"Blue shock, exchange blue shock, exchange blue spark."
Blue Spark by X.

Chapter Nine.

My eyes gaze at the sightly version of me in the wall-length mirror. My outfit may not be premium, but it's decent enough. The ripped, skinny, black jeans look like second skin on my legs, making my curves stand out. I think I was possessed when I purchased them. They're not comfortable at all, and I'm sure I will find angry, red lines on my body the moment I take them off. The jeans are matched with a chiffon polka dot blouse. It kind of guilts me to fracture the black look, so I harmonize it with black ankle boots. They're three inches long just so I don't look too sawed-off in the outfit.

I spend a few minutes perpending whether I should wear makeup or not, and then settle for mascara and an unshowy lipgloss. I don't like looking too flamboyant.

I exit my room, pulling my small messenger bag over one shoulder, just to find Hannah sitting on the couch I abominate the most, sipping a glass of wine as she squints at her phone. I discern her perfectly curled hair, looking like strings of golden pearls dangling down her beautifully made-up face. I admittedly feel self-conscious, absentmindedly touching my straight ponytail. She's wearing a green army dress, and it blends well with her hair. I shake my head, dismissing the silly thoughts. I'm not scatterbrained.

She looks up when she notices me standing there, grinning immediately. It's been a long time since we conversed. We always greet each other, but otherwise, we marginally interact much. It's hard to have any stony feelings toward her while she's being nice like that. The only vigorous conversation we had so far was when she went off at me, other than that, she was always smiley and genial to me.

“You look ravishing!” she exclaims, studying my outfit. “Going somewhere?”

I smile at her. She's dressed up to the nines, yet she still compliments me. “You're looking fab yourself.” I fold my arms, still smiling. “Going somewhere?” I wink. I'm always so elusive.

She rolls her eyes. “Claire invited me to her friend's party.” she innocently shrugs, and yes, it's innocent. I know she doesn't have the slightest idea about my little cross fire with the bitch she's friends with. Besides, she doesn't strike me as the guileful type.

Eek.

I don't know why I'm surprised. I know that she's friends with Claire and I know that Claire is exhaustively aware that we live together, but I didn't expect Hannah to be invited to Logan's birthday party, who talked to me yesterday, telling me about the time of the party.

Claire and Hannah: 1
Candice: 0

“Logan's party? That's where I'm headed.” I plaster a fake smile on my face.

“Oh really?” she asks, though she's not that surprised. “I suppose that's predictable, since you're friends with that squad and all.”

“Yeah, I guess. So you and Claire?” I ask, wanting to confirm my speculations.

“Oh Claire! I'm taking art history with her. She's pretty friendly.” she genuinely smiles, as if she's remembering a gratifying memory with her. Now, my suspicions are confirmed. She hasn't witnessed her bitchy side yet. Moreover, their friendship wasn't plotted.

“Hmm.” I refrain from saying a sarcastic comeback. Friendly, my ass.

She suggests that we go together, and I assent. Logan gave me the detailed address, and apparently, Hannah has it too, but from a diverse person. She drives us with her Hyundai car, and it doesn't take long for us to arrive. Throughout the drive, I keep contending that I did the effort to look good for myself, and not to look pleasant to anyone's eyes.

The house Logan lives in doesn't amaze me at all. It's big but not too big, even though- according to what he said- he lives alone. What really knocks my socks off is the inside of the house. It's packed with people who look about my age and the atmosphere is in full swing. Bodies are gyrating against one another with beers and liquor in hands. I merely envisaged his friends and a couple more, with champagne and a birthday cake, but this? Totally unanticipated.

Hannah, in the other hand, doesn't look shaken-up at all. If anything, she has her bells on, and judging by the tapping of her shoes and the faint moves of her hips, she's really restraining from breaking free and joining them.

I survey the crowd, searching for any familiar faces, until I spot Trent and Dylan. Each of them has a bottle of beer in his hand, and Trent looks like he's enjoying the beats of “Black Beatles” as he moves his head to its rhythm.

I head toward them with Hannah tailing me. Dylan sees me first, and his eyebrows shoot up in surprise, as if he didn't expect me to be here. We hold eyes for a moment, and the look of shock quickly vanishes from his face, replaced by impassiveness. I tear my eyes away first, looking at Trent, who's looking at me now with a grin on his face.

