Hailey

And I did find a drink. Hell, if I did.

I sent a quick text to Vickie, not getting into the details, but telling them I'd run into someone and wouldn't be making it to the movie yet. Or ever! He was there, probably cuddling with Karen, being all lovey-dovey while in his perverted mind he was probably thinking about any other girl.

I could see all the signs now. All those secret meetings, his anxiety about me telling anyone... He never had any intention of breaking up with Karen. He was probably bored or whatever and wanted to add emotion to their long time relationship. 'Emotion' as in messing with my feelings. Leading me on when there was obviously nothing to be lead to.

I'd been his plaything to spike his actual love life.

And I believed every word like a bloody moron!

I thought it was sadness what crushed my chest and tightened around my throat like a deathly lace... but. It wasn't sadness, it was anger. Red burning ire that flowed through my veins like liquid fire.

Mad at him? At me? Both probably. And it beated me, I couldn't take the humiliation that irked me from inside because it was all my own fault!

The groups in the picnic zone had alcohol already running since earlier that night. There were people gathered on the benches, doing drinking games and taking this celebration to the next level. See? This is why young people like my brother shouldn't be here.

It wasn't difficult for me to find a group with people I'd befriended and that were happy to let me have some of their drinks. They had apparently an endless supply of different alcohols they brought with them -since the owners directly forbidden to have anything stronger than a beer in their stands.

The portable fridge of Ethan Turner was under the picnic table, bluetooth speakers and we all were gathered around. Crowded together, but it was fine since late October was making itself noticeable. Human heat and all that.

I'd lost the count of how many times I filled my plastic glass. Three? Four? By the time the games turned naughty I was more than ready to let loose. This hole in my chest hurt and ache, screaming for attention and I need to get rid of it. Never had I drink like this. To get drunk. To forget this awful feeling inside me.

Why couldn't I be enough?

Always second choice.

Didn't I deserve to be someones priority for a change?

It must be nice to feel wanted.

Then why couldn't I have that?

Why?

Why why why-

The loud music and dense atmosphere were already having an effect and making me feel even more dizzy. My head was dense and slow, so I grabbed myself another beer and moved from the crowd. The whole picnic lot was filled with people having the time of their life, whether it was gathered in groups or splashed around making out, sleeping or letting the high settle.

I was drunk, but no that much to actually go alone to some place where one of this boozed head could be an actual danger for me or something, so I just waved the nice girls that had welcomed me and slid to a nearby bench facing the facing to the viewpoint, still half in the party but not surrounded by so much sounds and senses that made me feel overwhelmed. Like on the verge of asphyxiation.

Even tho... maybe that what I needed, right?

I rolled the beer bottle in my hands, blinking the sudden water in my eyes with fury. I shouldn't be feeling like this. I haven't done anything wrong. I just was too naive to catch his lies in time.

I took a big swig from the bottle, its bitter taste making me cringe. I'd never been a fan of beer, but a girl gotta work with what she had. And every sip of this unhealthy drinks made my chest unclenched a bit more.

The more I went again and again over what happen, over every encounter with Justin, the less sad I became. The feeling turning into sheer anger.

I downed another gulp.

"Okay," the bench dipped by a sudden weight on my left side. Olly plopped down on my side and I raised my gaze, realizing how tipsy I already was when it took me a moment to focus on him. Wow, this works. But I was still feeling like shit. "You look like someone had killed your brother." he frowned, a little off himself as well.

Yeah, my spotless appearance at the beginning of the night had deteriorated a bit. The ponytail was so tight it was starting to hurt so I'd let it down in my natural waves, the thighs had a run that went from my tip toes to just above my knee and at some point the eye mask had bothered me so I took it off and now it's gone.

I shook my head. "It's nothing."

"Come on." he playfully nudged my shoulder with his. "Something is bothering you. I can tell." another nudge and stretched his arms. "Tell Wise Olly. I had the answer off all your problems." rolled my eyes but had to press my lips at the small smile playing there. "Promise! I'm all ears here."

