Chapter 6 The Party
1085 Words
Cheryl's POV:
The room was getting unbearably hot, and I couldn't tell how much time had passed.
All I knew was that we had been tangled up for what felt like hours—until suddenly—
An alarmingly loud ringtone shattered the moment.
I snapped my eyes open, bolting upright in bed, my mind completely blank.
It had been a dream. I'd dreamed about Eric.
'Damn it, why the hell did I have that dream?!'
I rubbed my face, mortified by how vivid and real the dream had felt. Worse still, I couldn't get back to sleep and had just wasted my one chance to sleep in on a weekend.
I grabbed my phone to see who'd had the nerve to wake me up.
Chuck: Don't forget tonight! Make sure you look cute!
Of course it was him... I pressed my fingers to my temples, cursing him silently.
Still, I shot back a quick reply.
Cheryl: Got it.
As a friend, I couldn't exactly let him down.
But... look cute? I opened my closet and scanned the hangers. T-shirts, shirts, jeans... I snorted softly. None of these were party-worthy.
That was, until my eyes fell on something white at the bottom.
A white dress. It wasn't anything special, but it was striking—it was the one Eric had bought for me.
How the hell did it end up here?
I pulled it out, staring at it in disbelief. Yep, it was definitely the one. When I left the Patros' place, I'd left everything related to him behind. So how was this here now?
I didn't feel like thinking about it, so I grabbed the dress and was about to toss it in the trash. But just as I was about to let go, I froze.
How ironic—this was the only thing in my closet that might actually work for a party...
Maybe I didn't want to show up looking like a mess, giving those assholes more reasons to mock me.
Or maybe, as broke as I was, I couldn't bring myself to throw away a brand-new, expensive dress.
In the end, I pulled my hand back and shoved the dress into my bag.
It was still early, and I had nothing to do—not a single friend to hang out with.
I rolled around on my bed for a while before deciding to head back to the studio. I still hadn't finished my competition piece, so I figured I'd kill some time working on it.
Luckily, things were going smoothly today.
I had to admit, that dream from last night had a profound impact on me. As I sat in front of the easel, inspiration and emotion were flowing through me like never before.
'Damn it.' Suddenly I understood Eric—his constant search for thrills and indulgence might actually have a point.
Just as I was focused on my work, a fuzzy head popped up next to me, peering at my canvas. "Not bad, Cheryl! You might actually win this competition!"
It was Chuck.
He'd changed into a sharp suit and looked every bit the part—his eyes gleamed behind his glasses, and his freckles almost sparkled in the light.
"How did you know I was here?" I asked, surprised, and then shoved his head aside. "And move, would you? I don't need you blocking my view to tell me how good I am."
"Of course I know you're here! I know you better than anyone," Chuck boasted, puffing his chest out like a proud rooster.
His face feigned anger, but I could tell he was enjoying the attention.
"I sent you a bunch of texts. Not a single one read, huh? Didn't answer my calls either. If you keep this up, Cheryl, you're gonna lose me!"
I grabbed my phone, and sure enough, there were tons of messages. I must've been so focused that I didn't even notice Chuck's texting rampage.
And it was already 7 PM! The party must've been going on for a while!
I practically jumped out of my seat—there was no time to waste. I had to change fast!
But when I opened my locker, Chuck and I froze, both staring in shock.
My locker had been smashed, and dried black paint oozed out from the cracks...
I already knew what I was going to find, but it was still a nightmare.
I yanked open the locker and pulled out the white dress, which was now covered in black paint, the fabric soaked in it.
Across the chest, in glaring red, someone had written "b***h".
"Definitely Dylan! Or Zoe!" Chuck's fists clenched, his voice shaking with fury.
He unbuttoned his suit jacket, looking like he was ready to throw down.
I grabbed his wrist, trying to calm him down, but I realized my own hand was shaking with anger.
I shouldn't have brought this dress with me. It was the last thing tying me to Eric...
'Geez, Cheryl! What are you thinking?!'
I stared, horrified at myself for having that thought. I shook my head, forcing it out of my mind.
This wasn't about Eric. It was about someone ruining my stuff.
And getting angry wasn't going to do any good. Wouldn't that just make them happy?
I gently ran my fingers over the stain, and a wave of defiance surged inside me.
Whoever had ruined my dress clearly didn't want me at the party. Well, screw that—I wasn't going to let them win.
*****
By the time Chuck and I got to the venue, we could already hear the sounds of laughter and music from inside. The party was in full swing.
I raised an eyebrow, lifting the hem of my dress. Chuck looked over at me, his gaze full of understanding.
Without a word, we both kicked open the doors at the same time.
The noise in the room stopped instantly, like someone had hit pause. Every single eye in the room was on us.
Chuck grabbed my hand and pulled me inside.
I immediately spotted Zoe by the dance floor, her face shifting from surprise to anger in a split second.
'Oh, so it is you, the one who ruined my dress!'
I stood there, bathed in the spotlight, wearing the dress, and shouted Zoe's name.
As soon as she looked at me, I flipped her the bird.
The crowd gasped, but I barely noticed.
Among all those people, I couldn't help but catch Eric's presence immediately.
- Writer
