44. Blood on My Hands
Chapter forty-four
Blood on My Hands
DELANE
“Chelsea, what are you doing here!” I shouted as my best friend waltzed up to me.
“Some sexy bodyguard let me in, but I’m going to stiff him so that I can go fuck someone else,” she answered happily.
“Oh,” I frowned. “Then what are you doing here?”
“I just came to give you a few pointers about dancing,” she said matter-of-factly, fanning herself. “Where’s the boy toy?”
I shrugged, not even having enough energy to try and correct her. “I don’t know. He’s been gone for like thirty minutes or more.”
“Okay good,” Chelsea exclaimed, ripping me from my seated position. “When the next fast song comes on, grind on him!”
“WHAT?” I shrieked. Who let her into this formal event?
“Cause that stupid, fake ex-boyfriend, blondie boy is here!” Chelsea shouted, pointing to the entrance of the estate.
“Alex?”
“Yeah, yeah, whomever his name is,” Chelsea waved her hand in the air. “The point is, you want Noah to remember you as being sexy, open and–”
“A slutty dancer?” I answered sarcastically.
Chelsea gave me the thumbs up. “Exactly!”
“You’re pointless!” I shook my head in embarrassment and gave her a little push in the opposite direction. “Go on, scram—before he comes back and still thinks I’m friends with you!”
Chelsea frowned. “Ew, bitch, much…”
“Love you, Chels.” I smiled sweetly, waving her off.
“Yeah, I’m sure you do.” Chelsea marched to the door.
I shook my head, ready to find Noah and enjoy the rest of the night. I glanced to the door to see Chelsea waving and then cupping her hands around her mouth to yell, “You WHORE! Love you!”
She dashed out, laughing wildly. Several party goers turned their heads to look in my direction and my stomach lurched.
My mask saved me from having to cover my face out of embarrassment, and for that, I was grateful.
Praying Noah would return soon, I hurried back to my seat before anybody else noticed me.
NOAH
I was about to grab Delane, get the hell out of the party and go somewhere special when I heard the noise. Like a squawking of sorts.
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN’T COME IN? DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM? I AM ALEX ANDERSON, BEST FRIEND OF NOAH HANSEN!”
My eyes twitched. No, not now. Anything but this.
“I WILL FILE A LAWSUIT ON YOUR ASSES! DO YOU HEAR ME, SIR? A LAWSUIT!”
Sure enough, at the front door, there stood the guy I called my best friend. He was dressed in a rainbow-colored suit, fur and feathers protruding from his brightly tinted mask, throwing a hissy fit to one of the bodyguards at the front door. This is all I needed.
I strode to the door and Alex set his eyes upon me as I grew closer.
“THAT’S HIM!” he squealed. “Noah! YEAH, THAT’S HIM ISN’T IT?” He waved frantically. “Hey, Noah! Tell these jerks to let me in!”
Part of me felt like saying to lock him up, but I knew I would never hear the end of it. I reached the door, signaling the bodyguards to come back inside and let him through. “He’s good guys, go ahead and let him pass.”
The guards parted for him, and he scoffed, sticking his nose into the air. “I TOLD YOU. Humph!”
“There, you’re inside,” I stated firmly. “Now quit complaining!”
“Do you like my mask?” Alex excitedly turned from side to side so I could get a better view.
I examined the alleged disguise. It appeared to be a cross between a dog’s face and ears and a peacock’s feathers, both colored in clashing schemes. Not sure who he bought that off of, but he needed a refund.
“No, it’s hideous,” I answered truthfully, ignoring Alex’s protests about how the mask was totally in. I spotted Delane mixed in with the crowd and pointed a finger at my best friend. “I have to go. Stay out of trouble,” I said sternly.
I turned on my heels, hoping that Alex wouldn’t follow, and marched up to Delane.
“Oh! There you are Noah!” she exclaimed.
“Let’s get the hell out of here,” I insisted, reaching my hand to her.
“What? But I thought–” Her face displayed utter confusion.
“HEY, Delane!”
I sighed. Alex had in fact, followed like an obedient dog follows its owner.
“Hi, Alex.” Delane smiled and waved. “Nice outfit,” she giggled.
“Yes, THANK you, Delane.” Alex emphasized loudly, crossing his arms at me.
