Living With The Bad Boy [COMPLETE][VERSION ONE]

Chapter 34

"What the hell is going on in here?" Jase asks, and apparently his voice shocks Seraphina, who gasps, wheeling around and staring at him. She still has one of the straws in her hand, a fine dusting of white powder covering it. "Phina... what are you doing?"

"I was just teaching miss Betty Sue here how to have fun, sue me," Seraphina responds, a grin on her face even though she's acting defensive. "Though... you could have some fun with us instead!" she runs up to him, her legs a bit wobbly as she does so, practically clinging onto his shoulders like she's going to fall over without them. Jase puts a hand around her waist, but his eyes aren't on her. They're on me... taking me in, studying me, the way I've practically fallen to the ground after Seraphina left, the shaking that's overcome me. "Did she get any?" he asks Seraphina after a slight pause, his voice low and quiet, and something tells me, a hell of a lot more sober than the rest of the room.

I mean, thank god for that if nothing else.

"No... but the night is still young. She was about to... and you can too, gorgeous," she says, playing with his hair a little in a way that makes me want to scream, but at her words, Jase seems to relax, his worried look turning a little more condescending and a little less pitying.

He still doesn't think I can handle this.

"Phina. Don't. I'm serious," he says, pushing her off of him. "If you want to get super high and risk serious consequences, be my guest. But don't drag her into it just because you're jealous of how much more innocent she is."

"Jealous? Please," Seraphina laughs, turning her gaze to look me up and down. "Not sure who on earth would be jealous of little Homebody here."

"Seraphina. Stop. Go back out, I'll see you in a second. You too," he says, pointing to the rest of the girls and waiting for them to leave before he offers me a hand up. "Last time I checked, the bathroom floor wasn't exactly a very comfortable place to sit."

"Shut up," I mutter, looking very intensely just past his left shoulder and lifting myself up without his hand. "Thanks. For helping me. I guess."

"Try not to need any more help, okay? I have better things to do than babysit you all night."

My eyes widen out of surprise for just a second, a little bit of hurt flashing into them. But of course this is what he thinks. I can't handle this. I shouldn't be here. Hell, I spent 5 minutes with these girls and almost let them pressure me into doing coke?

I'm so, so stupid.

"Sorry. Won't happen again," I say, my eyes downcast and my voice low before I slip past him.

"Wait, Red, that's not what I-" I hear him say, but there's no purpose.

I'm already gone.

--

The downstairs area club is filled with more raucous dancing, strobe lights, and music... but everyone seems to be into it. Chrissa (even though I don't even think I saw her take any coke, which just says something about her natural personality), Seraphina, even Mayah. All dancing around, acting like they've never been happier in their lives.

Euphoria.

If only I realized earlier that was from the cocaine instead of genuinely enjoying the party.

I look back to see Jase emerging from the stairwell, coming back to Cody Chasen and Corey Westbrook, who try to offer him some sort of drink. I watch him roll his eyes, taking a few sips, and then subtly place the rest of the drink on the counter when they aren't looking.

Huh. Weird.

But before I can observe further, I remember the way he spoke to me upstairs. Like I was a child, a burden. Like I'd never fit in with these people.