Chapter 4
2114 Words
The day had finally arrived.
I couldn't believe that I was going to attend this party tonight. I didn’t know what to expect or how to behave, as I had never been to one before.
Should I smile at everyone? Do I dance with random people and with Dylan, like I’ve seen in the movies? Is that how it’s supposed to be? Most importantly, would I be able to fit in with everyone else?
I was feeling a mix of excitement and anxiety at the same time, which made me feel nauseous.
For the past few days, Dylan had been having lunch with me in the cafeteria. While I appreciated his company, I had grown accustomed to my usual routine of eating alone.
This situation felt awkward. The attention I received for having a seemingly nice guy at my table made me uncomfortable. My classmates watched me with disapproving looks as if I had committed a crime by letting Dylan sit with me.
It actually made me mad, but I understood their disapproval.
Dylan seemed like a great guy—good-looking and academically successful. I knew he had many admirers around, so it bothered me that he chose to go to this party with me
I mean, why me? He had clearly stated that he liked me. I still couldn’t believe it. I didn’t want to get my hopes up, knowing he could easily reject me at any moment. Perhaps he would soon realize I was a freak and push me away like a rag doll.
That had been my experience every time I tried to befriend someone.
"Do I even want to know what you’re thinking? The lines on your forehead are giving me a headache. Stop overthinking it, would you?"
I glanced at Vanilla. "Not in my wildest dreams did I ever think that ghosts could get headaches," I replied nonchalantly.
Vanilla gave me a look. "Funny."
I rolled my eyes at her. "What do you think? Did I clean up well?" I asked, checking my reflection in the mirror.
Vanilla’s expression brightened. "You look stunning, Arabella! I wish we had tools to style your hair, but your ponytail actually complements your look for today."
I smiled and ran my fingers through my ponytail. "I wanted to look a little different but not too dramatic," I said. I usually wore my hair down to cover half my face.
"Good," Vanilla grinned. "You're not bad at makeup either," she noted.
"I watched a tutorial on the internet," I sighed. "Of course, she had so many products, but I made do with what I had."
Vanilla nodded in approval. "I’m sure Dylan is going to be starstruck when he sees you tonight." She beamed at me. "Oh, I'm so excited for this party! Thanks to you, I get to attend."
I smiled back at her. "Have fun," I said. "But you won't be able to touch anything."
She shrugged, "That won't stop me from dancing to the beat." She broke into some funny dance moves, making me chuckle. "Alright, let’s get going. You wouldn’t want to be late for your first party."
I nodded and packed my clothes into my bag. "It’s too bad I can’t get ready at home," I muttered, "I have to come back here and change before going home later." I zipped up the bag and put it away in my locker.
My mother and brother didn’t know I was going to the party tonight. I hadn’t told my mother because she would be too excited, and I hadn’t told my brother for obvious reasons.
He wouldn’t be happy if I were happy.
To them, I was just working late at the restaurant tonight.
I made sure to let my colleagues know that I wouldn’t be working that evening. I told them I would be getting ready here and would change my clothes once I returned from the party, before going home like any other day.
"Don’t grumble about it," Vanilla said. "Come on, don’t think about anything that spoils your mood, okay?"
That was hard, but I would try.
My colleagues complimented me before I left the restaurant, and it made my cheeks heat up. I wasn't used to receiving compliments.
I took the bus to the party location. Dylan and I were supposed to meet at this bus stop. He said he would walk me to Kelsey’s house from there since the bus stop was only a short distance away.
"It kind of bothers me that Dylan didn’t come up to your place to pick you up," I heard Vanilla say as we got off the bus.
"Vanilla, he's a college student. He might not have a car since he’s not a working adult yet," I reminded her.
"Is that you, Arabella?"
I turned at the sound of my name and smiled when I saw Dylan. "It’s you," he said in disbelief, raising his arm to wave at me, although his hand remained frozen in the air.
I waved back. "Yeah, it’s me," I replied, quickening my pace to reach him. "Have you been waiting long?" I asked breathlessly.
"I just got here," he said, his eyes scanning my face and then trailing down to take in my outfit. "Wow, you look good, Arabella. I almost didn’t recognize you."
I scratched the back of my neck. "Um, you look dashing too," I replied awkwardly.
Dashing, Arabella? Who even uses that term anymore? Seriously, what is wrong with you?!
Dylan smiled, "Thanks. We should get going now; the party has already started."
"Yeah, sure," I nodded in response. My eyes briefly caught sight of Vanilla, and she must have noticed the worry on my face because I saw her give me an encouraging nod.
I returned her nod with a discreet one and followed after Dylan, who was already a few steps ahead. I had to quicken my pace to catch up. Soon enough, we were walking side by side through a well-kept neighbourhood.
I glanced around to see if Vanilla was trailing behind us, but I couldn't spot her. Instantly, I felt alone, even with Dylan's company.
"You seem upset," Dylan observed.
