Once we arrive to the party I feel more in my element. I have to remind myself that I need to push all the negative thoughts to the back of my mind and try to at least enjoy it. 

By the time we get to the party it is already packed. I see red solo cups scattered all over the front lawn, as well as a few other teenagers smoking outside while talking to their friends. The music that's blasting inside is audible from the front of the house and I swallow, ignoring the sinking feeling in my stomach as we walk past a couple intoxicated teenagers and make our way inside.

The house is filled with people, it seems to barely be able to contain everyone that's inside. My heart falls to my stomach and I can feel my hands already start to sweat as my eyes roam over all the every single body in front of me.

I can't believe Jessica convinced me into coming here.

Jessica continues to walk through the house and I follow. My feet scurrying along the sticky floor as we hurry out to the backyard. It is way too hot and crowded in the house to be able to enjoy ourselves.

When we reach the back patio I am welcomed by the cold air and my tense muscles relax start to relax.  I'm all for parties, but being crammed into a house with sweaty drunk teenagers is not my cup of tea.

"Natalie! Jessica! Come here!" I hear and look over to see Sofia Taylor in a group with some boys I don't recognize. I assume they go to Ridgeview University like all the others here. 

 Ridgeview is the college everyone in our time strives to get into. It's not too far from home, and it's very competitive. Natalie got accepted a couple months ago, and I heard a rumor that Sofia did too. 

That's the silver lining in all of this, that when this summer is over, I'll be rid of Sofia once and for all.

Sofia stands in the garage outside with a sea of college guys. I gulp down the saliva building in my mouth as I watch her gold bracelets clink back and fourth on her wrists as she stretches her arms wide above her to get Natalie and Jessica's attention.

They both look over at me as if to question if it's okay to go down to her and I nod my head in approval. Sofia and I used to be great friends until high school and then we sort of just drifted apart. I've heard a couple nasty rumors here and there of things she's said about me, but I never let them get to me because I knew that's just exactly she wanted.

The one thing about Sofia Taylor I've learned is- she always get what she wants. Whether it's her father, or random boys giving to her, she gets it. She is one who's not to be challenged considering the fact that her father is pretty influential in this town. I on the other hand, am not. Which makes me wonder why she's always had it out for me.

When we make our way down to her, I start to get this nervous feeling in my stomach. Whenever she sees me at parties we never talk. What was she up to?

"How long have you guys been here?" She asks Natalie and Jessica, her eyes ignoring all sights of me.

"We just got here. It was way too crowded in that house." Natalie says and Sofia nods her head, seeming uninterested in her response. I see Jessica looking at me but I ignore it, we're here to have fun and I'm not going to let her ruin it.

"Well, let's get the party started then. Why don't you have a drink?" Sofia stretches her arm out to Jessica, motioning for her to take the cup out of her hand. Jessica eyes it for a few moments before speaking.

"We've got our own." She says, as she lifts up the vodka bottle from her purse to show Sofia the proof. I smile slightly from Jessica's response while Sofia nods her head slowly. I can barely see the annoyance in her face, but I know it's there.

"Ah, there you are! I was looking for you." Sofia says, and I turn around to see who she's talking to and my whole body stills as my eyes focus on the man coming toward us.

Mason West.

Mason and I have known each other since elementary school. At one point, we were pretty much inseparable despite our age difference. But even then, things change. Three years ago him and his mom suddenly both just disappeared.

No one knew where they were for months.

He just left.

Since then I'd come to terms with the fact that I'd never see him again.

And it counts as one of the hardest things I've ever had to do.

I can't deny that Mason leaving didn't devastate me, because it did. It hurt, a lot. Him leaving was so sudden, I haven't heard anything from him since he left which broke my heart in about a thousand different ways considering where we left off.

I've heard some rumors that him and his mother both moved to Seattle, but no one knows the story behind it. Not even Jessica, I've tried to get the dirt off her many times, but he ghosted her just as the rest of us. 

And trust me, it was a very hard pill to swallow.

I glare up at him, this isn't the way I imagined us seeing each other for the first time again. And for the first time tonight I feel completely speechless, as if all the English words I have ever known have disappeared from my mind.

