I've been having some personal issues recently, but writing has actually been the one thing I've focused on doing. So here's another WA chapter for y'all
It was a long week until Friday, which was Halloween in Woodcrest. Unfortunately, it was a long week of twists and turns for the gang, which seemed to be growing in numbers now.
Ming stayed with Hiro for one night, that fateful Saturday, where the two got into a huge argument over Ming's mother. Hiro pointed out her mother's shallowness and self-absorbed mindset, while an emotional Ming attempted to combat his arguments to no avail. Angry and hurt, Ming called upon the one person who could understand her struggle: Lauryn Perez. Lauryn had come by the next day to pick up Ming, who was now staying at Lauryn's house for the time being. Hiro was left speechless after she'd left, and it seemed as though the two were done. However, they kept in touch over the past week, and Ming seemed to be calming down from their big fight.
The rest of the gang had yet to meet this Lauryn. While Hiro had only met her briefly on Sunday, he assured the gang that she had seemed rather nice. He had no information on her backstory, though, only that she was an only child to a single mom, and that her mother seemed to be out of the picture for the majority of the time. This was all that Ming apparently knew about Lauryn, and never relayed anymore inforation.
Friday was the day of Tamara's Halloween party, which Jazmine had been invited to. Of course, since Jazmine was going, so was Cindy, and where Cindy went, Riley followed. Huey was next, who then invited Caesar and Venus, and suddenly, everyone was going. Well, almost everyone.
Huey and Riley walked out of the school that Friday. Since it was Halloween, the school had postponed the game until the following evening, giving the students a break and a chance to have some fun for at least one night. Huey and Riley were planning on picking up Jazmine and Cindy and heading straight over to the party, where they would possibly meet Caesar and Venus, if Venus could hobble well enough, and hopefully Hiro and Ming.
"Aye, so what are you gonna be? "Riley asked his older brother. Huey shrugged, "Jazmine and I are going as Bugs Bunny and Lola Bunny. "he replied. Riley burst into laughter, "Nigga that's so cheesy! "he cackled. Huey rolled his eyes, "Well what about you and Cindy, huh? "he asked, "I'm sure she's picked out a couple costume, too. "Riley flashed him a goofy grin, "Yeah, she did. We're going as Purge criminals, "he seemed rather proud with the decision, but Huey only chuckled.
"Hey guys, "they heard someone say. Turning around, they spotted Cindy and Jazmine heading towards them, arms linked. Jazmine was giving Cindy a ride to her house, but they were planning on staying at Cindy's for the night. They met with the two brothers, "Are y'all ready for tonight? "Cindy asked the two. The boys nodded, "Ready as ever babe, "Riley grinned, "Ready to get lit! "
"Hey, so, "Jazmine shifted her weight from foot to foot, twirling with a loose curl, "We've spoken to Ming, and we got her to agree to go…, "
"That's great, "Huey said, but Jazmine wasn't finished, "…and she's bringing along her new friend, Lauryn. "this made everyone pause for a moment. No one was too sure how they felt about Lauryn just yet; they needed to meet her personally in order to come to any conclusions or decisions. As they pondered over this, Venus and Caesar approached. Venus was back in school, and on crutches, and hobbled everywhere she went with the support of either her boyfriend or one of her friends. "Hey guys, "Caesar fist bumped Riley and Huey, "I have some news. Well, Venus has some news. "
"What kind? "Jazmine inquired. Venus sighed, "Well, my mother told me that…Veronica is going to the party, too. "
"Really? "Jazmine almost gapped. This caught everyone by surprise; Veronica had been keeping out of everyone's business since her return to Wuncler Academy. She kept to herself, spoke to hardly anyone, and stayed away from the gang. Venus had explained to them that Veronica was going through therapy for past traumas, which was partly why she had exploded in a mental breakdown. They didn't know much about what had happened to Veronica in her early childhood, but they knew better than to ask.
"Is she dressing up? "Cindy asked. Venus shrugged, "Vera told me that she was going as some kind of superhero, I don't know for sure. "as she spoke, Jazmine saw a figure trudging towards them. They all turned their attention to Hiro. Hiro looked worse for wear; his eyes were droopy and sad, and he had a small frown on his face that seemed etched into his lips. He approached the gang with little enthusiasm, which brought the group back to their main topic; Ming.
"Have you seen Ming? "he asked them, soulless. Jazmine nodded, "Yes, she's coming over here right now. "she said it rather quickly, hoping that it would brighten up his look. He only nodded somberly, unable to look Jazmine in the eye. He got a reassuring pat on the back from Huey, who was worried about his friend.
