Denver is sitting with his peers in one of the couches. His expression changes when he sees me. "Would you like some jelly shots?" asks one of the girls.

"No...thanks." TJ seems to find his friends, introducing me to one by one. Some of them seem to pick some interest in my life. A girl is sitting with Denver, her legs very close to his. She appears to be a few years older than him, but my heart races as she places her arms around him. The other two boys talk to them about something, and they laugh as they speak. From time to time, Denver stares at me, but I do my best to ignore him. TJ and the rest of the world are right about him. He kissed me today, and now he is here with another chick.

"Are you okay?" one of TJ's friends ask me. I nod, and he tries to push the conversation about the weather. TJ now has his attention on another girl. The college hasn't started, and so far, this fraternity party doesn't seem cool. The kitchen is crowded with people preparing drinks. Dan is holding a bottle of Green Goose, as Aaron is serving some of the girls a few of his special drinks.

"Cassidy," he smiles when he sees me.

"Hi."

"I didn't know you are friends with TJ."

"Yes, he is my roommate."

"Cool," he says as he finishes preparing a pink drink. A blonde chick thanks him and leave with the plastic glass. "Want one? This one is not too strong. It is made with pink lemonade."

"Sure," I say. I trust Aaron from most people here.

"So, I can see TJ is already flirting with that blonde chick. I can drive you home if he decides to go home with her." He offers.

"I think I should be fine. TJ would never leave me here."

"That I know. Denver is here, by the way."

I ignore his comment. TJ disappears with the girl, and so does Denver from the couch. The girl sitting next to him doesn't appear to be anywhere, either. What the heck?

"Can you find TJ?" I ask.

"He is right in front of you dancing with that girl."

I feel stupid not to realize he is practically next to me. But Denver...he doesn't seem to be near anywhere.

"I have to help a friend with something. I'll be right back." Arron tells me, and I nod.

I try to find a bathroom, but it looks like someone is locked inside. I hear the person throwing up through the closed door.

"Ohhhh," one girl says in disgust when she hears the person puking. "There is another bathroom upstairs." She tells me while pointing in the right direction.

I take the wooden stairs, but to my surprise, the first people I see is Meggie and Mike making out in the hallway. She appears to be drunk again, which I can't be surprised. As she sees me coming by, she turns her face away, smiling at him sarcastically.

"I think I might get sick," I hear her voice telling him, and I know she is talking about me. I pretend she is not there and walk past a few bedrooms with open doors, hoping I can get to the bathroom. I find the bathroom, hearing voices in the bedroom next to it. The door is closed with the smell of pot coming from underneath it.

I use the bathroom and tell myself I have to be strong before walking past Meggie and Mike again. The entire situation upsets me, and there is nothing I can do about it. If I tell her Mike is a liar, she won't believe me. And I shouldn't interfere. I enter one of the empty rooms and sit on the bed, my eyes scanning the desk and the many posters of beautiful destinations. There are plenty of places in the world to go. There is Cancun, Tokyo, and Brazil. Jason dreamed of going everywhere, somewhere he could go and just get lost.

"Imagine hitchhiking from west to east without a point of destination?"

"That seems insane," I'd tell him.

"We can do whatever we want to. Travel bloggers do that. Why not you and me? We can run away from this shit hole that is Chelan. Fuck our parents. They don't give a fuck about us."

"Yeah, right," I say it frustrated. "This sounds stupid. How are we going to live abroad?"

"We can work in different gas stations across countries. All we need is a fucking ass camera."

My memories are interrupted when the door opens, and Denver comes inside the room with his bloodshot eyes.

"What are you doing here all by yourself?" he asks. I smell marijuana in his clothes and hair.

"I didn't think you enjoyed drugs."

"I don't, but marijuana is not a drug. It is proved to help a lot of people heal, and helps with anxiety." He says the words sitting next to me in the bed.

"Anxiety for what?"

"You. I feel anxiety when I see you."

"I shouldn't be blamed for your choice," I say, annoyed. "You didn't seem to be suffering from anxiety. It looks like you're in great company."

Denver laughs, "Ah ah. Kayla? Are you jealous about my sister?"

"Oh, is that girl your sister? The one moving from New York City?"

"Huhu," he says, and next, I feel his hands through my hair. I move away before he kisses me again – as he did in the afternoon.

"You can't keep stealing kisses from me, Denver."

"It did seem you liked the first time."

"Are you associated with this fraternity?" He doesn't look like the frat boys, but it doesn't cost me anything to ask him this question.

"No...but I do have connections."

"Why?"

"Why not?" he answers and moves his body closer to mine. I move away from him again. I look at the room, the picture of Washington state above the computer desk. The mountains. I miss them.

"Never mind," I say.

"His room belonged to Eric. It is still empty."

"Eric?"

"Yes, the guy who died of an overdose. At least, this is what people say. We don't know the real answer."

The thought hurts my chest, and I immediately get away from the bed in a jump. "Then we shouldn't be here."

"Usually, no one ever comes here. The last time a girl came over, she ran downstairs saying she heard his voice calling her."

"Do you think it is true?"

"I think people drink too much around here to the point they don't know who they are. It is easy to see things that aren't really there, you know?"

"And you are trying to make out with me here?"

"I believe that when someone is gone, he is gone. He is not here. His soul is somewhere else far away."

I feel a goosebump coming up my spine.

"So, have you changed your mind about my question this afternoon?"

I swallow hard, and I can't help but think how my life would be with Denver if I were like a normal girl. Now scanning this room, I find out that tragedies happen everywhere, not only in Chelan. The college hasn't started yet, and I am thinking of running away from here again. Can someone run away from the world just like Jason wanted to? Is it really possible?

I count from one to three in silence, hoping the tears don't come down my cheeks. I don't belong anywhere, not the way I used to belong in Chelan. I do enjoy my work and my boss, Sylvia. I can even tolerate Scarlet and Jeff with his laziness. I love my roommate, and one day I used to get along with Meggie. But I don't belong in this place like I never belonged in that stupid boarding school in Seattle. If I can make my way back to my apartment, I think it is the best decision I can ever make. This way, I don't have to keep hurting myself or Denver.

I leave the room, running downstairs. Meggie and Mike are now sitting on the top of the stairs when I walk past them. Mike attempts to put the hands in front of my legs so that I can trip, but I over smart him before he even tries it. The house is packed with so many people now that I can't even find TJ right away. The loud music plays a techno song when I find Amaya and Luna in the kitchen talking something with Aaron. Luna's tattoo is exposed through her white skin, her black hair covering the side of her right shoulders. Her boyfriend, a guy cover in tattoos, handles her a drink. Denver's sister is next to them.

"Cassidy," she says in amusement. "Have you met Kayla yet?"

"Your sister-in-law," plays Amaya.

I swallow hard. "Oh, you're the girl my brother can't stop talking about."

"Oh, you're really hanging out with him, aren't you? Don't lie. Spit it out," Danika approaches. Just like Kayla, she wears expensive clothes from Forever 21.

"No, we are not," I tell her. Danika is always like that, always trying to get in your business.

"Have you guys had sex yet?" Kayla asks, and I almost spill my drink. The rest of the people laugh.

"No, of course not!"

"There is an empty room upstairs." Amaya reminds.

"I just saw her coming from there. They were at the room," affirms Danika. "Just don't ask me what they did there."

"Danika, don't be too harsh on her," Aaron tells her, but at this time, my thoughts are everywhere, and I only wish TJ comes back and drives me back home. Denver is now back on the couch with his peers, his dark eyes staring at mine.