TANALYA GREENEWOD: World 10

Thirteen

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Tanalya stepped out of the car, biting her lip anxiously and rubbing her sweaty palms on her slacks. Jokx chuckled on seeing her expression before making his way over to her from the driver's side and grabbing her hand.

"Let's go now shall we?" He mumbled and Tanalya nodded before they made their way up to the main house, ignoring the drink battles that were happening outside the house. The main house was filled to the brim with teenagers, but the backyard proved worse. Girls were in bikinis as they played around the pool. Boys chatted loudly and drank their booze without a care, "Pool party, nice," Tanalya fumbled.

"I do not want to get in the pool," Jokx pouted

"What? But that's the best part!"

"I didn't bring a swimming trunk," Jokx nodded.

"Good point," He sighed, "so what you wanna do?"

"I don't know, I don't even want to be here," She looked around skeptically; "It's all so weird," Jokx could not help the smile that played on his lips. Her expressions were simply divine. His eyes fell on the food table and he looked at the blonde beside him.

"Do you want something to eat?"

"No...."

"Come on, just water, you look like you would pass out,"

"Cause I might,"

"I'll still get you a glass," She shrugged. She wasn't against water. Normal not drugged water. She'd heard stories.

Quite the lot of stories

She was being paranoid and she knew it, so she took deep breaths in attempt to calm herself down. From the corner of her eye, she watched as Nikki's gaze fell on her. The birthday girl smiled and made her way through the crowd of half naked people to her. She was in bikini as well, though she was wearing a shirt and tying a lace around her waist. Her hair was wet and it was obvious she'd just taken a dip. She dropped the cocktail she was holding and pulled her in a hug. Tanalya stiffened but forced a smile. Her aura wasn't at all pleasing.

"I'm so glad to you made it," Her aura screamed otherwise in a weird way though. It kinda alerted Tanalya. She could feel it, but she wasn't sure. It might be something else. If she didn't want her here, she wouldn't have invited her. They may be in the same school but not in the same department. It wouldn't have been weird for her to not invite her. Surely Tanalya wouldn't have even known that this party had ever even happened. Until a few weeks ago she didn't even know that this girl existed.

"Yes, I'm glad too?"

"And what of your boyfriend," Tanalya's cheeks reddened on hearing that. She couldn't imagine Jokx as a boyfriend. It was weird. She saw him a just a friend and nothing else. She trusted him but didn't have the feelings to date him. She was also sure he wouldn't actually allow that or agree to it. Being her boyfriend in public was just a way to be around her without people getting suspicious of them, or asking questions.

"He's here, he's around,"

"You two got together recently?" Tanalya nodded slowly. Lying wasn't her thing. She could do it a lot easier now since she'd literally had a week of lie training- yes, she was that bad at lying. But Jokx was a pro.

"Yeah... yeah I guess so. He went to get me a glass but he should be around here soon,"

"Aye, no problem; Tell him I said he should enjoy the party, and you should too. You need to loosen out Mi Amore," Nikki's airy laughter escaped her lips and Tanalya nodded with a warm smile. Nikki made her way to another crowd of people and Tanalya felt herself release a sudden sigh. Socializing really wasn't her thing since she was little, even though people talked to her a lot because she was a famous model. Tanalya sat on a secluded chair and wondered why people enjoyed and got excited over parties. She didn't see anything interesting. Everyone was just talking or eating or sucking faces. She wasn't good at talking or sleeping around, but she definitely was good at eating, though because of the scent of alcohol in the air, she was intoxicated slightly and had lost her appetite for the time being.

"Tanalya Greenewod," She jerked up at the sudden voice and she locked gazes with the familiar brunet. Owen smiled, "I've seen you've met my cousin," Tanalya's eyes widened.

"Nikki? She's your cousin?" Beside the hair, she couldn't spot anymore similarities between them.

"Yes she is. She gets around quite a lot and I have to take care of her most of the time. It can be a pain in the ass,"

"It can?" Tanalya thought for a moment. Was that how Jokx felt? He always had to take care of her. Even if she didn't want him, to the situation had put him in that position.

"Yes... but I care about her so I do it nonetheless," Care. She cared about Jokx. She was mostly childish but she cared about him a lot. Her mind played back to when she'd seen him hurt. The feeling had been horrifying to her, "Hey, wanna head somewhere less noisy? This place sucks," Absent mindedly, Tanalya nodded and stood, but then sat back down when she'd remembered she'd come here with someone.

"I would love to but I came here with Jokx,"

"That guy from before? Then text him; Tell him you are with me," Owen paused, "Or not. I don't think he likes me very much,"

"It should be fine. He's like that with everyone," She smiled a bit and took out her phone sending Jokx a quick message and sighing as she waited to see if he would answer. She looked at the boy in front of her and then shrugged, "Okay, let's go. I hate being here," Owen let out a laugh and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Ouch," He gestured to the doors, "Shall we?"

"Yeah," The two made their way back into the main house and a single thought lingered on her mind.

Where the heck was he?

Jokx was cornered. Holding his drink and Tanalya's bottled water, he had nowhere else to go...