well, she spoke. That's a start at least. She didn't run for the hills, so that's a positive sign I guess.

"You look beautiful," I then told her.

It was always good to compliment a girl, Mum said that it helps to build confidence, not that they're dependent on it.

"Thank you," she replied and I could faintly see a blush working it's way onto her cheeks.

When she didn't say anything else in return, I thought it would be funny to tease her a little bit.

"I know I look good too," I joked. Lame, I know.

"Oh, I..." she began to say, but then looked a little flustered at my words. It was quite cute.

"Don't worry, angel. I know you thought it at least," I teased a little more, unable to stop the smile that worked it's way onto my face seeing her blush deepen.

I looked away from Julie for a moment, when I saw Rena walk away from us.

She probably didn't want hear me embarrass myself like this and moved away. I made a mental note to come find her later and talk to her. She'd made this happen really, I needed to thank her at least.

I then cleared my throat a little, and looked back at Julie, feeling all kinds of nervous again, as if the calmness had left again.

"So, how are you liking the party?" I asked.

'What the fück is wrong with me? Could I have asked a lamer question? Damn it.'

She smiled a little, which I assumed was to be polite or something. "I just got here," she said.

Stupid, Liam. Of could she just got here and you ask her about the party. Idiot.

"It's kind of my first party," Julie then told me, looking away from me a little, still red as ever.

I honestly didn't expect that. Her first party? Maybe she didn't like them so much.

"That's okay. Although, it does add a little pressure on this party," I laughed and I was happy that my words maybe her giggle a bit.

"Didn't you go to parties at your old school?" I then asked her feeling curious about her old life.

Julie seemed to get a little tense at my question, and then looked around us, as if someone were listening in.

"Um no, I didn't really have many friends," she said so quietly, I almost didn't hear her.

"Oh, that's no problem," I smiled at her. "You have me now and Rena, and all our other friends," I told her.

As much as any parent could say it's so easy to make friends in high school, it really isn't. It's awkward...unless you already had friends to begin with.

It's also incredibly stupid to let those kind of friends go - lesson learned there.

"That's exactly what Rena said too," Julie smiled at and I really wasn't surprised she'd gotten that advice from her.

"Do you wanna dance?" I then asked her.

Julie pursed her lips and somehow looked more nervous than me.

"Um, not really. Maybe later?" She then said timidly.

"That's fine, I'll definitely take you up on that later," I told her. This party was going to last a while anyway, I'm hoping at some point would could sneak a dance in.

"Do you want something to drink at least?" I offered.

I try to be a good host when I can. Not just because I could imagine my would Mum smack me at the back of my head if I wasn't.

"Oh, I don't drink," Julie told me.

I nodded in response. "A Coke it is," I said, handing her a drink.

It wasn't like it was a bad thing that she didn't thing, to each their own. I know that Rena didn't either.

There was this one time when we were young kids, I had a sip of my Dad's whiskey. It really didn't taste nice at all, I hated it. However, then Rena decided to do the same, since I did it, and she hated it more than me.

I don't think she's ever had a drop of alcohol since then.

Reached for the coke, kept in the ice bucket, I handed it to Julie.

"Thank you," she replied, when she took the the drink from me and I could see her hands were shaking a little.

Was she afraid of me?

Fuck it. I'm just going to do the most cliche thing ever...

"Let's play twenty questions?" I said, as if it were the most original idea.

It's was so cliche, it almost hurt to ask this question and made me cringe internally, but I'm pretty sure it's probably the best way for me to get to know her.

"Now?" She replied and I could see the look of surprise on her face.

"Yup," I nodded. "Why, you got a party to go to?" I joked, which caused her to laugh again.

Again, a positive sign.

"Okay, so favourite colour?" I asked her.

Cliche game, cliche question.

But it must be cliche for a reason, right?

"Red," Julie replied and I make a mental note of her answer. "Yours?" She asked me with a smile.

I paused for a moment. I don't actually know what my favourite colour is, I just tend to have a few that I would wear most often.

"Dark Green," I told her.

And from there, we just carried on.

***

"....Juliet, really?" I asked her.

I don't even know when we stopped playing the game of questions, and actually started talking to one another.

We seemed to have finally passed that awkward phase and we were actually having a proper conversation. Julie's still shy, but that's just her, and I really like that about her.

Now we're just sitting on some couch, talking some more...

"Yeah. I go by Julie. At my old school, well, they kind of made fun of me. Always teasing me where's my Romeo. After that I just go by Julie," she told me. "I wish my parents chose another Shakespeare name," she huffed.

I smiled at her. "Well, I like your name."

"Please don't call me Juliet," she quickly told me, clearly worried that I'd begin to call her that.

I mean I truly thought that it was a really nice name, but if it meant that much to her, I would refrain from ever call her by that.

"Don't worry, I won't call you anything that would upset you," I told her and Julie smiled.