“Candice.” he raises one hand for a high-five and I clap his hand with mine. The small gesture warms my heart, and I feel like I conceivably have a friend here. His eyes move to Hannah, his eyebrows perking up. “Is this your friend?” he questions me, never moving his eyes from her.

I'm reminded of our first encounter when he told me that he's into blondes. Interesting.

“Yes, she's my friend.” I say, my emphatic tone telling him what he needs to know. I don't know why I suddenly feel protective of her, but I don't want her to be one of these he uses and tosses away.

He looks at me, smirking knowingly. I look at Hannah, whose face is now beet red. “Hannah, and Trent.” I beckon to both of them, before I turn to Dylan, whose hazel eyes are trained on me and his impassive expression is still extant. “And this is Dylan.”

“Hey.” she smiles at both of them, looking rattling nervous, and I note that Trent is staring at Hannah. They exchange greetings, and a weird tension fills the atmosphere.

“I didn't know you were coming.” Dylan grabs my attention, raising his eyebrows in question.

I tilt my head to the side. “why not? I was invited.”

He hums in understanding, still eyeing me with his passionless expression. It annoys me. His eyes ever-so-slowly drag down my body, pausing at the slight cleavage that shows from the V-cut blouse, and it takes all of my effort not to shift in my place. When he meets my eyes again, he's got a dark, yet playful glint to them. “Nice, Candy.” he drawls, reminding me of the day on which he said the same about my work outfit. However, my outfit is not revealing at all, apart from the cleavage part.

My cheeks flush, and I really itch to slap his beautiful face for getting under my skin so fast with abbreviated effort. “Thanks.” I manage to make my voice steady before I avert my eyes to Trent and Hannah, whose eyes are fixated on us with interest. It doesn't take long for us to keep sending one another weird looks, until Claire and Alexa join us. Claire hugs Hannah, trying to outstare me as she does with antipathy that is masterful enough to frost my bones, but I'm too thick-skinned to care.

“Hi, Candice.” she waves her hand at me, giving me her best plastic smile.

“Hi, Claire.” I mirror her, wiggling my fingers back at her, before I proffer my attention to Alexa, who's always forsaken in the background. “Hey, Alexa.” I greet her, smiling amicably at her.

My plan starts here.

She tears her eyes away from Hannah, who's got all of Trent's attention, and I have an opaque feeling that there's going to be drama amongst the three of them. “Hey.” she smiles, before she surprises me with a hug. I hug her back, thinking of how this is even a score. I notice Claire staring at us from the corner of my eye, but I don't look at her. I don't want to unbosom much about what's in my head.

Claire then drags the two girls with her to dance. What's noteworthy is that she offers that I accompany them, but I reject, partly because I'm a horrible dancer, and because I know that she doesn't genuinely mean it. Trent excuses himself too to get another beer, and asks me if I want a coke, to which I say yes.

“Did you think about my offer?” Dylan fires his question the moment Trent is out of earshot.

Truth is that I haven't been thinking about anything but his offer. I want it. I really do, but I'm afraid of freeing my inner memories and phantasm in front of someone. I know he's already seen my paintings, but the idea of it still distempers me.

“I'm still not sure.” I admit, looking anywhere but him.

“What are you scared of?” he folds his arms, and I feel his gaze burning holes through me.

“I'm not scared of anything.” The lie comes out solid and cogent as I stare into his eyes, and he stares back, his beautiful eyes intensely poring into mine.

He completely bypasses what I said, deliberately approaching me. He stands directly in front of me, so his sneakers are touching my boots. “Are you scared of me uncovering what goes on in that feisty head of yours?” he rasps, touching his index so gently to my temple.

How could he proficiently see through me? I seldom let my guard down, and my face is always obscured by a poker face that only a mind-reader can penetrate.

I gulp, laughing once in nervousness. “Looks like you're already drunk.” I look around, avoiding his gaze, but he delicately touches my face, tilting it so I look straight in his eyes. His fingertips combust little notches through my face, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand.

“Oh yeah?” He arches his eyebrows, withdrawing to put his beer on a nearby table, before he assumes his position directly in front of me again. Startlingly, he grabs my waist, pulling me even closer to him. “Let's dance.” He decides, and I immediately recognize Luke Bryan's Strip It Down.

“You're really drunk.” I shake my head, refusing to move with him. “Besides, I don't dance.”

