// Nothing's fine I'm torn, I'm all out of faith, this is how I feel...//-Natalie Imbruglia

Claire's birthday party was already in full swing by the time Bella made it there with Daniel and Cynthia. Judging by the numbers of cars parked as far as her eyes could see, it was clear as day that she and her friend had different understandings of 'couple of friends', unless of course Biggie was friends with half the population of Metropolitan College.

A shudder made it way down her spine as she surveyed the cars, knowing there was a probability that each bear more than one passenger, they were all in the building and each step she took across the threshold brought her closer to joining them.

She had half the mind to turn and run for the hills, she could call in sick and she wouldn't even be lying. That morning, her temperature had been well above normal. She still got only about two hours of sleep during the nights, her churning mind was worse than any nightmare and her migraine was getting bad.

She also want to be there, maybe because of the deal she made with the devil: he sings at karaoke, she attend the party. Maybe it was the presence of both Daniel and Cynthia behind her, though they have their own issue and wasn't exactly paying her any attention.

They spent the entire car ride arguing about Cynthia's choice of dress, as Claire had requested a white and pink theme from those close to her, Cynthia, not willing to indulge her ex boyfriend's girlfriend had gone for a little black dress and a red killer heels.

Though she looked as stunning as always, Daniel wasn't the least bit pleased.

Bella grimaced as Jenna and her green hair more or less stumbled out of the entrance, loud music wafting after her before she shut the door. She'd promised to wait outside for Bella and the latter had sent her arrival message a few minutes ago.

"I was hardly expecting you, so I'm not going to complain about your trouser. I'll just keep by eyes up." Jenna said on spotting Bella, her words a little slurred.

"Good to see you too drunkie." Bella smiled.

She had narrowly escaped their shopping the day before and lied about having a white fitting dress. There she was, unlike Jenna's knee length white off shouldered dress with the hot pink waist belt, Bella wore a dark blue penciled jeans, mid arm sleeves plain white shirt and even a pink ribbon on her wrist to placate them. With her biker's boot and bob hair, she thought she nailed the 'girl next door' party look.

After their argument and Claire's decision to mother hen Iverson at Jenna's place two days earlier and then with Bella's absence for the shopping the previous day, she was most certain they wouldn't be expecting her.

"How's the party going?"

"It's definitely going." Jenna said with rounds of giggling.

"I can see that." She couldn't help but join her friend's intoxicated laugh. "What's in the cup?"

Jenna stare thoughtfully into the red cup in her hand for a moment. "Some cocktail?"

"You are so wasted."

"Nearly." Jenna said grabbing her hand. "Let's go look for Claire, I'm sure she's in there somewhere."

Bella quickly looked back to wave at Daniel but realise he was far behind with Cynthia, seemingly arguing still.

She cringed back, hesitating a bit as Jenna opened the door again and practically dragged her into a room where Drake's 'hotline bling' boomed and people were wild.

"It's quieter upstairs." Jenna yell over the music and pull her through the throng of bodies with a firm grip and accurate steps Bella wouldn't manage even sober.

Only when Jenna opened another door to reveal a stairway did she let go of her hand. Slowly, her stomach began to tie a knot as they ascended, Iverson would be here.

What were the chances of them running into each other? She haven't seen him in four days, meaning he had not been home but even his absence had done nothing to dissuade the thought of him from her mind. What would he think of her short hair?

She hated his guts and still want some sort of revenge but  she won't deny worrying about him. He was staying with them because he had no where else to stay right? So where was he now? Staying with another friend? Male or female? Was she beautiful and worth more shít than Bella?

Upstair was indeed close to quiet, for one it wasn't as crowded and almost everyone there was spotting something white or pink.

Incoherent conversing could be heard above a soft playing R&B, the lightening was good, a set stage was to the side as if for a live performance or was it a pulpit? And above all there was a bar.

A pulpit and a bar? Where is this place?

Hopefully Iverson would be downstairs where the life of the party was and Bella can get drunk in peace.

"Do you think you can get us a drink? I need to use the little girl's room." Jenna said, pointing her in the direction of the mini bar.

The last thing Bella wanted was to be left alone but still she said. "I'm not an idiot, of course I can get the drink."

Giggling, Jenna went back down the stairs and Bella joined the troop of people around the bar taking turn to get themselves a drink. Someone pinched her butt as she waited, she yelped to the side and decided to stay right there, out of their way. She'd wait until everyone get some and leave or until Jenna returns. Whichever happen first.

Whipping her phone out to appear busy and not look like the loser at the corner, she discovered she already had a message from Daniel.

'Buzz me anytime you want to leave. I don't care if it's in two minutes' It read.

'Where's your party spirit?' She typed and added a smiley. His reply was almost instant.

'My girlfriend chased it away with her mourning attire.'

'Cut her some slack! This is a party thrown by her former boyfriend for his new girlfriend' Bella replied, surely Cynthia reserved some right to glum.

'Unless she harbour some feelings for him I don't see the logic' was Daniel's reply. When Bella raised her head again, it was only one person left at the bar and she quickly approached it.

"What can I do you for?" The guy behind the counter turned to smirk at her once the last person left, automatically she blushed.

"Uhm," she started. She didn't know she'd have to order and Jenna didn't seem to remember the name of her last drink. "It's free right?"

"The sex is, but the drink comes with a price." He said so fast, it took another second for her to grasp it.

"Uhm what?" She blinked and blushed some more. She liked his large almond shaped eyes and in it, she saw friendliness and arrogance. He was a good looking guy and he knew it.

He raised a brow at her, his smirk dipping a notch as if he could read her mind. "You want me to come again?" He asked casually but somehow made the 'come' sound dirtier than any she'd ever heard.

"Uhm..no, I mean yes, well.."

"Relax pretty." He laughed and ran a hand through his mop of red hair. "I'm only messing with you. What can I get you?"

She relaxed and even placed her hands on the counter to show it. Thanks to Cynthia she knew one cocktail. "Can I get two glasses of pina colada please?"

"The drink yes, but you'll have to make do with foam cups, I've got no glasses."

She smiled at him and he began to fix her drink, whistling as he did. "I was tired of my lady, we'd been together too long." He sang, playful eyes fixed on her. "Like a worn out recording, of a favourite song- come on, sing with me."

"But I don't know the song." Bella found herself laughing, even more so when he gaped at her like she'd said something impossible.

"Escape by Rupert Holmes, you don't know it?" He asked with incredulity in his voice. "If you like pina colada's or getting caught in rain. If you're not into yoga, if you have half a brain.." He sang slowly, waiting for her to catch on. She laughed and shook her head at him.

"You're not one of these one direction fanatics are you?"

"What's wrong with that?" Bella asked, instantly getting defensive. "One direction have amazing songs."

"For kiddies who believe in knights in shiny amours and roses for swords, I'm talking serious stuff and legends here." He said placing two filled cups before her.

"You take that back right now." She glared at him only half joking and he made to withdraw the drinks. "No, not that. What you just said."

"Make me." He grinned at her. "Bring it on, give me their best matured song yet." He pulls back the sleaves of his jacket like they were about to arm wrestle.

"Where do broken heart go, once in a life time."

"Er...I don't know, to Paris?" He said and she erupted into laughs, clutching her stomach until she was spent.

"Those were song titles!"

"Ah bullshít." He said with a smile and just like that, Bella found herself a companion. She finished hers and Jenna's drink in no time, her friend wasn't even missed. If parties are like this, she would get out more.

"Name's Derrick by the way." The bar guy said as he placed the third cup before her.

Holding a finger up, she took a large gulp from the cup before saying. "Isabella. Friend of the celebrant."

"Really? The douche she's dating is my twin." Somehow she found it funny and they bounded even better. Soon the last of her inhibition was shed and she jumped behind the counter to help him as another group arrived for drinks.

He confided the secret of adding a bit of rum to a cup of cranberry or grape juice and serving it no matter what cocktail was ordered. It was students party, not a real bar.

Truth be told though, Bella drank more than she served.

They'd both even shared conspiratorial glances and laughs when Derrick filled some cups with water for those he think have had enough.

"It's cold." She whined drunkenly a while later and Derrick easily shrugged out of his jacket and handed it to her.

"I don't think I should." She said.

"I think you should. Claire will gouge my eyes out if I let her friend freeze to death." He said, holding the jacket out with both hands for her to wear.

She did without another hesitation, glorying in the warmth and cologne that engulfed her, liking even the faint scent of cigarette she detected.