As if on cue, Cindy nudged Jazmine's side, "There she is, "she whispered to her, "and…, "Jazmine turned her head and spotted Ming, and beside her was another young girl with long brown hair, darker than Venus's, and brown eyes. She had caramel skin and sweet smile on her face, like she was trying really hard to make a good first impression. Hiro also spotted the pair, and straightened up as much as he could. He plastered on the best smile he had before greeting Ming.
"Hey, "he said, his voice cracking. Ming's smile faltered slightly, but she glanced back at the girl, who gave her a reassuring nod. Ming turned back to Hiro, resuming her smile, "Hey Hiro, "she said in a small voice, but she was still smiling. It made Hiro smile, despite his longing to break down and cry.
"Guys, "Ming addressed the rest of the group, "I want you all to meet Lauryn Perez, "she gestured to the young girl next to her, who waved, "Hello, "Lauryn continued to smile brightly.
The girls studied her for a minute. She was pretty, no doubt about that, but they were looking for something in her that was flawed. Not appearance wise, but personality wise. They wanted to find a reason to not like her, but the more she spoke, the harder that got, "I'm a sophomore here, "Lauryn went on, "I transferred here from Woodcrest High School. "
"How old are you? "Jazmine asked, "I'm sixteen, "she answered smoothly, almost quietly. She shifted around, and Jazmine could tell that she was nervous. Finally, she offered Lauryn a welcoming smile, "Well, we're Ming's friends. I'm Jazmine, this is Cindy and Venus, "she gestured to the two, who waved, "Venus's boyfriend Caesar, "Caesar gave her a nod, "my boyfriend Huey, "Huey gave a small smile, "and Cindy's boyfriend, Riley. "Riley flashed a grin that made Lauryn feel more at ease.
"I'm sure you've met Hiro, "Jazmine then said, and Lauryn nodded, "Yes, I have. You all seem so welcoming, thank you, "this caught everyone by surprise, "Welcoming? "Riley arched a brow, "Why would you say that? "Venus huffed. Lauryn gave them all a sad smile, "Well, after I moved here, I haven't really been able to make too many friends. "she shrugged, "No one else really knows that I'm pregnant, I've tried to keep a low profile. "
There was an awkward silence. To break it, Jazmine spoke: "So Ming, are you and Hiro going to the party tonight? "she asked. Ming thought for a second, "Well, I haven't really thought much about it…, "she glanced at Hiro, "but I suppose I could go. "at this, Hiro's face perked up.
Jazmine grinned, "That's great! Lauryn can come too, if she wants to, "Lauryn's face went slightly red, "O-oh, you're inviting me to a party? "she seemed almost flustered, like she had never had such an offer before. Jazmine nodded, "Yup. But you have to wear a costume to get in, Tamara's rules. "Cindy rolled her eyes, but Jazmine elbowed her. Ming nodded, "Of course, we'll think of something, right Lauryn? "she looked over at her younger friend, and Lauryn nodded, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure I have some old costumes in my room that we can vamp up. "
"Great! Party's at Tamara's at six. Do you have a ride? "Jazmine asked. Before Ming could speak, Hiro spoke: "I can give you one, "he offered. Ming cocked her head slightly to eye him, and he took a step back, "I-if you want, of course, "he added quickly.
However, Ming smiled, "That would be nice, Hiro, "she admitted. Hiro smiled at her, "Great, then just text me the address. "
As quickly as they could, the group disbanded: Cindy and Jazmine went one way, Caesar and Venus another, Huey and Riley left with Hiro, and Ming and Lauryn dashed off into another direction. They felt as though they couldn't breathe until they had stepped away from each other and into the fresh air.
Jazmine, Cindy, Huey, and Riley pulled up to the party just a few minutes after six. But, parties in Woodcrest were big, and there were already several cars lined up outside Tamara's house. Huey found a spot to parallel park at, and the four hopped out of the car and into the crisp night air. The house was big, much like their own homes, but was decorated for Halloween; there were pumpkins and cobwebs, Halloween signs and a few figurines, and the walkway had small lights in the shapes of ghosts lining either side of it.
