Worth The Fight ✓

Chapter Twenty One

QUOTE OF THE CHAPTER:

"It's so much darker when a light goes out than it would have been if it had never shone."

― John Steinbeck, The Winter of Our Discontent

Dedication: @littleredhoodx (because she's a brilliant guesser.)

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CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

The last party I've gone before this was with Calvin. I remember how carefree and fun things were between us then. He was annoying the hell out of me and I was actually shooing him off all I care. And, I think with a lump in my throat, he would always come back. If I knew how things were going to turn out like it is now, I'd never do things I've done.

As Richard's hand softly touches my back, slightly gesturing me inside the bar, I take a deep breath, preparing myself to spot Calvin with Stella laughing in an intimate manner. Maybe he's slightly drunk and getting flirty with her, too. Who knows?

The dimlight of the atmosphere welcomes me along with a hazy pile of noise. I can hear that people are talking, laughing and yelling with the pop music playing in the background; however I can't distinguish between them - they sound all the same. My eyes skim over the place, planning to end on a certain person but I can't spot neither Calvin nor Stella. I sigh, glancing at Richard beside me who is busy with greeting his friends with a nod. Simultaneously, he glances back and throws a soft smile which gains him a forceful grin in return. I murmur, "Go hang out with your friends."

He looks at me, puzzled. Then, he leans over me, his hand gripping my upper arm, and he yells at my ear. But it doesn't really affect me much since the place is already noisy. "What?"

I yell back, "I said go hang out with your friends."

He tilts his head back and looks at me. "I came here for you," he yells. "But we can hang out with them if you want."

I nod slowly, after scanning around and still having no sight of Calvin. He leads me to them with a content grin glued on his face. I'm so busy staring around so it takes me a while to notice that one of his friends is saying hi to me. I turn my attention at him and realise I actually know him. He is in one of my classes but I don't remember which one - his name is also blurry. "Hey Jack," he greets me, raising the beer in his hand. I smile back with a nod instead of saying hi. He probably won't even hear anyway.

Then, he and Richard talk something I can't hear. Meanwhile, I lastly check the place but sadly, no trace of Calvin. I'm sure he is going to come here though. Maybe they are hanging out somewhere else before filling their stomach with alcohol. Maybe they're having dinner together - which sends chills through my spine. I hate to think them together and I hate the fact itself that they might - more likely - be together right now.

I peer at Richard and notice he's actually having fun. It's so odd how I was ready to crash his balls like two months ago and he's now - he's there for me. Everything has improved so fast, so hurried that sometimes I don't even know myself what the fuck is going on. Maybe I trust people so easily. Or maybe my luck finally winks at me. I'm not sure.

He turns at me, and his laughing expression softens - his grin falls and his eyebrows knit together. "Are you bored?" He yells through my ear. I shake my head no. "Wanna drink?" What was the last time I've drunk something? Probably with Levi, it was.

"No."

He grins cockily. "I need one." Then, he disappears through people and I sigh. I look around again, hoping that I'll see him - but then, something catches my attention. Stella. With a guy - what was his name? Arsen - but Calvin is not with them. Even though this relieves me, I'm kind of disappointed, too. Because he's not here.