j a i m e e

+

The walls of the house are shaking as I enter the living room, keeping my head held high. I wasn't dressed for a party, that much was obvious, but Libbie begged me to at least show my face. A very distinct aroma of beer and perfume hits me and it makes me dizzy. The vibrations from the music makes the floor shake and I attempt to push myself through the array of sweaty bodies.

Two parties in the space of a few weeks- What an achievement.

Grabbing a drink from the kitchen, I sneak a quick glance around the house and notice Shayden sitting in the corner of the room, with a girl practically sitting on his lap. My stomach churns at the sight, jealousy igniting my stomach as I force my eyes to snap away from them.

"Are you alright?" Taylor appears out of nowhere and asks.

"Yeah, but I can't believe I let you shit-talk me into coming out. Again." I nod my head, focusing on him instead. "Where's Libbie?"

"Upstairs with some boy." He shrugs, lifting his cup and taking a sip. "I've not seen her in a while."

Warning bells go off in my head and I rush off without saying anything else, heading for the stairs. Once I'm upstairs, I start searching through each of the rooms.

All I can think is that I can't let it happen to her too.

I can't do it.

"Libbie?" I open the last door, seeing two bodies rush to get away from each other as I see my best friend try to cover herself. Turning my head so I don't seem weird, I just ask, "Is everything okay?"

"One sec, babe." She says flirtatiously to the boy whose face I didn't see, before wrapping herself in a bed sheet and coming to meet me at the door.

"Are you good?" I question instantly, lowering my voice. "No one knew where you were, I was worried."

"I'm fine. What? Did you think he was going to hurt me?" Libbie mocks, chuckling. "You know I'm not the sort of girl who would let someone do anything to me that I didn't want."

I recoil back as if she hit me, trying not to take offence to her words. As if it was that easy.

"I'll see you later." I reply quietly, flinching back as I hear another couple in the adjacent room. "Just stay safe, okay?"

"Yeah, whatever." She dismisses, "See you later, Jaimee."

A weird nostalgic feeling hit me, confused on how people could do this so naturally. My body no longer felt like my own, drifting and floating through the accumulation of bodies without even considering my surroundings.

"Hey."

I break out of my thoughts, eyebrows furrowing as I turn and see Shayden's friend that I met at the first party.

"Jaimee, right?" He clarifies. His arm is up as he holds the back of his neck, face awash with sheepishness as I acknowledge him.

"Yeah." I breathe out, nipping at my lip. My memory goes blank. "Troy?"

He barks out a laugh at that, relaxing us both. "Close- It's Tory. I thought I recognized you."

"Yeah, same. And sorry, I'm terrible with names." I apologize, shrugging nonchalantly.

"Don't worry about it, doll."

"You seem awfully out of place. Is everything okay?"

He seems shocked at my question, but answers all the same. "Shayden was supposed to be my designated driver but he's already drunk and I can't stay here sober."

"Typical."

"You want to get out of here? Shayden would kill me if he thought I'd left you alone." Tory gestures for me to follow him, walking off before I even have the chance to answer.

Fuck it. If Shayden trusted him, maybe I could too.

We walked around the corner to a white, blacked out Tesla. My jaw dropped as I climbed into the passenger seat, amazed by the beauty of a car.

"How the fuck did you afford this?" I pretty much splutter out, eyeing Tory from the corner of my eyes.

"Rich Mom." He shrugs. The expression on his face told me to drop it. "Do you want me to drop you at your place? Or Shaydens?"

I smothered out my shirt, wrapping my camo jacket further around me. "I-"

"You can chill at mine for a while, if you want." He seems to realize that the idea of going home with someone I barely knew petrified me, so he continued. "I've got food and Shayden lives close, in case you change your mind about going to see him once he's home."

Nodding my head, I just watched as the streets roared past us. Adrenaline courses through my veins at the fact I'm actually in a car with someone I barely know and a man at that, my therapist would be so happy that I'd stopped 'believing the worst in absolutely everyone I meet'. But it didn't stop the caution lights flashing in my head. Tory just didn't seem to have bad intentions and I'm not drunk this time, if he did I could run.

We pulled up to the same apartment complex that Shayden lives in. His eyes were on me, and he was smiling. "I live at the top. Shayden's on the floor below me."

My head snapped over at him, "Let's go then."

We get the elevator up to the top floor. He holds the door open for me, and once we're both inside the apartment, he just closes the front door without locking it, which makes me feel strangely at ease.

Without warning, I see a little black and white dog running up to us, it's tail wagging furiously as it starts to jump up at me.

I sit on the floor without hesitating, picking the pup up and scratching behind his ears as he tries desperately to lick my face.

"He's so beautiful." My nose scrunches up as I start to laugh.

"That's Rocky, he's half corgi and half husky." Tory leans down and pets him before going to walk into what I presumed was the kitchen. "I'm getting a drink, do you want anything?"

"Just water, please." I replied, pulling my jacket off, hanging it up on the coat rack, and carried Rocky over to the couch. "You're so beautiful. Yes, you are. Yes, you are."

"Thank you." Tory chuckles jokingly as he hands me a bottle of water. "Good dog voice."

"Thanks." My lips tug up unconsciously, "I work in an Elementary School but I swear dogs are so much better than kids."

"Can't argue with that logic," He shrugs, "Are you staying the night? I'll need to get-" He stops, looking at the repulsion and slight panic on my face. "No, not to do anything. I mean because I'm going to drink and I can't let you walk home or Uber at this time. You can stay in my room, there's a lock on the door I promise."

