Blurred

Ch.16-The Art of Partying

I did end up going back with Alec the next day. I thought I would go through some big change, and everything would be different, but the sad truth was that everything was the same. I still strategically avoided my grandfather, and Alec blared music in his room, and I was miserable.

Empty, lost, and miserable.

So when Heather sauntered up the sidewalk to me as I stood outside my grandfather's house, with nothing to do and liking it that way, and offered me an invitation to her birthday party, it wasn't like I could turn it down.

"Sure," I shrugged. "Why not."

"Yay!" she clapped. "You can bring Alec with you, too, if you want. I feel bad for what I said."

I nodded. "I'll tell him. He hates people, though."

She laughed. "I know."

We chatted for a few minutes, and then she walked down to the next house, no doubt to invite another person. And just like that, I was going to my first party of the summer in Heart, North Carolina.

Whoop de do.

At least it was a welcome distraction.

~*~

The part was at seven, and would go until everybody fell asleep or the cops crashed it. Whichever came first, apparently. After a long discussion with Alec, he finally relented and decided on going. I thought that rather amazing. But I was met with another predicament as I stood facing my closet, with no idea what to wear.

I couldn't remember the last time I had a dilemma over clothes.

My hair was done and for once looked fantastic. It hung around my shoulders in loose ringlets. I applied minimal makeup, just enough to make a difference, and I was experimentally going out in heels. I was praying all night long I wouldn't break my ankle.

After careful deliberation in which I got nowhere, I decided on a white dress that fell to mid-thigh, cinched at the waist with a belt. I took one last look at myself in the mirror, breathed out a long breath, and left my room. I could hear Alec moving around in the kitchen and joined him there. He was dressed in dark wash jeans and a black button-down tucked into them, the first few buttons undone. His hair was crazy as usual. He had a bad-boy rock star look going on, and it really worked for him.

"Ready?" I asked, crossing my arms beneath my chest. Alec turned and his eyebrows raised as he appraised.

"You clean up good," he commented.

"It's 'well', not to be a grammar Nazi or anything," I mumbled. "And right back at ya."

He smirked. "Shall we?"

"If we must."

We strode through the front door. My grandfather was still in his study, and having not spoken to him had actually caused a physical ache to spread through my chest. He meant more to me than I had thought. It would only make everything worse when he was gone.

We made our way down the sidewalk. I could hear the thumping bass of the music, and her house wasn't even in sight. I tugged anxiously at the bottom of the dress, suddenly wishing it was longer, that I didn't feel so exposed. I never did well in party scenes, not that I attended a whole lot back in Nevada.

People were mingling on the sidewalk and on the lawn. Alec and I walked right up to the house and through the open door, right into the middle of things. The music hit me like a slap in the face, the heat of the dancing bodies mixed with the humid night air causing sweat to prematurely bead down my back. I hadn't even started dancing yet.