Heart Battles

Chapter 13- Welly

The music pumps through the speakers, all our friends are dancing and laughing. There is no yucky hook ups in the corner or people hiding in bedrooms or closets. There is no need. I smile from spot at the top of the stairs. Hunter and Jackson are laughing. I haven't seen her smile like that since her best guy friend Franco died 5 months ago. It feels good to know that I had succeeded in finding something that made her grin that way. The way Jackson is holding her as they dance shows that he's enjoying it too. All my friends are happy and smiling like crazy idiots at their boyfriends/ girlfriends. I love that our parties never involved fighting or tears.

"Hey Roar, are you alright? " Ryder plonks himself down on the step below me. 

"Yeah. I'm just enjoying watching," I nod offering a smile. 

"Wanna come dance with me?" He taps my foot with his beer bottle. 

"Sure," I stand and put my hand out to help him up. Ryder throws an arm over my shoulders as we stroll down the stairs. 

"Carter will be fine," he assures me, knowing the real reason I was really sitting on the stairs. 

"I know but I can't help but worry," I admit as he pours me a juice understanding that I'm not in an alcohol mood. 

"He's probably worrying about you too. He really cares about you Rora and that is mutual between the both of you. I know for sure that he would want you to have fun," he leads me to where everyone is dancing. I nod, understanding what he means. Before letting the music take over. I love dancing it's my happy place. Poppy joins me swaying her hips in time to the music with me. Rocky smiles at me from across the room. For some reason I get butterflies and that thought scares me. I push the feeling aside and focusing on dancing. 

"Thank you for convincing me to do something with these feelings. Now I feel so happy," Poppy grins, as Ty dances behind her nodding in agreement. 

"You're welcome you two sure are cute," I smile as the rest of our friends join us. We begin to dance together smiling and laughing. It is perfect and in this moment I am happy.

As my body starts begging me to sit down, I feel two arms lifting me up. I hear Jackson chuckle. I squirm realising his evil plan. "Don't you dare," I yell. But he ignores me and continues walking to the pool. "I will tell everyone about Welly!" I threat knowing how much he hates it when I bring up the toy zebra he sometimes sleep with. 

"You wouldn't," he gasps in mock horror still chuckling. 

"Oh, but I would," I warn him. He still doesn't stop walking. "Every...waaah!" I'm stopped by Jackson biffing me into the water. When I pop my head up Jackson is standing at the edge crying of laughter. I glare at him getting ready to reveal his secret to the whole party. His laughter is stopped when Rocky approaches him from behind. 

"No, mate. Don't do it," Jackson pleads as he makes eye contact with Rocky. But its too late Rocky shoves him causing him to land in the water.

 "See it's not nice when you are thrown in the pool fully dressed," I grumble, pushing his head down. I swim away before he can attack me.

"I would hug you but I'm all wet," I say to Rocky as he hands me a towel. 

"Give me a hug after your shower," he ruffles my water matted hair. I nod wiping my face with the towel. I wander back into the house and to my bathroom.

The hot water warms me up. I wash my body as I hear people moving to the front yard to leave. Turning the water off I check the clock on the wall. It takes a moment for me to read but it is 12:30 am. Part of me is exhausted and wants to just crawl into bed. I throw on a pink cotton playsuit before running downstairs to the party. Most of the guests have left except for our close friends.