"It's just... nothing." I sighed, slumping down. "Don't you ever feel like... I don't know. It's stupid. Forget it." I didn't want to hear an I told you so right now or received some pity looks, so I cleared my throat and said: "Weren't you with the team?"

"Well, now I'm with you." with a sigh, he dropped one arm around my shoulder and squeezed gently. "Hails, if this is for who I'm thinking it is..." I tensed. "You're doing the right thing. It was about time you kick him out your life."

Kick him out? Another image of them kissing watered my eyes again.

"I didn't think it would hurt this much." my voice trembled, weak and he brushed my arm, letting me lean into him.

"There there. You know what they say, right? The best way to get over someone is getting under someone else."

I let out an abrupt chuckle. Such an Olly-like advise. Guess 'Wise Olly' only goes this far. "Well, charmer, this is such a lovely proposition but-"

"No, oh God, not me." he laughed as well, chasing away more stiffeness in my soul. "You see that hot nurse over there? She was giving me the look just a minute ago."

"Well, then, don't let me stop you." I pushed him her way with a giggle. "Go get under someone else."

"I will, and you should as well." I laughed and he insisted: "I mean it, Hails. Get laid."

"Olly." I whispered yelled; my eyes widened and I blushed, mortified, but no one was close enough to hear his blunt response and the ones that might had were too drunk to care.

"What? I'm speaking the truth. If you let loose you'll see what you've been missing out going after that idiot." at my glare he laughed some more and then his eyes shifted over my shoulder, his smile turning malicious. "You'll see."

"Wh-"

"What are you doing here?" a new dragged voice came from where he looked and a new body fall on the bench, at my other side. I didn't have to turn to knew it was Nate. I could tell by the way my heart stirred and how my skin reacted at the sudden closeness, very aware of the few inches left between us. "You're missing out the party!"

I shifted to him, seeing his sprawling back against the bench, with one arm over its back and a small-dazed smirk on his face. Buzzed as well.

"Among other things." Olly chuckled and got up, "Now that I know you're in good hands I'll go see that nurse."

I blushed as Nate laughed. "Isn't he protective?" I rolled my eyes and raised my feet to the bench, bending my knees against my chest and took another deep sip of the beer. "Whoa, I get it, now."

I wiped my mouth frowning at him. "You get what?"

"Him being protective." the bottle is snatched from my grasp and I gasped as he lifted it to take a swig himself.

I couldn't help but focus on the way his throat moved as he gulped. How his jaw moved. How the first button of his shirt was unbuttoned under the leather jacket and at some point along the night he'd lost the hat so his slightly tousled hair was on display like an alluring halo.

He smirked. "Like what you see?"

My dazed mind struggled to process information as his eyes moved down to my lips and my body heated up. Just like before. Like yesterday. Nate... Yes! Nate made my mind go blank. Void of Justin and other shits. Could it be...

Maybe Oliver had some brain after all.

"Hailey?"

"What?" I snapped my eyes back at his, my daydream cut short, and met his amused, slightly off orbs.

Why did he have to be so handsome? Was it even fair?

Get under someone else... Olly's words echoed in my head and I felt hot all over remembering yesterday's almost kiss. Maybe that was what I needed? To let loose? If his nearness alone was able to affect em this much just wonder if we did kiss.

He smirked. "You're a mess."

"You too." I breathed out, smelling the alcohol in his breath as well. I used the moment of distraction for him as well to get the bottle back, that slid easily from his fingers and I leaned back with a smile. "And this is mine, thank you very much."

As I have another go of the awful drink, he chuckled again. "Okay." but even when he leaned back against the bench once more I still feel his burning presence right against mine. His arm dropped across the back and grazing my shoulders. Excitement twisted my guts. He really had such an effect on me.

"So how's it going so far?" I tried to focus on something more neutral. Uselessly, of course.

