once // calum hood

2

SEPTEMBER

Two weeks later I'm standing in my bathroom mirror looking at the sleek black dress Kinley brought for me to put on. It was tight in what would've been all the right places, but I didn't want anyone to look at me in that way.

Supposedly Drakes parents had rented out a bar, one of Drakes cousins would be the 'bartender' of the night. Kinley, Drake, and I would be the only ones that weren't still in high school there. It was the main reason why I didn't want to go, I'd look like I was desperate enough to date someone younger than me.

"Would you stop looking at yourself like that? You look hot, we should get going." Kinley leans against the door frame, and I let out a deep sigh.

"That's not what I was going for, so no, I can't. I guess let's go, the sooner I get there, the sooner I can leave."

I had told Kinley a million times that I wasn't going to this party, I didn't even know anyone there. Sure, they were juniors when we were seniors, but that doesn't mean I want to go to their party and be friends.

She was right, I'd kind of become a hermit since I got home. I just haven't felt like doing much. Not that I have time to do a lot, I'm basically a full-time nanny for my baby brother. Even if I did have the time to do anything for myself, I wouldn't. Kinley was only home on the weekends anyway and usually wanted to spend time with Drake. I didn't blame her for that, I spent a whole summer with a boy and never talked to her much.

I knew deep down Kinley felt bad for me, but she had a strange way of showing it for sure. Her ideas of trying to make me feel better weren't the ways I wanted to feel better. I've spent the last month hating myself for letting Calum walk away, but I can't take it back now.

The box of fall clothes sits there, and it seems to be taunting me like it knows I won't make any effort to get them out today. They're right, I won't. I don't want to. Plus, I guess I had to go to this party.

"How are you going to leave when I signed you up for the designated driver position?" She remarks, I roll my eyes as I follow her down the stairs and out to the car.

"Then I guess I'll just sit in the car until you're ready to go." I snark right back, knowing that's not what she wants.

"No, you're not. You're going to come inside and have at least one drink with us." Kinley insists for the millionth time tonight. I sit back in the passenger seat and bang my head against the headrest. It's definitely going to be a long night.

We arrive, and someone is outside to take the keys and park the car, a little extreme for a teenagers birthday party, but this family has always been over the top. As soon as I get out of the car, I tug my dress down, feeling overly exposed. We can already hear the music from out here. The party actually started an hour and a half ago, but Kinley said we absolutely were not going to be on time.

She liked people looking at her, but I certainly did not. I used to not mind, it used to be a confidence booster to know someone noticed the result of my hard work. Not anymore, I don't want that kind of attention.

As soon as we walk in Drake meets us at the door to pull Kinley away. "We'll be right back, get a drink and go sit in that booth over there."

I barely see where she points to before Drake takes her around the back of the bar through a different door. Typical Kinley, drag me somewhere and then leave me to fuck her boyfriend in a closet or something. Sometimes I wondered why we are friends because we are nothing alike.

Skipping the drink suggestion, I follow Kinley's directions and pick a booth in the general area she pointed to. The booths make a U shape around the place with the dance floor in the middle. There are TV's lining the wall above the bar that are playing music videos that match whatever song is blasting through the speakers.