hours. In those hours, Bel and I have talked, been to the mall, got food and dessert, went shopping, talked some more and rewatched the first two Twilight movies. Now, it's 6 in the afternoon and officially time to start getting ready.

"Hair up, or down?" I say to her as I pull my damp hair up in the mirror.

"Hmm, definitely up. Are you gonna wear cute matching underwear?"

I choke on absolutely nothing. "Why does that matter?"

"In case you wanna have hot 'hate' sex with Parker. Duh."

"No! No one is having sex." I stand up from my vanity. "But yes, I am."

Bel holds up one of my red lace sets and I give her an approving nod. She throws it to me and I catch it, chucking it on the bed. I tighten my towel under my armpit a little, sitting back down on my vanity and taking my makeup bag from the drawer.

About half an hour later, I turn to Bel, who's lying on my bed on her phone. She doesn't look up so I clear my throat. Her eyes flick up, back down to her phone briefly, and then back up to me. She sits up, mouth gaping.

"Holy shit, you look hot as fuck E!" she whisper-shouts.

"Thank you, thank you." I bow.

"Okay, you get dressed, i'll start the car." she jumps up, making her way over to the door.

"You aren't driving my car Bel-" I call after her, but she's already gone.

I laugh, shaking my head as I stand up and take my dress out the closet. This is the only dress I had that screamed 'cocktail party'.

"Hurry up!" Bel yells out the car window as I struggle over in these little silver pumps I wore to my aunts wedding last year. They haven't left the box since then, but I thought these would be a better option than my beat up converse that look like i've been kicking dirt.

I shiver as I get in the passenger seat. It's unacceptably cold, but I also lack a 'cocktail party' jacket too.

"Im assuming this is the address since it's the only place on your gps on the north side." she gestures to the location on the little screen in my car.

I nod. "You know you're gonna have to bring my car back, right?"

"Yes, Mom, I know." Bel rolls her eyes as she pulls away from the curb. "I'll bring it back after I drop you off."

Fifteen minutes later, we reach the Ashford's. The house is lit up, the soft sound of classical music escaping from any open window.

People in suits and pretty dresses are walking up and down the driveway, standing in groups and talking, lingering in the doorway.

"Holy shit." Bel says under her breath.

"Yeah." I nod, my chest tightening a little. This is so intimidating. What if I say something stupid. Or break my ankle in these stupid heels.

"Okay get out loser." my friends taps her fingers on the steering wheel.

I turn, narrowing my eyes at her while she flashes me a perfect toothy grin.

"Fine." I huff. "Wish me luck. Love you."

"Love you E. You'll be fine." She blows me a kiss as I push the car door shut.

I return her kiss and she waves before pulling away from the curb. Leaving me. All alone. Stranded. By myself.

The gate is already open, which makes sense because it would be pretty tedious opening it and closing it for every single guest.

My eyebrows raise as I step through the front doors. The place is completely transformed, it's hardly recognisable. There's a huge crystal chandelier hung at the top of the stairs that I don't think was there a couple hours ago. The first floor is packed, filled with a bunch of expensive looking people wearing expensive looking clothes and holding expensive looking wine glasses.

"Elena?"

I spin around, my ponytail whipping around with me and leaving strands of hair stuck to my lipgloss.

In front of me stands Mrs Ashford, in an emerald green silk dress that's brushing the floor. Her hair is pinned up into some fancy sort of bun at the back of her head. She looks flawless.

"Mrs Ashford!" I smile, trying to take the hair out of my mouth as subtly as possible.

"Margot. Please dear." she takes both my hands in hers. "Elena you look gorgeous hun!"

"So do you Mrs- Margot." I grin.

"Help yourself to some wine, or we have soft drinks in the kitchen."

Another expensive looking woman before us smiles, waving Margot over. She gives her a quick smile, turning back to me again.

"Parky should be around here somewhere if you'd like to go and find him." she rushes, flashing me a smile before walking over to the other lady.

I take a deep breath. A guy in a fancy tuxedo appears beside me with a tray of glasses in his hand, all filled halfway with white wine. I take one, smelling the contents and wincing a little. I hate the smell of alcohol.

I discard the glass onto a different tuxe guys tray, walking in the direction of the kitchen. The first floor is open plan, yet it's far from open. I can barely make my way through.

The middle island that im used to giving Jack his meals on is littered with fancy food platters and neatly assorted trays of soft drinks.

I pick up a little cocktail stick with an olive and pop it in my mouth, eyeing the crowd. I don't think there's a single person below 35 here, apart from myself of course.

"Kinsley." a voice says from beside me.

Ah, and him.

"Hello Parker." I turn to him.

He's wearing a black dress shirt, top two buttons undone, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and tight around his biceps, with black pants and shoes. He looks really good.

"Having fun?" he leans against the island on his elbow.

I shiver a little as I adjust my skirt. Why is the AC on it's freezing. I hug myself a little, rubbing my arms.

