Chapter 8
1569 Words
AURORA’S POV
“You’re wearing that to the party?”
I looked down at my outfit. Leggings and an oversized T-shirt. My always go-to wherever I was going. I didn’t want to call attention to myself. My size did that enough on its own. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”
Maya scoffed. “You look like you’re going to class and not about to party all night with your beautiful best friend. Come on, Aury, dress up in something fun.”
“The last time I dressed up, I was still…”
“Still what?” she asked, arching an eyebrow.
“I was still mocked,” I replied, staring hard at the ground, remembering Silas’s cutting words.
“Whoever mocked you is an i***t. You’re gorgeous.”
I shrugged. “Agree to disagree.”
Maya walked over to me, grabbing my hands. “No, I don’t want to agree to disagree. I want you to see how beautiful you are and accept that.”
I stared into her eyes. “I can’t. But…I can change my outfit.”
Maya grinned. “Baby steps. Once you’re dressed up, you’ll feel much better and more confident.”
Right, confidence was not something I could feel in my body. I walked over to my dresser, digging through it until I found it—my little black dress. I insisted on buying the one because I had some romantic notion that every woman should own a little black dress. But then I never wore it. I wondered if it still fit. Maya looked over my shoulder. “I can already tell that’s gonna be hot.”
“We’ll see.”
I stepped out of my leggings and threw my shirt over my head before wiggling into the little black dress. It fits like a glove. But not in an uncomfortable way. I turned towards Maya. “Well, what do you think?”
She clapped a hand over her mouth. “You look stunning, Aury! Why have I never seen this dress before?”
I shrugged. “Just no real occasion to wear it out, ya know?”
“There’s always a reason to wear something like this! Hell, I’d wear it to class if I was you! You look amazing!”
I blushed as Maya enveloped me in a hug. “Thanks, I guess.”
“Now, let’s make those guys eat their hearts out.”
*****
We’d agreed to meet the guys there, not wanting to feel rushed when getting ready. The guys could wear jeans and a T-shirt and be prepared to go. Applying light makeup and curls to my hair took longer than that after I got dressed. Walking up to the doorsteps of the frat house, I started to feel more and more self-conscious. Every person who walked by felt like their eyes were on me—judging me.
I felt sick, ready to turn around and run out of there. I couldn’t do this. I spun around, prepared to bolt to the car. Maya grabbed my arm. “What are you doing?”
“I can’t do this. I’m too fat to be dressed like this.”
She rolled her eyes. “No, you’re not. And we’re going into that party.”
I gulped. “Fine.”
She wouldn’t take no for an answer, so I might as well accept my fate. I dragged my feet as we continued up the pathway. Reaching the door, Maya pulled out two fives for entry. As they took the money, one of the door bros stared at me. Directly at my chest. I felt so exposed. I wrapped my arms around myself, hoping to cover myself. This was uncomfortable. I wanted to go home.
Ushering me inside, I didn’t have a chance to bolt away. Maya was ready to party. I looked around, trying to find Lucas and Dylan in the madness surrounding me. Scantily clad women were all over, looking gorgeous. Men drooling over the women, coming up behind them, dancing. Everyone was sweaty, beautiful, drunk, and here to hook up. None of which I was trying to do.
Maya grabbed my arm, pulling me toward where I assumed the drinks were. I had wrestled with the idea that I wouldn’t drink at all, but another thing I’m sure Maya wouldn’t allow. Stumbling behind her, we walked into the kitchen, where two massive kegs sat, random liquor bottles scattered across the counter. So they were planning to get everyone drunk drunk tonight.
Seeing Lucas talking to someone and turning his back to me, I told Maya I was good and pointed at him. She smiled, nodding. “Go get him. He will take one look at you and want to drag you into the nearest closet.”
I blushed. “Thanks, Maya.”
I walked up behind Lucas and stood on my tip-toes as I threw my hands around his eyes. He was tall, but I wasn’t so short that I couldn’t reach his face on my tiptoes. “Guess who!” I practically had to yell over the loud music.
I felt his eyes crinkle under my hands as he spun around to see me. The look of surprise on his face must be at my outfit. I’d never dressed like this before around him, and I stood there silently, waiting for his judgment. “Babe! I was wondering when you’d get here!”
I smiled up at him, waiting for his comments on how I was dressed. I leaned up, expecting a kiss, but he turned his head and let my lips brush his cheek. “Not in public, babe. Please.”
I felt my stomach drop. Oh, yeah. Lucas wasn’t the type of guy who displayed affection in public. I had forgotten for a second. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. What are you wearing?”
I stepped back so he could take me in. Maybe he’d call me pretty so I could feel better tonight. He looked me up and down. “It’s different.”
“Thank you.”
He smiled at me. “Hey, guess who’s here.”
He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, spinning to face the direction of who he’d been talking to. And my jaw dropped. Silas. Silas was here. And next to him stood Owen, grinning down at me. “Aurora, you look stunning.”
Lucas’s grip on my shoulders tightened. “She looks great.”
Now he was complimenting me after someone else did? I smiled back at him, trying desperately to ignore that my number one enemy was next to him. “Thank you, Owen. I didn’t realize you’d be here. Are you into slumming it with college students?”
He laughed, sipping his drink. “Silas here insisted we come. It’s his first college rager, and I couldn’t let him flounder by himself.”
I still refused to look at Silas. “How noble of you.”
Silas spoke up then. “Are you sure you should be dressed like that?”
I turned to him, and his eyes looked me up and down. “Excuse me, I don’t need your approval of my attire.”
He smirked. “You should consider it. I wouldn’t let you embarrass yourself like you are tonight.”
I felt my last shred of self-confidence plummet to the floor. He couldn’t even let me have tonight to feel better about myself? He had to destroy every ounce of goodness I might think about how I looked. Lucas pulled me in closer. “Hey, man, you don’t need to be so harsh. She looks fine.”
Fine. I looked fine. But whatever, at least someone was standing up for me. Owen just sipped his drink silently, looking between Silas, me, and Lucas. I leaned into Lucas. “I’m fine, babe. Let’s not waste our time with him.”
Lucas looked down at me, cringing. “The guys and I were discussing some stuff before you came up. I needed a little longer with them if you don’t mind.”
“Oh. Okay.”
He patted me lightly on the head, kissing me very quickly on the head, and from the corner of my eye, I could have sworn I saw the grip on Silas’s drink tighten. I pushed it out of my mind and smiled at Owen. “It’s nice to see you. I’ll surely see you again before the night ends.”
He grinned back at me. “Maybe you could save me a dance.”
Lucas laughed. “Aurora doesn’t dance.”
He was right but didn’t need to point that out when Owen was friendly. Owen winked. “I’m sure I could teach her a thing or two.”
I felt a slight chill go through my body. Was I reading too much into this? Because it felt like he was saying something more than dancing. No, I didn’t need to think so hard about this. I just smiled back and nodded. “Sure, Owen. I’ll save a dance for you.”
With that, I spun around, ready to walk away, when Silas cut in. “Don’t forget me, pumpkin. I’ll be looking forward to a dance, too.”
I closed my eyes, willing myself to let my anger dissipate. “Go f**k yourself, Silas.”
With that, I strode off, desperate to find Maya.
- Writer