"Fine." he shrugged, frowning down at the legs bend to my chest. "You look upset, tho."

"Do I now?"

"Mhm." for a second I worried he might asked about it but he didn't. Maybe he understood I didn't want to talk about it or maybe he just didn't care. Either way, I was glad he didn't. Instead, his next comment was completely random: "What's this?" He traced the hell of a run that popped over the hem of the boot and it climbed another inch.

With a gasp I pushed his hand away, "Don't." but he chuckled and reached out again so I grabbed his wrist. "Nate."

"But it's so fun..." he whined like a child and I shook my head, bitting back a laugh.

"If it breaks more I'll be barelegged, and then what?"

His smirk was back, jumping form genuine fun to suggestive innuendo in a matter of seconds. "Is that supposed to stop me?"

I was glad the of the darkness so he couldn't see how actually red I was. "This is." I moved his hand from my lap to his, already missing its heat against the cold air.

He pouted, "You're no fun." No fun. My chest clenched at the known stab, but he clumsily leaned his wonderful scent mixed with smoke and alcohol made my head spin. More. "You know?" he whispered in my ear earning a shudder. "Lory Grant might hate you right now?"

I frowned, completely taken aback and my hold on the bottle tightened. "Why?"

"This." he rose his hand proudly and shown me he still wearing that scarlet lace around his wrist. "I think she got jealous." I smiled, lazily tracing it with my fingertips yet let out an embarrassed grunt.

"I don't know what I was thinking. It's pathetic. You can take it off if you want."

"Nah, I think it's cute." he leaned a bit closer so his lips grazed the earlobe and sending shivers down my spine. I shuddered and my eyes shut. "Like you."

"Sure." I chuckled and gently pushed his chest to regain some space, but his magnetic halo was too much. "How many times have that actually worked?"

His brows lifted amusedly. "What? You think I don't mean it?"

"I think pick-up lines are just so lame and overrated." I shrugged with yet another sip. Yes, let me get numb.

"That's not true. There are some pretty good."

"Not there aren't. They're all cheesy and predictable."

"No, hear this one: did it hurt? When you fell from-"

"-From heaven?" I finished for him and rolled my eyes. "You just proved my point."

"Oh yeah?" Nate slurred, his eyes sparkled with the challenge, as if saying game on and angled his body towards mine, making me even more aware of the narrow space between us. "Okay. What about this: There must be something wrong with my eyes, I can't take them off you."

My heart fluttered but I struggled to fight back the stupid smile from my face and scoffed instead. "Really?"

"Do you believe in love at first sight or should I pass by again?" this time the giggled bubbled past my lips and encouraged him, using the back of the bench for support Nate bent closer so his breath fanned my face. "Are you religious? Because you're the answer to all my prayers."

Against my initial conviction, he was somehow getting under my skin with those awful pick-up lines. Something in the way he said them made it so... irresistible.

"Okay, that was way too cheesy." I put my hand over his chest, ready to push him away again; but he covered it with his, trapping mine under and a part of me melted.

His fingerprints absently traced my arm and shoulder, stopping to cup my nape in an incredible natural yet intimate act that stole my breath away. I shivered, goosebumps everywhere. Something heated twisted in my stomach and curled down my abdomen.

Olly's words repeated again in my head and, in all honestly, I wasn't exactly against it...

Nate smirked and came a breath away; his scent alluringly filling my nostrils, the sudden urge to bring him closer powerful. My lips parted in a shuddered breath as the tip of his nose brushed my cheek and sending all kinds of chills down my spine and legs.

"Kiss me if I'm wrong, but you're dying to kiss me."

"I..."

"Hellooo." we flinched away at Kimberly's pitched squeal and turned to see her standing barely five feet from the bench. "Are we going to play or I got Brandon got us all this for nothing?" she gestured to the bag in her arms with a couple bottles.

"Just making time, Kimmy. No big deal." Nate chuckle brushed my red cheeks as he pulled away, pinning me there with his eyes. "Are you playing?"

