"Hey would you let go!" Mary grunted.
"Calm down I'm not doing anything wrong," Rothford replied lazily.
"It doesn't give you the right to drag me around."
"Just shut up and come," Rothford said. Mary tried to halt in her tracks to hold onto something. Her eyes scoured the crowd but all she could see were bustles of drunk people, a few whose eyes were pinned on her and Rothford.
As they passed Mary caught eyes with a tall brunette wearing five inch heels and very familiar looking earrings. . . . Mary's chest squeezed. It was Charity.
Charity looked just as surprised as Mary felt. Charity's mascara-covered eyes wandered from Mary to who was holding her hand. Mary didn't think she'd ever seen so much disdain in someone's face before. Charity's gaze returned to Mary which by now had become an ultimate death glare. Even Mary couldn't deny the twinge of fear that she felt at this. Charity, still not removing her glare at Mary, had begun to whisper to one of her friends next to her. This wouldn't end well.
Thankfully Mary was spared another encounter with Charity when both Rothford and Mary burst through the crowd. She immediately noticed the bar, which by now was crowded with people all calling for shots and cocktails of their own. Mary recognized a couple people from her classes but could not find a single one of them wearing a school uniform. Man she was so out of place.
Mary noticed that the bar had its own bartender who buzzed between orders like a magician. The bar was long, sleek marble ornamenting the table, a glass case of very expensive looking alcohol draped against the wall. An older guy who she didn't recognize was in the process of pouring two sets of shots when Mary's gaze finally landed on him.
Still not letting go of her hand, Rothford claimed a seat at the front. Two scrawny looking guys made room for him. Mary noticed the how anxious they seemed around Rothford.
"Hey Charlie, two beers," Rothford called the bartender. The strong scent of vodka filled Mary's nostrils and she made a gagging noise. Blagh she hated this, how could Zoe ever agree to drink this stuff?
The bartender's head lifted from the haze of orders and abandoned the girl who had been whispering in his ear to attend to Rothford.
The beers came after a minute and, finally, Rothford let her go signaling her to take the beer he had in his hands. Mary eyed the drink with disgust.
"No thanks," she said stiffly.
"Why not?" he demanded.
"Don't want to," Mary barked back. "Where did your friend take Zoe!?"
Rothford shrugged taking a long swing of his beer. "Who knows, he's having his fun you should leave t hem alone." Mary gasped.
"Are you insane? You saw how wasted she was!"
"What does it matter if she's having fun?" Rothford said dismissively. "Sit down will you, I don't like craning my neck just to listen to you talk."
"You'll just have to live with the hardship t hen," Mary said angrily.
A loaf pop interrupted them and Mary jolted. A string of cheers let out as some guy was hanging by the chandelier in the wall—with his shirt off. Mary gaped at the stupidity and turned to see what Rothford thought about this abuse of is property.
Anything but concern spread on his features. In fact, Rothford looked more annoyed than scared.
"Aren't you going to do anything?" Mary asked pointing at the spectacle. Rothford laughed.
"Why? He's having fun at a party let him."
"Speaking the guy who throws eggs at a girl that bumps into him," Mary said darkly.
"That's different. She had to know her place,"Rothford said nonchalantly.
Mary let out a scoff. "You're unbelievable."
Suddenly a much manicured hand burst from nowhere and wrapped around Rothford's neck. "Daniel!"
Rothford jolted surprised at the sudden attack. Mary tried not to laugh, so fake airheads scared him huh. She'd have to remember that in the future.
"I'm so lonely Daniel," Charity purred. Her fingers twirled around his dark curls. Mary noted how Charity's bare legs rubbed against his. Wow subtle, Mary thought.
"Where the bloody hell did you come from!?" Rothford screeched. Charity's smile wavered slightly but his remark only seemed to drive her more. Charity moved to sit on Rothford's lap drawing her face to his.
"Ew I don't need to see this," Mary commented covering her eyes. She needed to find Zoe—
A loud cry interrupted Mary's thoughts. Head zipping around Mary found Charity was deposited on the floor with Rothford walking over her. He was headed straight for Mary.
Not wanting to be dragged around Mary surged into the crowd, thought of Zoe all in her brain.
"Hey were went finished talking?" Rothford called for her.
"Funny, that's all I hear from you these days. I can't believe there is anything for us to say to one another," Mary shouted back ducking before a guy's elbow hit her face.
"American, she'll be fine. Will won't do anything to her," ROthford tried to say. Mary laughed as she emerged from the crowd back to where the kitchen was. She had to start somewhere. Maybe Zoe went back to throw up. All the alcohol in a small body could not end well.
"Hey why don't you drink? I could get you a beer," ROthford suggested catching up next to her. He didn't try to stop her.
"Wha-"Mary replied distracted. "Oh, um I don't know I just don't."
Rothford regarded her silently studying her face very intently. She could feel it as she searched the kitchen, ignoring the couple that was still making out in the corner.
"Ah I get it American. You had one wild night with some chum and decided not to dish it out again." Mary's face burned and she whipped around.
