Moonlight

Party Pooper

Are you sure you don't want to wear a dress?" Lennox asked whilst finishing my makeup. "You can borrow one of mine."

I shook my head.

"Okay then, you are ready," she spoke. I stood up and took a look at myself in the mirror. Lennox didn't put a lot of makeup on me, I told her not to. My brown hair was wavy, falling over my shoulders. My tanned skin looked blemishless because of the makeup and the eyeliner made my hazel eyes look brighter. I had decided to wear a light pink sweater, dark jeans, and a pair of black boots. It was really ordinary, but I wanted to feel comfortable.

"Thank you. Let's go downstairs," I uttered. A few people had already arrived at the party and some of them were already drunk.

"You didn't tell your mom about this, did you?"

"Of course not," she chuckled. Jess, Lennox's mom, used to travel a lot because of her job and Lennox surely took advantage of that. It was just her and her mom. I didn't know anything about Lennox's father. She never mentioned him, and I never dared to ask.

In my case, it was just like that. Just mom and me, my father died when I was 7 years old from a heart attack. Although I never used to mention him either, it was too hard to even think about him.

"And you?" Lennox asked me.

"No, she thinks we're watching a movie marathon," I confessed. It's not that I liked to lie to my mom, but she wouldn't have let me come if she knew it was a party.

"Lennox!" A blonde guy– I forgot his name – walked towards us, and by the way he was stumbling I could tell he was already drunk; Logan was walking beside him. He was the captain of the football team and I might have had a little crush on him, but he never liked me back. So, he told me he just wanted to be friends with me.

"How are you doing girls?" The blonde guy spoke

"Great. Are you enjoying the party?" Lennox asked, shooting them a friendly smile.

"Absolutely. I need another cup, though," the blonde guy added.

"Andrew, haven't you had enough?" She scowled at him.

"Don't be a party pooper," Andrew laughed and rapidly went God knows where and Lennox followed him.

Logan had his blue eyes fixed on me. They had a cold tone, very light, and striking. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay, you?"

"I actually want to go home," he chuckled, shoving his hands inside the pockets of his jeans.

"Then, why don't you go?" I really didn't care but I was just trying to be polite by not dropping the conversation so soon. Not that I didn't care about him as a person, or that I hated him — none of that. I just wasn't so interested in the moment. But still, we were friends, not too close, but still friends.

He shrugs and says, "this is the first party of the year, I didn't want to miss it."

"Oh," I muttered. I wanted to add something else, but I ran out of words when I saw Dylan and Aiden making their way towards us. Just like at school, they looked like the kind of boys any girl would be swooning over.

"Hey, guys," Aiden greeted with a charming smile trailing on his lips.

"Hi, so good you guys made it," I smiled softly. "This is Logan, by the way," I introduced him.

"I'm Aiden." They shook their hands.

"Dylan," he simply said, sounding a bit hostile and cold, which obviously took me by surprise. The boy behaved quite friendly in school, this attitude of him confused me for a moment.

"I better go check on Andrew," Logan said to me. "I don't want him to pass out."

Once he was away, Aiden took the chance to speak. "And where's Lennox?"

"I have no clue, actually," I answered looking around the crowded place, but there was no sight of the redheaded girl.

"I'll go look for her," he said and offered a small smile before walking away. Leaving Dylan and me alone. We both looked at each other in silence but it didn't take long for him to talk.

"So, how are you?" Dylan asked me, scratching the back of his neck.

"I'm okay. How are you?" I said.

"Same." And just like that our conversation died. But I was determined to save it, after all, Lennox threw this party to invite him so I could get to hang out with him.

"Want to go outside?" I dared to ask even though I was afraid he might say no.

"Yes, sure," he nodded, and I was thankful. The house was just too crowded which was making me feel uncomfortable. We sat on the porch stairs but none of us knew what to say, obviously talking to new people wasn't something none of us were good at, so I just took my phone and tapped on an app game called Don't Tap The White Tile. I played for a few minutes before Dylan spoke.

"What game is that?" He pointed at my phone's screen, leaning closer. The space between us became shorter and my brain was terribly aware of that.

"It's called Don't Tap The White Tile."

"Can I try?" I nodded and gave him my phone.

Dylan tapped on start and the black and white tiles came into view. He tapped the black ones and as the game went faster, he kept up with it. He was going to break my record for sure. He was really focused on the game which gave me a chance to watch him closer. He had to be around my age, but he was much more handsome than any guy I had ever seen, and he certainly didn't look like a normal 17-year-old. There was something different about him.

He gave me my phone back. "That was really good. You played like a pro."

"Thanks," he said. I tried to look away from his eyes, but I couldn't, they were so captivating, I could feel them looking right through me, leaving me exposed and I couldn't hide, and the most terrifying part of it all is that I didn't want to.

"Your eyes..." I mumbled. "They are so..." I noticed how his body tensed and quickly looked away in embarrassment. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. I'm just too weird." I tried to joke but failed.

