EDITED VERSION: Chapter Eighteen

Samara and I just finished getting ready and I stood in the mirror observing my appearance. I was wearing a dark green dress with long sleeves made of lace and a hemline that cuts off at mid-thigh. The colour of the dress not on made my eyes pop but also complimented my skin tone. Looking at myself, I smiled a little. Samara really knows what will look best on me. I turned to my friend and gave her a big grin. "Thank you for the dress, Sam."

"No problem, girl. I knew it would look great on you," she grabbed her purse off her bed and turned in my direction. "Ready to go?"

I nodded my head, grabbed my leather jacket and slipped on my black pumps. "I could use a drink, or many, come to think of it."

"Amen to that, sister," Samara laughed as we walked out of her apartment to headed to Nathan's party.

***

Music was blaring and everyone was in full party mode. Instead of moping in the kitchen the last party Justin threw, I went straight to the drinks that were behind the couch in the living room.

"Hey, long time no see!" Justin boomed from behind me as I bent down to get beer from the cooler.

I turned around and gave him a hug. "I'm so sorry, I have just been crazy busy lately."

"No worries," Justin said, giving me a kind smile. "Darian told me you have a lot on your plate. But tonight, just enjoy yourself!"

I nodded my head. "I intend to!"

Darian's boyfriend gave me one last smile before he headed outside to the pool area where the snow was cleared and heaters were placed.

For a few moments, I stood there sipping my beer but I got bored of it quickly. Mumbling to myself, I went to the kitchen. "I need some shots."

Once I got to the kitchen, I saw Nathan sitting on the counter with a bottle of vodka in one hand and a shot glass in the other. When he noticed my presence, he gave me a lopsided smirk. "That colour suits you, matches your eyes."

I rolled my eyes and hopped up on the counter, sitting beside Nathan and grabbing another shot glass. "Gimme whatever you got."

He chuckled as he poured my drink and I winced as I swallowed. I nudged him and he poured another one. This time we took our shots together.

I nudged him again and Nathan looked me over. "You're a bit of a lightweight, princess, are you sure you can handle it?"

"Are you sure you can handle it, Mr. Bartender Man?" I challenged, poking him on the shoulder. I was so tired of holding myself back that tonight I just wanted to let loose and have fun.

Nathan chuckled in response. "It is so on."

Fifteen minutes later, I was completely unsure as to how many shots Nathan and I did. We still sat in the kitchen and I was swaying to the music that blasted in the living room, surprisingly not at all feeling nauseous.

"I'm gonna go dance," I slurred out, hopping off the counter and making my way to the living room.

"But princess," Nathan whined from behind me.

Instead of waiting for him, I jumped into the crowd of people, instantly moving to the beat of the songs. I still couldn't believe that Justin was able to book a DJ to perform in his living room. Although, it was a big living room.

I danced and danced until I thought I was going to fall over and die from exhaustion. Suddenly, Samara shimmied her way over to me with a big grin on her face. "It's about time you cut loose, girl!"

"Yeah, no kidding!" I replied loudly, trying to speak over the music. "I'm gonna get some air, be right back!"

She nodded her head and Hayden made his way behind Sam, gently placing his hands on her hips, she leaned into him and whispered something in his ear, causing him to grin from ear to ear.

Knowing without a doubt that whatever she said was insanely promiscuous, I shook my head with a goofy smile as I began weaving my way through the people all the way to the front door. I swung it open, almost falling the process. However, when I stepped out, I ended up tripping over my own feet and started plunging to my death. This truly felt like deja vu.

But I didn't fall, two arms wrapped around my waist, stopping me. "Easy there, princess, I don't want to drop my smoke."

Straightening myself out and standing on my own two feet, I mumbled, "It's a bad habit anyway."

"There are worse things I could be doing," he responded with a wink.

I giggled at this, for whatever reason. Nathan began to laugh too and put his hand on the small of my back, causing me to lean into him. He gave me a big smile and flicked his cigarette to the ground. "I'm having a good night, thank you for coming even though I've been a-"

"Asshole?" I finished for him, surprised at my boldness.

Nathan pouted slightly. "That's mean."

"Awe," I began, pinching his cheek. "You know I love you."

He didn't respond, instead, he took my hand and pulled me back into the house and back into the kitchen. "I need another drink, what do you say?"

"I say hell yes," I hopped up on the counter Nathan and I sat on earlier tonight.

Nathan approached me, but instead of sitting beside me, he moved my legs so he could be standing right in front of me. He stared at me dead in the eye as he brought the bottle up to his plump, pink lips and I couldn't help but stare at him as he did so.

He gave the bottle to me and I took a long sip. Shaking my head and giving Nathan a wicked smile, I said, "This is the most fun I've had in a long time."

Nathan took the bottle from my hands and placed it gently beside me. He placed his hands on my waist and brought me closer to him, resting his forehead on mine.

I could feel his breath on my face but I didn't care, unlike wanting to push Jude away, I wanted to pull Nathan closer.

He moved a strand of stray hair out of my face and tucked it behind my ear. My heart started to pick up in pace as Nathan lowered his gaze to my lips.

I couldn't move. I didn't want to move.

His lips were just about to reach mine as he whispered, "I've wanted to do this for so long."

Bringing my hands up, I tangled them into his hair. "Then do it."

"What the hell is happening here?" Darian asked slowly, arms crossed and leaning against the entryway to the kitchen.

Nathan's hands were still resting on my waist and I heard him sigh quietly. Moving his forehead off of mine, he turned his gaze to his brother's direction and gave him a mischievous grin. "Nothing you need to worry about, little brother."

I giggled at Darian's expression to his brother's response. He stood there, mouth hung to the floor and eyes wide. "It certainly is to my business, big brother."

Instead of replying to his brother, Nathan turned to me, his eyes bright and full of life. "Let's dance, princess."

"What?" Darian yelled. He pushed himself off the door frame and walked over to Nathan and me. "No dancing! What is happening here?!"

"What's happening," I began as I hopped off the counter and made my way to the kitchen door. "Is Nathan and I are going to go dance."

Nathan gave his brother a lopsided smirk and placed his hand in mine.

"Feel free to join us!" I said with a wink.

When the crowd saw Nathan emerge from the kitchen and finally join the party, everyone cheered. A few people came up to him to wish him a happy birthday, the guys did those weird handshakes that every guy somehow knows how to do, and the occasional girl would come up to him in efforts to dance but he didn't spare any of them a second glance.

Hayden came in from the backyard and gave Nathan a big smile. "Where have you been man? I've been looking for you!"

"In the kitchen," Nathan slurred. "I've been drinking a lot."

Nathan's friend chuckled and gave me a pointed stare. "Is this your doing?"

"It was a team effort," I respond with a big grin.

Hayden rolled his eyes and then patted Nathan on the back. "Well, happy birthday. You two enjoy your night!"

Turning on his heel, Hayden was simply laughing as he shook his head while walking back to the firepit in the backyard.

"Ready to dance, princess?" Nathan said loudly, in an effort to speak over the music that was rattling the whole house.

He placed his chin on my shoulder and wrapped his arm around my waist, causing me to lean into him, so close I could smell his cologne that smells like evergreens.

I tipped my face upwards so I could vaguely see his face. I could see the glimmer in his eye as I said, "Ready as I'll ever be."