Velvet

Chapter Three

Velvet's POV

During the lunch break, Lucas, Emily, Sarah and I sat at our usual table chatting about our plans after school.

“Vee, which university are you gonna apply to,” Emily asked. “I think we should apply to the same university!” She added, grinning from ear to ear.

“What do you guys think? It would be so much fun!”

“I haven't thought of that yet. Let's see what happens, it's just the beginning of senior high"

The thought of applying to university after school hadn't crossed my mind until now. I'm not certain yet about what I would want to do after high school, I will probably wait until Mom decides to finally settle here or there might be a change of plans to move to another city.

“Hey, Velvet! Guess what? I'm throwing a high school party this weekend, and I want you to come! We're gonna have so much fun!” Sarah chipped in, munching on her cookies.

My introverted heart raced at the idea.

“Oh, Sarah, I think I might bail on it. But thanks for the invite”. Sarah's idea of a party meant something else—wild and loud.

Parties aren't my thing. I prefer quieter settings like my home, sitting on my bed wrapped in a cozy blanket and reading my favorite novel, “Gone with the Wind” with a chilled glass of wine and some popcorn on the side. I know, it tastes weird, but that is a fetish. You can't blame me.

Sarah's eyes sparkled with excitement, trying to convince me, “I understand, Velvet. But trust me, this won't be a crazy party. Just a small group of people hanging out. Guess who I invited?.. Nathan! The new student.”

“You've got to be kidding me, Sarah” I muttered, sounding a bit irritated.

The mere thought of seeing him at a party made my stomach twist with anxiety. I know, I shouldn't be feeling this way, but I'm not sure if I have mustered enough courage to talk to him yet. I haven't had a completely meaningful conversation with him ever since the first day he walked me home.

I've been trying my best to ignore him for personal reasons, I guess that's how it feels to have a crush, or maybe not yet. The thought of attending a party made me feel quite nervous.

Lucas leaned in, a playful sparkle in his eyes.

“Come on, Velvet, it's the perfect chance to get to know him better. It wouldn't hurt to get to know him, right?”

“After all, he is just a friend” he added, leaning back into his seat.

“I'm not certain, Lucas. I appreciate it, but I'm not great in social situations.”

“I'm not worried about getting to know him, it's simply that I have not spoken to him. I don't want the whole school coming at me”

“Ouuu…Are you crushing on him? Emily blurted out, a wide grin on her face.

“Alert! Alert!…there's an emergency, someone is too shy to talk to her crush," Sarah added, teasingly.

I could feel my cheeks burn, embarrassed that my feelings had become so obvious.

“Sarah, it's not like that. I just… I don't know him well enough to go to a party. What if he's a playboy...what if he's a mafia drug lord like those in the movies, or what if all the girls in the school are after him”

Emily chimed in, her playful tone adding to my discomfort.

“Oh, come on, Velvet! It's just a party. You might end up having a great time. Just think of it as a normal party with a few friends.”

“This could be a chance to meet new people, especially someone you've been eyeing.”She added playfully.

I sighed, feeling defeated. Part of me wanted to go because they were friends, while the other part longed for the familiarity of my quiet evenings.

After a lot of internal debate, I agreed to go.

As the week went on, I couldn't shake off the idea of the party. The more I thought about it, the more my nerves tangled into knots. Friday evening arrived, and I found myself standing in front of my closet, trying to pick an outfit that wouldn't make me feel too out of place.

I took out a chic pair of jeans with a cozy sweater for a chilly night. The soft fabric provided a reassuring comfort as I stared at my reflection in the mirror. My mind raced with a mixture of anticipation and nervousness.

As I arrived at Sarah's house, the sound of music and laughter greeted me from the backyard. The soft glow of string lights illuminated the space, creating a surprisingly inviting atmosphere.

I immediately spotted Lucas and a few familiar faces from the soccer team, definitely talking about the recent soccer league.