When I just carried on to look at her, noticing the way her green eyes glimmered, and her hair shone, in the light. She looked so pretty.

I either creeped her out or just looked at her way too intensely, that Julie then got up from the sofa, looking rather nervous.

"Um, what about that dance?" She asked.

I couldn't help but smile at her offer.

Getting up from my seat, I tried to be a little brave and then held onto her hand, something which caused her to look at me with widened eyes.

I then guided her towards the dance floor, making sure no one bumped into her on the way and held onto her waist.

I kept looking at her, making sure that she didn't seem to uncomfortable by my actions. The last thing that I wanted to do, was push her and cause her to feel uneasy in any way.

From the way she reacted, I could tell she wasn't used to this, but then also knowing she was comfortable enough to be dancing with me like this, I was quite happy.

"Julie?"

She looked up and me and I could tell she was really nervous about what I was going to say. Hell, even I was.

Here goes nothing...

"Will you go out with me?" I asked her.

She paused and I mean really paused. I was sure if she glitched or was processing or trying to find a nice way to reject me, either way, I just braced myself.

"Maybe," I then heard her say.

"Maybe?" I asked her...just for confirmation.

However, before she could say anything else, Sara dragged her away to dance. But I wasn't disappointed, instead I was left grinning like a madman.

It wasn't a total rejection, which meant that I had done somewhat well.

"You alright, man?" Holden's voice then brought me out of my daze.

"Yeah, yeah, all good. I'm just going to go use the bathroom," I told him and walked away with my shit-eating grin plastered across my face.

***

Moving through all the people and finally getting upstairs, I managed to get to the bathroom, only to hear someone shouting nearby.

I walked closer to where I heard the noises coming from.

"...Fuck. You're gonna regret that, bitch," I heard some guys' voice.

Obviously that couldn't have been something good, so I thought it was best to just open the door. Someone was probably in trouble and I couldn't just leave it.

I quickly opened the door at that moment.

The guy's back was facing me, and clearly hovering over some girl. Before the fucker could raise his hand on her, I yanked him back and threw him off of her.

When I looked down to make sure the girl was okay, I saw Rena on the bed, her clothes and hair in disarray.

My eyes widened immediately, realising what the fuck was going on and what that bastard had intended on doing to her.

I looked away from Rena and back towards the sick fücker. "Touch her again and I'll break off your fucking hand!" I yelled at him.

How dare he even touch her!? I'll rip his head off even makes another move.

"Sorry, bro. I didn't know she's yours," he muttered, still on the ground.

"I am not your bro. Now get the fuck out of here, fucking piece of trash," I yelled at him, and quickly the guy ran off.

Bastard.

I swear, I wish he made another move to come at me, I would knock his fucking teeth out or break his limbs, for even thinking to touch Rena like that or even looking in her way.

After asking Rena if she was okay - which even if she said she was, I didn't really believe her - I took her hand and led her into the kitchen.

Her hand needed some ice and as she sat on the counter, whilst I carefully iced her knuckles, I couldn't but think what could have happened.

I know she told me that she'd okay, that she's fine, and that she's handled it, I'm not convinced.

That was horrible to go through and...I don't even want to think about it.

If I see him back at school, I'll kick his ass. The fucker deserves it. What an actual prick, doing that to Rena. Thinking about doing it to her.

When I heard her wince from the pain and her hand gripping mine, I felt a part of me hurt too.

This shouldn't have happened. Not to anyone, and definitely not to Rena.

Of course, she looks gorgeous, she always does, but that doesn't mean a guy should forget his limits.

I asked her to come to this party and this happens. I should've ripped that guy apart. Just thinking about him touching Rena makes me so angry, but I'm trying to stay calm.

After all that, I can't believe she's the one who's looking at me, as if I'm the one who got hurt.

Next time, I'm not going to let her out of my sight at a party.

***

After Rena and her mates had calmed slowly and they got back to the party, the rest of the night was actually quite fun.

I didn't let Rena out of my sight for the whole time, and if I did get called away by one of the guys, I made sure to get one of them to watch out for me.

Unfortunately, I also didn't get to have alone time with Julie again, but her sort of agreeing to go out with me, that alone made my night.

"Liam, we're gonna go now."

I turned around at Rena's voice, noticing the smile on her face and the way she kept shifting on her feet - it must be the heels.

The others must of already left or were waiting for her outside, since she was alone.

A part of me wanted to tell her about Julie and how it went tonight, but I think I'll wait, since she already went through a lot already with that stupid prick.

"Thank you, Rena. For everything," I told her instead and then gave her the tightest hug.

"I did nothing, except punch a guy," she joked and hugged me back.

Of course she'd say something like that.

"You did more than that, Rena. Thank You," I whispered and tightened the hug a little, before letting her go.

I waited at the threshold of the door, waiting till Rena got to her friends and drove off. Despite the slight hinderance in the night, I'm so glad she came, that she convinced Julie and that I got some time alone with her too.

This was only the first step in the right direction.