As promised, the four wore couples' costumes. Riley and Cindy were members of the Purge, with Cindy wearing a short, flowy pink dress that showed off some cleavage that had fake blood stains on it, a pair of clear heels, and a "human girl face" mask and carried a fake rifle slung over her back, although she wore her mask on top of her head rather than on her face. Her blonde hair was pulled back into two high pigtails on her head, and she had unevenly stained her body and the tips of her hair with fake blood. Riley wore a cheap suit from Walmart with fake bloodstains all over it and dress shoes, with a similar human face mask and had his cornrows slicked back. He carried a fake semi-automatic rifle on his back, too, and had a smaller fake handgun at his side.
Huey and Jazmine went down the more "sophisticated" route with their Bugs and Lola spinoffs. Jazmine wore a sleek, black romper with shorts that showed off a little more skin that Huey would've liked. The top part was in a high neck style with no sleeves, and instead had sheer long-sleeves versus the dark black of the rest of the outfit. She wore a pair of black and white Adidas, and white gloves. She had straightened her hair out for the occasion, and tied it back into Lola's signature high ponytail with a black hair tie. She had done her makeup, and colored the end of her nose a slight pink color. For a more "bunny" look, she had taped a small bunny tail to the back end of her romper, and had gotten a pair of tan bunny ears attached to a headband. Huey wore a black dress pants and a white button up shirt that had the sleeves rolled up to his elbows with a black bowtie and dress shoes, and white gloves. Jazmine had managed to get him to tape a bunny tail to the backside of his outfit, too, and had mangled a similar headband to hers into Huey's afro, only his ears were grey.
You could tell that they were couples as they made their way towards the party. As they entered through the doors, Huey instinctively wrapped an arm around Jazmine's waist to pull her closer, noticing how a few other guys had turned their heads to look at them. Riley did a similar motion to Cindy, but the two had decided to run off further into the party without Jazmine and Huey.
Jazmine looked at her phone and saw a text from Venus, "Venus and Caesar are almost here, and I think Hiro is, too, "Jazmine told Huey. Huey nodded, "Is he still bringing Ming and Lauryn? "he asked. Jazmine nodded, "Yeah. "
They made their way over to a table with drinks on it. Huey had picked up a simple beer, but was shocked when Jazmine poured herself a shot of Hennessy into a small plastic shot cup. Huey whistled as she took it, "I didn't know you drink Hennessy, "he mused, pouring himself one. Jazmine grinned as she took another shot.
Within a few minutes, the house was getting packed with teenagers dressed up in costumes and ready to get drunk. Some had brought more alcohol and drugs with them, hidden in their clothes or in bags. Huey spotted Riley and Cindy rolling a few joints in the corner.
"I see Venus, "Jazmine said, pointing towards the door. Huey followed her finger.
Caesar and Venus had just entered, and they, too were dressed up as a couple. They were vampires; Venus had curled her hair and frizzed it up, making it look poofy and big. She wore a skintight one piece that had a square top with spaghetti straps, and had a dip in the back. One of her legs was covered by knee high boots, the other in her actual black cast-like boot. She had two marks on the side of her neck with fake blood oozing from it. Her makeup was dark and vampy, with dark lipstick and long eyelashes. She had fake blood dripping from her chin, and her teeth were so white in the darkness of the home it was scary. Caesar wore a pair of black pants and a black button up shirt that was undone by a few buttons with a black cape with a red underside. He also had markings on the side of his neck, and fake blood dripping from his mouth. His dreads had been pulled back into a low pony tail, and his shoes glinted in the dim lights.
Huey waved them over, and they fist bumped, "Hey man, y'all look great! "Caesar complimented the two. Jazmine smiled, "You and Venus look amazing! "she exclaimed. Venus chuckled, "Well, I decided to stick with black to hopefully hide the fact that I am still crippled, "she giggled with Jazmine.
Huey poured two cups, "Do y'all drink? "he asked. Caesar nodded and accepted his cup, and Venus took a cup and drank sparingly. Venus didn't drink often, and wasn't used to the taste. But once the liquid met her mouth, she began taking longer sips.
Meanwhile, Jazmine was on her fourth shot, this time of whiskey. Huey chuckled, "Slow down there, Jaz, "he grabbed the bottle from Jazmine's hands and set it down, "Let's try to enjoy the party before we get drunk, "he joked. Jazmine rolled her eyes, but nodded.
Suddenly, Jazmine spotted someone. She elbowed Huey, "Look, it's Veronica, over there, "she whispered, gesturing across the room. The other three turned to look, their faces in their cups. Sure enough, across the room was Veronica, only she didn't look…like herself.
