All for a reason

Chapter 7 : Hallelujah! Praise the lord.

Chapter 7 : Hallelujah! Praise the lord.

I'm not a weak person. I had been through things in life that a normal teenage girl shouldn't have to go through, but I'd came out stronger on the other side. What Tori had said to me had struck home for me, literally. My life in England hadn't been all rainbows and flowers but it was my life and I was living it, I'd left that life behind me only keeping in contact with the people that actually made my life more bearable. The life I'd left behind was starting to resurface with Tori's word and the tears flowing down my face wouldn't let me forget it.

I left the bathroom, I'd had enough of my first party already, and this wasn't fun at all. I went off into an impossible search for Sophie or anyone that could possibly take me home. I made my way back to the main bar area where the dance floor stretched on beyond. I wasn't going to search in the sea of sweaty bodies for Sophie or any of my other friends, that went past all of my rules for hygiene.

I made my way back to the bar to go sit at the seat I was sitting at earlier to find it being occupied by two people. One straddling the other, their hands were all over each other and they must have had invisible snorkels because they weren't coming up for air. I rolled my eyes, typical teenagers. I turned my head away from them before a light bulb went off in my head and I snapped my head back to the couple. I'd found Sophie ... and Reuben.

Hallelujah! Praise the lord.

I did a happy dance internally until someone ruined it and tapped me on my shoulder. I turned, wiping my teary eyes, to see Toby.

"Brooke, are you ok?" he asked, a hint of worry in his voice.

Time to bring out my lying skills.

"Yes, I'm fine," I said harshly, I had to stay away from these boys. He obviously didn't look convinced.

"I saw you come out of the bathroom crying, you really shouldn't listen to Tori she has nothing between her ears," he said, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Will you just stay away from me," I hissed, shrugging his hand off.

"Why, Brooke? I'm just trying to be your friend and you're pushing me away," his jaw ticking, I'd made him angry.

I scoffed and shook my head at him, turning and heading through the sea of people to the door. I made it out the door alive and hopefully without an STD, the cool air hit me and caused goose bumps to appear on my arms. I shivered but the only option I had was to walk home, I didn't have a ride.

A hand gripped my arm before I could escape and start walking.

"You can't walk home," Toby spoke.

I turned and Toby let go of my arm, realising I wasn't going to be running anytime soon.

"Why can't I?"

"It's miles from here?" he stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. It probably was.

Before I could speak again Toby had taken his leather jacket off and had placed it around my shoulders, instantly warming me up.

"Thanks," I said, all my anger gone.

"Do you want to get out of here?" he asked me, nodding towards the road that led away from the house.

Yes was the answer to his question but I didn't want to go with him. If I went with him, Tori would find out, she already had her heart set on giving me misery going with Toby would just make everything worse.

Toby seeing my indecision, sighed.

"I just want to be your friend, give me a chance, please?" His voice was pleading as he spoke and i suddenly felt the need to get to know Toby better, to let my walls down for him. I smiled at him.

"Where's your car parked?" I asked. A smile erupted onto his face and I smiled back a big toothy grin, his smile was contagious.

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My laughter erupted around the small, empty diner as Toby finished telling his story about the time he ran over his shopping. Toby chuckled along with me, his face tinged slightly red from embarrassment.

After jumping into his car at the party we'd driven to a small 24 hour diner where we'd been for the last 2 hours. I'd sent Sophie a text to tell her that Toby would make sure I'd get home and that we'd have to talk tomorrow, there was no way I was going to let her get away with what happened at the party without talking about it.

A phone call interrupted our laughter and Toby hesitantly brought his phone to his ear. Loud music could be heard from the other end of the phone so the caller was obviously at a party.

"Hello."

A drunken slur from the other end.

"Look, I'll come and pick you up soon alright."

Another drunken slur.

"Stay where you are, alright?" Toby said before hanging up.

"Who was that?" I asked.

Something flashed in his eyes before it disappeared again. His jaw tightened.

"It doesn't matter, I'll give you a lift home," he stated secretly, standing up and offering me a hand.

I nodded not wanting to push the subject any further, I took it and he pulled me up with ease. I followed him out the door and to his car where he drove me back home before driving off to whoever had been on the other end of the phone.

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I knocked on Sophie's door. I was supposed to spend the night here last night but instead I'd gone home. I'd come back to give Sophie her dress, get my stuff and most importantly squeeze the details of the party out of her.

Sophie swung the door open looking a little worse for wear, she was hungover, undoubtedly. She pulled the door open wider for me allowing me to step in as I followed her to her bedroom.

I sat down on her bed as she sat down on the stool by her dressing table.

"So, what were you doing with Toby last night that meant you couldn't stay here the night?" She questioned. I answered her with a question.

"What were you doing with Reuben last night?"

At the mention of Reuben's name her face went bright red and she turned away hiding her face in the oversized hoody she was wearing.

"It's so confusing," she whispered, "one minute we're friends and the next we're something more, he keeps giving me mixed signs, I don't know what to think."

I moved over to her and gave her a hug.

"I think I love him," she whispered into my neck. In that moment I knew who I needed to talk to.

After bidding Sophie farewell I made my way to a new house in the neighbourhood, standing at the door, waiting for it to open. It swung on its hinges revealing just who I needed to see.

"Hi, Reuben."