(1) Talk Me Down: An All Time Low Fanfiction Romance

Chapter 4: Confrontation

        What seemed like days later, Veronica was finally satisfied with our appearances. She had fit herself into a tight, grey dress that fell a few inches above her knees. If she had been going to a red carpet event, I might have understood the expensive, flashy dress, but we were going to a high school, house party. I knew better than anyone that Veronica wanted all eyes on her when we got there, and that was what she was going to get.

        Ava was given a dark blue dress with a v-neckline and a tulle skirt. Sophoa's white dress was similar to Ava's except it was a lot shorter. Jay agreed to go as far as a mini skirt and a babydoll top with a steep neckline, but she didn't look happy about it. Charlotte was dressed in skinny jeans and a fancy white shirt with spaghetti straps and a plunging neckline.

        Clothes wise, I'd been lucky enough to get away with tight jeans and an off the shoulder shirt that fell so far off my left shoulder you could see the top of my bra, and Veronica insisted on taking a flat iron to my hair to make it pin straight.

        Ava's hair was pin straight, the way it always was, and Charlotte and Veronica both had their hair down, falling in waves around their shoulders. Sophia's hair was straight and Jay's hair was curled loosely.

        As we were winding down, getting ready to leave, I looked around and couldn't help thinking this was a bit ridiculous. We were five teenage girls going to a high school party, but I felt like I was so dressed up. Maybe it was because normally I wore jeans I could breathe in, and was used to leaving my hair in its natural waves. Veronica did this every, single day. Her appearance was one of her highest priorities, and she liked the people she hung out with to look good too.

        "Kara, are you coming?" Charlotte's voice said, pulling me back into Veronica's room. I must have been spacing out, because I caught a glimpse of Jay exiting the bedroom, trailing behind Veronica, Sophia and Ava. Charlotte was standing a few feet from me, waiting.

        "Yeah," I muttered, lifting myself off the bed to follow Charlotte downstairs.

        "Ava and I will drive us there," Veronica said as Charlotte and I left the last step and crossed the yard to the driveway. She looked at me and I knew I was riding with her.

        I took the passenger seat in Veronica's car with Jay and Charlotte in the back seat. Ava and Sophia went alone; they'd always been close so we didn't think it was a surprise.

        Veronica turned on the radio, eliminating any chance for conversation. She sped down the road, bobing her head along with whatever rap or hip-hop was playing. The party was only a few minutes away and we reached it in record timing. As we turned on to the street, the radio was turned off and the music was replaced with music from the party.

        "It's not like your'e walking to your death. Lighten up a bit," Veronica said next to me, sounding almost serious. I smiled weakly, pushing open the door as everybody else got out.

        Jay walked over to Veronica and leaned towards her, whispering something. Veronica linked arms with her, talking back as they headed up the sidewalk. I walked up with Charlotte, following behind Sophia and Ava.

        The music grew louder and louder; you could feel it in your body as you entered the house. It was packed with kids dancing or drinking, making the house seem warmer than it was. Charlotte tapped my shoulder, probably because she didn't want to try talking when it was almost imporrible to hear yourself think. I followed her pointed finger, my eyes landing on Nolan. I felt myself smile automatically, and then blush as one of his riends bumped his shoulder and pointed at me.

        I looked at Charlotte and she nodded, smiling understandingly as I left her, moving in the general direction of Nolan. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder, holding me against him as he leaned down to kiss me, his lips wandering to my ear to tell me he liked the way I looked. My cheeks flushed again and my ears went warm.

        He offered me his drink, and I took it, not caring what it was. I took a few sips and handed it back to Nolan, who finished the little bit off. He took my hand, pulling me into the crowd of moving people.

        The night wore on and people came and went. I only saw my friends a few times because I mostly stayed around Nolan. A few hours after we'd arrived, I actually talked to my friends, not just acknowledge them as I moved around with Nolan.

        Veronica came stagering over, a drink in her hand. She linked arms with mine, shoved her cup in Nolan's hand and shouted something about dancing with her. I looked back at Nolan as Veronica pulled me away and he smiled, already accompanied by two of his friends.

        As I turned around, letting Veronica drag me along, my shoulder collided with someone else's. "Oh sorry," escaped my lips as I stopped short, causing Veroncia's arm to fall from mine.

        I looked at who I'd bumped into, recognizing him from the restaurant earlier. He was with the same three guys, who also stopped and were staring at me.  The one I'd run into had short hair, unlike his friends. One had long, light brown hair and the other had equally long black hair. The one boy I didn't recognize had brown, curly hair.

        I felt Veronica come next to me and when I looked at her, she was scowling. I looked back at the boys, noticing that the ones with long hair were both smirking, looking amused.

        "You shouldn't be here," Veronica said offensively, her hands on her hips. The boy with light brown hair stepped towards us, responding like her statement was directed towards him.

        "It's a free country. I believe we can go wherever we want," the boy responded, now standing beside the one I'd bumped into. I looked around, noticing that Jay and Charlotte had spotted us, but weren't coming closer. Nolan, Jason, and two of his other friends, however, had noticed us and were quickly moving towards us.

        "Most people know that they shouldn't come where they aren't welcome, Alex," Nolan stood close to me, his friends moving around us. Honestly, I was confused. These boys hadn't done anything wrong, but it seemed like all my friends disliked them for some reason.

        "Look man, we're not trying to cause problems," the boy I'd run into said, giving his friend, Alex, I assumed, a warning look. He was trying to avoid a bigger confrontation. Alex rolled his eyes in response, shaking his head.

        He started to turn around when Jason said, "Then maybe you shouldn't have come at all."