I can't get over how different he looks now. In my mind I still pictured him as the scrawny quiet kid in the corner. But the man standing in front of me looks far from that.

 He's gotten a lot taller, that's for sure, and his body seems bigger than I remember it- like he grew into himself. His brown hair has turned a bit darker than it was before. And from where I'm standing I can already see some of the colorless tattoos peaking out from under his shirt.

 My mouth almost gapes open in shock. Tattoos? The Mason I knew would have never even considered getting something so permanent on his skin. 

As I try to wrap my head around the unfamiliar looking man standing in front of me, my eyes connect with his for a brief moment. But in that millisecond I was able to notice that the one thing that didn't change about him were his eyes- they were still the emerald green that has been etched into the back of my mind all these years.

He looks good, really good, and a part of me hates to admit that to myself.

I notice that his bottom lip has a cut on it, and the left side of his cheek seems slightly bruised. I can't help but wonder why. Had he been in a fight? I resist the urge to ask and look down at the ground instead.

I sigh, feeling a sudden rush of past memories between the two of us start to flood my mind. 

Sofia knows all about our history which is why she brought him over, I'm sure. I didn't even know he was back. I'm a little taken back by that, because I thought Jessica would have been the first to tell me.

Mason is Jessica's cousin, and I know she must have known he's returned. I glance over at Jessica, and she looks down ignoring my confused facial expression as Mason passes by me and stands side by side next to Sofia.

Mason and I make eye contact once more and he doesn't seem fazed by my presence at all.My eyes stay scanning his face for longer than I realize and as his green eyes meet mine I see a glint of anger in them.  

I quickly remind myself that he's not the same boy I once knew, and look away from him.

"Mason, you remember Isabelle." Sofia says, with a smile plastered on her face. He nods his head and rolls his eyes, looking like he couldn't care less.

"Elle," I correct her, even though she knows I hate being called Isabelle.

I feel Natalie get pushed beside me when a drunk teenager accidentally trips and spills the brown liquid in his cup all over her white shirt. 

Before I know it I'm pushed towards Mason and my body collides with his broad frame. I quickly step back, and see his eyes glaring down at me. He didn't even move, all he does is stare at me with an irritated expression written all over his face.

I feel the blood rush to my cheeks and look away. My eyes direct towards the drunk teenager who was now on the ground, rolling around in laughter.

"Agh, Shit!" Natalie yells, as she takes in the new stain on her shirt.

"Nice job, you fucking dick." Jessica says to the drunk still on the ground. He struggles to get up and sees what he has done to Natalie

"Aha, my bad," he slurs and stumbles away from us.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up in the bathroom." Jessica says as links arms with Natalie and walks away from the mess that just happened. I try to follow, wanting to leave this mess behind when Sofia quickly asks me a question.

"So how's your mother doing?" All the air is sucked out of my lungs, and with Mason's eyes still on me I try to make myself seem like her words didn't make me feel as though I've been punched in the gut.

She's doing this on purpose.

"Oh my mistake, isn't it just your aunt now? I can't seem to remember." She finishes. I pale visibly, my whole body going stiff until I regain control of myself and speak up.

"She's doing great." I say ignoring her question.

 I can feel the awkward tension thickening by the second and I turn my head to look behind me hoping that Jessica and Natalie will be back soon and come to save me. My thoughts are interrupted by a noise that immediately makes my heart race. 

It is a long wailing scream that frightens every underage drinking teenager- police siren.

"Fuck," I hear one of the boys say as the rest of party is running from every corner to try and find a place to escape. I see some people jump the backyard fence, others are cramming into the house to try and make a quick exit.

"This party was a fucking bust anyways." Mason says and chills run through my body as I hear the change in his voice- it got deeper. I mean, obviously his voice got deeper, I haven't seen him in years. 

It makes me realize how much has changed since then, back when everything was so simple.

"Come on, boys." Sofia says, staring at me with a facial expression I can't make out.

 She pushes past me, shoulder hitting mine while she walks away and I roll my eyes and sigh at her immature move. The door closes behind her as Mason and I continue to walk out the garage. I put my hands on the door and push but it doesn't budge.

"What the hell..." I say as I try again to open the garage door, pushing my hands hard on the surface. The door wouldn't open and then realization hits me.

It's locked.

Fuck.