FicWad

I'm updating again because falloutbaby89 is really, really selfish.

I hope you are looking out for hints. I'm a big hinter.
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The front door slammed loudly behind us, announcing our arrival to the empty house. I crossed my arms and stomped angrily up the stairs as my mother yelled something about making me walk home next time. She was annoyed because I had apparently interrupted a session with one of her clients. I had to wait an extra three quarters of an hour outside the school gates after my detention for her to finish, and I was extremely pissed off.

I angrily scoured my drawers for an outfit to wear tonight. Clothes began to litter my bedroom floor until I eventually found something I liked. I threw on the top and the skirt and sat down in front of the mirror to replace the make-up that had worn of during the day. It was a hard task applying mascara when my eyes stung so badly with salty tears. They glistened at the bottom of my eye, blurring my vision, and eventually spilled down my cheeks leaving black mascara stains all over my face. My reflection looked a total wreck.

I dropped the mascara brush on the floor, probably staining the carpet, but I was past caring. I curled my knees up to my chest and buried my head into them. I remained that way for a while until I had calmed down. I picked the strewn mascara bottle from off the floor and turned it around to read the small print. It was all nonsense to me, and that was the bane of my problems. In anger I threw it against the wall and it ricocheted off onto my unmade bed.
_ _ _

Josh’s party was loud and crowded. I stood in the middle of the room completely surrounded by people I didn’t know. Kate had disappeared to god knows where a long time ago. My mood had been surly all evening so it wouldn’t surprise me if she had left to find better company. I scanned my eyes across the crowd to try and spot her, or at least someone I recognized.

‘Hey, Steph!’

Relief washed over me as a saw a familiar face make its way through the swarm of bodies, over to me.

‘Hey Josh’ I smiled once he’d reached me.

‘I’m glad you came’ He said, yelling to be heard over the noisy atmosphere. ‘Here’ He said, taking me by the wrist ‘Let me introduce you to a few friends.’

I let him lead me between the crowds of people until we came to a halt in front of a group of juniors.

‘Everyone, this is Steph.’ Josh introduced.

‘Oh, you’re the new sophomore right?’ said one of the girls.

‘Uh, yeah.’ I said ‘I’m surprised you know who I am.’

‘Are you kidding?’ Josh laughed, leaning on the edge of one of the drinks tables ‘You’re a complete legend. Everyone’s talking about you.’

‘I don’t know whether that’s good or bad.’ I admitted.

‘Definitely good.’ He said, smirking at me.

I didn’t know what else to say so I just smiled at him. I didn’t feel very comfortable being with them all but I couldn’t think of a good enough reason to leave.

‘I’m so hot.’ I said randomly.

‘Here’ Said Josh, turning around and pouring something into a cup. He handed it to me and I took it with a small ‘thank you.’

I smelt the strange looking concoction and grimaced at the power of its scent. ‘What is this?’ I asked. Josh just chuckled. ‘Try it, you’ll like it.’

I took a quick gulp of it. I winced from the taste at first, but even though I found it foul, I returned to it again and again and again. There was something about the bitter taste of this drink that made a warm feeling flow throughout by body and left me in a little more ease with each sip I took. Eventually enough so, that it had buried the pain that lingered in my mind earlier that night, which I had unsuccessfully been trying to block all evening. It felt good to be completely problem free for once, if only for a moment.

_ _ _

Later on that night the party was still alive as ever and I still hadn’t managed to find Kate. I had stopped trying for I was content with chatting confidently to anyone and everyone. When it became too much of a struggle to intake what everyone was saying to me I decided to dance instead. The music pumped loudly, I could hear the force of it beneath my feet, though it sounded distant to me somehow.

Being amongst a dozen sweaty bodies wrapped me in a sticky humid heat. I decided, once realizing my drink was empty after attempting to sip it about four of five times, that I needed a refill, so I made my way back over to the drinks bar, bumping into a lot of people on the way.

