Ashley

College parties were overrated.

The music was ear-shatteringly loud. The air smelled like someone had mixed alcohol with sweat and some off the shelf deodorant. And there were too many people. Too many drunk people.

I didn't trust drunk people to not do moronic things.

Well, I didn't trust people in general.

To make matters worse, this was exactly the kind of party he would like. The fact that it was at the hockey house only increased the odds of him attending. I didn't like it. I didn't like it one bit.

Every time someone walked through the door, my heart leapt into my mouth, afraid that it would be him and I'd be caught. I hated being so on edge.

If it wasn't for my friends, I wouldn't have come and would be sat at home binge watching some show with one too many seasons.

"Does anyone want more beer?" April, my roommate, yelled over the loud music, distracting me. She slung her arm over my shoulder and nearly squeezed the life out of me. "I told you it'd be fun, Ash! Isn't this the best party ever?"

April's face was flushed a shade identical to the red solo cup in her hand. If that wasn't proof enough of how wasted she was, the constant bumping her hips with mine and then laughing as if it was the funniest thing in the world definitely gave her away.

At least one of us was enjoying this zoo of a party.

"Me!" Nicole, my other roommate, exclaimed. She held her cup upside down and shook it for good measure. "I don't understand where my drink keeps disappearing. I just poured that in my cup!"

I sighed. "You're drinking it, Nics. Of course, it keeps disappearing."

Nicole grumbled something about how stupid it was that her cup didn't refill itself before turning to April and showing her empty cup. "I want more. Let's get that red stuff now!"

"Yes! Red stuff!" April cheered as if Nicole's drunken gibberish made complete sense.

"Girls, I don't think you—"

They did not let me finish.

Before I could knock some sense into their inebriated heads, they walked away from me. I pursed my lips, watching them stumble their way forward while bumping into people and giggling. I had half a mind to let them be but I couldn't leave them alone in that state.

Heaving a sigh, I followed after them.

"Ooh look! This is red!" April announced loudly as she picked up a bottle of red wine, oddly out of place among all the beer bottles and cans on the kitchen table.

"Yes!" Nicole cheered, thrusting her empty cup towards April and nearly stumbling forward.

"Woah, woah. Careful there." I caught Nicole by her arm and made her giggling ass sit down on a barstool.

"Thanks, Ash. I love you!" She made kissy faces toward me, and I couldn't help the smile on my lips. No matter how annoying they got when drunk, I could never stay mad at my friends.

That realization took me by surprise. It had been a long time since I called anyone my friend.

I had tried so hard to keep them at bay when I first moved into the dorms two months ago. Honestly, I wasn't even sure if I wanted to come to Wellsfield after everything that happened. I almost didn't.

Despite my initial prickliness, April and Nicole were extremely nice to me. Somewhere between April suffering from severe pollen allergy, Nicole breaking down due to homesickness, and me almost burning the kitchen down, we became friends. And now, I couldn't imagine my college life without them.

Shaking those thoughts away, I pushed Nicole's face back, laughing. "You are so going to regret drinking tomorrow morning."

While April and Nicole started drinking everything they could get their hands on, my phone began buzzing in my pocket. I whipped it out to see a slew of texts from my mom.

Mom: How's everything going sweetie? You're having fun with your friends?

Mom: Your dad and I were a little worried since we hadn't heard from you yet.

Mom: Don't mind us if you are still with your friends. We are happy for you

Mom: Send pics!!

I loved my parents. I truly did. And I knew I was in no position to complain about their constant surveillance after the trouble I caused them. Not when they were the only ones standing in my corner after what he did. But still, sometimes I wished they'd just let me be.

That wasn't going to happen anytime soon. So, I turned the front camera on, plastered a smile, and clicked a selfie with the party in the background before sending it to her.

Me: Don't worry. I'm not drinking.

Me: But I'm having fun

Me: I'll call you guys tomorrow. Love you <3

Mom's reply was immediate, confirming my suspicion that she and dad were anxiously staring at the phone waiting for a reply. It was a string of kissy face emojis and hearts of all colors. Smiling to myself, I shook my head at the screen before locking it and shoving it back in my pocket.

I was about to turn back to my friends when someone slammed into me, splashing liquid everywhere. The front of my outfit was soaked through, a big red stain covering my hot pink top.