Sarah was quick to spot me and practically bounced over, a cup of punch in her hand, undoubtedly infused with alcohol.

“Velvet, you made it! This is going to be so much fun."

I forced a smile, trying to quell the anxious flutter in my chest. The knot of anxiety in my stomach began twisting tighter. “Yeah, well, I'm here. Let's see how it goes.”

Throughout the night, I found myself chatting with Lucas and the boys from the soccer team. Sarah was busy making out with her boyfriend, Josh.

Emily, on the other hand, was busy initiating conversations trying to find “the one for her” after going on numerous dates.

The music played at a volume that allowed for easy conversations, and the vibe was much more relaxed than I had imagined.

Still, my eyes kept scanning through the crowd, searching for Nathan.

Then, I saw him. Nathan was standing by the snack bar, he was talking to a group of people. He looked comfortable, his smile seemed genuine. I wanted to talk to him, to finally have a proper conversation, but my feet seemed glued to the spot, and I could not move.

“Looks like someone's caught your eye.” Sarah nudged my shoulder, heavens know where she came from, with lipstick smudged all over her face.

I blushed. “What? No, I'm just… observing.”

Sophie prodded me playfully. “Uh-huh. Well, go say hi. This is your chance.”

My heart pounded in my chest as I hesitated. Finally, I took a deep breath, summoning all my courage and walked over to Nathan, reminding myself to just be myself.

“Hey, Nathan,” I greeted, my voice surprisingly steady.

He turned to me with a friendly smile. “Hey, Velvet. You're Sarah's friend?”

I nodded, offering a shy smile. “Yeah, that's me”.

What followed was a conversation that flowed surprisingly smoothly. We talked about classes, and hobbies, and even shared a few laughs. Nathan was easy to talk to, and my initial anxiety began to dissipate.

I found myself genuinely enjoying the party. The people, the music, and even the conversations felt more comfortable than I had anticipated.

As the party began to wind down, Nathan turned to me with a smile on his face. “I enjoyed talking to you the other day, Velvet, maybe we could hang out sometime, just the two of us?"

My heart fluttered with excitement. “I'd love that, Nathan.”

The party ended, and I headed home feeling a mix of excitement and uncertainty. The events of the party replayed in my mind, and Nathan's invitation hung in the air, tinged with excitement. The thought of spending time with him one-on-one was both thrilling and nerve-wracking.

The weekend passed by so quickly, bringing with it a whirlwind of emotions scattered everywhere.

I spent Saturday lost in my thoughts, thinking of every interaction and conversation I had with Nathan during the party. The memory of his smile and the sound of his laughter played on a loop in my mind.

He looked cute. His hair cascaded effortlessly over his forehead, and his well-defined and slightly furrowed brow added to the air of contemplation that surrounded him.

Throughout the weekend, I kept thinking about him, and a mix of emotions washed over me—a mixture of happiness that he was enjoying his weekend and a hint of envy that I wasn't part of that experience. I wonder what he has been up to. Probably out with his friends or hooking up with one of his girls.

These ideas started to mess with my head. I needed to sort out my feelings and confront my uncertainties.

Weeks passed by, and I hadn't caught sight of Nate. I have been waiting for our special hangout to tell him how I felt, just to be sure the feeling was mutual, but he just seemed to disappear from the surface of this earth.

As I walked through the neighborhood after school, trying to find somewhere peaceful apart from home to finish reading the book I just started.

I spotted an abandoned park across the street from where I stood. It could be my new hideout after school.

Oops… it seems it has already been occupied by a couple busy making out.

They seemed busy sucking out each other's tongues.

I turned to leave but, wait, I recognized the person, he looked like someone I knew or had seen before.

Suddenly they both turned in my direction, and it was him… that's Nate, with red lipstick smudged on his face.

My heart skipped a beat. I took a step backwards, about to make my way out of the park. It felt as if my heart was shattering into pieces. I could feel the tears about to fall from my eyes. I immediately turned, running out of the park. It felt like the world was crashing down on me.