"No!" she roared. "Don't confuse me with the girls who throw themselves at you!"
"Well then why not drink. Here I'll help you." Rothford went for the fridge pulling out a beer and handing it to Mary. Mary stared at thing stupidly. "Why are you so afraid?"
"Why are you so demanding?" she snapped back. "Keep your damn bottle. Don't think I know what you're up to asshole."
"Hey watch it!" ROthford answered angrily. Mary grinned, finally she'd uncovered the real him.
"Do you think I don't see through your plan? Pretending to be nice to me, dragging me away from Zoe, and taking me to this party, offering me alcohol repeatedly." She shook her head and crossed her arms over her waist. "You know if you want revenge you need to be cleverer about it."
"Hey I was just—"
"Don't waste my time with your lies! You and I both know it only makes you look more stupid than you already are."
The bottle of beer in Rothford's hand crashed floor. Mary didn't have time to react before Rothford grabbed a fistful; of her shirt. "Listen you damn American," Rothford growled. Fear hung in Mary's stomach in a sickening way. Their face were inches from one another his alcohol breath hitting her nostrils.
Mary swallowed letting her anger reach her. "What!? Going to hit me coward! Your precious ego can't handle someone telling you off! Well I'm done sitting back and saying nothing. Leave me and Zoe alone! Get out of your damn high horse!"
"Oh and you think you're better?" ROthford replied angrily. Mary glared back at him.
"I never said I'm better. I have faults but at least I don't punch every mouth that runs about me and show off about money I didn't spend a day earning." Rothford's face broke, shock filing his expression. Satisfaction filled Mary's blood like fuel in a fire. Nothing could stop her from letting out everything she felt in the past three years from pouring out of her. She'd been air filled balloon and Rothford pierced her pressure point. No more. This jerk would get it handed to him.
"You've called me a whore and a sellout. You've thrown things at me, spat at me and pushed me around. But know this Daniel Rothford," she said spitting out his name. "This is war. I'm not gonna hide anymore. That day in the gym was the beginning. If you mess with me, Zoe, or anyone I care about anymore you'll be sorry."
Mary reached and grabbed his hair the same way Charity had but this time gripped it so hard she knew it hurt him. Rothford didn't make a sound he only stared at her. His eyes narrowed on her face a mixture of anger and surprise filling them.
"Keep that in mind next time you dare to come near any of us. Now get your hands off me before I make sure you have a bald patch on that brainless head of yours."
Rothford didn't answer her immediately. He just stared. His hand gripping her shirt and Mary gripping his hair. If he was going to hurt her, Mary thought, he was going to get payback for sure.
The sounds surrounding them both seemed to drown away. Mary couldn't be sure what Rothford was thinking. He hadn't moved away from her nor had he tried to hit her like he promised. Mary caught his eyes trailing over her mouth more than anything though. She almost smirked. What she said had bothered him, ha!
Finally, Rothford let her go dropping Mary down back to her feet. Shocked, Mary didn't immediately remove her fingers from his head forcing him to be dragged along.
"Ahh, woman get off," he hissed.
"Oh really? Doesn't this sound familiar?" Mary reminded him. He lifted his face to give her a dirty look and their noses were nearly touching. Baffled Mary let go.
"Jesus," he muttered rubbing the spot where she'd pulled.
"You deserve it," she said crossing her arms.
"Hey I didn't do anything!" Rothford said outraged.
"Oh really?" Mary replied sarcastically. "So manhandling me was nothing? Hmm."
"I wasn't going to do nothing."
"Yeah I believe it," she said dismissively. Mary turned to leave the room but was halted to find Zoe walk into the room.
Well, walking wasn't the right word for it. Zoe's eyes were closed Cal's arm around her waist as he struggled to carry her.
"ZOE!" Mary gushed, rushing to her friend.
"She's fine, Mary," Cal reassured her. "Will went to the bathroom and I find this one throwing up in the back yard."
"Oh you poor thing," Mary said wiping the hair from Zoe's eyes.
"I think you should get her home, this party is only going to get wilder," Cal said. He smiled reassuringly at Mary tat it made her blush. She looked away and reached to take Zoe's arm.
"I can take her, Callum."
"You sure? She isn't light."
"Yeah, yeah Mr. Knight-in-Shining armor," Mary dismissed him. "I can manage to hold my own best friend."
"Alright," he said. Mary grabbed Zoe's waste easily letting her friend's blonde hair droop on Mary's shoulder.
"Should I call you a cab?" Cal asked. Cal looked and finally noticed Rothford standing there staring at them both. "Oh Dan how long have you been here?"
"Long enough," Rothford said stiffly. He threw Mary a deadly glare which Mary returned with full force.
"No thanks Callum, I'm leaving," Mary remarked snidely. She turned and exited the room without another look.
Sorry everyone for taking so long to write this school has been really crazy thank you for the reviews I will try to continue as much as I can. I love writing this story and I had this written in my notebook for awhile but I just needed to transcribe it.