C H A P T E R 19

Jaleena marveled at the attention she's getting from all the girls I hadn't seen since school let out. I rolled my eyes at the group founding over our dresses. My eyes somehow managed to find their way to Jane out of boredom. She is starring off at my brother and his girlfriend.

I shook my head. Leaving Jaleena's side I walk over to Jane, "still longing after my brother are we?"

She scoffed, "just the opposite actually."

I gave her a confused look. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing, nothing, nothing," She smiles a toothless smile.

I squint my eyes down at her, "Ok weirdo," the song comes to a stop and a different slow song starts to play.

"Talia you owe Jane a dance!" My brother waltz over with Camille.

"I do?"

"You do," He pushes Jane towards me and on to the dance floor.

We're automatically welcomed into the crowd. Janes face flushed red and she looked everywhere, but at me. I smirked at the effect I seem to bestowed on her.

The minutes drag on and the three minute song seems to last forever and a day, but I couldn't help liking it. Her hand fit perfectly in mine like it was meant to be placed in my hand and my hand only. I glanced down at her she starred up at me. As if staring into my eyes would give her the ability to read my thoughts. That that'd I'd care if she did. I have nothing to hide.

The song finally ended. For a moment we didn't notice, but we stopped dancing just starring at each other. Until finally we split.

"Babe, do I get a dance?" I nodded my head eyes still locked with Jane.

"Of course love," I whispered. Jaleena replaces Jane. She places her hand in mine and it didn't fit.

It was awkward and dull. Painfully dull. The spark. It-it diminished. What happened? Where did it go? Will it come back? Does this mean she isn't the one that's been making me happy all this time?

"What was that?" She whispered close to my ear.

"What was what?"

"That dance. You basically left me for her."

I rolled my eyes, "Jealousy doesn't look good on you babe, but if you bothered asking those girls over there. The ones lavishing you in compliments with their boy toys flirting with you. You know? The ones that stole your attention? Yeah well they don't like me. They did it on purpose, but of course you wouldn't know you don't go to our school. You didn't even bother asking," I shook my head and let her go walking out of the ball room and to bathroom Mid dance.

I couldn't deal. I couldn't handle this. I didn't even want to be here! I leaned up against the sink taking a deep breath. I close my eyes letting the sink hold me up.

The bathroom door opens and shuts, "what's your problem?"

I look in the mirror to see Jaleena standing behind me, "what?"

"One second Your in love with me, I'm the light of your entire world and the next your throwing me away? Discarding me to the side like a piece of garbage?" She crosses her arms over her chest, "you know what Natalia, if you gave me as much attention as you give her, maybe I would have noticed. Maybe I would have even asked, but I know that's not what this is about."

"I give you all my attention! All my time! I've devoted this last month to you! I don't know what else more you want from me. And what do you even mean, "that's not what this is about"?"

She scoffs, "Natalia I'm not stupid. I knew from the very beginning that you weren't really into me as I was into you! She was the problem in the equation the entire time!"

I turned around to look at her, "she who? Who is she?"

"Jane who else?!" She throws her hands up in the air groaning while my entire world stopped.

Jane? Jane and I? As a thing? More than friends.

I laughed, "Janes straight stupid."

Jaleena shakes her head, "not for you. I mean who wouldn't turn gay for you you're a goddess." Without another word she turns and walk out of the bathroom.

I don't bother following after her, "Angel actually." I simply whisper.

The bathroom stall opens and the tapping of dress shoes against the tiled floor is hear. The girl walks to the sink next to mine. I avoid eye contact. She just heard all of that.

"Damn that was something." She turns on the water and places her hands underneath, "I tried not to ease drop but you know not much to do in there," she places a singular hand under the soap dispenser.

"Oh. Erm, sorry about that."

"It's cool. Was that your girlfriend?"

I nod my head, "yeah. I think."

She chuckled and turns off the water, "after that conversation who knows."

I shrug and move out the way so she can get a paper towel as I was blocking the machine.

"Well I was about to head out this party blows," she throws her short auburn hair back and runs a hand through it, "but I can't leave such a pretty face looking as so sad."

I laugh, "you don't know me?"

She shrugs, "not a clue who you are. All I is that your prolly going to need a new girlfriend or at least a rebound." She finishes her sentence with a wink.

"Hmm maybe. How do I know I can trust you though?"

"Let,e introduce myself. I'm Jack-"

"Is that short for something?" I cut her off smirking. She thought she'd get a cool introduction in.

"Jackie. Actually. But as I was saying," she fixes her suit jacket, "I'm jack nice to meet you," she holds out her hand.

