sanctuary || d. wayne

FOUR

HAYLEY CAMPBELL'S HOUSE
OCTOBER 31ST
23:00 p.m.

They'd been here barely two hours, shouldn't she be driving everyone home right now? It's almost a miracle the cops hadn't stopped the party. Hayley did not keep this party a secret.

Noelle's eyes scan the crowd, not too bothered by those pushing themselves past her to get to the dance floor as she searches for Silas or Christian or the other two. She starts heading toward the kitchen in search of a nonalcoholic beverage.

People stand around; talking, drinking, eating. Somehow, it didn't feel as loud. Noelle makes her way to the fridge, squeezing past a couple making out on the counter beside it. She grabs a cold water bottle from the fridge before letting out a sigh. Two hours, she tells herself, maybe less.

"Well," another person comments from beside her, making her look away from the phone, "Noelle King at a party. Never thought I'd see the day."

She pockets her phone, as her eyes land on the dirty-browned hair boy beside her. Daniel.

Daniel looked...okay for someone who was kidnapped and forced to undergo experiments the past month. He is definitely cleaner than when he made it to the station (that photo was all over the news). He almost seemed normal.

If it weren't for the dull look in his dark brown eyes, Noelle would've thought he'd recovered already.

"Daniel," Noelle greets, frowning. Maybe he decided to cope like Silas. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Ditto," he notes before taking a sip of his drink. His glazed-over eyes look at her with curiosity. "Want a sip?"

"No, thank you," she declines before twisting the cap off of her water bottle. "So...how are you?"

"Oh come on," he groans out with an eye roll. "Of all people, I didn't expect you to ask that annoying question."

"I was trying to be nice," she defends before taking a sip of her water. "I'm sorry."

Daniel gives a dismissive wave before taking another sip. "Nah, it's cool if it's from you...or Silas."

"Are you here to get drunk as well?" Noelle questions. "It seems to be Silas' coping method for the past week."

"This is fruit punch," he confesses before shaking the cup a little. "I prefer inhaling my coping method." Noelle raises a brow in confusion. "Marijuana."

"Oh," Noelle replies lamely.

"So you're not drinking, you're not doing drugs...are you actually coping in a healthy way?"

Noelle chuckles. Her painting flashes in her mind, reminding her of her "coping" method. "Healthier compared to yours and Silas's." Daniel lets out a small laugh but takes no offense. "It doesn't matter how we cope," Noelle starts, "as long as we get better."

"I'll smoke to that." He lifts his cup instead of the joint he's yet to have.

A loud, joyful scream forces the two to look at the "dance floor." Silas and a particularly gleeful girl are laughing and dancing very closely. Noelle could sense Daniel staring at her, but she doesn't acknowledge it.

How did Silas feel? Did dancing with that girl push away all of those feelings he felt under Jade's spell? How could he be this close to another girl without worrying? Was he really not traumatized?

And what about Daniel? Here he is getting high and having a conversation with her like they were decent friends. He doesn't seem traumatized. Noelle could tell he was trying to forget, just like Silas. Hell, she didn't mind avoiding the topic when she could. It was easier.