Kale's Pov
I always recognise when I make a mistake; it's quite easy because I feel regret even before doing that particular act.
And that is exactly how I felt this evening immediately after I made the decision to follow Elijah to that accursed party. Now I'm standing in the midst of half-drunk teenagers rubbing on each other and making obnoxious noises, irritating me more and more.
I sigh as I contemplate whether to turn back or venture inside; this accursed place is going to make me act out of character sooner or later.
I turned to look at the reason for all the drama tonight, and my face tightened in further annoyance. Elijah has been smiling and squealing in excitement ever since we entered this place.
'Look at how much he was enjoying this place, much to my discomfort after blackmailing me earlier.' My mind replayed his earlier pitiful face when he convinced me to come.
"I'm not going," I say, not raising my head from the book I'm currently reading.
"Yes, you are," Elijah said, now searching through my things much to my own dislike. I hated it when people touched my belongings, much less rummaged through them.
"Stop touching my clothes," I say, still not raising my head.
"Don't you want to meet new friends?" He asked, now coming to sit beside me.
"No," I say simply.
"What about Amory? She invited you; she even gave us free golden cards for the VIP section. Don't you feel bad about bailing on her?" he continued. I paused my reading at the mention of the brunette, my thoughts drifting to her briefly, making mesigh...
What could she want from me? Attending a party she's throwing at a luxurious club, I stood up while dropping the book. It doesn't matter what her intentions are; I'm not going either way.
"Are you not??" Elijah asked in my silence.
"Yes, I'm not going," I said, going to sit on the bed.
"What about me? You know I can't go alone. What if I drink too much and can't go home?" he said.
"Then don't go," I said again, determined not to listen to him.
"Kale!!" He yelled, looking at me now frustrated, but I just raised an eyebrow at him, not in the least bit fazed.
"After a long time since Marbel died, for a long time I've actually been liking someone, Kale. Please, this is a chance to get to know her; maybe I'll have a chance and finally be happy," he said, looking down at his lap. His childhood friend turned girlfriend died months ago. Marbel wasn't just his girlfriend; she was his best friend. He has been grieving her since then and is finally getting back up on his feet. I looked at him. I can't believe this sly snake used Marbel to blackmail me.
I continued to study him, and he looked up to me, looking incredibly sad... Lord... This child
"I don't have clothes." I blurted out, unable to come up with anything else.
"Really?" he said, and I nodded stiffly, still not willing to relent.
"Come on, Kale, that's a lie; you have a truckload of clothes untouched in the other room," he said, standing up with excitement, because he was sure he had already won this time.
I sighed and looked around the neat room with barely anything out of place. He wasn't joking about a truckload of clothes; I do have that, maybe even more than that. My mom has made it a point of duty to ship brand-new clothes to me every month. I don't use them, but I can't bother to tell her to stop sending more, and for some reason Elijah is aware.
And that is how I ended up in this place. We showed our cards and were led upstairs by a staff member; the French girl who works there directed us to the VIP section.
"And that room is the place, sir; do make yourself comfortable," she said before departing.
Elijah was grinning ear to ear as I looked around before looking down at the people downstairs as they continued to drink, some dancing, others chattering around with glasses of wine, this place is not that ordinary; looking at the vibe and the people, I can easily tell it's more than the cheap high school party. This place screamed 'elite', and everyone here is clearly of that status, whether in the VIP or not.
"You know, you'll fit in just fine if you will wipe off that look on your pretty face," Elijah said, cutting my train of thought.
"What look?" I said, turning to look at him.
"The... I'm above you all, and I know it looks..." He said, trying to mimic my expression.
"I do not have that look," I said.
"Yes, yes, you do; at this rate you'll never make friends or even have a girlfriend," he said, shaking his head.
"I have no intentions of having one either," I said, now walking towards the room.
"Well, I do, and I'm not going to let your glum self come in between it," he said and cheered before moving fast in excitement, totally leaving me behind...
I went inside the dark-lit room, my eyes searching around the faces seated and watching me like a hawk. I recognised a few faces; they were in Amory's group of elite friends. My eyes moved to the bar in the room; two boys were chattering around, smiling and... smoking. That looks like weed.
'Lord, is this where I'm supposed to be? What could come out of this accursed place?'. Apart from Elijah's blackmail, I already felt a pull to come to his place, and that is why I'm here.
"Hi Kale, over here!" Someone called, and my attention was drawn to the girl sitting on the end of the red couch, smiling at me.
I sighed before coming to where she's sitting; Elijah obviously is trying hard to keep in his excitement at the sight of Carmen calling us but falling miserably.
