How Bad Can A Good Girl Get?

Chapter 5

"Joaquin Lars asked you to what?!"

"Chloe, keep your voice down," I hissed, glancing around the hallways worriedly. However, the high school students around me kept on walking towards their next class, paying no attention to Chloe or me. "Don't announce it to the whole school, will ya?"

"Storm, this is just so weird." Chloe twirled a strand of her hair around her finger. "Why would Joaquin invite you to a party for? He never hangs out with people like you."

"People like me?" I knew what Chloe was saying and I knew it was true, but I couldn't help but still feel a little hurt. "Does everyone just think of me as some goody-two-shoes around here?"

Chloe bit her lip nervously. "I hate to say it Storm, but yeah, pretty much. You just..." she sighed. "You never do anything adventurous. It's like you come to school, ace everything, and then go home. Tell me, have you gone out with anyone that's not me or Lucy in the past three years?"

I racked my brain, and felt my heart sank when I couldn't think of anything. Damn it, Chloe's right.

"Fine," I said, throwing my hands up in mock surrender. "You've got me there. But, whatever. I think I'm overthinking this party. Let's just go and have fun."

Chloe shrugged. "Sure, I'm down. But I still have a funny feeling about this."

"Come on, Chloe, you said I'm not adventurous, right? Well, I'm being adventurous now!"

"I know you're being adventurous," Chloe slammed her locker door shut as the bell rang. "What I'm worried about is if you're ready for this particular adventure."

***

After school, I went home first, despite the protests from Chloe to go to Joaquin's place immediately. Despite our conversation this morning, she had no qualms about going to the party herself. I wasn't exactly surprised, though. Out of the three of us, Chloe was the most outgoing by far. She was wild and always down to try something new, whether that would be going skydiving or booking an impromptu trip to Hawaii. 

Lucy and I, on the other hand, were not about that lifestyle. I couldn't speak for Lucy, but for me, the comforts of my own room and the predictable routine provided a sense of comfort for me. I couldn't imagine doing some of the stuff that Chloe does. Jumping from 13,000 feet from an airplane? No thanks. I'd take a good book or heck, even some math homework over that.

Which was probably why I was now sitting on the edge of my bed, feet crossed and head in my hands. A party, Storm? Really? You have homework to do! Essays! There'll probably be some illegal happenings going on there. You really want to jeopardise your chance to go to a good college just for one night? 

The answer to all of that, of course, was no. Everything about Joaquin's "proposition" was trouble. An idiotic bad boy who had no sense of responsibility? Check. A wild party with drinking and possibly drugs? Check. My parents would go berserk if they found out? Check.

And worse of all, it was on a school night.

But still, something inside of me stopped me from texting Chloe and telling her I wouldn't be coming. It was a feeling that grew in my heart, a type of burning desire that I hadn't felt before. 

Come on, Storm, said the feeling, its voice soft and dreamlike in my mind. It's just one night. You've never experienced this before. Get out, live a little. You never have to do this again.

I exhaled softly, then stood up. Damn it, I thought, as I left my bedroom and headed down the stairs. What have I gotten myself into?

***

When I finally got to Joaquin's house, the party was already in full swing.

The Lars' were not millionaires, but they certainly had money. That was evident the second I saw their house. Although we lived in the same neighbourhood, the Lars' house was the most expensive and the most grand. I walked past a matte black Mercedes that was parked in the driveway, then past a white BMW and a grey Audi. I hated to admit it, but I was already jealous. Just a little bit. 

The party itself was out of control. Loud, upbeat techno music blasted from inside the building, and gaggles of teenagers holding red plastic cups were all around me. I even saw one guy passed out by a bunch of bushes. 

This isn't going to end well, is it? I thought to myself as I walked up the steps to the front door. It was already ajar, revealing the chaos inside. I hesitated at the door, and then shook away my fears before stepping inside. Screw it. I'm already here anyways. 

I walked through the house, avoiding the mass of sweaty bodies around me, my ears getting assaulted by the booming rave music. Strobe lights had been strung up to the ceiling and I could barely tell where I was going. Suddenly, I bumped into a wall of bricks -- or what felt like a wall of bricks. Instead, I looked up directly into Joaquin Lars' smirking face. Even with the flashing lights, his cocky smile and sharp jawline were distinguishable.

"You made it," he remarked casually, leaning against the wall.

"Yeah, I did." I glanced around. "Quite a party you've got here."

Joaquin let out a chuckle. "Are you kidding? The party's barely started."

"Really?" I quirked an eyebrow and stepped quickly out of the way of a stumbling blonde. "Doesn't look like it to me."

"Oh, and you're the expert on throwing parties, right? Little miss goody-two-shoes?" 

The retort reminded me of what Chloe had said to me this morning. Her words echoed in my mind: Why would Joaquin invite you to a party for? He never hangs out with people like you.

"Whatever." My voice was sharp as I whirled around, away from Joaquin. "I'm leaving."

"Hey!" I felt something grab my hand -- not too roughly, but with enough force to stop me from walking away. Joaquin stepped closer, his hand in mine. "Don't leave yet," he said, his voice softer now and almost lost in the sound of the music. "After all, the party's just started."

For the second time that day, I found myself hesitating. The action itself caught my off guard. I knew better than this. I was rational, logical -- and this party was something that I would never want to be caught up in. So why was I so hesitant to leave? 

"I -" I started to say, only to be cut off by a sultry voice from behind me. 

"Joaquin, baby, who are you talking to?" Oh no. My heart sunk into the depths of my chest. I hadn't heard that voice in a long time, but I still recognized it. I always would.

A girl with wavy brunette hair and the body of a supermodel brushed past me and towards Joaquin. I let my hand fall as I watched Aurora McCoy wrap her arms around Joaquin's neck and plant a kiss on his cheek. Her piercing blue eyes fell on me, and widened in surprised. Oh no, oh no, oh no.

"Storm Romero?" Her voice was sickly sweet, fake and condescending. "How long's it been, honey? You're still..." She hesitated, pursing her lips. "Very much the same."

I knew that wasn't a compliment. "Hi, Aurora," I said, not making eye contact. I need to get out of here. I glanced back at Joaquin and muttered, "Sorry, gotta go," and disappeared into the crowd of dancing, moving bodies before either one of them could say another word.