"The most." I give a tight lipped smile.

Parker eyes me, his gaze running down my body. I shiver again, not from the cold this time.

"You know you didn't have to come, right?" he says after a moment.

"And miss up the opportunity to drink wine and talk about sports and real estate?" I feign shock.

It may just be the dimmed lights, but I could swear a hint of a smile flickers across Parker's face.

We stand in silence for a moment, which is oddly comfortable, as the music plays softly throughout the house.

"Wanna dance?"

I look at Parker, furrowing my brows.

"What?" I scoff.

"Do you want to dance?" he repeats, and I realise I didn't mishear him.

I glance at the crowd. Amongst the chat and laughter, a few couples are slow dancing.

"You wanna dance? With me?"

Parker rolls his eyes. "It's a yes or no question, Elena."

My first name. I hate how good it sounds coming from his mouth.

"Fine, I'll dance with you." I shrug, even though my heart is racing.

He holds out a hand and I take it, warmth filling my fingertips. As our bodies close in he brings a hand to my waist, pressing our bodies together. My skin is burning, I don't know why.

We move slowly to the music, despite the loud bustle of the kitchen. I look up at Parker, but he's already looking down at me. Once our eyes connect, I can't take mine off his. There's such an intensity that gives me goosebumps. But there's nothing else. I don't see a single emotion in his eyes.

I rest my head on his shoulder, my hair falling over my face. I feel him tense beneath me a little and I lift my head to look up at him. Parker looks back at me, lifting his hand from my waist and stroking my hair before gently pushing my head back down. I close my eyes, smiling a little as I listen to the steady thump of his heartbeat. He's so warm.

Someone bumps into me, jolting me out of peace, before an icy cold feeling overcomes my body, soaking my back and running down my legs.

I turn, mouth open as I stare back at the girl behind me with her hand clasped over her mouth, the other hand holding a can of soda.

She has red curls, unbelievably pretty and most surprisingly, around my age.

"I am so sorry." she gasps.

I'm about to tell her it's okay, when Parker groans from behind me.

"You're a bitch, Mackenzie, you know that?" he sighs.

The girls lips curl up into a smile as she looks at him.

"Don't act like you don't love me for it." she grins, glancing at me before walking off.

I look back at Parker.

"Fuck sake. Come on." he runs a hand through his hair, gesturing away.

He takes me by the hand, leading me to the stairs.

"Who was that?" I look back, trying to get a glimpse of her again as we reach the top.

Parker pushes his bedroom door open, bringing me inside.

"My ex." he pulls a drawer open, pulling out some sweatpants and a shirt.

I feel a strange pang of jealousy in my chest, but I push it aside.

"Why is she here?" I ask as casually as possible.

"Our dads work together." he replies simply.

"What a bitch." I mumble. "No offence."

He throws a towel in my direction. "None taken."

I look at the towel in my hand, then at Parker.

"How am I meant to use the bathroom? There are guests queuing for it."

He sighs, gesturing to the far door in his room. "Use mine."

"Okay... uh, thanks."

Once I'm in the bathroom I slip out of my dress, which is uncomfortably stuck to my skin. The room is identical to Jackson's, just flipped. With Parker's stuff on the shelves rather than bubble bath, essential oils and kiddie shampoo.

I turn the shower on, stepping inside. It's kinda weird thinking about the fact I'm in his shower right now, but I push that thought to the back of my mind as I feel the water run down my body.

About ten minutes later I get out, drying and changing into the clothes Parker gave me. The mix of his body wash and the smell of his clothes overwhelms me.

My damp hair wets the back of my- his shirt, making me shiver.

Parker is on his bed when I finally leave the bathroom, texting I assume. He looks up at me, his eyes scanning my body before he looks back down at his phone.

"You didn't go back to the party?" I tuck my hair behind my ears.

"Not my scene." he says simply.

"Same." I nod. "Especially not in my new attire."

"You can hang here if you want." he doesn't look up.

I frown. "You're being nice to me?"

"I'm saving you the embarrassment." he glances up.

"Of?"

"Going back down there in sweats."

"Ah. Right." Silly me to think he was being nice.

I take my phone off the dresser, sitting on the black sofa seat opposite the bed. This definitely isn't awkward at all.

As I open my phone and begin to scroll through instagram aimlessly, Parker's phone pings. I subconsciously bring my eyes up to him.

His eyebrows are slightly furrowed, hair falling over his forehead and covering his eyes. He licks his bottom lip briefly and my heart rate quickens a little.

I'm just about to look away when Parker's eyes flick up, landing directly on mine. My own eyes move at the speed of lightening back down to my phone. Oh my shit. My cheeks begin to burn as I feel his gaze linger on me.

"James just got here. I'm gonna go hang." he gets up, stretching.

"Mhm." I mumble, still too embarrassed to speak, or even look him in the eye.

The door opens, before clicking shut again. I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding.