Smoke

CHAPTER 7

The next couple days passed rather smoothly and without any unexpected run-ins.

Lily laid out a few dresses for me to pick from - much to my dismay, as I've never been one to stray away from my Levi's unless I am being forced to do so. She is also much slimmer than me, lacking the curves I was so generously blessed with. Let's just say...I actually have an ass.

So of course, she picked every figure-hugging dress she owned that would pair well with her black pumps, that she is also forcing me wear. Times like these make me really regret that we wear the same size.

I decide on the lacy, black halter dress that lands a little above my mid-thigh and also has a cut-out, revealing my bare back. I can't lie, I am actually impressed with the way the dress accentuates my curves. However, it leaves little to the imagination.

I end up teasing out my natural waves instead of straightening my hair out to match Lily's, and despite my protests, Lily refuses to let me leave without an extreme smoky eye and a dark burgundy lipstick to complete the look. She nods her head in approval at her handy work before heading to her room to finish getting ready herself.

If there is a God out there, please don't let me look like a hooker...

I hesitantly walk in front of the mirror and freeze in my tracks. I didn't even recognize the person staring back at me in my reflection. This person is actually...sexy. She would stand out in a crowd - and I don't know if I like that or not. I twist my body from side to side in admiration, running my hands over this beautiful, yet soul sucking dress that I can barely breathe in, nodding in satisfaction.

I hear tiny, powerful footsteps coming from behind me, knowing I took too long checking myself out and hear, "Move your ass Bennett!" Lily pops her head into my doorway as her impatience grew. She pauses a moment, looking me up and down before continuing, "Damn mama, you're going to have to fight the guys off with a stick tonight!"

I shake my head and giggle, "I'm coming. I'm coming. Don't get your panties in a wad!"

"I would if I were wearing any," she says with a smirk.

"On that note..." I slip into my stupidly high heels with a wince and follow her out of the apartment.

***

My eyes grow wide at the massive, historical brick house in front of me with Greek letters plastered along the top balcony. I would actually stop and appreciate the architecture on any normal day, but this isn't one of them.

There are sweaty bodies all over the front lawn, who are clearly all intoxicated; stumbling around and hanging off of their friends' shoulders for support. The site causes me to shake my head, thinking how that was me not too long ago.

Once we make it to the front door, I am wafted by the smell of booze and smoke, successfully burning my eyes in the process.

"Zach!" Lily darts to the tall blonde, who quickly scoops her up in his arms and spins her around.

Alright that was kind of cute.

However, I have to quickly rush over to pull the bottom of her dress down before the rest of the party got a free show of her goods.

"I'm going to go grab a drink." I barely get her attention before she waves me off and asks me to grab her one as well.

I wander over to the kitchen island that has every square inch covered in bottles of liquor, generating a huge smile that spreads across my face as I pick our poison of the night.

"Tequila it is." I sway my body to the beat of the booming house music, pouring our drinks with a heavy hand; adding a bit of orange juice to mask the impending sting.

"Whoa, someone's trying to get f****d up tonight." I turn around and see a handsome smile belonging to a guy wearing matching Greek letters that belong to the house on his polo.

He looks familiar...

"Hm...yeah this is me just getting started." I frown knowing this was supposed to be the old me and should actually put it down. But, the unease of being in an unfamiliar place, full of unfamiliar people quickly changes my mind.

I just need one to take the edge off.

"Do I know you from somewhere? I feel like I've seen you around." His eyebrows are pulled together as if he is trying to replay recent events leading up to our current encounter.

I analyze his face trying to place it, but nothing comes to mind. "No I don't think so. I just moved here."

A bright smile grows across his lips at my confession. "Welcome! My name is Avery," he raises his glass up in a cheers motion which I, in turn met with mine.

"That's nice," I give him a smirk and pull my hair over my right shoulder in hopes of finding an impossible breeze in this sauna-like house, all the while avoiding my introduction.

Both of his eyebrows shoot up in realization, like he finally got his answer; though he doesn't seem to feel the need to let me in on his little secret. "Well save a dance for me. I have to go make my rounds, but trust me I won't forget about you." He gives my hand a brief squeeze and winks before heading out of the kitchen.

I make my way back over to give Lily her drink. She is in the midst of a full on makeout session with 'frat guy' so I decide to wander around, given I wasn't going to get much out my friend at this point. I'll let her have some fun for now.

I come to the conclusion that I am much too sober for this party, and chug my drink, trying to loosen up a little bit while making my way to the dance floor. The music soon takes over my body, and the rest of my surroundings just fade away. I miss the feeling of the world disappearing. More so than I should probably admit.

