An expression of worry is there on Lizzy's face as she looks at her soon-to-be boyfriend. My expression would've mirrored hers if I gave two fucks about this guy.

"Are you okay?" Lizzy asks Aaron.

He's still looking at me but he isn't smirking anymore, more or less we're just having a glaring competition at the moment. He's forgetting that I am not the one to give in but I am glad when he realizes it and turns around to looks at Lizzy to give her a comforting smile.

"Yeah, I'm good," He tells her but squints his eyes after which he adds, "I'm feeling a little woozy though."

At his statement I turn to Derek, "Is it his first time drinking?" I ask.

Derek shrugs at my question, "Probably," He says and I nod with a mischievous smile on my face.

"Get ready for the show then." I chuckle as I say that and it is enough for Derek to know what I mean.

"Don't try anything with him Diana, I'm warning you." He glares at me but I just smirk back at him.

"Who says I'm going to do anything? I'll keep my hands to myself, I promise." I pass on an innocent smile to him which makes him narrow his eyes at me.

"You shouldn't have gulped the whole drink down in one go!" Connor tells Aaron who nods in agreement. Good. He should already regret his actions.

Like who the fuck does that when they're having their first alcoholic drink? Aaron, who else.

Connor takes his seat on the floor beside Ella who herself is getting drunk. He whispers something in her ear that makes her blush as she smiles at him. I avert my gaze from them to Aaron to again.

"Do you need any help there?" I ask him.

"Maybe a glass of water?" He asks, looking unsure of himself or me!

Yeah, I don't really help others.

"Kitchen is that way," I say with a wave of hand.

It has never entertained me so much in the past until now when people get frustrated from my bitchiness. Especially, Aaron! He doesn't only get frustrated, he goes from being flustered to irritated - which is what is the most fun part.

Shane laughs beside me before Aaron stands from his seat, "Thought so." He mumbles loud enough for me to hear.

Lizzy like a good girl stands beside him to accompany him but he just tells her to stay and he'll be back in two minutes. The guy can barely stand straight on his feet though.

When five minutes pass and Aaron doesn't come back I follow after him in kitchen. As I enter I see two girls, dressed in clothes even shorter than mine, which I may add basically means barely wearing anything - they are just standing there and giggling at him while he's sitting on the kitchen counter with his head in his hand.

"Are you alright?" I ask him, genuinely concerned this time. I don't want him getting sick here.

He jumps at the sound of my voice but then a look of disgust takes over his features as he sees me, "What are you doing here?"

"It's my apartment, I can be anywhere that pleases me." I snap at him which makes him flinch, "Are you really alright?" I repeat my question again.

"How does it concern you if I am not? You're the reason anyway I am feeling all dizzy."

"Excuse me? How the fuck am I the reason? I did not tell you to go crazy and gulp down that glass full of neat vodka in one go, especially when it was your first time drinking. And I'm concerned because I don't want you falling sick and throwing up in my apartment." I tell him, harsh tone lacing every word.

"You're so mean."

"I've been called worse by you."

I see as his features soften at my statement and the anger he held in his eyes immediately evaporates. "Diana, I am sorry for that, I didn't mean it when I called you.. err, you know, a whore earlier. It just came out of nowhere, I was mad but I still shouldn't have pointed out on your character like that. I'm really sorry."

His eyes literally pour down into mine as he says these words. I'm having a really hard time believing if he's apologizing me for calling me something which is almost like my middle name.

The strange feeling of guilt takes over me as I realize that I've been nothing but a bitch to him since morning and yet here he is, apologizing. The reason it has an affect on me is because the words Diana and Sorry don't go in same sentences, ever! Be it me apologizing for my actions or others for theirs.

"You don't really have to apologize for that, you're not the only one calling me a whore. Honestly, it's who I am." I tell him, looking straight into his eyes.

He frowns at my words before speaking, "You shouldn't talk like that about yourself."

I scoff at his words, "Speaking the truth and accepting it is much better than running away from it, right?" I question.

"Yeah, but no one should hold such hard views about oneself."