I take a deep breath, diverting my attention back to the puppy to try and relax the tension seeping through my body. "We met like a few weeks ago."

He shrugged, "Okay, and? I wouldn't let anyone walk home this late at night and, as I said, I've just had a drink and I refuse to drive once I've drank. So I'll sleep on the couch or we can see if Shayden's home and sobered up? And, if you're more comfortable, you can stay with him?"

Everything in my body was telling me to find a way to get home, but the little voice in the back of my head telling me to stay was getting louder and louder by the second. My eyes flickered between his, his facial expression didn't waver for even a moment, he was completely serious about letting me stay the night in his home.

I nod my head sheepishly, giving into him. "I'll stay here, I guess. Don't want to bother Shayden."

Tory walked away from me without a word and I stayed frozen on the floor until he turned around, "You coming or not?"

I jumped up and ran to catch up to him, following him into what I assumed was his bedroom. He started to dig through a drawer, pulling out a large shirt and sweatpants and handing them to me.

"The bathroom's just through there if you want a shower and there should be a spare toothbrush in the cabinet. Feel free to get any food or drink from my kitchen if you need anything too."

"Let me take the couch." I offered, feeling really bad that he was going through so much trouble just so I didn't have to walk home.

"Fuck no," He laughs as if I've said something completely absurd, "As much as I hate my family, they didn't raise me to have no respect for women. You take the bed. If you need to feel more comfortable, lock the door so no one can get in from the outside. If you need anything, come and wake me up, okay?"

"Thank you, Tory." The sincerity in my words isn't lost in his as a grin makes its way onto his face.

"Don't worry about it, Jaimee. Good night."

+++

The feeling of a wet tongue on my face woke me up, followed by the pressure on my chest being removed and a voice behind it saying, "Rocky, leave her alone. I told you to let her sleep."

My eyes opened, disorientation hitting me immediately before I realized what happened last night. I lean up, petting the small dog and smiling at Tory, who hesitates in the doorway.

"You didn't lock the door so he decided to barrel in here. I'm sorry." He apologizes sheepishly, to which I smile back.

"Don't be stupid, it's your room. If anything I should apologize for intruding." I gather up my clothes that I folded on his gamer chair, "I'll phone an Uber in a minute. Thank you for letting me stay."

"I can take you home, if you want?"

"No, it's okay. I'll just go and change." I say as I make his bed, before grabbing my clothes and entering the bathroom. I brush my teeth with the spare toothbrush and change my clothes quickly, folding Tory's into a pile and carrying them back into his bedroom.

I make my way into the living room, ensuring I still have my keys with me.

After my Uber confirmed my pick up, Tory and I walked outside the apartment complex together. He was wearing a pair of black skinny jeans with a white, loose-fitting t-shirt. A black beanie controlled his messy morning hair.

"Thank you for letting me crash at yours last night. I appreciated it." I thank him, internally grateful that he didn't turn out to be some freak. I trusted Shayden with my life and am glad I went with my gut feeling last night.

"Don't worry about it, Doll. You didn't seem to be enjoying the party and, if I'm being honest, I couldn't be bothered dealing with all the BO."

"That's fair enough." I laugh, "Yeah, I'm not really a party person. My friends just insist on me actually socializing whether I'm comfortable with it or not."

"Sounds like good friends to have." My Uber pulls up and Tory holds out his fist expectantly.

I fist bump him, a grin playing on my lips as I mutter another thanks before climbing into my Uber and returning back to reality.

I check my phone to see a missed call off my older brother and a shitload of messages from my group chat with Taylor and Libbie.

"Remi?" I dial his number, hearing him grunt in greeting. "Are you okay?"

"Next week, are you staying over at mine?" He asks bluntly.

Freezing at the implication, I check the date on my phone before swallowing the lump in my throat. "Yeah. Same time as usual?"

"Yep." He sighs, "Starr's missing you loads."

"I miss my little bug too." I smile, thinking of the cheeky grin that constantly adorned my five year old niece's face. "Give her my love, yeah? I'll see you soon, Rem. Te amo."

(translation: i love you)

"Yo también te quiero, hermanita. Nos vemos luego."

(translation: i love you too, little sister. see you later)

Once he's hung up and the Uber's dropped me off home, I brave opening the group chat.

Sexy Bastards

Libbie:

can you still be a virgin if you say jk after sex (asking for a friend)

Taylor:

Don't ask stupid questions

Libbie:

wow

Libbie:

ffs

Libbie:

can i die

Taylor:

Who did u fuck

Libbie:

fight me helen

Taylor:

I blame Marxism

Libbie:

fucking facist

Taylor:

But fr, what happened

Libbie:

had sex w someone from harvard and then he told me that he's gay

Jaimee:

Why do these things always happen to you

Libbie:

and now the cockblocker arrives

Libbie:

wow why didn't you make me leave

Jaimee:

Because I need more gay ppl in my life. I'm suffering in straights

Taylor:

Do you think I could fit an entire apple into my mouth

One of the Devil's Spawns just told Mom that I have no talents

Jaimee:

I hate u both so much

Libbie:

can we go to the club next weekend please. i need to drown my sorrows in alcohol

Jaimee:

Can't. Parents anniversary

Taylor:

This weekend? I'm free

Libbie:

love u boo <3 and yes, bring me the vodka