Once Upon a Time in London

Chapter 15

A/N: Trigger warning; This chapter contains slight sexual assault, please read with caution

Tina is clutching her stomach, unable to stop laughing.

"Tell me when you're done, take your time" I mumble, slouching on the armrest of the fancy red armchairs that the school only takes out for special events.

Tina finally starts to calm down, wiping at her eyes. She tries to say something but breaks into a cackle again.

I sigh, annoyed, "It's not that funny..."

She straightens up, waving the polaroid at me, "Say that again."

I groan, I'd forgotten Tina had brought her polaroid camera along, she'd taken a photo of Rahul and me dancing. I cringe as I stare at the photo.

My eyes are open wide, as Rahul stares at me with the same expression, while trying to step on Rahul's foot, I'd accidentally tripped over the hem of my dress. Rahul had caught me before I hit the floor but hadn't stopped laughing since. I had to flee in embarrassment.

I wrap my arms around my knees, resting my forehead on my knees, trying to clear my head.

I can't believe I embarrassed myself like that.

"Say, what would it take for you to burn that?" I mumble.

"Nothing," Tina laughs devilishly, "I'll cherish this like a piece of my heart."

I groan again, letting my head fall back, my eyes tracing the glittering gems in the chandelier.

When something dawns on me, "Hey, why were you even there, weren't you supposed to be dancing with Robby?"

Tina stops laughing, hesitates a second before she coolly answers, "He got sick and had to run to the toilet."

It's now my turn to laugh.

"What about that amazing dance you promised him? no, me" I try to hold back a laugh, tilting my head to the side.

"Oh ha ha, laugh it off" she rolls her eyes.

"I still don't understand why you're interested in him" I shake my head lightly.

Robby is Rahul's childhood friend, he belongs to the same social circle as Tina and Rahul, and Jai and Zara, his parents successful architects. However, unlike Rahul, Robby is a lot more shy, way too shy, barely saying anything in a social environment. Maybe it's because of how different both him and Tina are that the concept of them together is hard for me to even consider. Or maybe it's because of the feelings she harboured for Rahul that I can't even register her being interested in someone like Robby who's the exact opposite.

"I am not, I just think he's cute" Tina shrugs.

"Mhmm" I nod, still not completely believing her.

— — — — — —

"Ugh, he lives up to his cocky demeanour after all" I groan as I take in the surroundings of Rahul's house.

As soon as the formal dance was over everyone had rushed to the afterparty at Rahul's, the time on the grandfather clock in the lavishly designed hall reads just past 11pm.

"His mum has nice taste" Tina winks.

"Where are his parents anyway, I would not like my house to be such a mess if I was them" I say as I stare at a guy I don't recognise throwing up in a vase and then walking away drowsily.

"Probably at some business trip, the help will clean up the mess before they come back" Tina replies nonchalantly as if this was common knowledge.

What a waste of money.