Pay Off

Cinderella will go to the ball

The rest of the week went by so quickly between classes, studying and shifts at the Smokey bean and before I knew it, it was Friday. All week I’d spent any free time I’d had coming up with excuses Cole would find acceptable for me not going to the party with him. So far, my best was I had nothing to wear. It wouldn’t be a lie per se. Sure I had clothes, but I didn’t have any clothes that would be acceptable for a NBU party.

Suddenly it was 7pm and Cole was knocking on my door whilst I sat on my bed in my pyjamas. “Come in” I shouted through the door.

Cole pushed the door open, then stood there looking me up and down before just silently staring.

“Did you come in here just to do your best impression of a weirdo?” I smiled at him.

“No, Lia, just No” he started walking towards me, “You know you cannot wear that to the party” he gestured up and down my body

I chuckled at that “ I know Cole, as these are my pyjamas. Not for a party but for bed, you know that giant piece of furniture I’m currently sitting on?”

Without a word he turned and opened my wardrobe, and started flicking through the hangers whilst muttering to himself.

I flew off my bed and over to him, “what on earth do you think your doing?” I all but screeched at him.

“Well you, cinders, will go to the ball and you will consider me your fairy godfather”, he stopped searching, pulling out a hanger with a little black dress I hadn’t worn before, “ and you will wear this, you never go wrong with a LBD you know” he clicked his tongue at me.

I couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled up, “why do you never fail to surprise me? But no, I will not go to the ball tonight. You haven’t even asked me why I’m not going and I’ve been practicing all day” I pouted at him.

“Go on them Lia, why are you not going” he crossed his arms, like he was goading me.

Crap. My excuse was nothing to wear but he would solve that. I couldn’t think of anything else. I wracked my brain but nothing would enter my panic stricken mind so I mumbled, “I have nothing to wear” whilst looking around the room to avoid any eye contact.

“Well that’s solved, so you got fifteen minutes little Lea, so get your butt in that dress, run a brush through that hair and let’s go. I’ll wait on the sofa”

Oh doesn’t he think he’s clever. But I suppose I could go and disappear after half an hour once he became the centre of attention and wouldn’t notice I’d left. So I hurried into the shower and proceeded to get ready.

I did wear the little black dress, pairing with a pair of black heels and my little red bag. I left my hair out, applied a little mascara and blush and coated my lips in my red gloss. It wasn’t great, but it would get me through thirty minutes of my first college party I supposed.

I stepped into the living area and did a slight cough to get Cole’s attention, “shall we er, go then?”

He turned to look at me, his smile taking over his whole face. “Hell yeah Cinders, you look much better, let’s go”.

The party was being held in a house on the other side of campus but the walk was quick and the weather was perfect for a stroll. As we approached, the sound of music got louder and the number of people we encountered increased. I was feeling sick to my stomach as we climbed the stairs to the front door. Cole turned to smile at me as he opened the front door, “after you, my lady”

I offered him a brisk smile before hurrying in. I headed straight for the kitchen. After our accident I was always sensible with drink and never did any drugs but I would definitely need a beer to get me through this. I went directly to the keg and asked the guy manning it for two. I downed one immediately before handing him back the cup for a refill.

He smiled at me,”rough night?” He asked as he filled my cup.

“Yup! But it hasn’t really even started yet! This is prep!” I let out a strained smile then thanked him as I took the cup back from him and went to find Cole.

He hadn’t even made it one metre into the house and we was surrounded by a crowd of girls all listening intently to whatever fascinatingly funny story he was telling them.

I snuck in from behind him and passed him his cup. Once there was a slight break in his story, I tapped him on his arm, “ hey I’m going to go catch up with a few people, I’ll catch you later, yeah?”

His face filled with weary, but he replied “sure”.

I was led into the next room and seen a makeshift dance floor. It wasn’t currently packed but it would be later. Like the wallflower I am, I picked an empty space along the wall to lean back whilst cradling my beer in my hands. I took a deep breath and told myself “ I can do this!”. It wouldn’t be a college experience without a college party would it. I had to pull myself together.

“Man, I’d know that expression anywhere. Who forced you to be here?” A woman’s voice interrupted my thoughts.

I slowly peeled my eyes opened and looked at the small brunette in front of me. She couldn’t have been much Taller than 5ft but her aura was very bright, her personality bubbling out of her as she smiled at me. Her makeup was very soft and subtle, but she didn’t need any, she was so naturally beautiful.

I put my head into my hands and mumbled, “ my roommate. Is it that obvious?”

“Nah, but as a fellow previous wallflower myself, I know an unwilling party goer when I see one. So where is said roommate now? Seems pretty awful if she drags you to a party then leaves you?”

“He is around somewhere. Being the life of the party I would guess?” I just shrugged like I didn’t really care.

Cole took that cue to come walking into the room, spotting me instantly “hey I found you? Why’d you leave me? Your supposed to be my wingman Lia?”

The small brunettes eyes widened, “Cole Talbot is your roommate?”

“Unfortunately” I tried for a joking tone but I’m not sure it came across from the hurt look on Cole’s face. Of course she knew his name. We had been in classes for all of five days. Everyone was going to know his name. Right now only one person knew my name and that’s only because I lived with him.

“Well, Lia, we have a lot to talk about!” The brunette cheerfully declared.

Ok that was two people who knew my name. Cole Talbot was a slippery slope and I didn’t know how or if I could get off.