Four Versions

17.

Exactly this could go wrong. Sasha was laying down on a table, without a shirt on and I didn’t know how many shots on her stomach. She was yelling and laughing like she had the time of her life and I bet she really did with all those guys surrounding her. When I shifted my eyes from her to the other corner, a tall blue-haired girl came into my vision and I shook my head. She was flirting with a girl and by the look in her eyes I could see she was undressing the other girl with her eyes. What kind of horny best friend do I have?

Then I looked right next to me where Ari was struggling to keep her focus on one thing. Her eyes were constantly moving and it was clear that she wasn’t really in her element tonight. She hadn’t touched a cup of alcohol yet, but that was basically the only positive thing I could say about her at this moment. Her hair was ravished from her hands pushing through it a thousand times and her hands were fiddling on her lap. When she noticed my stare she smiled up at me and put one hand of her on mine.

‘I might want to take your offer of Netflix next time,’ she chuckled. ‘I realized that it isn’t really something for a fourteen year old girl.’

I shook my head and squeezed her hand.

‘Don’t worry Ari, this isn’t something for an eighteen year old either. I don’t think we are really the party times,’ I said slowly while nodding towards Sasha and Lizzy.

‘Better yet, I think we should just go home this instant, and I would have if we didn’t have to big baby’s to take care of.’

Ari laughed silently and pulled her hand on her own lap again. From the corner of my eye I saw a familiar figure and I quickly stood up. I looked down at Ari who seemed to be wary of my next actions, but I just laid my hand on her shoulder and looked her in her eyes.

‘Do you mind if I check out something for a minute? I promise I’ll be back.’
She nodded her head and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

‘Go ahead, I’ll be waiting here anyway.’

I felt a little stung in my heart for leaving her alone, but I really had to check this out. I squeezed her shoulder and then walked away. In my walk, I grabbed my phone and opened my chat with Mason. My speculations were confirmed when I saw that he had been online and had read all my messages, but never responded to me. As I scrolled down our chat I shook my head at my unnecessary clinginess and mentally slapped myself. I barely knew the guy, I didn’t know what his activities were besides school. Now I had spammed him like a worried mother and I sure as hell knew that worried girls weren’t seen as attractive.

I walked around the corner where I saw the figure disappear and looked around.

‘Looking for something? Cause I’m right here,’ a voice said next to my ear and I jumped up in surprise. I looked up at him and came face to face with Mason. I could feel my face getting a red tint and I put a hand over my heart.

‘Man, you startled me.’

He smirked a bit and hung back against the wall, one knee pushed against it and the other firmly on the ground. A cigarette was hanging from his mouth and when he saw me looking at it, he got it from his mouth and put it on the counter.

‘I don’t actually like to smoke, I just pretend like I do because it suits my image.’

I raised my eyebrows in surprise and noticed another couple on the corner, heavily making out. I quickly looked away and into Mason’s light green eyes.

‘Why did you leave Mason?’ I asked concernedly. ‘I mean, I thought we were going places and then you just disappeared for over a week.’

Mason looked down at me, confused, and pushed himself of off the wall. He looked down at me and I didn’t know why, but he suddenly looked ten times more intimidating than before.

‘Sorry, I think you need someone else,’ he suddenly said. ‘My name is Peter, not Mason.’

I took a step back and inspected him openly. The way he stood, his speech, but most of all his face. I knew hundred percent sure that this was Mason.

‘Are you kidding me right now? Look Mason, if you don’t want to talk to me than just tell me that, but don’t make up something fake okay? I know I was annoying and all, but-‘

‘I’m not joking Victoria.’

I crossed my arms and shook my head.

‘Then I find it very clever of you that you know my name without me telling you.’ I set two steps back and looked at his face once more.

‘Please Mason, call me when you are not drunk anymore.’

And with those words I walked away, leaving him behind, completely baffled by my sudden annoyance. I sat down on the couch next to Ari who was hanging on the back of it. She looked up when she noticed me and smiled.

‘I saw you talking to the guy over there,’ she smirked now. ‘That must be Mason.’

I looked in the direction that she was pointing and locked eyes with him once again. His powerful demeanor and careless look in his eyes didn’t look like Mason. He might have the exact same appearance, but the way he acted and stood was completely different. I turned my head away from him and shook my head.

‘No, I was mistaken. This guy is not Mason, he only looks like him.’ Once again I looked back and then Peter was nowhere to be found anymore. I sighed and clamped my hands together. Lost in thought and going over the events of this night while scanning the place for Lizzy and Sasha I mumbled: ‘Let’s go Ari, I’ve had enough.’