"Weird it's not the word I would use to describe you," he muttered, keeping his eyes on me.

"Then, what word would it be?"

"Breathtaking," his gaze was warm upon me. "You know like you take my breath away," he added, trying to sound casual. Well, that escalated quickly. I could feel my face getting redder than a tomato. "Now I made you uncomfortable, sorry."

"Oh no, it's not that," I had to look away because if I kept looking at him, I would surely melt. "I just... I'm not really good at taking compliments."

He nodded.

"But do you- you... err," I was hating myself for acting so clumsy. "Do you mean it?"

He didn't say anything for a few seconds which made me nervous. I was such a mess. "I do," he answered. "I mean it."

Sweet baby Jesus.

"Thanks," I babbled, feeling weirdly embarrassed.

"Bree," someone called me from behind. It was Logan. He stumbled down the stairs and stood in front of me. "Come here," he pulled me by the arm and put his hands around my waist. "You look so sweet with that little sweater," his breath reeked of alcohol and it made me feel nauseous.

"Logan, you're obviously drunk," I tried to push him away, but he didn't move.

"Let's go somewhere else," he ran his hands under the fabric of my sweater.

"Don't touch me!" I shoved him away with all my strength.

"What is it, baby?" Logan was about to make his way towards me again, but Dylan got in the way.

"Go away," he growled.

"This doesn't concern you," I couldn't see Logan's face because Dylan's back was in front of me. Not that I was complaining.

"Turns out she's of my concern," Dylan said sharply. I stepped aside right when Logan tried to punch him, but Dylan was faster and hit him first.

Logan tried again but Dylan grabbed him by the neck, lifting him a few inches from the floor. "You'll never touch her again or I'll break every single bone of your body," he threw Logan at the sidewalk.

"This is not over," he stood up and left.

Okay. What had just happened? Was what I thought.

"Bree?" Dylan gave me a concerned look and then cupped my face into his hands. That simple touch sent a wave of electricity, through my body, so strong that it made me back away and I knew Dylan felt it too because he did the same. I stared at him, shocked and overwhelmed.

"What was that?" I gasped. There was some emotion on his face, but I couldn't put my finger on it. "Dylan?" I reached for his hand, but he stepped back.

"I don't know what you're talking about," his expression was now blank, and then he went back to the house in a couple of strides.

I sat where I was sitting before and rested my elbows on my lap. Was I going crazy? Maybe it was all my imagination? Now, I was going nuts, and I surely scared him away. No, it was real. It had to be. But why did Dylan act like it didn't happen?

"What's wrong?" Lennox appeared, sitting next to me. And I told her everything that had happened with the two boys.

"Logan is an asshole," she said in a pissed tone. "And about Dylan..." she sighed. "I don't know what to tell you."

"It doesn't make sense. I just met him, why did I feel that way?" I felt completely frustrated.

"Wait," she raised her hand. "Do you hear that?" She pointed at the house. We both stayed quiet and I noticed the music was off.

Stirring and yelling of people were all that could be heard. Lennox and I shared a panicked look and rushed into the house. I tried to walk through the crowd to see what was going on.

Oh, Jesus Christ.

Dylan was beating the hell out of Logan and nobody was trying to stop him. "Someone, please, stop him!" I shouted desperately. He looked like a hitting machine and then I came up with the dumbest idea ever. I stepped forward, throwing myself at him and wrapping my hands around his shoulders. His elbow hit me right in the face, throwing me to the floor. I had never got punched before, but there's a first time for everything, right?

It didn't hurt as much as I thought it would, though.

After that, everything seemed to go in slow motion. Dylan stopped punching Logan and turned around to see me. From where I was, he seemed so much bigger than he was and frightening. His silver eyes were dark and stern. At first, his expression was full of anger but as soon as he saw me, it was replaced by guilt and regret; at least that was what it looked like.

He stormed out of the house and I followed him.

"Dylan!" I shouted and fortunately, he stopped. I grabbed him by the arm, making him turn around. The electricity I felt before was still there but this time it wasn't so overwhelming.

"Why on earth did you that for?" His voice was low but stern.

"I wanted to stop you!" Exasperation creeping into my voice.

"You shouldn't have done that. Look what I did to you," his voice became softer and he touched my face. "Now, you're going to have a black eye and it's my entire fault."

"It's alright. I don't even feel it," I lied because for some reason I wanted to make him feel better.

"Bree, you are..." he held my hands. "Such a bad liar," he smirked.

"Your lip is bleeding," I remarked. Logan clearly fought back but Dylan was better.

"Yes. I got to go now," he said. "See you tomorrow."

"Wait," I didn't want him to go. Not just yet. "Why were you fighting with Logan?"

He watched me for a few seconds. "Because of you."

Then, he walked away, and I saw him climbing on what I guessed was his motorcycle. I couldn't wait to see him tomorrow.