Don't Refuse Me, Daddy

Chapter 5 The Party

"I thought about it last night," Evelyn said, pulling me to sit with her on the edge of the basketball court. The court was noisy, so she had to raise her voice. "Maybe you don't really know what true affection is. You're just experiencing a physical attraction to Tyrone because, well, you're at that age. Without other guys around, he just feels like your only choice."

Her voice mingled with the noise of the court, making it hard to focus on what she was saying.

"So what you're saying is, if I met other guys, I wouldn't like Tyrone anymore?"

I rested my chin in my hand, watching the boys on the court. They came in all shapes and sizes: some with pimples splattered across their faces; some tall and scrawny, like walking broomsticks; others were short and stocky or brimming with a weird kind of confidence that didn't match their basketball skills. Well, boys of this age seemed full of themselves, no matter how brilliant they were. One of them noticed us watching and called over excitedly.

"See? They're all interested in you; it's just that you usually ignore them."

Before any of them could approach, I quickly grabbed Evelyn's hand and led her away, only to bump right into someone.

"Sorry."

I ran into a boy, but he was the one who apologized first. His voice was warm and deep, and when I looked up, I realized I'd never seen him before.

"The new transfer student, Abel," Evelyn whispered, introducing him. "You haven't met him yet, have you?"

"Hi, I'm—"

"Zoey, right?" Abel said, cutting me off with a shy smile.

I nodded, a bit taken aback that he knew my name.

"I've heard people call you that," he admitted, a bit sheepish. "But you probably didn't notice me."

Over the next few days, Evelyn kept scheming to get me to parties and introduce me to new guys, but I found myself uninterested. No matter who I met, I couldn't help comparing them to Tyrone, and none of them ever measured up. Evelyn was persistent as ever, and I kept wondering how to make her give up this idea.

"One last time, okay?" she pleaded. "If this doesn't work, I'll give up. But Zoey, you have to at least try! Trust me, there isn't a single man who can't be replaced."

"Fine, fine," I finally agreed, hoping to satisfy her.

Evelyn took me to a party.

I rarely went to events like these, but she insisted on helping me dress up, lending me a long, pale blue slip dress with a sprinkling of sequins on the hem—a simple cut that flattered my shape.

She looked me up and down with a triumphant smile. "This was my sister's dress for her graduation dance. She's got a similar figure to you, so I borrowed it just for tonight. I don't have anything quite this fancy myself."

Following her instructions, I did a slow spin in front of the mirror, watching as her eyes lit up.

"Zoey, you're the prettiest girl I've ever seen!" Evelyn gushed dramatically. "If any guy here doesn't notice you, he's clearly got something wrong with his taste."

The party was every bit as loud as I'd expected. I stayed in a corner, munching on snacks, chatting with a few classmates about school, and ducking away whenever a guy would approach with a hopeful look.

Suddenly, a loud bang shattered the air, and my heart nearly stopped. For a split second, it felt as if everything had frozen.

Memories of my worst nightmare flooded back, nearly suffocating me on the spot.

Was it... a gunshot? It had been years since I'd heard one, but the sound sent my mind spiraling. I clutched my chest, struggling to calm my breath, eyes scanning the room for the source of the noise.

"Did it scare you? It was just champagne."

A deep voice behind me broke my panic. I turned to see Abel standing there, watching me with a gentle smile. He looked different tonight, dressed up and polished, every bit the picture of a handsome, confident guy. If someone had asked me to pick the most attractive guy at the party, I wouldn't have hesitated to name Abel.

"You don't look so good. Need some air?" he offered.

I nodded, following him outside.

A cold breeze hit me, and I hugged my bare arms, regretting the thin straps of my dress. Before I knew it, a warm jacket was draped over my shoulders.

Abel shrugged. "You look like you need it more than I do."

I didn't have much of a reason to refuse; the night air really was chilly.

Abel offered to drive me home, but I declined, wanting to wait for Evelyn.

He glanced back through the window and raised an eyebrow. "You'll be waiting a while, then."

Following his gaze, I saw Evelyn perched on a table, singing and dancing wildly with a microphone. She was in full party mode, and I could only hope she'd forget it all by morning.

"So, let me give you a ride. I'll let Evelyn's family know to pick her up; we're neighbors," he suggested.

I accepted his offer, and we got into his car. Unlike Tyrone, who handled a car with effortless skill, Abel was careful, overly so. It was clear he was still getting used to driving, which made me chuckle.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly as he struggled to shift gears. "It's my first time driving since I got my license. Kind of embarrassing, huh?"

"No," I reassured him, stifling my laughter. "It's actually kind of cute."

When we arrived, Tyrone was waiting in the living room. His eyes immediately zeroed in on the jacket draped over my shoulders, and he strode over, his expression tense.

"Whose jacket is this?"

"A classmate lent it to me since my dress was a bit thin," I said, slipping it off and making my way toward my bedroom.

Tyrone followed, taking the jacket from my hands.

"Was it the guy who brought you home? Who is he to you?"

Amused by his intensity, I answered, "A classmate. Just a classmate."

"I'll take it to the cleaners, and you can return it to him." Tyrone paused, his gaze lingering on my dress. "When did you get this dress?"

"Evelyn lent it to me," I said, glancing down. "You don't like it?"

"No, no—it's beautiful. It suits you perfectly. If you like this style, you don't need to borrow. I could get you a few more."