| torn up

~ chapter 37 ☁️

I don't actually go with Haider straight away to his car for a good few minutes. After asking if he'll wait for a bit so I can go find the girls and tell them I'm leaving, to which he so kindly agrees, I soon find myself running back into the house and hoping with everything I have that I won't have to see him again.

It doesn't take me long to find Piper and most of my other friends. They're all still in the dining room, engaged in a game of beer pong just like they had been when I had first left them. About half of them are tipsy at worst, and the other half, absolutely wasted. I make sure to say my goodbyes to them all, reminding them to stick together until they leave and for Piper to join Asha and Jasper once the party starts dwindling down as she's going to stay here tonight.

After notifying them of me leaving, I go to find Asha which proves a bit harder. Eventually though, I do manage to find her making out with Jasper in a games room on the second floor. As she's a bit more sober, she seems to cotton on to the fact that something has happened and that I seem a bit down. I tell her not to worry though and to enjoy her night and I promise tell her absolutely everything tomorrow. Eventually she lets me go, after double checking I am okay and that I really don't mind riding with Haider. Finally after reminding her of a very drunk Piper downstairs, giving the pair of them a hug and wishing Jasper one last 'happy birthday', I find myself trekking back outside and down the street towards Haider's car.

And somehow I manage to do all this, running around the house like a maniac in search of my friends, without once even getting a glimpse of Mason or his friends, for that matter.

'S-Sorry about that.' I gasp in apology, positively out of breath by the time I eventually climb into Haider's warm car.

'Woah, calm down, Usain Bolt.' He laughs, eyes wide as he takes in my messy hair and red face before starting up the car. 'You okay, there?'

'I'm fine, just a little out of shape.' I force myself to breathe out, clipping in my seatbelt and a little embarrassed at how tired I had gotten just from running up and down a few lousy flights of stairs on the hunt for my friends.

'I think 'a little' may be being generous.' Haider teases beneath his breath with a raised brow, beginning to pull out onto the road with a smirk once he sees I am indeed physically speaking okay.

'Hey!' I mumble with a scoff at his insult, reaching out my hand to jokingly slap him on the arm. 'Sorry, we can't all be football players like you.'

Haider just chuckles at my lousy attempt of a shot at some sort of retaliation, rolling his eyes at me before turning his attention back to the road.

'We good to go?' He asks, turning to me for confirmation.

'Good to go.' I mumble as I nod my head, turning to give one last longing look at the house before Haider finally begins driving down the street and away from the party.

-

'Oh my god, I can't believe you actually believe all that rubbish too!' I splutter out in absolute shock.

Haider and I have been in the car for about 10 minutes now, having the best kind of late night drive conversations you can have- talking about absolute rubbish. And the latest to come out of that has just been Haider telling me he believes in the school famous rumour about Mr Fisher and the secretary having it off together.

'Of course I do, you're telling me you don't believe it?' He scoffs in his own disbelief, side eyeing me as he focuses mainly on the road.

'No, I don't. In fact, I don't really care about it at all. But Asha and Piper are obsessed with it.'  I sigh in exasperation, rolling my eyes when I remember the current bet they've got wagering on the relationship status of one of our school's Math teachers and our secretary.