Healing Ethan #THESHINEAWARDSROMANCE

Three

"Another drink?" Myra shouts through the near DJ music, as I down my fourth glass since we arrived an hour ago and I nod at her. I'm already starting to feel a bit tipsy and enjoying the fading bittersweet burn the alcohol leaves in my throat. It's been a while.

"Are you sure?" She giggles when my elbow betrays me and slips from the table making me lose my balance but I quickly recover.

"Fucking sure." I playfully roll my eyes at her and she rushes to bring me one, shaking her head at me.

"Having fun there?" A voice sounds behind my ear and I remember Brad is still next to me on one of the fancy stools.

"If you consider having a hangover fun, then hell yeah. Who's party is this anyway?"

"A little oblivious, aren't we? It's the Stanley's. They're one of richest in Leeds. And this is a late graduation party to Marcus, their only son."

"Son of a bitch, I didn't have a party when I graduated. Let alone this big!" Brad laughs as Myra comes in with two drinks in her hands and places one of them in front of me and the other in front of her and sits on my other side.

"What are you two laughing about?"

"Just how fucked up my life is." I rush to say the words not leaving space for Brad to talk. And I instantly regret it when they both frown at me.

"Hanna, stop it. Look, this is a new chance you've got. You have to use it. This is a new page in a new book and you can start writing it however you like." She winks at me with eyes full of promise. "You're young and beautiful. And available. You just have to forget and not let it get into your head." She massages my back in sympathy.

It's true, I have nothing tying me up to York and its history. I'm now here with my best friend and her boyfriend. I have a new life ahead of me, a party to enjoy and new friends to make. There's nothing to worry about.

"To fresh starts!" She lifts her glass to the air, suggesting a toast and Brad and I click our glasses with hers. We all gulp the remainder of our drinks in one go and I feel the adrenaline kicking in.

The place is packed. According to Brad, Marcus' parents are not home. This explains why the place is dimly lit, bottles and red cups are everywhere, music is too loud, and everybody is dancing like there's no tomorrow. I feel a sudden urge to dance when DNCE's Cake By The Ocean plays.

"Let's dance!" Myra shouts reading my mind. She turns to her boyfriend to tell him that we're going to dance, while I'm still staring at the crowds grinding and dirty dancing. Before we go, she nudges me with her elbow because there are some guys, probably Brad's friends, who approached to say hi. And when I turn, from the three guys standing in front of Brad, only one has caught my attention.

The tall lean guy in the middle moves forward, in my direction, and I think my heart skips a beat when his cologne envades my senses. Emerald green eyes shine under the now bright lights. His face bears a contagious smile that showcases a line of perfectly lined white teeth. Soon enough, the smile disappears as his eyes meet mine, and I get confused. The piercing look on his eyes and the way his small mouth forms into a thin line remains the same, even when I lift my gaze a little and see the same heap of wavy dark brown hair combed back with few untamed strands. I lower my eyes back to his and feel the blood rushing to my cheeks, as the green of his eyes is still studying me with no glimpse of emotion in them. It's him.

What the hell is he doing here?

Myra nudges me again, and that's when I notice that my mouth is dry from being hang open and that his hand is waiting for me to shake it. His hand is warm but strong when I shake it, and I swallow the ball in my throat as I get a better view at the muscles through his sleeveless black shirt.
With all the muscules of his arms, lower stomach and chest, I get the impression that he is towering over me, but then he just backs up, and averts his gaze to Brad, without looking affected. Of course, why would he? It's always me who causes problems!