"It's not the hard views Aaron, I'm just strong enough to accept it to myself who I truly am." My tone is harsh but I mean every word I am uttering.

He doesn't respond, rather he just looks at my face with his furrowed eyebrows, as if searching for something but then he looks away when he catches me giving him an odd look.

"What?" I snap at him, causing him to look at me again.

"Nothing, why do you hate yourself?" He asks me, innocence dripping each word.

I laugh at his question, literally laugh and I see an expression of bafflement on his face when I stop. "Who said I hate myself baby boy? Have you ever looked at me properly, what's there to hate? I love myself, hate is the last thing I can associate with my view of my own self." I tell him with a smug look on my face.

I see as his eyes roam around my body, eyeing me from bottom to top but I don't feel offended, I am just so much used to these looks that getting this reaction out of guys only pleases me. I take a step forward towards him and see as his eyes widen at the realization of my movement. He desperately tries to look elsewhere as he clears his throat. However, his actions only makes me laugh like a maniac. He truly is uptight, always so cautious.

"What are you laughing at?" I hear Derek speak from behind me and soon enough an arm snakes around my waist, holding me against his body.

I turn my face enough to give him a look as I step forward and away from him. Aaron frowns at my actions but chooses to not speak anything. Derek, however, proves to be a stupid person who tries to reach for me again but I swat his hand away.

"Don't touch me." I glare at him, which makes him scowl.

"Oh c'mon Diana, what are you even mad at?" He moves his hands in the air.

"Do I need to tell you that?" I narrow my eyes at him, giving a clear expression of disapproval when he takes a step towards me.

He scoffs at my words, "You're pathetic, you know that right? You're mad at me because I brought him here," he points his finger at Aaron accusingly before continuing, "yet I come here and find you laughing with him when you wouldn't even talk to me."

Well, I know he's right but I don't care. The only reason Derek is trying to make up to me by being all touchy is because he wants to have a goodnight sex, which I am totally not willing to give especially after I already got off with Shane.

When I don't reply to Derek and try to look rather bored, he curses under his breath and leaves the kitchen to find some other partner for the night.

"You guys are a weird couple." Aaron remarks and I give him a bewildered look.

Couple? Oh no.

"Why do you think so?" I cross my arms over my chest, trying to play along.

"He lies to you about his age, he goes and spends time with another girl in your party while you do the same with some guy. If that isn't weird, I don't know what is. What kind of couple does that shit?"

I smile at his words, "Exactly, no couple does that kind of shit! Which is why it should've been obvious that we're not a couple Aaron." I tell him.

He frowns at my words, "But weren't you making out in the kitchen with him, just this morning?"

Honestly, he looks adorable with those creased lines of confusion on his forehead as he tries to make a sense out of this mess, which makes me giggle.

"Just because I fuck your brother doesn't means he's my boyfriend."

"Does that mean you are single?"

"Yeah, I don't date." I tell him.

He scowls, "Why not?"

"Because I am independent enough to not keep my happiness in hands of a guy, who'll obviously end up crushing it in his palms, right in front of my eyes." I say.

I have no fucking idea why I am having a heart to heart with this uninvited guest. My gray orbs meet his blue ones and he doesn't say another word, just pours down his eyes in mine like minutes before. This time, however, I am the first one to look somewhere else, not liking the way it felt so intense.

"Not all boys are like that." He almost whispers, so I just avoid responding to it, rather I prefer changing the topic.

"Are you still dizzy?"

"A bit! I need to sleep if I don't want to fall sick tomorrow." He says and I nod.

"Who's your ride tonight?" I ask.

"Derek, who else?"

"He's fucking drunk, he cannot drive. What about Lizzy?"

He rubs the back of his neck with his two fingers and gives me a sheepish look before speaking, "She, um.. doesn't know how to drive."

"You have got to be fucking kidding me!" I curse out as I throw my hands in the air, totally exasperated.

"Can't you ask your friend or someone to just drop us?" He asks, looking worried and I sigh.

"Just follow me out there in the living room."

