Chapter 10 Spiked Up (2)
I would not be compelled to become a snitch. I presumed Jenny did know about her boyfriend's escapades, so why should I become a talking bird? I shuddered, reminded of that proximity that I'd shared with Jeff Sanderson.
Jenny urged me to tag along to a party that her boyfriend was attending, but they still hadn't made up. She was meeting up with a new dude, hoping to pique off her boyfriend.
"I see you allow yourself all these grievances," the familiar voice of Jeff spoke up behind me.
"Excuse me?" I swerved my head to meet his eyes. He turned around, cocking a brow while sipping an alcoholic pint. His hair was wavy, dressed in a coloured shirt which revealed his perfect abs.
"What do you mean by "I allow myself these grievances?" I asked him, ignoring the fact that he had preferably chosen to stalk me with his eyes rather than go over to his girlfriend who was swimming with a new guy in the pool.
"You didn't tell her about your pet being dead." He said.
"She doesn't have to know." I shrugged.
He scoffed, "Tell me, is it your job to make her happy? What is the definition of a true friend?"
I was irked by his question, he was certainly right in a subtle way. But why did he suddenly care about my friendship with his girlfriend? I cautioned myself not to blurt out something distasteful about how I had caught him making out with a new girl.
"Friends would do anything." I continued, looking away.
"Friends you say?" He said, stepping beside me while holding my gaze.
My breath caught in mid-air. He smelt like mints and oil. I felt myself drowning in the depths of his eyes. This was the first time he was interested in having a conversation with me. My stomach was causing a stir.
"Has your friend ever told you how odd you stand out, hiding behind the heap of clothes you wear?" He touched my heavy jeans top and trousers.
My eyes glanced down at my clothes. It didn't matter, Jenny had never complained, so why should he?
"I fit perfectly in my world." I challenged him with an intense gaze.
"Really? But I do love to see what's beneath all these layers." He smirked, eying me behind the rim of his cup.
I gasped, fighting the waves of embarrassment clouding me. How dare he? Shouldn't he be going over to his girlfriend, and try settling their dispute? Instead, he chose to rebuke my sense of fashion while his girlfriend tried to make him jealous.
"You have no shame," I said without thinking. He was disrespectful and had gone overboard.
"I've long discarded every ounce of shame in me. I know that you didn't tell her about what you've seen at my place," he paused, watching my sour expression.
"And you should try out my idea. Try a strapless gown or sleeveless gown that's knees length. You've got great skin to show off." He winked before walking away.
I didn't realize I had been holding my breath. I mean, Jeff Sanderson was pointing out the same words my younger brother had pointed out to me occasionally. But Jenny had never seemed to care one bit. I looked down at myself for the hundredth time, wondering if I should do exactly that.
I did try out his idea.
Even went the extra mile by adding a bit of makeup. My new appearance had Jenny slightly amused.
"Are you hiding something from me?" Jenny asked, narrowing her brows as she whipped her brown hair to the side.
I laughed. "What do you mean by that?" I asked her.
"Look at you, all nice and clean. Tell me, you have a guy in your life?" She asked me.
"Not like I said anything." I rolled my eyes and we both laughed.
Truthfully, I'd wanted to see the way Jeff would look at me. After all, he brought up the idea, what would be his review? But throughout the party, he hadn't seemed to look my way one bit. But as soon as some other dude had his eyes on me, Jeff wouldn't stop looking my way.
"Hello damsel, alone for the night?" A tall boy who had pierced ears walked up to me.
I was drinking a non-alcoholic drink, watching Jenny spark off with her already-made friends from the party, leaving me all to myself.
"No, I'm good." I smiled up into the stranger's face.
"You look too good to be alone. Name's Derrick. We could go up the stairs and bang the whole shit out." He smiled, revealing defective teeth.
My face scowled in disgust. Do strangers who barely know each other make out because they look so pretty or dandy? I asked myself.
"No, I'll pass." I tried a weak smile, as I brushed past him while moving to the outer part of the building.
"Why act like you wouldn't like it? I've been watching you, you've been all by yourself for a long while, I promise you'll love it." Derrick didn't seem like the guy to give up.
"That should give you the hints to back off, loser." My heart was racing already as my feet were racked up to the edge of the pool and he had boxed me in without giving me a slight passage.
He laughed, "What did you say?"
What else was he expecting me to do? He wouldn't give up the thought of having me, I had to say some unruly words to him to pique him off. But that backfired.
I must play on, I told myself. Hoping he would give me even a slight passage. I threw a glance around, everyone seemed to be minding their businesses after all this was a party.
"You heard me.
...,"
I was interrupted with a fierce slap across my face and a shove into the pool. I didn't hear the rain of punches that fell on Derrick but I saw myself being swallowed up by still darkness.