Time With You Stands Still (bxb)

Chapter I

"Wow," Robin says, as soon as we walk in. "This is... This is crowded."

"Well," I hear Emma say. "We are at Ava's, what did you expect? Drew, you are stepping on my dress."

"Oh, shit, sorry."

Now how could I describe this scenario?

There are flashing lights spinning everywhere, and the music is so loud I can feel how the walls vibrate and the floor buzzes. Around us, a group of sophomore girls burst into frenzied laughter, a loud noise of glass crashing to the floor pierces the room, and a bunch of people hypes a girl off finishing her drink in one entire swig.

I'm already feeling a bit ill–at–ease. Just a tiny bit. My heart is thudding against my chest.

The thing is. Normally on a Saturday night, I would be too busy reading some ebook, or messing around with Illustrator on my laptop. But I am here instead, at a Halloween party.

I mean, parties are not even really my thing. I literally forced myself to try and go to at least one for a change but. Man, if I don't miss my Kindle right now.

"Guys!" Ava, the host of the party, and Emma's friend, pops out of nowhere with a drink in her hand. "You made it!"

I had never met her before but she is ridiculously gorgeous. And tall. Like, she's even a bit taller than me. But okay, most people are, in the end.

Emma looks back at us. We are seven people standing awkwardly in the entryway.

"Uh, yeah! Hi!" She says, and they hug quickly. "So, what's the deal here?"

Ava takes a brief sip of her bright, pink-colored drink. It really makes you wonder what's on that cup. "Nothing, we are just chilling, you know?"

Yeah, of course I know. I just go to so many parties.

She squeezes her nose in disgust as she swallows the biting liquid again. "You guys can leave around three or so, or stay. I don't really care. I mean, we are all friends here, right?"

And for some reason, her eyes dart to me.

"Yeah," I say, in a burst. "Totally."

"Cool costumes, by the way," She says, stepping away to make more space for us. She turns to Olivia and drops her mouth open. "Shut up, I love your Cruella costume so much."

Olivia blushes a bit. "Oh my god, Ava, thank you so much, you look great too."

"And who are you?" Drew asks Ava. "Seems familiar."

"Cher from Clueless," She answers, smiling. She is wearing this yellow and suit jacket with the same plaid yellow checkered pattern.

"Ah..." I hear Robin say behind me. I can tell she has no idea who that is.

"So," Ava coughs and turns around, pointing her finger at somewhere. "We have booze in the kitchen if you guys want drinks. And... Okay, cool, I think that's about it. If we run out of it, just let me know."

Oh wow. So far I'm blown away by this hosting.

So we go to make ourselves drinks. I think that a big portion of the people here are guys from the football team, because I can't stop seeing guys with numbers on the backs of their jackets everywhere, and then there are just some people from school, I think, and then there are my friends, who blend well with the crowd. And then there's me, walking around on a yellow raincoat, with the hood on. Indoors.

I seriously can't believe I got invited.

Actually, no. Emma got invited, and then Ava told her she could invite her friends. Hence how we all infiltrated here.