He jumps down from the kitchen counter and stays a step behind me as I make my way out to my group of friends.

"Shane, how are you going home?" I ask him, his eyes are fucking bloodshot and I know he cannot drive back himself.

"My other friends will be picking me up in another fifteen minutes, I'm going to get drunk for the rest of my night with them." He explains and it only adds on to my headache.

Fucking amazing!

I push past people and go to sit on his lap as he immediately wraps an arm around my waist. I give him a quick kiss on the lips after which I make a puppy face.

"Can you ask your friends to drop someone somewhere?" I ask, pulling out the best acting skills I can manage.

I hear Connor chuckle at my actions and I throw him a warning glare. He has to fucking stop giggling, I am trying to make a deal here.

"Who do you want me to drop?" He asks, rubbing the exposed skin of my thigh.

"Aaron!" I tell him and he frowns.

"And Lizzy" Aaron adds from where he's standing, giving me a disgusted look. What the hell? I am doing all this for his little sorry ass that needs sleep and he's passing me such looks.

"Lizzy as in that innocent and hot chick that is his friend?" Shane asks me with a smirk and that is enough for me to disapprove him as a ride to two of them and knowing that his friends will be there as well just adds on to my problems.

"Yes, but you're not dropping them home anymore." I tell him as I stand from his lap and go to stand beside Aaron.

"Why not?" Both Aaron and Shane ask at the shame time.

"Because I said so!" I give Aaron a look and grabbing his elbow I drag him to find someone else.

"Why did you tell him no?" Aaron asks as he jerks his arm away from me.

"Do you not see it's not safe for Lizzy to ride with Shane, whose ass is always horny and on top of that, his drunk friends will be there?" I glare at him.

He searches my face as he speaks, "I thought you didn't care about Lizzy?" His voice is soft and low.

"I don't!" I say with the finality in my voice and step forward to find someone.

However, Aaron being himself grabs my elbow and makes me turn back to face him.

"Then why not let us go with them?" His voice is calm but steady as he looks straight in my eyes.

"Because Aaron, she's a girl and girls are always taken advantage of!"

With those words I jerk myself away from him and carry on my walk to the other people. I can hardly spot anyone who is sober enough to take these two assholes home.

"You know, I am starting to believe in Connor's words." I hear Aaron's voice behind me as I feel his hot breath on my neck, which makes me jump as he catches me off guard.

"What shit are you talking about?" I ask him as I cross my arms in front of me.

"About you being a nice person once I get to know you." He stares in my eyes and I scoff.

"You're a fool if you're falling for that shit! I am truly the most heartless person you'll ever meet."

"You proved this statement wrong a few minutes ago. A heartless person does not care about others." He tells me and I give him glare.

"That's it! We had enough of heart to heart talk today!" I tell him in a dismissive tone.

Aaron and I try to locate someone to get them a ride home but end up at the table surrounding my friends, with no avail at all. Basically, it's one in the morning and more than half of the people have already left.

"Just let them stay the night here!" Ella says when I crouch down beside her on the floor.

"What? No fucking way." I yell at her.

"Diana, you don't have any other way. Look at his face, if he doesn't sleep, he's literally going to puke everywhere." She tells me as she eyes Aaron and I copy her actions.

"Where will they sleep?" I give her a look, trying to bargain with my thoughts.

"Guest room!" She gives me no-shit-sherlock look.

"And where will Connor and you sleep?"

"Your room." She gives me an innocent smile and I scowl.

"Am I going to sleep on couch in my own apartment?" I give her a look of disbelief and she slaps her hand to her head.

"This apartment has one more room Diana, that you're certainly forgetting about." She says in a stern tone and it strikes me hard like a truck.

"Got it!" I grin at her as I kiss her cheek and get up from the floor.

"Are you okay to stay here for the night?" I ask Aaron and he looks at me like I've grown horns on my head.

"Hello Miss-Snappy-Diana! Is that you?" He waves his hands in front of my face like I am a maniac and I swat them away.

"What?" I scowl at him.

