Starboy

Chapter 50: Devil and Angel

Brandy

Hellen and I arrive at the Columbia party at around ten o'clock, where we find a load of privileged young adults. I feel so out of place because every single person has such a similar sense of style and attitude and then here I am, just not blending.

I assume Hellen feels even more left out. She doesn't even go to college and her sense of style is just so unique compared to every other girl.

I expected to feel weird about Hellen after she told me how she feels, but to my surprise, I feel exactly the same. I think I'm just grateful that we're friends again and I don't care about anything else.

On the way over here, our hands accidentally touched on the subway and my heart raced so quickly when I imagined what she was thinking. We aren't at the point where we can joke about it quite yet, but we both know we know how she feels.

"Where's your friend?" Hellen asks me over the loud, pounding pop music playing in the background.

I search the environment but see no sight of Miles. "Let me try calling him," I say. I pull out my phone and call Miles.

"Hello?" He says, and I can hear the same music playing in the background.

"Miles, I'm here in the front. Where are you?" I shout as I cover one ear with my hand.

"Come find me. I'm upstairs," he tells me.

He hangs up and I look awfully confused at my phone as I shut it off. "Let's go," I tell Hellen as I guide her through the house as if I know where I'm going.

I didn't expect Columbia students to be so rowdy. Then again, I haven't heard much about Columbia in general. As we walk up the stairs, we get a good look at the whole party, like an aerial shot that captures each scene.

There are plenty of people making out, taking shots, playing beer bong and smoking dope. And then there are just the regular people who are standing on the side with their red plastic cups, doing nothing.

"Miles?" I shout as I reach the second floor.

I turn to Hellen and she shrugs. "So who is Miles again?" She asks.

"This guy I met at an NYU party—a very special night. God, we haven't talked in so long I haven't even caught you up." I laugh. "I punched someone that night."

She laughs. "Is it really loud in here or did you say you punched somebody?"

"No, I did," I confirm. "She was this girl who was obsessed with Benji. Oh, wait, you know her. Her name is Natalie."

"I hate that bitch." She chuckles. "Damn, look at you go, B," she roots for me. "College has changed you. Just imagine how much prison would change you."

"I'm very easily influenced," I joke.

"Yeah? And who's influencing you to punch people?"

"Well, nobody," I say.

"Not Benji, I hope," she says.

"Benji would never punch anybody. He has too much class for that."

"I thought you had class," she tells me. "What the hell happened?" She sounds worried.

"College," I state. I laugh as I lean against the wall. "Damn it, Miles, where are you?" I mutter.

A couple of minutes later, Miles appears out of thin air. I was talking to Hellen that I didn't even notice him corner us. "Brandy!" He smiles.

"Miles, where have you been?" I jokingly complain. "Where can a girl get a drink around here?"