He completely ignores me and starts to move, moving me along with him. He moves against me, but not quite pressed-up, just too close. He spins me, pressing my back against his hard chest. It's for a few seconds, but throughout the brief time, I feel a lot of things. I feel my heart thudding against my chest, and his beating against my back. I feel his hot breath close to my ear, making my body explode in goose bumps. I feel hardness infirmly brushing against my lower back, and my surroundings suddenly feel so paltry.

Luke Bryan sings about dirty dancing, and I think the song was made for our moves. He repeats “strip it down” and I feel so bare in Dylan's hands. I close my eyes and I let his hands lead my moves, drowning in the little world that sucks me in.

I feel lost and found. Breathless, yet so alive. Drowned, and saved at the same time.

The song ends too soon, or maybe it took way too long? I don't know. I feel so dumbfounded the moment it changes into “Bonbon”, and our spell is suddenly blasted. Dylan stares at me with an open mouth, as if he was as possessed as me. He gulps, looking around. For an escape, maybe? I'm looking for one myself.

“That was..” Trent suddenly shows up in front of us, handing me my coke as he struggles for the right word. “Wild.” One side of his mouth is tilted up in mockery.

Dylan looks like he swallowed something unpleasant, and all I want right now is to flee, but Dylan moves first. “I'll get another beer.” he lams, handing me over to the beast. I look at Trent and he stares back, winking at me.

“You guys even attracted some attention.” He shrugs, taking a gulp from his beer. I refuse to look around, my face is almost turning purple.

“It was just a dance.” I press my lips together in aggravation. I can't finish my day without ending up in a lousy predicament.

“Oh I'm sure it was.” He smirks.

“Stop it.” I hiss, feeling frustrated.

“Now, what have I done?” he raises his hands in surrender, still smirking.

I roll my eyes, and an idea strikes. “Stop ogling Hannah.”

He astonishes me when his smirk deepens. “Your warning was clear, but I can always stare.”

“Just make sure it's only staring.” I emphasize, serious this time.

He rolls his eyes. “Alright, Candice, or should I call you Candy?” He teases, and I'm sure the dirty look I give him suffices. “Okay okay. So that name is only Dylan's.” He says, and I open my mouth to snarl at him but I'm cut when he announces.

“Here comes the birthday boy. Where have you been? Having your fun already?” Trent winks, and I get a feeling that he's talking about hookups.

Logan stops in front of us, granting me his attention and totally ignoring Trent. One side of his mouth raises in a smile, but his eyes are showing the sufficient gladness. “You came. ” His piercing is really hard to ignore while he's talking, but I manage to look straight into his eyes. “You look beautiful.” He adds, perceiving my outfit.

He's dressed in a plain black tee shirt, but he still stands out like the birthday boy he is. Black pants hang low, giving him the black, carnal look that I vividly remember.

“Thank you, and I said that I would.” I open my bag, pull out the small package I got for him, and then hand it to him. “Happy Birthday.”

He frowns. “You didn't have to get me anything . Thank you.” He unravels the ribbon, and opens the package, revealing a golden, vintage British touring car charm.

“I noticed that you have an obsession with cars.” I explain, suddenly queasy. I detest buying gifts. Always agitated that I may choose the wrong thing.

His eyes shoot up to meet mine, looking a bit wide, before he gives me a full smile with teeth, his eyes twinkling. “Wow. It's really thoughtful of you.” He looks so deep into my eyes, piercing them, and I suddenly feel uncomfortable. “Thank you.” He takes my hand, planting a kiss on my knuckles in a very gentlemanly manner.

“It's nothing.” I pull my hand away, feeling overwhelmed. Maybe it's because I can't mute the memory of my earlier dance. It keeps popping up. I catch Trent's eyes darting between us as he swigs his beer, and I remember that my coke is still untouched. I start to take a gulp, looking around, and I see him.

He's leaning back against the wall, drinking his beer as he stares at me. His eyes move once to Logan before he peers back at me. He pushes himself off the wall and starts to approach us, before he stops beside me, leaning down to whisper something in my ear as he shoves a paper in my hand.

“You have until tomorrow, Candy.”

*Again, I apologise for the late update. I'll be back to updating on Wednesdays starting from this week.

Please don't deprive me of your votes and comments. Love y'all x