"What the fuck?" I yelled as the liquid seeped in, making the top stick to my skin and wetting my bra in the process. "Watch where you are going, jeez!"

"Oops! I'm sorry," a male voice replied, followed by a laugh. A laugh!

I looked up, ready to give Mr. Butterfingers a piece of my mind, but was rendered speechless by the sight in front of me.

The guy was wearing a freaking crown!

He peered down at me, looking more amused than apologetic. If I wasn't fuming, maybe I would have admired his tall stature. At 5'11, having a guy tower over me only happened on rare occasions. I may have also been in awe at how green his eyes were or how his brown hair looked so shiny under the kitchen lights.

But all of that took a back seat to the very golden crown on his head and the blue sash that said 'KING KRIS' across his torso.

What a conceited asshole.

"I'm so sorry. I wasn't really looking where I was going," he said, giggling. His green eyes widened as soon as the sound left him and he clamped a hand over his mouth. "That wasn't supposed to come out. I think."

I raised a brow. "You think?"

God, he must have been drunk beyond belief!

Another reason why I hated parties. Some people just used being drunk as an excuse for sloppy behavior. As if being under influence absolved them from all responsibility for their actions.

"Listen, you cannot—"

A herd of guys hooting and hollering interrupted my speech as they swamped the self-proclaimed king.

Before I could make sense of what was going on, Mr. Butterfingers was whisked away, and I was pushed aside like a weed in a flowerbed. I stared after them slack-jawed, unable to believe the audacity.

But then I noticed the hockey team's logo splattered on the guys' shirts and all of it made sense.

Only hockey players would have that kind of disregard for others. My ex was one of them, so I knew not to expect decency from that lot.

Huffing, I looked down at my ruined top, wincing at the huge stain. If I let it sit for long, I'd have to forget about wearing this top ever again. Pinching the top of the fabric, I held it away from my torso as I turned back to my friends, who were busy giggling about labels on beer bottles.

"I'm going to quickly go to the bathroom and clean this mess. You guys wait for me here," I said but my words fell on deaf years. Channeling my mom, I placed a hand on my hip and narrowed my eyes on them. "Until I come back, no one moves. Am I clear?"

That seemed to work, because April and Nicole immediately sat down on the bar stools at the kitchen counter.

"Good," I said, smiling. "I'll be right back."

Once I was sure that they'd stay put, I turned around to see the hockey guy who had spilled his drink on me—King Kris—sidling up to a brunette. Of course. I threw a dirty look in his direction before rushing in search of a bathroom.

The hockey house had one bathroom on the main level and one upstairs as far as I knew. Now that the party was in full swing, the main level was cramped. Every other second, someone bumped into me or stepped on my toes. If it wasn't for my sturdy boots, my toes would have been flattened by now.

Wanting to avoid getting my feet trampled further, I veered towards the staircase leading up. However, as soon as I reached the top of the stairs, a familiar voice fell on my ears, making me freeze in my tracks.

No, no, no. This couldn't be happening. Not like this. Not here.

With my breath stuck in my lungs, I took a shaky step forward and looked down the hallway. There he was.

The man of both my dreams and my nightmares. My ex-boyfriend.

Leaning against the wall while he talked and laughed with the guys surrounding him, Shane looked just as I remembered him. Confident, charming and heart-breakingly handsome.

For a brief moment, I hoped this was just a dream. If someone had spiked my cola and its effects were just now showing up. But then a guy yelled Shane's name, gaining his attention, and that hope of mine was shattered as well.

Of course he was here. Shane Nelson had always been a people magnet. He had the aura that made people want to know him, talk to him, be friends with him. And when he reciprocated the same, it made you feel special. He had a way of making you feel special.

It shouldn't have surprised me to see him hanging around with the popular folks within months of starting university. It was inevitable.

The same way him and I running into each other was an inevitability.

I had successfully managed to hide from him the last two months. Actively avoiding the sciences buildings and all the popular spots on campus worked in my favor. It'd given me hope that maybe I could avoid running into him forever, but I was wrong.

He was here now. Standing only a few feet away from me. And I didn't know what to do.

Before our breakup, Shane and I had decided to attend Wellsfield together. He'd be the Engineering major and I'd be the English major. We'd be the couple people wrote romance books about. But that plan went up in flames.