Veronica had once been the life of the party, but she hung back in the corner. She wore a Wonder Woman costume, complete with the short blue skirt, knee high boots, small crown across her forehead, and the intricate top with the arm guards. She had on what looked like a black wig that was curled, and wore makeup to make herself look more like Wonder Woman. She carried a red cup, probably full of liquor, but she didn't talk to anyone. She didn't inject herself into someone's conversation, she didn't even seem to acknowledge most of the other people around her. She only glanced around quickly, seemingly nervous.
"She looks so lonely, "Jazmine commented, and Huey had to agree. However, their attention was turned back to the front of the house, where they spotted three familiar face: Hiro, Ming, and Lauryn. Hiro had come dressed as a lowkey Superman, wearing a pair of jeans, a Superman shirt, and a cape. Ming and Lauryn had put in a little more effort into their costumes; Ming was a devil, with a little red dress, a pair of red heeled boots, a red pointed tail attached to her dress, and a pair of devil horns on a headband. She kept her long black hair straight and down her back, and wore sultry makeup with a red lipstick, and carried a miniature pitchfork. Lauryn had come as a princess, wearing a long blue dress to hide her stomach that had thin straps to hold it up, and a small crown atop her head. She wore rings on her fingers and gold temporary tattoos on her hands and arms, and wore a light amount of makeup.
"Glad y'all could make it! "Jazmine yelled over the loud music and the even louder crowd. Hiro nodded, "Of course! "he replied.
Ming eyed the drinks in Jazmine's hands, but Lauryn grabbed her arm and shook her head, as if signaling Ming to stop. Ming wanted to drink, she needed a drink, but she couldn't, not at this point. She still hadn't made a decision on getting an abortion, so for the time being, she had to abide by the rules of being an expecting mother, and one of the no-no's was to drink while pregnant.
Jazmine took another shot, to which Huey laughed and also downed two more. The others eyed each other, realizing that the two were getting drunk. Venus had finished her cup, but had no intentions of getting another one, so set hers down on a nearby table. After a few minutes of hassling, Jazmine had managed to swipe a bottle of whiskey from the table, and the group sauntered over to the living room and snagged a seat at the couches. They sat and began conversing with one another, and at one point, Huey noticed Hiro's uneasy expression. He gestured for Hiro to follow him, and the two excused themselves from the group.
"What's up? "Huey asked, and Hiro sighed, "Man, I don't know whats up with Ming. First she hates me and wants nothing to do with me, and then today before we came here she almost cried in the car about missing me and her family. "he shook his head, "Lauryn didn't say a thing, I bet it was super awkward for her. "
"She's going through a pretty rough time, "Huey pointed out, downing a shot of Hennessy, "she's gonna need some time before she actually knows what to do with herself. "Hiro nodded, "Yeah, you're right. "
Meanwhile, everyone else was still sitting together on the couches. They were so absorbed in their conversation that no one noticed a figure loom over Jazmine, who now sat alone. Venus was the first to actually see a shadow cover Jazmine's body, and she had to get the attention of the slightly buzzed teen and force her to look up.
Jazmine groaned as she was met with the gaze of Mathew, who was dressed up as Elvis Presley. "What do you want Mathew? "Jazmine asked, arching a brow. Mathew chuckled and took a seat next to her, where Huey had been sitting, "Well Jazmine, you look absolutely gorgeous, "he complimented, and Jazmine rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, "Did you need something? "she ignored his statement and turned back to look at her friends, who only shrugged at her. Caesar stood up and dashed into the crowd in search of Huey and Hiro.
Jazmine's attention was back on Mathew as she felt his hand graze her exposed thigh, "Back off, "she said firmly. Ming had leaned over and grabbed Jazmine's arm, trying to pull her out of Mathew's grasp and next to her, but Mathew had pulled Jazmine further from the others and out of Ming's immediate reach. Jazmine shoved him back as hard as she could, "And who do you think you are? "she demanded.
Caesar had found Huey and Hiro, but the two had already spotted Mathew with Jazmine and were heading over. Huey felt his face turn red with anger as he approached, his fists balled up and his eyes narrowed. Mathew pretended to not notice Huey weaving his way through the crowd as he continued to talk to Jazmine, who attempted to stand but was pulled back down by Mathew, "C'mon Jaz, what do you see in that band nerd? "he asked, "Haven't you heard about...Lela? "
Jazmine rolled her eyes, "Yes, I have, what's your point? "she crossed her arms over her chest, but she had an idea of where he was going with this, "All I'm saying is that the two have been pretty close lately, "he smirked slightly as Jazmine's face began to fall. Ming stood up, "Just go away Mathew, "she ordered. Venus managed to hobble to her feet, "We don't want you here, "she added, her eyes narrowed. Lauryn, who had no idea who Mathew was, instinctively covered her stomach with her arms as the glaring intensified.
