Only Lonely

IV. Mr Blonde

The party was just like any normal teenage party; boisterous with loud teens, music so loud one would have to shout at the top of one's lung before being heard.

The booze kept coming and a lot of people were on the dance floor. Okay let me rephrase, a lot of 'inseparable' people were on the dance floor grinding to the beat which made it nearly impossible to veer through without getting sidetracked. The lighting was dim and the majority of people the opposite of sober.

Hailey couldn't make out any familiar face as she tried locating the host -the pool arena of course, that's the place Damien would be at.

She held onto Cara who was already pensive,not a fan of parties. "Don't let go of me, no matter what, okay?" Hailey told her and before Cara could reply, she pulled her forward. Both girls trudged forward while weaving through crowds of drunk, sweaty teens,and at last they made it to the pool arena outside, both girls breathed in fresh air.

Hailey spotted Damien with some of his friends including Mason —the guy Damien had the bet with, all of them were wet, a proof that they had recently been in the pool.
One of the guys said something to Damien and pointed to the direction of the girls and suddenly they were the centre of attention.

They started towards the group when Damien beckoned to them.

"Hey, so nice to see you ladies, am so glad you came." Damien greeted them.

"Yea, me too...wouldn't have missed it for the world." Hailey quipped in a sarcastic tone, already regretting her decision.

"Your party is sick, the good kind of 'sick' I mean, that means it is great, I mean great, not like the great Alexander, just cool, very ...."

"Cara!" Hailey drawled. "Don't exhaust the whole adjectives, he gets it."

"Yeah, I do. Totally got it." Damien chuckled trying to hold in his laughter.

"Right!" Cara felt her cheek flush red from embarrassment, being around the jocks of the school certainly do leave that effect, poor Cara.

"Hello Adams. For a moment there I thought you backed out," Mason who had left his group joined them. "seeing as you aren't the party type, are you sure you would be fine? He said in a mock-tone. "P.s and the water do bite, watch out." Mason said patronizingly, a mischievous grin on his face as he walked away.

It was no news that Mason detested Hailey, he was her constant bully in elementary but Hailey eventually had the courage to stand up for herself in junior year thereby embarrassing him and the bullying came to an end much to his chagrin.

Tonight he was set on revenge, pay back. That was why he made that silly bet with Damien to invite her knowing she would accept just to oppose him and it seems mother luck indeed smiled upon him.

"What was that all about?" Cara asked inquisitively as she saw Hailey paled.

"Hailey, am sorry about—" Damien was about to apologize but Hailey cut him off.

"It's nothing. Mason has always been a jerk, am not bothered." Oh, but she was bothered, the Cheshire grin Mason had on his face was a warning on its own, what is he up to, what conspiracy was he hatching?

"Damien thanks for the invite, I'll surely have fun, I just need a drink." she said breezily as she stormed away with a confused Cara following.

A drink turned to two,to three then several, the truth was that Mason's last statement had struck a nerve that the sober Hailey couldn't handle right now.

First was the horrible week she was going through,then the strong smell of chlorine here bringing back memories she daily struggles to bury, then Mason, who reminded her of a past she rather wouldn't dwell on and then his words.