"Are you seriously offering that?" He gives me an amusing smile and I purse my lips.

"The offer is limited for next five seconds. Take it or get out!" I cross my arms over my chest and he chuckles.

"I'll take it." He gives me a smile that seems contagious as I smile back at him.

"Okay guys, party over! Time to leave." I hear Connor's masculine voice after he turns off the music and though it seemed kinda rude, Connor and I always end our parties like that.

Soon the only people left were Derek, Lizzy, Aaron, Connor and Ella and of course, my trashed living room.

"Ella?" I call her as she fills herself a glass of water. We both are the only ones here in kitchen as everyone is out in living room.

"Yeah?" She looks at me, sipping on water.

"Will it be okay if Lizzy sleeps with you?" I wait for her response, unsure of what she is going to say.

"It's not a problem. I knew you would ask me that since you wouldn't be comfortable with her sleeping with two drunk guys in a room." She gives me an assuring smile and I nod after which she continues, "When are you going to trust men species?" She looks amused and I shot her a look.

"Uncle Marcel and Connor are men. I trust them." I try to reason with her.

"Those two don't count babe!" She smirks.

"Whatever."

Connor first tries to argue with me for separating him from his girlfriend but one hard glare is enough for him to shut his mouth. Aaron voluntarily agrees to sleep on the floor, as three of them couldn't fit on one bed.

"I can't sleep in this dress." Lizzy whines as all of us are seated in the living room.

"You can always borrow Ella's clothes." I tell her and Ella shots me a look.

"You could've offered your clothes as well." She says through gritted teeth.

"She's too slim babe, my clothes would've been loose to her." I give her an amused smile.

"She's dumb." Ella tells Lizzy and both of them laugh as I roll my eyes.

"I'm off to sleep!" I announce and make my way to the other bedroom.

I unlock the door and after locking it again, I step out of my dress and into my shorts and spaghetti top before jumping into comforters.

~

I wake up at noon and after brushing my teeth I head to the kitchen to make coffee for myself. The apartment is silent, which is enough of a clue for me that everyone else is yet to wake up.

However, as I step in the living room, more than half of the trash is missing from the sight. I scowl as I enter the kitchen and almost scream at the sight of the Aaron, who's holding a coffee cup in his hand himself.

He chuckles at my reaction and I wave off my middle finger to him. "What are you doing here?" I ask as I proceed to make coffee for myself.

"I have this shitty habit of waking up till maximum nine in the morning, I cannot sleep later than that." He tells me.

"Oh." It takes me a minute to connect the two as I look him in the eyes, "Did you clean the living room?"

He averts his eyes away from me, "Yeah, I did. I'm sorry if you're mad, I didn't touch your personal stuff, I swear. I only cleaned the trash and -"

"Hey! I'm not upset. In fact, um, thank you." The words leave a bitter taste in my mouth but I distract myself by making coffee.

"Do you go to college?" He asks after a long silence and when I turn back to look at him, I see him standing nervously in the corner of the kitchen. The boy is trying to make a small conversation. Great!

"Nope!"

"Okay." He replies after which I hear him sigh.

"Do you?" I look at him as I take a sip from my cup.

"Yes. There's one more year for me to gain my graduation degree." He gives out a small smile and I nod.

"I never saw you before at Derek's place, how come?"

I already know the answer but something is better than total awkward silence.

"I lived in California back then, almost for three years. I always wanted to get into NYU but odds were against me, now I am just migrating with good grades from last semester." He ends with a proud smile on his face and I nod again.

Why do people brag about good grades and degrees? Here I am, barely passing out of a local college.

"Wait! Did you just say California?" I ask with an edge to my voice.

"Um, yeah. My parents bought me an apartment there, I still own it. California is nice but still doesn't beat New York." He carries on while all that my mind wonders is about the memories that place holds.

California - a state I haven't visited in four years, a place where I was born and buried the Diana Rose everyone loved, when I left.

~

Guys! Please vote and leave comments. All of it means a lot to me and encourages me to write.

I am truly thankful to those who do.

P.S. How are you liking it so far?