I heard someone say my name as I clumsily poured myself another drink. I turned around and saw Ryan making his way through the crowd.

‘Ryan!’ I exclaimed excitedly.

‘Steph, where’s Kate?’ He said, eyeing my drink.

‘Not sure’ I shrugged.

‘What do you mean you’re not sure!?’ He said, looking panicked ‘I thought she was with you.’

‘Nah’ I said, shrugging again and drinking more.

‘So you mean she’s somewhere on her own?’ He wailed frantically.

‘Well’ I said, meaning to lean my hand down against the table but missing it and toppling slightly instead.

‘Steph, how much have you been drinking?’ Ryan demanded.

‘It’s a lot colder in San Francisco’ I mused.

I looked down at the empty spot where Ryan had just snatched the drink out my hand.
’That was mean’ I said.

‘I’m going to find Kate and then we’re going home, OK?’

‘But how am I meant to get home?’ I whined.

‘You’re coming with us.’

‘But I don’t want to go yet!’ I pouted, stomping my boot heel on the floor.

‘Just stay here until I get back OK? Don’t move...and don’t drink anymore.’

I nodded and watched him disappear into the crowd. I fumbled with my hands for a while, rooted to the spot, like Ryan had instructed. I was getting fidgety and bored, so I was thankful when Josh came over to me.

‘There you are’ He said. ‘Are you OK?’

‘Well my head hurts a little, but-‘

I was suddenly cut off by the action of his lips briefly pressing against mine.

‘There, do you feel better now?’ He smirked, breaking away.

I just nodded weakly, and he kissed me again, this time more forcefully. I kissed him back, not even thinking nor caring about what I was doing. He soon began to slide his hands underneath my top, but broke away momentarily.

‘Let’s go somewhere more private.’ He suggested.

I found myself nodding, and letting him lead me across the room. I felt someone suddenly grab hold of my free hand, pulling me back. I turned to find it belonged to Ryan, who stood there with an annoyed expression on his face.

‘Oh! Hi Ryan.’ I said cheerily, standing between them both as if everything was peachy and normal.

‘Come on, we’re going home.’ He said, tugging on my arm.

‘It’s OK; I can give her a lift back.’ Said Josh, pulling on the other as if I was a replacement for a tug-o-war rope.

‘I don’t think so.’ Ryan said sharply, scowling at him and tugging me again.

I yawned ungraciously, with no hand free to cover my mouth. ‘I’m so tired’ I said.

‘Come on Steph, you can sleep round ours.’ Said Kate, who I didn’t notice before.

‘Ryan! I found Kate!’ I said, excitedly.

‘Or you can sleep round here.’ Josh suggested.

‘No way in hell am I going to let that happen so just let her go already, OK?’ Ryan said to him fiercely, scaring even me.

Josh threw him a dirty a look and released me, for which I was pretty thankful, I didn’t feel much like going with him anywhere anymore.

I rested my head against Kate’s shoulder as she helped support me whilst I stumbled outside into the quiet night and followed a determined Ryan to his car. All I wanted to do was sleep, and as soon as he opened the back door, I clumsily fell into the car and curled up across the seats.

I awoke when we reached their house with an incredibly nauseating feeling over-powering me. I scrambled out of the car as fast as possible and puked neatly as I could into the Ross’ flowerbeds.

I staggered to stand up, but my legs felt weak and the next thing I know I’m collapsing into a pair of arms as everything begins to fade into darkness.

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That's all for now. I will actually make you wait for the next chapter. It's a pretty good one, so you should probably start reviewing;)

By the way, your reviews are really encouraging guys, thank you, I really do want to update faster when I read them.

What to expect in the next chapter:

- A beginning, an end, a possible explanation or two, a discovery and a shared secret, and we also find out how exactly Stephanie got expelled from her last school.

Oh, and Ryan Ross in boxer shorts.

You could say it's a bit of a turning point:)