I snapped my attention back to him and shook my head. "Oh, no. I'm just a little anxious, that's all," I said with a shrug.
"Don't worry about it. I'll stay by your side," he reassured me.
Though that should have made me feel better, it certainly did not.
I could hear the loud music blaring from the speakers before I even stepped onto the property. My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when I saw Kelsey's house, which was practically a mansion.
I had always imagined Kelsey to be wealthy, but I never thought she would be this rich.
Dylan casually grabbed my hand and led me inside the property. I felt a little disappointed when I realized that the party was not being held inside the mansion but in the backyard instead. It's a shame I didn't get the chance to see the interiors.
As we walked past a few familiar faces, I noticed they all shared a similar expression when they saw me—a look that clearly conveyed one message:
You do not belong here.
I maintained a straight face, even though I was internally freaking out. I knew attending a party where I wouldn't fit in wasn't wise, yet I decided to go anyway. Yes, I expected the unwelcoming glares, but I didn't anticipate receiving quite so many.
A sense of uneasiness swept through me as we neared the pool area, where most of our college classmates were having the time of their lives.
The music blared loudly, and the lights nearly blinded me. A group of people danced to the beat while a few others stood by the pool, paper cups in their hands, drinking something.
So this is what a party looks like, huh?
"We should find Kelsey and say hi to her first," I barely heard Dylan say over the loud noise.
"Are you sure that's a good idea—"
"It would be rude if we didn't meet the host."
I clamped my mouth shut at that. The host who hadn't invited me. I wondered what would happen when she saw me here. Would she look at me with disgust and force me to leave? Could I handle such humiliation?
"Oh, she is over there. Hey, Kelsey!" I heard Dylan shout over the noise, grabbing the attention of the most popular girl at our college.
Kelsey was talking to someone when she turned to look at Dylan. "Hey, Dylan," she said as we approached her. "I almost thought you wouldn't show up."
Dylan grinned at her. "I wouldn't miss it. You look stunning, by the way," he complimented her.
Kelsey rolled her eyes and twisted a strand of her hair between her fingers. "Tell me something I don't know, Dylan. Oh, who is this? Wait—Is she the freak from our class?" she asked, her eyes wide with disbelief as they fell on me.
There it was again: that word. "Freak."
I nodded at her, trying not to seem uncomfortable. I had gotten used to hearing that word, so it shouldn't faze me, yet a small part of me broke all over again at its mention.
"Wow, I almost couldn't recognize you," Kelsey continued. "You look good."
I couldn't believe my ears. Did the most popular girl in college just praise me? My jaw dropped in surprise, and I was about to thank her when she spoke again.
"For a freak," she laughed as if she had said something funny. Those watching our exchange joined in her laughter.
That word cut through my heart once more. I stood there, hanging my head in shame, with tears welling up in my eyes. It took Herculean effort to will them away.
The last thing I wanted was for the entire college to see me sobbing.
“Hold up, I don’t remember inviting you, though.”
Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse...
I stared at her, speechless, before glancing at Dylan, who looked just as mortified as I felt.
"Kelsey, she is with me. I brought her here as my date," Dylan said, regaining his composure.
"I see," Kelsey replied, frowning. "Have fun, then." She moved away to engage with someone else.
Dylan cleared his throat and turned my body to face him. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."
He hadn’t defended me when she called me a freak, had he? I wasn't sure what we were—friends or more than that—but at the very least, he could have stood up for me when she humiliated me.
"That's fine. I'm used to it," I replied, my tone sharp.
I noticed his expression change. "Um, why don’t you find a place to sit? I’ll go grab some drinks for us."
I nodded without saying a word. I didn’t plan on having that drink; I just wanted to stay for another ten minutes or so before leaving.
I walked away, searching for a secluded spot away from all the noise and people. I needed a moment alone to gather myself after the embarrassment.
Soon enough, I found a bench that overlooked a pond. I didn’t know how long I had been sitting there, wondering why I felt so unfortunate. I checked my watch and was shocked by how much time had passed since I arrived at the party.
Where in the world was Dylan? I thought he was getting us drinks. Or maybe he couldn’t find me here?
I rose from the bench and turned around, intending to search for him when my eyes landed on a familiar face staring right at me.
I jumped back in fright. "Oh, you startled me," I sighed, placing my hand against my chest. To my surprise, the handsome man didn't say anything in return; instead, he watched me intently.
I stared back, trying to remember when I had met him. It suddenly struck me that this man was the stranger I had mistaken for a soul the day I went to buy the dress I was wearing for this stupid party.
Instinctively, I took a step back. I knew this man wasn’t just a soul, but he also wasn’t human. The last time we met, he had vanished into thin air right in front of me. Who knows what else he was capable of?
I didn’t know if he meant me good or harm, but it was better to be safe than sorry.
"We meet again," he said, his captivating eyes fixed solely on me.
- Writer
