73: Cranberry Fruit Punch

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My heart slams against my ribcage fuelled by raw anticipation and nervousness with each step I descend. My palms are moist with sweat that I try drying out by rubbing them against the material of my pants.

"Nervous?" Lindsey enquires with a smile that hasn't left her face since she announced Nathan's arrival back in the room.

"No," I lie, pulling up a calm façade, while the love-sick teen within me won't quit giggling and squealing in joy!

"Liar," she calls me out, wiggling her brows suggestively at me. "I bet you're happy dancing on the inside right now," she adds assertively tugging at our interlock arms saving me from colliding with a couple too busy eating each other's faces while ascending the stairs to see us.

"You locked your room, right?" She asks, wearing a disgusted expression that mirrors mine.

"Yeah," I clarify. "And for his sake, I hope Jack locked everyone else's room too," I add as an afterthought, a grim expression etching itself to my features.

"Even if he doesn't, you still get some free entertainment," she shrugs making both of us laugh out together.

"Fashionably last as always." A voice calls our attention resulting in Lindsey letting go of my arms and jumping in the direction of the voice in less than a heartbeat.

"Nathan!" She squeals buoyantly as he grabs wraps his arms around her pulling her into a tight embrace with the same enthusiasm.

"Hey, stranger." Another very familiar voice calls my attention, shifting my gaze to the person standing beside Nathan heat creeps back to my face.

"Hi," I reply softly my arms wrapping themselves around me subconsciously as a permeant smile curves my lips, setting free the butterflies in the stomach.

All of a sudden, a wave of shyness washes over me, making me feel very self-conscious and aware of my surroundings. My senses go on a high alert, forcing me to tentatively scan the crowd.

"Something wrong?" He whispers, now standing in close proximities to me making my breath hitch and my nerves jumble into a knot settling in the pit of my stomach.

"Nope, just a feeling," I dismiss with a wave of my hand. Clearly not convinced by my excuse by his stiffened posture, he doesn't push the topic further.

"You two plan on standing there the entire evening?" Nathan teases breaking our interlocked gaze.

"Let's go get some drinks," I suggest with the three of them nodding in agreement.

Offering me his hand which I accept without any hesitation, we make our way into the kitchen which has been converted into a makeshift bar. The pungent smell of beer mixed with a variety of exotic perfumes and body odor permeates the dense air of the room, which hits us as soon as we enter it.

"Jack's going to have a lot of cleaning on his hands once this is done," I mumble to myself evaluating the damage done to our once sleek and clean kitchen.

Scrunching my nose in reflex, I'm forced to move closer to Alessandro-not that I'm complaining-as bodies rub up against each other exceeding the capacity of the room by a considerable margin.

Bumping into yet another borderline drunk teenager who shamelessly grabs my shoulder to balance himself, but his hands seem to have a mind of their own as they move down my arms.

Before he gets any more ideas my swiftly twist his arms around in a very unnatural and uncomfortable position, his agony-filled grunts muffled by the blaring music that's blasting throughout the mansion.

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