He didn't know I had still followed through with our plan, but I knew he'd be here because of the post-breakup stalking I had done. Not something I was proud of. I also knew how he'd react once he saw me here. And that made me nervous.

He was one of the reasons I was skeptical about attending Wellsfield. Even though it had been months since our breakup and I had the whole summer to work on myself, I wasn't sure I was ready to see him again.

"Excuse me," someone said from behind me, snapping me out of my thoughts. I blinked and looked at the girl who raised a brow at me. "Are you going up or down?"

"I'm..." I glanced around myself cluelessly, realizing I was still standing at the top of the staircase blocking everyone's path. "I'm uh... I'm sorry," I said and stepped aside, letting her pass.

With my back pressed to the wall, I took a few deep breaths and reminded myself of all the reasons I shouldn't give a fuck about Shane Nelson. It was him who had broken things off. Him who had abandoned me when I needed him the most. He threw me under the bus to save himself. Screw him!

However, my resolve lasted for about two seconds. As soon as I turned the corner, the bathroom door opened down the hallway and the person I had never expected to see stepped out.

A pit formed in my stomach and a familiar ache spread through my chest as she walked past me and straight into Shane's awaiting arms.

Having Shane here was one thing, but having her here too? I was no way prepared for this.

Gliding up to Shane and kissing him right in the middle of the hallway for everyone to see was my once best friend, Juliette.

The more I watched, the more my heart cracked. I... I needed to get out of here.

As I stumbled back, my foot slipped on the top of the stairs. A yelp left my mouth and I shut my eyes, bracing myself for the pain, but it never came. I opened one eye to see a guy holding me by my arm, preventing my fall.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his dark eyes scrunched in worry.

"I'm fine... I'm fine. Thank you," I mumbled as I straightened myself.

People whispered around me, some looking at me worriedly while some outright laughed. The commotion caused Shane and Juliette to look over, their eyes widening in shock when they spotted me.

Embarrassment heated my face, reminding me of all the times I had become the laughingstock back in high school.

It was too much. Everything was too much.

Whirling around, I rushed downstairs and only stopped when I found myself in an empty, dark hallway. Slumping against the wall, I covered my face with my hands. Tears blurred my vision as memories from the past replayed in my head.

I made a complete fool of myself. Again.

The sight of Juliette kissing Shane flashed before my eyes, making my heart crack all over again. After our breakup, there were rumors about him seeing someone else. Juliette's name had come up a few times too. It hurt a lot back then, but I thought I was over it. Over him. But now seeing them together like that...

I wasn't over it. Not fully at least.

Was Shane really doing our future plan with my ex-best friend?

I was still trying to wrap my head around everything and get my emotions under control when two guys came up to me in the hallway.

"There you are!" the one with a ball cap on backwards exclaimed as he came to stand beside me. "What are you doing out here? He's already inside. Let's go."

He pressed a hand between my shoulder blades, ushering me down the hallway while the other guy followed behind.

I frowned, taken off guard. "Excuse me? What are you... Who are you? I don't—"

My questions, however, were drowned by the other guy speaking over me. "I think it's a bad idea. We should stop, Holden. Dylan is going to get all of us in trouble."

The ball cap guy—Holden—flashed the other one a reassuring smile. "Relax, Ethan. It's going to be fine. She's a pro."

He turned to me.

"Aren't you?" he asked, looking down at me as if I was supposed to reassure him in return. However, he didn't wait for me to answer before opening a door to our left and nudging me inside. "In you go. Good luck!"

"Wait! You have the wrong—"

My back collided with something hard as the door shut in my face. A hiss came from behind me while a hand clamped on my shoulder, making me freeze.

With a shriek, I scrambled away from whoever was behind me and plastered myself against the door. In the middle of what looked like a compact storage room, right under the flickering bulb, stood a guy.

A very familiar looking guy.

Emerald green eyes and brown hair, sans the crown and the sash. The guy who had dropped his drink on me.

"Why are you here?" I asked, looking around at my surroundings. "Why am I here?"

He stared at me wide eyed.

Before he could say anything, the light bulb overhead flickered one last time and then went out, plunging us into complete darkness. So, I did the only thing I could think of doing.

I screamed bloody murder.