Chapter 7
CHAPTER SEVEN
BLAIR
Feeling the excitement of it finally being Friday , I exit the business building with a huge grin spreading on my face. I scurry home to see the girls and get ready for our night out.
The faint thump of vibrations hit my ears as I approach the house. Opening the door, I'm greeted with the sound of The Spins by Mac Miller filling our living room and kitchen while the girls are making drinks.
“ Blair !” Aspen squeals, running towards me, drink in hand. “ Here , we’ve already had our first drink so catch up!” Laughing , I take the drink and put the straw to my mouth. The fruity flavor of berry with an underlying taste of tequila floods my tastebuds.
Drink in hand, I make my way to the bathroom and set it down on the counter. I open the cabinet underneath the sink and pull out my makeup bag.
Placing it next to the sink, I grab the products I’m planning to use . Once everything is neatly arranged on the counter, I jump into the shower. Once I get out, I dry off and dress in comfy clothes, then delve into my makeup routine.
Aspen waltzes into my bathroom carrying her own cosmetics bag and a wide grin, “ I can't wait for tonight, we are going to have so much fun!” She squeals.
A small smile starts to tug on my lips, “ Me too, I’m really excited.”
Finishing with my base makeup, I step back to assess my progress but I’m not yet satisfied. Usually , my makeup is subtle, understated, and natural. But tonight I’m feeling adventurous and a little daring. Wanting to try something different, I create two matching wings with midnight black eyeliner. How did I achieve the symmetrical look on the first try? The world may never know. I apply mascara and continue with my bold choices tonight, opting for a dusty mauve colored lip gloss rather than my regular clear.
Taking a long sip of my beverage, a feeling of euphoria fills me as the drink warms my blood. I look over at Aspen as we get ready and her icy blue eyes meet mine in the mirror. With quickly widening eyes, she gasps.
“ Damn Blair , you look hot! You’re definitely getting laid tonight.” The comment makes an unwanted blush creep up my cheeks.
Meaningless sexual encounters have never been my thing. Meaning ful sexual encounters have also never been my thing, because I’ve never had one. I’ve never done that thing or anything in relation. I had my first kiss back in high school and it was nothing special .
Since my father passed, I haven’t dated much. I have yet to experience that part of life. The smile that seemed to be stuck to my face starts to falter at the thought of my dad. Before I can think about it for too long, Aspen's voice pulls me from my thoughts.
“ Are you okay?” Her voice is full of concern as her eyebrows pinch together.
Shaking off the lingering feeling, I smile at her, “ Yeah , I’m fine.“ I was not fine, but I wasn’t going to ruin our night.
Aspen's question brings me out of my thoughts and into the present moment. Starting on my hair, I curl it into loose waves. Once I’m finished with my hair and makeup, I head back to my room.
Chewing on my bottom lip, I struggle with what to wear. I want to pick the perfect outfit for our first party. I pull out countless amounts of jeans, tops, and shoes but nothing stands out. I’m about to give up when in the back of my closet, I spot a brown two-piece set consisting of a mini skirt and tube top. I smile as I grab the items and a white thong.
Slipping on my set and stepping in front of my mirror, I turn and inspect myself at all angles. The skirt hugs my ass nicely and the tube top stops right above my belly button, giving a flirty flair to my look. My mind travels to the thought of Emmett’s large hands and how his grasp dug into my skin.
“ Blair !” Aspen calls from the kitchen. Letting my daydream fade, I grab a pair of matching black heeled boots that stop right below my knee. Accessorizing with dainty gold jewelry, I steal one last look at my reflection. Satisfied , I make my way back to the living room to meet up with the others .
“ Okay ! Time for shots!” Aspen shouts over the music. She grabs my hand and drags me towards the kitchen. All My Friends by Snakehips thumps around me while Verena hands out shots of tequila.
I've never been a huge partier. I was too busy going to doctor appointments and chemo treatments with my dad, no late nights allowed. I have a feeling Blackwood will continue to give me many of my firsts in life as I look around at the other girls and take them in.
Aspen is sporting a high ponytail and a sparkly, hot pink mini dress that is so tight it probably needs to be cut off to be removed. She looks like an actual Barbie doll that’s come to life, her makeup perfectly done and not a hair out of place.
Lorelei has barely anything on. She’s wearing a sheer white bralette and her denim, high waisted booty shorts are being eaten by her ass. Black eyeliner is drawn heavily and contrasts with her green eyes, bordering on terrifying.
It’s the complete opposite of her clean cut look. With her uptight and anal personality, you’d never guess she was the type to let loose and have fun.
My eyes jump to Verena who’s in all black, wearing a matching two-piece set similar to mine, except hers is all V . She’s wearing a fishnet shirt with bigger holes and on top, a tank made of velvety material matching her pants.
She is dripping with silver jewelry, I don’t think there’s a finger without a ring or space on either ear for more piercings. There’s already a great height distance between us, but her black chunky platforms add a few more inches and she towers over us all. Her makeup is smokey, dark, and moody .
We each take another shot before we’re ready to head out. I run through my mental checklist, phone, keys, wallet, and lip gloss. We all exit and Verena locks the door behind us. The crisp air of fall kisses my skin but the alcohol running through my veins, thankfully, keeps me warm.