She heaved back onto the stool Derrick had brought into the bar for her and using a straw now, she sipped from the cup of grape juice and a shot of Grey goose that she had mixed herself.

"What's the color of your eyes?" She asked as she couldn't seem to pin it down to one under the lightening.

Derrick pleased smile was from ear to ear as he said. "Depends, I'm sure they are grey now with specks of gold in them." And then he leaned towards her ear as if to share a secret. "They are like that when I'm with someone beautiful."

"Ha ha, flattery will get you everywhere." She joked, working down a blush.

"I say 'em as I see 'em, my eyes agrees. You should see them during sex..."

"Okay!" She exclaimed, trying to cut him off.

"They're the prettiest dark, intense hazel you've ever seen."

"I didn't hear that." She dropped her head over her cup, letting the bob hair shield her face.

"I found him!"

She looked up at the voice that cut Derrick's laugh to see Biggie walking over with a smile, his arm around a shorter guy who didn't look like he wanted to be there. The little liquid in Bella's mouth went right down the wrong pipe when she saw the guy behind the duo.

"Here's your replacement brother, come have some fun." Biggie said. Bella quickly bowed her head over the cup again, trying to work the choke in her lungs that made her eyes and nose water, but she was determined to not make a sound, even though breathing and swallowing was laborious.

He's here!

"I also found a chic in a golden dress for you." She could barely hear Biggie's voice over the pounding of her heart.

"The damn dress was blue black," the short guy argued. "Wasn't it, Ivers?"

As if the name was Bella's, she raised her head to look at them. Thankfully, they'd spread out before the counter, so the other guy was close to her and Biggie was between him and Iverson.

"I didn't see a dress." Iverson said calmly. Just his cool voice did crazy and unexplainable things to Bella, that was until he added. "Her bra though, now that was definitely maroon."

She lost it.

Bolt of coughs wracked through her body, she drunkenly fell off her chair and knocked her drink down with her, Derrick was by her side in a flash to help her stay on her feet.

"Are you okay?" He asked, his hand on her waist as she doubled over.

"I..I'm f.fine." she managed between coughs and unsteady breaths. When she straighten again, all eyes was on her and hers easily strayed to his.

She saw recognition replaced the confusion in his eyes, followed by mouth dropping surprise. His eyes flashed to Derrick beside her, dropping slowly to his hands on her waist, then looking back at her, he narrowed one eye in obvious anger.

"Isabella?" Biggie called in surprise, then turning to Iverson, whispered. "Dude It's Isabella."

"No kidding." Iverson said through his teeth.

"Claire said you couldn't make it." Biggie said, drawing her attention away from Iverson. The nerve of him, what right does he have to still be angry with her?

"You asked of me?" Bella turned to Biggie who in turn pointed a quick finger at Iverson.

"He did."

"You know this ásshole?" Derrick hissed beside her and she could have sworn there was nothing friendly about his tone. How refreshing would it be to find someone that doesn't think the sun shine off Iverson's àss.

"I should go make my..erm, presence known to..to.."

"Claire?" Derrick suggested and she grinned up at him.

"Yes! Claire! The birthday girl of course!" She moved out of Derrick's hold, lifting her leg so high as the floor wobbled before her.

"Is she drunk?" She heard Iverson asked and then he was before her as soon as she came out of the bar. "Have you been drinking? Do you even drink?" He asked grabbing her hand.

"Let go of me." She seethed.

"How are you wearing his jacket?" He asked again coolly, pulling her closer to him. She jerked back on legs that seemed intertwined and almost fell on her butt but he had a firm grip on her.

"Let...go...of..me.."

"No." He said firmly. "Is Dan here or you came alone?"

"I am not your business." She snapped, trying to pry his hand off her but everything looked double and her fingers felt boneless. "I'm not worth your shít remember? Let go now!"

"Dude, let the girl go." One of the guys said behind them but Iverson only pulled her closer.

"How are you wearing his jacket?" He repeated.

With my bloody shoulders, that's how. She wanted to shout, or maybe she did. But when she felt him trying to take it off of her, she began to throw angry fists everywhere.

"Leave me alone! Let go of me!" She blindly struggled, knowing she's be hitting the floor if he did let go.  Suddenly someone grabbed and freed her from him.

"I believe she said let fúcking go."

She heard Daniel's familiar voice as she staggered back a few step, steadying herself just in time to see his fist connect with Iverson's face.