"Uh?"

If you added hormonal altered to the tipsiness I already had with me, you got a massive clueless.

His lips pulled up in an adorable smirk, amused by my void answer. But it was the raven-haired girl who responds with an eye roll. "We just got the Vodka for truth or dare. I even got us Tequila too. Wanna join?"

I... shouldn't. But there was something so exciting in being here. With Nate. Forgetting about anything else with that skill of his to numb my mind...

After a brief hesitation I thought, what the hell?, and smirked. "Yeah, why not?"

His brow perked. "You're sure about it? Things can get a little intense."

"My God, Nate" huffed Kimberly already making her way to where the people were. "Let the girl play!"

Funny how she didn't look that intimidating tonight. Maybe it was the alcohol on me?

However, I smirked tilting my chin upwards. "Yeah. Bring it on." Amusement and something else swirled in those mesmerizing green orbs.

In a matter of seconds he took my hand and pulled me upwards and after Kimberly as I tried not to trip over everything in my way. That previous positivity turned into bubbles in my guts when I realized he'd moved to another one of the groups gathered in this zone and guided me where his team mates were.

This was the popular section, I was totally out of place here. Olly was there with his nurse, which allowed me some kind of security; but the other's were Chris, Brandon and Kurt from the team, Kimberly, Trish, Gabby and another girl I think her name was Britney or something like that. All them royalty in Roosevelt High.

Even tho the sober part of me was expecting them to point and demand me to go away, no one did. No one cared, most of them were as wasted as myself. More, even.

The bottle on the table in front of them proved they had been playing before our arrival. That and the fact that Chris had obscene things written over his forehead and that Britney was shirtless and only in her bra. The alcohol in her system must keep her warm against October's weather.

Olly smiled knowingly at Nate's and I joined hands, but I just returned the look pointing at the girl curled against him which made him laugh.

Scanning the people quickly, this was all people I never actually talked to. My stomach constricted when my eyes met Trish's blue ones and her frown. I hadn't talked to her either, but what they told me about her and Nate earlier got me feeling uneasy...

"Here." Trish concealed quick her scowl and scooped to the side, pointing the spot by here with a beautiful smile. "I've saved your place, Nate."

"Great." to my surprise, he hadn't dropped our hands at his friends looks and pulled me with him instead.

Social anxiety clenched my chest over the drunkeness when I glanced the table and realized there weren't really free spots. Where did they expect me to sit? Why was Olly smiling like that? Was the perspective of me being humiliated in front of the popular crowd funny to him?!

Nate's spot was between Kimberly and Trish, two of the most beautiful girls ever stepped into Roosevelt High, and yet he somehow smiled at me. The raven haired girl stood to let him slide in and he pulled our joined hands; a simple tug and I found myself in Nate's lap, blinking confused and holding on with one arm over his shoulder.

A gasp escape my lips at the natural yet intimate gesture. This heated sensation he seemed to wake in me was back, making my insides crumble. "Got you." he chuckled. His arms snaked around my waist and he adjusted me into a more comfortable position with a boyish grin that made my heart stir almost in ache. Breathing was harder this close, but I found myself enjoying it enough not to care.

The game moved on easier than expected. Everyone assumed their dares and stuff without much of a complain, and they were, like, really naughty dares. For example, the nurse -aka Juliette- got dared to unbutton Olly's shit with her mouth. Chris and Britney had disappeared some moments ago together. Something I never asked to see! But it was funny either way and the drinks keep running.

So when the bottle finally pointed this way I felt my pulse racing in nerves, anticipation and some excitement.

"Nate." Brandon cheered.

"Hold on!" Kimberly shook her head. "Nate or Gracie? They're literally in the same spot."

I would have blushed at the weight of so many pointed stares, but was too boozed and smiled lazily. Nate chuckled into my shoulder.

"So?" asked Gabby Fox, apparently who's spinning the bottle. "Which one?"