Torn

p r o l o g u e

"There's a party tonight, are you coming?"

"You're supposed to be my friend, yet you seem to know nothing about me," I comment. "I don't like parties, Parker."

He rolls his eyes in response. "Fine, have it your way. Its not a party, its a small get- together of our all our friends. We're all going to Lee's house."

"I don't have any friends, so I doubt I'm invited to your 'get together'." I do air quotes to mock him.

He places his hand over his heart and gasps, as if he had been struck.

Rolling my eyes, I finish, "Apart from you, of course. I'm sure I'd be dead in a ditch if it weren't for your fantastic company."

"That's more like it," he beams. "Get changed, Rene. You need to look at least decent tonight-"

"And here I was, convinced that this was not a party!" I throw my hands up in fake exasperation.

"Babe, it's not. But, I'm sure everyone would be touched if you didn't wear stained clothing and actually wore something that's been collecting cobwebs for the last year." He eyes my flimsy, baggy top and old leggings and shifts his gaze to my wardrobe. "I'm sure those marks weren't put there for design."

"Don't call me babe, I don't like you, and if it means so much to you, leave. I'd like to change in peace."

"You take the fun out of everything." He huffs, but obliges. He stands outside of the door and pouts, while I give him a sickeningly sweet smile and closing the door in his face.

It takes me a few minutes to change into jeans, a simple tight top and boots with a small wedge heel. I brush my hair and put it into a nice half up, half down style; by this time, I had already let Parker back into the room. I apply little make up, only mascara and a slightly red tainted gloss and look to Parker for approval.

He stands in a relaxed stance with most his weight shifted onto his left foot, and with his arms crossed over his chest, he looks me up and down and nods. "Simple, but cute. I like it." He smiles and I smile back.

~~~

It's a party. I could hear the music blasting the second we got into the neighbourhood. Not to mention the infinite amount of cars littered all around the house. One had actually crashed into a garden, for God's sake. I punched Parker when I found out he had lied to me, though I already knew.

"I though it wasn't a party." I state, annoyed.

"So, there's music. That means nothing."

"That's not very reassuring."

~~~

After half an hour of searching, we finally found a parking spot. We headed inside and as soon as I stepped foot into the house, barely inches past the door, the speakers lasting music sent vibrations that travelled throughout my entire body. How did anyone like this? How had this party not been shut down? There was no way no one had reported the house for a disturbance unless they were somehow deterred from doing so.

Parker grabbed my hand and began pulling me through the house and into the main living area. I think he feels guilty because I don't like these type of settings, yet he practically dragged me out of my room anyways. I suppose the least he could do is hold my hand so I'm not heaved away from him because of the flow of the crowd. Plus, the house is huge, and with my petite figure, I'd have no clue navigating my way around.