As soon as they'd blinked, Huey was looming over Jazmine and Mathew, his fists balled up, jaw clenched, and his eyes narrowing, "Mathew, what the fuck do you think you're doing? "Huey demanded. Mathew glared at Huey and stood up, "I'm just having a conversation, "he shrugged, but Huey continued to glare at him. He reached over and took ahold of Jazmine's wrist and pulled her up to his side, "Why don't you go find someone else to talk to then? "Huey spat back, his arm snaking around Jazmine's waist. Jazmine felt her face flush slightly. Lauryn and Ming had been pulled back by Hiro, while Caesar had helped Venus stand and began to help her hobble away from the impending danger.
"If you know what's good for you, you'll back off, "Huey's voice was laced with venom. A few people had noticed their standoff and were watching from the sidelines, waiting to see what would happen. Jazmine noticed their stares and began pulling Huey backwards, "Let's just go, "she pleaded with him, but Huey seemed set on pummeling Mathew right then and there. Mathew smirked, "And what are you gonna do about me getting close to your girl, huh Freeman? "he challenged.
With that said, Huey approached Mathew, who was just a few inches shorter than himself, and stared into his eyes. Jazmine inhaled sharply, "Huey, don't. "she tried, but Huey ignored her. However, Huey only glared at Mathew, "Don't ever come near my woman again, "he warned in a low voice, his fists twitching with anger, "unless you have a death wish. "
And with that, Huey leaned over, grabbed the bottle of whiskey, and stormed off, grabbing Jazmine and taking her with him. Mathew felt his jaw clench up; he was mad. He was beyond mad: he was pissed. But, he smiled devilishly, and knew he'd have his revenge.
Meanwhile, the group had dispersed; Hiro and Caesar had taken the girls outside to find Cindy and Riley and tell them of the confrontation, while Huey and Jazmine had disappeared into the crowd. Cindy was smoking with Riley outside when they found them, and the girls sat down in a shaken huff. Riley arched a brow, "What happened to y'all? "He asked, catching Cindy's attention. Hiro ran a hand through his hair, "We just watched a showdown inside between Mathew and Huey, "he explained, "and it did not look like it would end well. "Ming finished.
Riley's eyes went wide as Cindy gasped, "The fuck that nigga do? "Riley demanded, ready to stand. Caesar shook his head, "He was trying to make a move on Jazmine in front of Huey, but Jazmine got Huey to walk away from it...after he threatened Mathew. "Riley gapped, "Where are they? "
"I saw them head upstairs, "Lauryn piped up, speaking up for the first time, "Who was that guy? "she then asked. Cindy nodded, "Right, you haven't been here that long. "she passed her blunt to Riley, who took it, "Mathew's this football player for our varsity team. He's a real asshole; he thinks he's so great, "she rolled her eyes, "and that no one can resist him. "Lauryn made a face, "Exactly, "Cindy chuckled.
"Well, I'm gonna keep smokin', "Riley announced, "Mathew ain't got the balls to attack Huey, and Huey knows how to take care of himself. "he turned to Caesar to offer the blunt to him, but Caesar was too busy kissing Venus to pay attention. Riley made a face, "Gross, y'all get a room! "he teased, causing the others to erupt into laughter.
Inside, Veronica had seen the whole confrontation between Huey and Mathew, and she watched as Huey and Jazmine parted with their friends and head up the stairs, a whole bottle of whiskey in Huey's hand. She stood in the corner, alone, not wanting to socialize with anyone. Veronica didn't know what was wrong with her; she used to love parties. Had she not had her breakdown, she would've still loved parties. But now, they just weren't the same.
Veronica was about to walk towards a table with beer on it before she felt someone elbow her on accident. She yelped and whirled around, "What the fuck…, "she began, but stopped upon seeing who had hit her. "My bad, "the person said, giving her an apologetic grin.
It was a girl, older than herself, maybe eighteen already. She was taller than Veronica by a few inches, and had tanned skin and long, dark brown hair tied back into a pony-tail braid. She wore barely anything; a skimpy looking bra and a longish skirt, and Veronica realized who she was, "You're Princess Leia? "she guessed, and the girl smiled, flashing her pearly whites, and nodded, "Yeah, I take it you're Wonder Woman, "
Veronica couldn't help but chuckle, "What's your name? "she asked. The girl shifted her own red cup around slightly, "I'm Lily, "she said, "Lily Price. "she extended a hand, and Veronica took it, "Veronica Lizaben, "she replied. Lily arched a perfectly done brow, "Lizaben? Weren't you a cheerleader? "she asked.