“What’s wrong, Noah? Where have you been?” Delane asked, turning her attention back to me.
I shook my head. Everything was wrong. Life as I knew it was an absolute fucking mess, and I honestly had no clue how Delane even agreed to accompany me here.
I was wearing my guilt as a second skin.
I just wanted to get out. “I know I have been a terrible host at this party,” I began, “…and I promise I’ll explain my absence later, but–”
Delane cut me off, with a gentle touch to my shoulder. “Hey, don’t stress. You weren’t gone terribly long. Is everything okay?”
I inhaled and exhaled slowly. I felt like the walls of the room were collapsing in on me. I really wished I could get a drink. “I just want to get out of here. Will you come with me?”
She was silent.
“To like, dinner or something?” I tried again.
Alex poked his head in between us, the feathers on his mask hitting me in the face. He grinned at Delane. “I think you should let him take you out to dinner.”
Thank God, Alex is good for something, I thought, trying to push the irritating feathered design out of my vision.
“Personally, I wouldn’t go ANYWHERE with him because he never takes you to the restaurant you want to go to, and then if he does, he’s always so cheap and makes you pay for half of your dinner like some hobo would,” Alex added at the last minute.
I glared at him and Delane made a face.
Alex’s eyes widened as he realized what he said.
“Well, I mean, I didn’t mean it like that, cause like, you know that was just when we went out, but when we did go out it was like a friend thing anyways not like a you guys thing, not to say that you two are a thing, but maybe you are and…
and– Umm, yeah he’s still a really great guy to go out with so you shouldn’t–”
“Alex, shut up, I’m begging you,” I pleaded.
“Mmhm, yep, shutting up.” He nodded vigorously and did an about face, marching straight onto the crowded dance floor.
Delane covered her hand over her mouth, holding in a laugh as she eyed me pitifully. She was probably going to say she never wanted to see me again, and at that point, I wouldn’t be able to convince her otherwise.
Finally, she shrugged. “Sure. What the heck. Let’s go.”
My whole body surged with relief, and I took her hand. “Good. Let’s ditch this stupid party.”
I led her to massive double doors where the guards were standing at attention, allowing only those with invitations to pass by the golden rope.
“Leaving, Mr. Hansen?” they asked.
I nodded. “Can you call for the car, please? Two passengers.”
Just as the guards turned to call, a man dashed past us, bumping into Delane roughly as he sprinted out the main doors. She stumbled back into my arms, yelping.
“Hey, watch it, you fucking jerk!” I yelled out, before I could even think about using proper language.
“Noah…” Delane’s voice was barely audible.
“Yeah?” I didn’t look at her, but stepped forward to watch the man as he ran off the premises.
I scrutinized the figure, seeing him only look back over his shoulder once.
Most likely to check if he was being pursued.
The guards exchanged curious glances, unable to comprehend the man’s impatience to leave.
I squinted. The man running was in a dark colored hoodie, which I found to be strange at a party of this caliber.
He was pretty far away at this point, but when he had looked over his shoulder, I thought I might have seen that white skull mask.
The same guy I saw acting like a weirdo at the beginning of the night.
I scowled. What a dick.
“Noah!” Delane screamed.
My eyes shot to her. “What is it?”
She didn’t need to elaborate. There was a massive red stain all over her lovely white dress.
Blood.
Blood coated her dress.
“Are you hurt?” I shouted and grabbed her, alerting the guards as I examined her for a wound of some kind. They rushed to attend to us.
With tears welling up in her eyes, Delane gave a forceful shake of her head. “That man—he bumped me and, and—oh god, Noah! He was just covered in it…”
“What the fuck…” I studied her carefully, trying to piece together just what the hell was going on.
The question that was on both of our minds was answered seconds later. I heard it—back from the direction of the dance floor. Like a chain reaction of terror, it manifested as piercing screams, each one growing more intense and setting off another.
I pivoted.
At first, I saw nothing.
But then I noticed that the once immaculate white tile of the ballroom was stained with blood.
David was sprawled across the floor, in the middle of the chaos, with a gash beneath his left arm. Blood poured out of him and onto the tile like water rushing out of a broken faucet.
Someone had stabbed him.