I had one drink and a couple of shots, so I'm a little tipsy. Not wanting to lose an ounce of control, I decide to wait a bit before drinking anymore. As we venture further, the loud and rowdy crowd comes into view and students are scattered all over the yard and porch, making it known we've reached our destination.
I come to an abrupt halt, causing the girls to stop in their tracks alongside me. I know this house.
Needing confirmation, I hesitantly ask, “ Whose house is this?”
“ It's the RSB house.” Lorelei snorts like it's a secret I haven't been privy to.
“ Right … Which is what?” I ask with furrowed brows.
Letting out a huff, clearly annoyed that I wasn’t aware of the legendary RSB , Lorelei explains, “ It stands for the Red Skull Brotherhood . The boys in that house are all a part of it. But it’s not limited to just the four of them. Many houses are under RSB protection because they all belong to the brotherhood. No one knows what they do or who they serve, but it's mysterious and it's hot and we know nothing bad can happen at their parties because we’re under their roof. Any more questions?”
She finishes, rolling her eyes at me.
Shaking my head, I dust off the frustration that I'm feeling. Aspen couldn't have known the party was at Emmett’s house. She’s not at all like Lorelei who seems to have frequented the grounds. They are polar opposites, I wonder how they get along so well. Aspen is a literal ray of sunshine and Lorelei is… Lorelei .
Looking up at the house, I take a deep breath. I'm determined to have a good night with my friends. I won't let Emmett ruin that for me. With my newfound resolution, I loop my arm with Aspen’s , make my way up those familiar porch steps, and head inside.
Inside the house, the bass vibrates so hard, I feel it through every inch of my body. Looking around, there are students everywhere laughing, drinking, and dancing.
Some are making out, but overall everyone is enjoying the present moment. I bask in all the lightheartedness that surrounds me and feel a small smile slowly sneak onto my face.
Aspen and I make our way to the kitchen where there is a guy restocking the fridge with beverages. He introduces himself as Jaden , one of the occupants of the house and, therefore a member of the “mysterious” brotherhood, according to Lorelei .
He has light brown shaggy hair and mesmerizing blue eyes. His sleeves are rolled up revealing arms covered in patchwork tattoos. He’s dressed in all black, looking sophisticated and clean. A warm smile spreads across his face and he greets us.
“ Hey Aspen , who’s your friend?” We go through brief introductions and I grab a water. As we’re walking through the house, I feel goosebumps prickling on my skin, and the feeling of bei ng watched washes over me. I scan the room, failing to find the culprit of my unease. Brushing it off, I try reminding myself that I'm in a house full of people and I’m here to have a good time.
Aspen makes her way back to the kitchen to grab us some shots and shouts over her shoulder at me to meet her in the backyard. I find the backdoor and begin to turn the knob when a gentle hand covers mine.
I look up and I’m met with blue eyes that glitter like the ocean when the sun hits it at just the right angle. His jaw is so sharp, I’d slice open my hand with a single touch. Blond waves fall in front of his face nearly touching his chiseled nose and he has luscious lips. He’s fucking hot and I’m relieved to feel that for someone other than Emmett .
Shit . I can’t get him out of my head even when I have a hot guy in front of me. Am I already fucked?
“ Excuse me, sorry. Could I just get through here?” He asks, making his way around me and strolling out the door.
Ha . Of course he wasn’t stopping to talk to me. Great … Frustrated and impatient, I turn around and walk in long strides to the kitchen to find Aspen . I pause in my steps when I see her chatting with some guy who’s looking at her like he wants to eat her alive. I don’t want to interrupt but I don’t know where the other girls trickled off to.
I find a bottle of tequila and grab a shot cup. Pouring myself a shot, I down it and repeat the process. Aspen finally takes notice of my presence nearby and acknowledges me.
“ Hey babe, sorry I was asking Eli about an assignment. I was coming right back with those shots. Guess I have to take these two to catch up to you!” She says with a chuckle .
I grab the shot that was made for me and down it before she gets the chance. Remembering my earlier thought of wanting to be in full control, I laugh while shrugging it off. Leaving the kitchen I make my way back to the living room where On My Own by Darci blares through the speakers. I move my body to the rhythm and feel myself getting lost in the beat.
A hand wraps around my body and I lean back on a hard chest as they press their body to mine, continuing to sway. After a moment, my heavy eyelids flutter open and I’m staring at the same baby blues from before. He hasn’t told me his name and I don’t care to ask.
I just need him to aid in the destruction of my thoughts for Emmett . As we dance, I feel the prickling sensation once again coursing over my body that seemed to have intensified when blue eyes came up to me. I glance around until my eyes land on Emmett standing against the wall in the corner of the room.
It’s hard to tell from here, but I swear I see anger clouding his eyes. Eyes that are narrowed straight at me and my dance partner. He doesn't avert his stare or pretend he hasn't been looking dead at me. Instead , he slowly begins to shake his head, a look of possession covering his features.
I instantly sober up under his intense gaze. He pushes himself off the wall and walks away. I try to watch the direction he goes in, but he’s too fast and there’s too many people here. Removing myself from the grasp of the destructive stranger, I set off to find Aspen .
I weed through the sea of people in every room on the first floor until I once again find myself at the backdoor that leads to the yard. Turning the knob, I’m met with the cool breeze of the night grazing my exposed skin.
Goosebumps arise from the change in temperature and I make a mental note to add a light sweater to my checklist. There’s more people out here, so finding Aspen probably won’t be any easier, but here goes nothing.