Veronica shrugged, "I was, "she looked down into her cup.
Lily Price knew who Veronica was, and she knew what had happened to her. Lily touched her shoulder gently, "Hey, sorry, it's all cool, "she smiled, "you wanna grab some more to drink? "Veronica smiled, "Yeah, sure. "
Huey and Jazmine had managed to get upstairs, past couples making out on the stairway, and found an empty room, closing the door behind them and locking it. Huey turned on a lamp by a neatly made bed and Jazmine sat down on it in a huff, her eyes trained on Huey. Awkwardly, Huey handed her the bottle, "I'm sorry about what happened, "he began. Jazmine took a much needed gulp from the bottle, and gave it back to Huey, "he just pissed me of so fuckin' much, "Jazmine shook her head, "I get it, "she replied with a small smile, "trust me, I'm so glad you were there to stop him, he wouldn't lay off. "She giggled as Huey seemed to calm down.
They continued to talk to each other in the privacy of the bedroom...and they continued to drink. One sip from the bottle turned into multiple, and before either of them had realized it, their visions were becoming hazy as their words slurred together.
"H-how many shots would that have b-been? "Jazmine asked, her words slurring together. Huey shrugged, "I dunno…, "he took another swig. Jazmine hiccupped and giggled. They had been there well over an hour, and were already drunk, "I've never seen you drink, "Huey admitted, and Jazmine giggled, "Well I d-don't do it o-often, "she said in a low voice, as if she was telling a secret, "but when I do, I drink a lot, "she held the last word in a sing-song voice, and the two began to crack up. Huey looked into Jazmine's eyes, "You have the prettiest eyes, "he mused. Jazmine blushed, "You think so? "she asked, leaning in. Huey felt himself smiling, "Yeah, I do, "before they knew what was happening, Huey had leaned in. Jazmine smiled drunkenly, "H-Huey…, "but she was silenced by a single kiss. Their kiss quickly intensified as Huey grabbed Jazmine and pulled her closer to him, his arms enveloping her into a warm embrace.
They were drunkenly making out as Huey pushed her down onto the bed, and Jazmine gasped at the sudden movement. Huey scooched backwards and fumbled for the lamp's switch, and when he finally found it, he flipped it off and the room was encased in darkness.
He resumed hovering over Jazmine, the only light coming from the moon that shone in through a large window to their right. In the moonlight, Huey could see Jazmine's emerald eyes twinkling with excitement, but he could see them clouding over with a drunken haze. This was enough to snap him out of his drunken haze into into a moment of clear consciousness. However, it was quickly diminished as Jazmine began undoing the buttons of his shirt, and he was pulled down into another electrifying kiss.
Outside, Cindy and Riley had gotten into a steamy liplock themselves. Ming, Hiro and Lauryn had gotten into a conversation with a few other partiers, while Caesar and Venus were also making out. Cindy pulled away and giggled at Riley's reddened face, "Awe, what, you embarrassed? "she mused. Riley rolled his eyes, a hand running through one of Cindy's pigtails, "I don't get embarrassed, "he insisted, but Cindy only continued to giggle. Riley looked behind her slightly and spotted a guy; he had been eyeing Cindy all night, and it was starting to piss Riley off.
Casually, Riley pulled Cindy in for another kiss, and she did not deny him one. He glanced back up at the guy; it was a tall white dude with red hair and greenish eyes. He wore some kind of prince looking outfit, and next to him was a girl dressed up as a princess. She took his hand into hers, and Riley realized that they were dating. However, he was still staring at Cindy, and his eyes had narrowed once Riley had begun kissing her again. He groaned inwardly, but tried to not let Cindy know of his discomfort.
Cindy's phone buzzed, and she reluctantly pulled away. She pulled it out and glanced at the screen. Suddenly, her eyes went wide, "We gotta go, "she insisted, standing up and knocking Riley over in the process, "What, why? "Riley arched a brow and stood up with her. Cindy had a fearful look in her eyes, "I just got word from one of my girls that Mathew's plannin' on jumpin' Huey tonight after what happened earlier. "at this, Hiro and Caesar pried themselves away from what they were doing and turned to look at Cindy, "Mathew's gonna jump Huey? When? Where? "Caesar looked ready for a fight, but Cindy shook her head, "We can't get into a fight Caesar, Tamara will kick us out and someone will call the cops! "
Riley put out his blunt, "Okay, look, Cindy and I will go find Jazmine and Huey and y'all stay on the lookout for ol' big head. "the rest of the group nodded, and headed back inside.
