I Walk the Line ♤ (gxg)

chapter 29: new year's eve

"Name?"

August's eyes darted around nervously. "Um..." Her fingers picked at a loose string on the hem of her black coat as she fixed her stare back at the large man who stood with his arms crossed in front of the mansion with glass windows that she could see into.

Drawing her eyes away from the enormous black spade tattooed onto the bouncer's equally as large bicep and to the glass windows of the modernistic house that belonged to Ronnie, she considered turning around and running away. The inside of the house looked foggy from the outside, and her eyes fixated on a few blunts being passed around the crowd of dancing people. Pink and green lights crossed the top of the people's heads, a single pink ray finding its way straight into August's pupil, straining her eye before it flashed in another direction as quickly as it had come. She could feel the music bumping in her chest, and it reminded her of the college party she went to so many months ago. Going to that party was a decision that changed her life, but even now she still found herself uncomfortable on the party scene.

"Next!" the bearded man yelled, leaning his head over to view the line of people who stood behind August, waiting for their entry to the party.

"August," she instantly mumbled, her dark blue eyes peering up at the tall man. She swallowed, a shiver running up her spine from the cold night air. As much as she did not want to enter this party, especially because the person who invited her to it  was without a doubt somewhere inside that shockingly large and booming house, the late December air was seeping into her bones and her teeth began to rattle in her mouth. The warmth of a house sounded good to her at that moment.

The bouncer, while his persona had remained stiff the entire time the smaller girl stood in front of him, seemed to still completely as he heard her name. His arms suddenly uncrossed and he bowed his head downwards slightly. "My apologies, Miss August," his gruff voice changed to a more respectful tone as he pulled open the glass door and held it open for the girl.

She was confused by his sudden change in demeanor but realized he must have been instructed by a certain dark-haired woman to let her in immediately. August nodded her head downwards as a silent thank you as she stepped inside the house, her body immediately melting at the warmth hitting her and her ears being penetrated by the heavy bass music. It wasn't extremely upbeat, electronic music like what played at the college parties she'd been to, but it was more alternative. The people danced, but not as frenziedly as frat boys and sorority girls. Nonetheless, the stench of marijuana and alcohol floated in the air.

"I can't believe my eyes," spoke a raspy voice that rang a bell in August's head.

She jumped, turning sharply to her right towards where the close voice came from. It took her a second to register that Cornelia was standing in front of her, her blonde hair up in a ponytail and her makeup smudged under her eyes.

"We figured Will slaughtered your ass. You aren't a ghost, right?" the woman spoke, narrowing her eyes and leaning closer to scan August up and down, the girl's nose crinkling as she smelled alcohol emanate from both the woman's mouth and the red solo cup in her hand.

August's jaw clenched at her words, her feet taking her a step back as she tried to ignore the woman's mention of Willow killing her. Everything suddenly felt all too real for the girl. She had spent the last six days pushing every single trace of the Blue Porcelain gang's existence out of her mind, but now with seeing Cornelia again, so many memories began to flood her mind like an uncontrollable stampede. She inhaled and tried to calm the waking rabbit in her chest.

"What are you even doing here, kid?" Cornelia spoke over the music, feeling a little bit of compassion towards the young girl who looked scared and out of place in the crowd full of gangsters. "And what even happened? Willow hasn't said a single word to anyone since she came back from Texas. All she has done is drink and stay locked up in her room. Every time anyone so much as talks to her, she nearly threatens to murder them."