I soon feel a warm body behind me as I sway to the music; not paying any attention to the person behind me. We dance for a couple of songs before I peak back and see Avery. A small smile plays on his lips and he turns me around to face him, while leaning his face into my neck as we continue to dance. As easy as it would be to fall back into this familiar feeling, I can't.

I pull myself away briefly before breathing out, "I need another drink."

He pulls me away from the dance floor, placing his hand on the small of my back - leading me towards the kitchen. I start pouring myself another when I peer around the small space I'm in, to see him pulling his phone down as if he just took a picture of something. He then starts rapidly texting away on his device, glancing up toward me, ever so briefly and then back down to his screen. I roll my eyes and slip away in attempt to find Lily.

"Bennett! Where the hell have you been?" I look over my shoulder to see her shoving her way through the sweaty crowd, to get to me. I'm glad she still knows not to call me by my first name in public, even in her current state of mind. She pulls me into a sloppy, drunken hug, swinging me back and forth in her tight embrace.

"I was dancing. Are you finished playing tonsil hockey with frat guy?" I raise my eyebrow at her suggestively and smirk.

Avery walks up behind me and slings his arm lazily around my shoulder, causing me to stiffen at the sudden contact.

Lily wiggles her eyebrows at me and turns to the guy now at my side, and asks, "Hey handsome, just who may you be, and why are you touching my friend?"

A low chuckle escapes his lips, "Um...Avery." He looks to me as if he is expecting me to finally say my name, but it never comes.

I just nod and smirk over his way and point toward my overprotective friend, "This is Lily. The world's worst roommate." She throws out a small, sarcastic wave before I continue, "I'll be back. I'm going to step outside really quick." Taking my newly poured drink, I head out to the back patio for a smoke break.

The fresh air fills my lungs and cools down my sticky skin, finally escaping the thick air from inside. I've tried in the past to quit smoking, but when I am in stressful situations, or have been drinking - I can't help but cave to my guilty pleasure. I light my cigarette and inhale deeply, feeling the smoke replace the air in my chest - sighing at the relief it brings.

"I didn't peg you for a smoker," Avery smiles when he joins me outside.

"You don't know me well enough to make assumptions on my poor habit choices."

"Fair enough. You got me there," he taps his fingers loudly on the porch railing, looking as though he is contemplating his next words. "I figured out where I know you from."

My eyebrows turn up in the center and I c**k my head to the side, signaling to him that I still had no idea.

"You're Dawson's mystery girl," he chuckles, running his hand over his stubble across his sharp jawline.

"Well f**k," I shake my head and take another long drag from my cigarette. Then it hits me. He was one of the guys standing in the boxing ring the other day. "And besides, I'm not his girl. I belong to no one."

"Sure," he snorts, finding amusement in something that is still unclear to me.

I stand there for a moment remembering him feverishly texting on his phone earlier and then it finally clicks, "Let me guess...He knows I'm here, doesn't he?"

He lets out a nervous laugh and laces his fingers behind his neck. "I may have sent him a picture of you to confirm your identity after we danced. I'm not trying to end up missing if I flirt with the gorgeous girl that has him so unhinged."

I exhale and nod absentmindedly, not really sure how to take in what he has just told me. "Is he going to make an appearance tonight?"

"No, he has some business to tend to tonight. But, I got an earful, trust me."

My face scrunches up and I shake my head in disbelief. Dawson is not going to give up.

He's nothing but persistent - I give him that.

With that thought, I polish off my last drink, "I better go collect my friend and get her home before she makes poor choices."

Avery chuckles and gives me an awkward half hug before I head inside to tear apart the hungry couple, heavily groping each other and tugging at each other's clothes.

"Ohhhh c'mon Benny," Lily drunkenly whines, sticking out her bottom lip to pout as I pull her out of the frat house to head home. She is successfully tripping over any and everything that came anywhere near her, including her own two feet.

"You designated me as your personal party pooper for the night Lil. Just doing my due diligence." I pat her head like a child and sling her arm over my shoulder to transfer her body weight onto me, despite my screaming feet; so she doesn't eat the pavement as I drag her home.

Hauling her dead weight up the stairs should be considered an Olympic sport. One in which I failed miserably at until a very nice neighbor, who's name I didn't catch, helped me hoist her up the remaining three flights.

Once I finally got her tucked into bed, I tear off my devil shoes to inspect my throbbing, blistered feet. I groan at the sudden freedom when I flex my toes and dunk them into some cold bath water.

Fuck those shoes and f**k my broken feet!

I curse under my breath as I draw myself a bath and sigh in relief as I sink down into the scalding water to ease my muscles, while slinging my bleeding feet over the edge to avoid the sting of the hot water.

There's no way I am going out with Charlie this weekend. All I want is to curl up and veg the next two days before classes start.