Riley had no idea where his brother would be; it had been a while since the confrontation, and he could be anywhere at this point. He scanned the crowd for a familiar face, but found none. However, as he scanned the drink area, his eyes fell upon one person he knew...but didn't want to talk to. Sighing, he knew he had no choice.
"I can't believe she did that, "Lily gapped at what Veronica had said, and Veronica nodded, "Yup, she just left me out to dry like I was never her friend! "she took another sip from her cup. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder, and she turned around. She frowned slightly, "Riley? What do you want? "
Riley shifted awkwardly from foot to foot as he stood face to face with Veronica and another older girl. He sighed, "Look, I'm only askin' cause there's gonna be trouble, but have you seen Huey and Jazmine around? "Veronica felt taken aback; Riley had come to her for help? She and Riley barely spoke to each other. Normally, Veronica would've told him to fuck off, but the look in his eyes told her that he was pleading with her, begging her to help him.
Finally, she nodded, "Yeah, she and Huey went upstairs and they haven't been down since. "Riley looked somewhat relieved, and he nodded, "Thanks, oh, "just as he'd turned around, he looked back at her, "I'd be careful; there might be some cops comin' tonight. "he nodded towards her, and she nodded back as he walked away and rejoined Cindy. She watched as the two disappeared into the crowd once more, and saw them head up the stairs. She turned back to Lily, who took one last swig from her cup, "You wanna get outta here? "she asked, outstretching her hand. Veronica paused for a moment, as if deciding.
Finally, she smiled softly, for the first time in weeks. She downed the rest of her drink and set it on the table. "I'm down, "she said, taking ahold of Lily's hand. Lily grinned at her and began pulling her through the crowd.
Cindy and Riley made their way up the stairs, past couples making out in the hallways and pretty much everywhere that had a clear spot. Cindy groaned, "We'll never find them. "she reached into her small purse to pull out her cell phone, "her phone has to be on, "she muttered as she dialed the number. After a few minutes, the two heard a faint ringing. Swiftly, they followed the noise, until they had reached a door. Riley shook his head and chuckled, "No way, "he knocked on the door, and they waited, but there was no reply. Suddenly, Riley moved backwards, pulling Cindy with him. In one motion, he rammed the door with his side, and it opened, revealing a dark room.
Inside, there was a bottle of whiskey on the floor, empty. The two followed a trail of spilt whiskey until they spotted the bed, which was disheveled. Riley went up to it and pulled back the sheets, revealing Huey and Jazmine, who were both passed out and still fully clothed, despite Huey's shirt being undone slightly.
"Aw c'mon man! "Riley groaned, "Not right now. "angrily, he pulled Huey up, who had managed to open his eyes, "Mmm? "he stirred. Riley rolled his eyes, "Get'cho bitch ass up, "he ordered, pulling Huey to his feet. He shook him slightly, and Huey's eyes began opening wider, "Huh? "he looked around, dazed, "Mathew's lookin' for ya dumbass, "Riley began explaining, letting Huey lean on him as he began pulling him away from the bed.
Cindy had grabbed Jazmine and slung her arm over her shoulder, supporting her, and grabbed her purse as well. They made their way out of the room, only for it to be quickly taken by another couple. As they struggled down the stairs, they were met by Hiro and Caesar, "Where are the others? "Cindy asked, allowing Caesar to take Jazmine from her, "We took them outside, they're waiting. "Caesar explained. Hiro helped Riley with Huey as the group pushed past drunk and high teens into the cool night air.
Venus was standing with Ming and Lauryn, looking around. She spotted the group headed towards them and sighed, "There they are, "she said, catching Ming's and Lauryn's attention. Caesar approached the three with Jazmine slung over his shoulder, "I gotta get Jazmine into their car, "he explained to Venus, "If you wanna head over there now, go ahead. "
She was going to say something, but she glanced behind Caesar and gasped, "Look! "she pointed.
Caesar, Hiro, Riley, and Cindy turned around and spotted Mathew. He was exiting the home, pushing past people and not caring that most of them fell over in a drunken flurry. Caesar groaned and rolled his eyes. He turned back to the three girls and sat Jazmine down on the floor in front of them. Ming and Lauryn knelt down to support Jazmine, "Stay here, "he instructed them. Riley and Hiro had also set Huey down with them, and forced him to lay down in the cool grass.