"I'm Natalia." I don't take her hand because it's weird. I mean we're in a bathroom come on.

"Well Natalia the question isn't if i'm trust worthy. it's if you can hang with the big boys," she takes her left coat pocket and reaches inside the pocket to pull out a little baggie, "if you catch what I mean."

I nod my head.

"So need a fix?"

I looked around the bathroom for a second. This time I'm sure all the stalls are empty.

"A fix?" I questioned. She rolls her eyes.

"Don't be a baby." she ticks the baggies back into her jacket pocket and hold out her hand, "so what do you say?"

"Sure why not." I smirk and give her my hand.

"That a girl!"

We walk out of the bathroom arm in arm and somehow even managed to walk out of the ball room without getting noticed. I follow her to her car and hop in. She owns a shiny new sports car- I couldn't tell you what kind I think it's a mustang though-that smells like it's fresh off the lot.

"Where are we going anyways?"

She presses a button and the car come to life. It's not until we are reversing out of the parking spot whenever she answers me but holding up an oddly familiar room key, "every year me and my friends are drug back here, by our parents, for this stupid ball."

I kinda scoff only if she knew.

She continues, "we decided to make some fun out of so we rent out a suit. Usually the pent house, but someone had already rented it out before us so we got the next best thing."

I snicker, "my bad on that one."

We stop at a red light and she looks at me, "what do you mean?"

"I rented out the penthouse. We are coincidentally staying at the same hotel," I hold up my room key that was in my bra.

"So you don't live here either?"

The light flashes green and we're moving again.

"I do. Just can't stand my family so I rented out a room t get ready in."

She nods her head, "I see."

"You really don't know who I am?"

She glades over at me, "should I?"

I nod my head, "if your from this town yes."

She laughs, "little miss popular or something?"

"Something like that. My mother is the reason you come back every year."

She speeds up passing a red light, "no way. You're a Vanderson?"

I nod my head, "in the flesh."

"So your Rivers little sister. I see the resemblance."

"You know my brother?"

"I may have graduated 4 years ago but of course I know River."

Four years ago? That's why she didn't know me. I was still in middle school whenever she graduated. If she was a friend of Rivers though I should have known her, so why didn't I recognize her?

We pull into the hotels parking lot. Valet took the car to park and we walk inside the hotel and to the elevator we take it up to the top floor. The elevator ride up is silent.

She doesn't speak until the elevator dings signaling we're on our floor, "now don't be afraid to tap out. Most of these guys are trust fund babies who now work on wall street. They do this every weekend."

I roll my eyes as we walk out of the elevator, "don't under estimate me."

She pulls the key car from her pocket as we come upon the door. After Taking a glance down both sides of the hallway she slides the key card and pushes open the door.

The entire room is fogged over and music is being blared inside. How this singular door kept the entire party in, one may never know.

I walk in behind Jack. Everyone greets her as we walk further into the room. For once I'm invisible following in her shadow until I see a familiar face.

"Talia? Surprised to se you here," he spots me rather quit and comes over throwing his arm around my shoulder.

"Sam, why am I not surprised your here?"

"I just follow the party baby."

"Hey Sam," jack and Sam do their hand shake thing, "you know her?"

"Yeah we go to school together."

"So she's cool?" She eyes me up and down.

"She's the party."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah and you didn't believe I could handle myself." I shake my head.

"I say we get the party started already," Sam pulls out four different bags full of pills. Everything in me wanted to walk away say no to the pills for tonight.

"Molly, xos, Tabs, take your pick," they both look at me.

"Or," jack again opens his jacket pocket but this time it's the right side. She pulls out a little box and opens it. Inside are syringe and a clear glass bottle, "something a little harder."

"Sick what's that?" Sam eyes the little red box.

"Morphine."

He shakes his head, "good shit but count me out," he takes two separate pills out his baggies and plops them in his mouth.

"What about you?" She shakes a syringe that she's about to prepare in front of my face.

"Is it safe?"

"Of course."

Sam grabs my wrist, "don't do it. That's a slippery slope to fall down."

For once I thought about taking Sams advice.

"Come on don't be a part pooper." She begins to get up on the kitchen island.

I'm still thinking about it as the puts the needle up to her arm and injects herself. My eyes widened a bit. She actually did that.

Sam shakes his and tries to get me to walk away with him.

"She's mine for tonight," Jack grabbed my forearm preventing him from dragging me away with him.

Sams look at me and I shrug.

"So what do you say?" She asks as Sam walks away, "tango with the devil?"

Qotd: what's happening to Natalia?

AOTD: I think she finally snapped or the girl has a different plan