I hope he doesn't end up miserable with this girl. I greeted Carmen in a low tone before sitting down on the couch, looking around, and still no sign of the brunette...
Seriously...
"Well, isn't that Amory's new plaything?" one of the boys I saw earlier at the bar said.
I adjusted my glasses before looking at the boy with raven-black hair smirking before coming to sit beside us, the glass of whisky still in his hands. I sat up on the couch before looking down at my lap, not in the slightest mood to pay heed to him...
"It looks like he's dumb too," another person said, eliciting small chuckles around the table.
I didn't say anything still but was forced to look up when another guy came to stand in front of me, one of his legs on the glass table in the room.
"I don't actually get it, y'all. Why would an enchantress like Amory take an interest in a nerd, a dumb one at that?"
"That's up to Amory and not you. Stop bothering Kale and get lost," Carmen said while glaring at him.
"Well, I just want to make sense of it."
"Well, you're just making a fool of yourself."
Carmen said, and everyone chuckled except the guy who was obviously insulted, turning to glare at Carmen before he threw a keychain at her in vengeance, which Elijah caught in time before it hit Carmen, earning 'ohhs' around the table.
I shook my head in disbelief...
"Did you wait for long?" I turned to the voice and saw the brunette walk in with black heels and a red silk sultry dress, looking like she came out of a magazine...
She walked elegantly and sat beside me while still smiling at me, which suddenly made me so uneasy; my eyes still on her, I tried to shift from her side, as it was beginning to be overwhelming.
She adjusted on the seat before crossing her legs, the slit in her dress exposing her thighs. I looked at the exposed flesh, my eyes trailing to her curvy waist and to her back that was open, exposing the pale skin down to her waist...
Lord, what sort of dress is this?? Is this what it means to dress to kill?
I cleared my throat, pushing down the weird feeling before shifting, putting a distance between our bodies. I wasn't looking at her again, but I could tell she was smiling at me, her eyes sizing me up entirely, increasing the anxious feeling already there...
I'm never anxious, not for any reason.
"Why did you invite me to this party? I've already been here for half an hour."
I said, staring into every other space except Amory; she seemed to be enjoying the fact that I appeared uncomfortable.
"What else do you do at a party?" she said and shrugged.
"I don't like partying," I said in a low tone.
But I'm sure she heard me.
"Well, you can always learn it; it's not just partying but also networking, introducing you to a whole new world and leaving your boring life," she said, her perfectly manicured fingers tracing the tip of the wine glass in her hands.
"I...I'm not interested in any of that."
"Really... Why are you here then?" she asked, her attention now back on me as if searching for any clues to show that I'm lying about not being interested.
"I came because of Eli " I said, my eyes now searching for the sole cause of my problems tonight.
"Well, unlike you, your friend is sure to be quick on his feet and knows an opportunity when he sees one."
My face contorted in annoyance at my friend who seemed to have already made his own friends, talking and laughing slowly, while at the same time managing to engage Carmen in a conversation.
"Well, I'm not like that, and I'm leaving."
"Well, that's too bad," she said before slouching back in the seat, exposing her body more... "Yep, definitely a bad idea, coming here in the first place.
"You won't even have a drink before leaving; you're making me feel bad."
I snorted. I doubt she felt bad; she looks so confident.
'No, I don't drink. I'm leaving.' Now standing up for real, this place does not favour me, not at all.
Not even bothering to call Eli, I bolted out of the room, walking briskly downstairs, weaving around the people clustered together till I was outside, and I breathed out a sigh.
I took a breath of fresh air, taking in the cold winter air as I felt the chill replacing the shivers and tingles I felt inside, the anxious feeling washing away. I looked around for my car and sighed in relief at the sight of it. I can't wait to get home.
"Are you that relieved to go home? I'm hurt."
Seriously, did she follow me here...?
I turned around to find Amory staring right at me.
Her fingers tracing her lipstick-doused lips, drawing my attention to it, "I think you and I will make really good friends."
She said before raising her fingers to touch my face, I froze at the action, my eyes moving to look at the hand moving towards my face, and on instinct I held her hand, holding it in place to prevent it from reaching my face.
Her hands are cold...
I couldn't help but notice the goosebumps on her arm. I looked at her body and sighed.
"I think you shouldn't wear revealing clothes in the cold," I said before releasing her hands.
Before taking off the coat I was wearing and putting it around her shoulder before walking off to my car, this time not looking back till I was inside the car.
I took a deep breath after I sat down...
What kind of girl is she...? Before I could convince myself of it, I looked back in time to see her toss the coat I put over her into the nearest trash can before elegantly walking inside, that sultry smile already wiped from her lips.
Of course…