Dinner was an awkward affair. My parents called in to say they were working late, so it was just Enzo and me. We sat next to each other on the couch, eating microwaved frozen pizza and staring at the TV. Neither of us spoke. The only sounds were the crunching of our food and the occasional commercial break. It was driving me crazy. I couldn't stand it. So, I decided to break the silence.
"So," I began, trying to sound casual, "did you get invited to Bree's party too?" He glanced at me, his expression neutral.
"Yeah," he said, his voice low. "I did." He took another bite of his pizza and looked back at the TV.
"Well," I continued, ignoring his indifference, "are you going?" He didn't answer right away. He seemed to be considering his options. Then, he shrugged.
"Maybe," he replied, still not looking at me. "I haven't decided yet."
"You should totally go. It'll be fun." I smiled at him, hoping to convince him. "Trust me, you do not want to be stuck with me at home on a Friday night. You'll have a blast. Plus, it'll give you a chance to hang out with the rest of the soccer team. You know, make some new friends." He didn't say anything. He just continued staring at the TV, his expression blank. "Seriously, you should go. What's the worst that could happen?"
He sighed and leaned back against the couch, staring at the ceiling. "I don't know," he mumbled. "I'm just not sure it's a good idea." He ran a hand through his hair and then shook his head. "But, fine, if you want me to go so bad, then I guess I'll go." He finally looked at me, his eyes meeting mine. "But only if you go too."
"Wha-what?" I stammered and blinked up at him.
This wasn't how I planned the conversation to go. I was hoping I would convince him to go but he'd end up feeling bad about leaving me home alone and then I'd sneak out after he went to bed. It was a brilliant plan, or so I thought. Instead, he wanted me to go. With him. To Bree's party. I hadn't expected that.
He chuckled and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "You heard me," he said. "If I'm going to go, then you're going too." His gaze was intense, and his expression was serious. "Because there's no way I'm leaving you home alone when your parents aren't home. Not with everything that's going on. Who knows what might happen." His voice was low, almost threatening. But there was also a hint of concern in his tone. "So, do we have a deal?" He held out his hand, offering me a shake.
I looked at his hand and then at his face. He was staring at me, his expression expectant. My mind was racing. I was trying to figure out what to say, and how to respond. This wasn't part of the plan. But, if it meant that I'd get to go to the party, then maybe it was worth it.
I chewed on my lip and reached out, taking his hand. His grip was firm, and his skin was warm. "Okay," I replied, trying to sound confident. "Deal. But don't follow me around at the party, got it? Go let loose or whatever."
He nodded, and his mouth twitched up in the corner, forming a faint smile. Then, he released my hand and stood up. He stretched, his shirt rising slightly, revealing a strip of his abdomen. His body was lean and toned. The muscles in his arms were taut. He had the body of an athlete.
"Don't worry," he said, his voice teasing, "I won't cramp your style." He turned and headed towards the stairs. "You better start getting ready though," he called over his shoulder. "Kenji and the guys will be here in twenty minutes." With that, he disappeared up the stairs.
I sat there, stunned. What the hell had just happened? And what did I get myself into? Going to the party was one thing. Going with Enzo was another. This was a terrible idea. What was I thinking? But the more I thought about it, the more excited I became. This could be my chance to prove that I was more than just a goody two shoes. That I could let loose and have fun. That I could be a normal teenager. I grinned. I couldn't wait. This was going to be epic.
As I made my way upstairs, I pulled out my phone and texted Ruby. She was going to flip. I told her about the change of plans, and she immediately replied, telling me she couldn't wait to see me at the party.
When I reached my bedroom, I threw open my closet door and started rifling through my clothes, looking for something appropriate. There was no way I was going to wear jeans and a T-shirt to Bree's party. She'd never let me live it down. I had to look good. But I didn't want to overdo it. After all, this was my first real party. I didn't want to make a fool of myself. Or draw too much attention. After all, the goal was to have a good time.
I settled on a pair of black loose high-waisted ripped jeans and a form-fitting white tank top. I paired it with a black leather jacket and some black boots. It was simple but cute. I added a bit of mascara and eyeliner, and some pink lip gloss. I fluffed up my hair and took a step back, admiring myself in the mirror. I looked good. Confident. Ready to take on the world. I grinned. Tonight was going to be amazing.
I was still admiring myself in the mirror when the doorbell rang downstairs. My heart skipped a beat. Kenji and the boys were here. I quickly grabbed my purse and ran down the stairs, taking them two at a time. Enzo was already at the door, talking to the boys. They were all wearing variations of the same outfit, except for Enzo, who was dressed in jeans and a black hoodie. They were laughing and joking, and their voices echoed off the walls.
As soon as I appeared, they fell silent, staring at me with wide eyes. Enzo was the only one who didn't seem fazed. In fact, he looked amused. He raised an eyebrow, a small smirk on his lips. "You clean up nice," he said, his tone teasing. "I didn't know you owned anything other than khakis and sweatshirts."
"Fuck off," I retorted, punching him in the arm. He laughed and rubbed his shoulder, feigning pain. The boys snickered. "Are we going or what?" I asked, trying to ignore the fact that everyone was staring at me.
Kenji grinned and held out his hand, motioning for me to take it. "Ladies first," he said, his tone polite. I smiled and took his hand, letting him lead me outside.
The boys followed behind us, and the five of us piled into Kenji's car. It was a tight fit, but we managed.
The drive to Bree's house was short and uneventful. When we arrived, there were already several cars parked along the street. The front door was wide open, and the music was blaring. People were milling around the front yard, talking and laughing. It was a sight to behold. It was everything I imagined and more. I couldn't believe I was actually here. That I was actually doing this.
Kenji pulled up to the curb and killed the engine and we all piled out of the car. As soon as we were out, the boys started joking around and shoving each other. They were acting like they didn't have a care in the world. Like nothing could touch them.
I was about to follow Kenji, Max, and Alex into the house when I noticed that Enzo was hanging back. He was leaning against the car, his expression thoughtful. I hesitated, torn between joining the others and staying with him. Finally, I sighed and turned to face him.
"You coming or what?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
He glanced at me and then shrugged, pushing himself away from the car. He shoved his hands into his pockets and walked over to where I was standing. He stopped beside me and stared at the house, his brow furrowed. He didn't say anything, and neither did I. We just stood there, watching the people mill around. The air was charged with excitement and anticipation. It was a heady feeling.
After a few moments of silence, Enzo sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He turned to face me, his expression serious. "Look, I'm not going to try and stop you from having a good time. Just...be careful, okay? Don't do anything stupid. And don't drink anything you didn't open, got it? But if you need anything, I'll be around. All you have to do is call." His tone was soft, but his words were firm. He wasn't messing around. I nodded, and he smiled. It was a genuine smile. Not the smirk he usually wore. "Good. Have fun." With that, he walked off, disappearing into the crowd.
I watched him go, my heart pounding. This was it. The night I had been waiting for. The night when I was going to let loose and have some fun. The night when I was going to show everyone that I wasn't just a goody two shoes. I took a deep breath and walked into the house. It was time to party.