Mathew approached with three other guys, and Caesar, Hiro, and Riley stood their ground, blocking the four from Huey and Jazmine. Riley recognized one of the boys as the prince dude that had been eyeing Cindy, and glared at him. Cindy had joined Jazmine on the floor, but was ready to jump up in case she needed to. Mathew chuckled, "Awe, what's wrong with Huey huh? "His buddies began laughing. Riley furrowed his brow, "Look, I dunno what the fuck you want, but lay off my brother. Dude's passed out drunk, ain't no way he can fight you. "he cracked his neck. Mathew shrugged, "Didn't you hear Huey? He threatened me...and thought he'd get away with it. "Riley shook his head, "Look dude, you can try and fight Huey some other time. Huey can't fight back right now and ya know it. "
"That's why he wants to fight, "Caesar pointed out, earning glares from Mathew and his friends, "Mathew knows he can't take Huey while he's in his element, so waits until his drunk to try and take a hit. "Mathew's eyes narrowed, "I can take Huey at ANY time, "he insisted menacingly, his face twisting into an angry expression, "Then prove it, "Hiro piped up, "Fight Huey when he can fight back. "
There was a moment of silence between the two groups. Cindy and the girls gawked at the boys. Huey stirred slightly, and Jazmine groaned, opening her eyes, "C-Cindy…, "she whispered. Cindy looked down at her, "Shhh, I'm here Jaz, "she rubbed Jazmine's shoulder.
Mathew glared at the three boys, and then glanced down at Huey, who was still unconscious. Finally, he nodded, "Well alright, tell your precious Huey that I'll be waiting for him next week. "He sneered. The other three boys turned around and began walking away, but Mathew lingered for a moment. After one last menacing look, he followed his friends back into the party.
Cindy felt her nerves calm down as she began standing with Jazmine, Ming helping her. The two dragged Jazmine to Huey's car. Riley had swiped the keys from Huey's pocket and unlocked the doors. Lauryn opened the right passenger's side while Hiro and Riley dragged Huey around to the left side, with Caesar opening it. Lauryn and Venus hung back at the front of the car, looking around in case Mathew decided to return. With a few shoves, the four had managed to cram Huey and Jazmine into the backseat. Jazmine landed on the seats fully, while Huey had bounced off and laid on the floor of the backseat, his head downwards. Riley rolled his eyes, "Man, my brother's a bum, "he slammed the car door shut.
"Y'all gonna make it? "Caesar asked. Riley nodded, "Yeah, y'all get outta here though, I smell trouble. "He glanced around, "This place is gonna get raided now for sure. "Caesar and Hiro nodded, and went back to their dates. Caesar helped Venus limp to his car, while Hiro, Ming, and Lauryn fled to his car and jumped inside. Riley hopped into the driver's seat as Cindy climbed into the passenger's, "Do you even know how to drive? "she asked, arching a brow. Riley nodded quickly, "Of course Cin, "he insisted, turning on the car, "I'm not dumb. "Cindy giggled, "Of course not, "she mused.
Riley rolled his eyes and slowly pulled out of the spot that they'd been sitting in. As he drove, he glanced into the rearview mirror to see Jazmine and a part of Huey, who were still passed out. Riley sighed, "And I thought I would be the one passed out tonight, "he joked, and Cindy laughed.
Twenty minutes later, Riley pulled up at Cindy's house, "She'll stay here for the night, "Cindy assured Riley. He helped her pry Jazmine out of Huey's grasp and drag her inside. Once in Cindy's living room, they set Jazmine down on the floor, who began groaning in pain and stirred slightly, "I'm gonna drag her to the bathroom and make her put her glasses on so she can see better, "Cindy said, "Thanks, Riley, "
"Anytime babe, "Riley leaned over and planted a kiss on Cindy's lips, lingering slightly. She smiled as she felt him lean in for a second one. After a moment, he pulled away, and Cindy followed him to the door. She watched him get into Huey's car and drive away. She closed the door, and turned back around to look at Jazmine, who was now sitting up and trying to stand, but to no avail. She turned her head around lazily, "C-Cindy! "She croaked, "I c-can't get up! "she sounded like a child throwing a tantrum.
She groaned, this is going to be a long night.
So there's some tension now with Mathew and Huey...who do you think will start the fight? Where do you think the fight will be? How do you think Huey will react to all this when he's sober lol, he doesn't even know he's gonna fight someone.
xoxo, Queen