Chapter 12

Daniel was running late, again. It shouldn't have been surprising since he was so occupied hanging out with Finn in every second of his spare time, and Finn lived in the campus dorms. Pizza Palace's trivia nights were one of my favorite things to witness on the odd Fridays that they hosted it, and I was more than eager to engage as a spectator every time I got a chance. They often even themed their trivia nights so cosplayers would come out of hiding, so Daniel and I had made it our personal mission to dress up as the most obscure characters in the worst way possible all the time.

Today I had dressed up in a pencil skirt that I borrowed from Sophie, and pinned in several places to make it fit tightly, and a white button-up shirt that had the risque cleavage on show. It sucked that I didn't have much to show anyway, and there was only so much that push up bras would do to help. Was there a way to make the fat on my thighs travel to the fat lumps on my chest? I needed the technology for that.

Nathan had lent me the cat eye glasses one of his exes had left behind at home to complete my look. So far, Sophie and Eleanor had made about a dozen guesses, but they were all wrong.

"What do you mean you're not a rich guy's hot secretary?" Eleanor was almost offended, staring at my outfit in outrage.

"I'm not. I'll give you a hint though," I teased, "She's a smart woman."

"Well that takes out most of the TV and novel leads," Eleanor rolled her eyes, "Why couldn't you just show up as Katniss or something? It suits your frigid bitch personality."

I made a face at her.

Daniel entered minutes later, followed by some of his friends from this soccer team. I breathed a sigh of relief when a certain tall player was missing.

"Hello Dr. Quinzel," he recognised me instantly, giving me a tight hug.

Of course he knew. I took a good look at him.

Blue tee shirt, blue hoodie, dark jeans. This was new.

"Hello Peter Johnson!" I teased, as the wings drawn on his shoes gave him away. Of course he was dressed as Percy Jackson, but from the movies. Wearing an orange tee shirt would have been too obvious.

He hit my shoulder weakly, going ahead to talk to the other girls, while Sophie and I busied ourselves talking to the other boys. The games were almost coming to a close, and Sophie was already tipsy with the beers she had been guzzling when the boys offered to take us to one of their parties.

I looked at Eleanor questioningly. She had an enthusiastic smile, "Let's go!"

As we were walking out, she whispered in my ear, "You know the seniors don't usually invite anyone without knowing they want to fuck someone?"

I rolled my eyes. While Jeff had asked me directly if I wanted to join the boys, I wasn't attracted to him in a way that encouraged me to sleep with him. Sure he was hot, tall and possessed a jaw dropping smile, but unfortunately for me, my mind was clouded with a certain Sterling boy.

Even when a week was close to passing, the effects of his almost kiss hadn't worn off just yet, and my mind was working overtime to imagine how things would have turned out differently if I had lost my self control. Not good, that's for sure. Noah was intoxicating in the worst way, and I was not willing to be addicted just yet.

"So what course are you taking?" Jeff made light conversation as we walked towards wherever this party was.

"Environmental Science," I said proudly, shoulders deflating when he rolled his eyes. We'll see who's rolling their eyes when the global temperatures rise high enough to drown his beach home somewhere on the East Coast.

I took a few steps ahead, catching up with Daniel instead. We stopped in front of a rather fancy building, complete with balconies and large windows. These are the type of apartments they hang crystal chandeliers in.

"Can someone tell Noah to ring us in?" Jeff asked the group, making me freeze.

"We're going to Noah's home?" I asked.

Daniel shrugged, "I thought you guys were cool."

I looked down at my outfit and then at the building. This was not a good idea, and my Harleen Quinzel was not vibing with this. I was tugged forward by an enthusiastic, and hilariously drunk Sophie, and I struggled to keep my purse on my shoulder as she dragged me inside. The elevator ride was filled with chatter, while I spent most of my attention making sure Sophie was not looking puke-ish. She hated car or elevator rides when drunk, and I was not in the mood to clean up another one of her disasters.

We reached the fourteenth floor without much damage to my sanity, all huddling into Noah's home as he welcomed us in.

"I hope you don't mind there's some fresh meat here," Kevin snickered, motioning to me and the girls. Fuck you, Kevin, rot in hell.

Noah's immediate surprise on seeing me was masked quickly, "One's too drunk, the other is annoying and the third won't give in. Not exactly your finest choice," Noah shook his head, gently pushing Kevin inside.

Kevin shrugged, immediately grabbing a beer bottle that was laid on the table ahead. I wanted to break the bottle on his head, but I figured it wouldn't do me any good.

"Hello Noah," Eleanor twirled a strand of her hair around her finger.

Noah glanced over at me first, as if to say, 'I told you she won't leave me alone.' "Hi there," he nodded unenthusiastically, "go grab a drink for yourself."

"Okay!" she made up for his lost enthusiasm by practically skipping to the table, instantly heading over to pour herself a glass of vodka. I had been standing outside the threshold of his house for far too long, deciding if I wanted to go in or not. It was Sophie leaning over Kevin's shoulder that made the decision for me. Of course I had to stay.

Sighing, I walked in, taking my purse and coat off, dropping it on the chair like everyone else had done.

"Who are you dressing up for?" Noah's frame was leaning over me, ridiculously making my body react to his presence. By muscle memory, it knew to lock itself in place when his scent was near, still the heady overpowering mix, mingled with the smell of wine in it.

"No one," I swatted the daze away, side stepping him so I could head inside. The cream walls were glowing in the myriad of colors being projected by an overhead chandelier situation, one that I didn't fully understand till I was pulled on to dance by Sophie. Her movements were sloppy and rather comical, but I allowed myself to let go for a while. Sophie was in front of me, rather than being leeched off by Kevin, and that was all that mattered. I wondered how Noah's neighbors hadn't pulled in a noise complaint with the thumping of the bass. Hands waving to the beat, hips swaying and lips in sync with the song, my Harley Quinn was rising when I did a quick spin, eyes landing on Noah again, leaning in a corner, undoubtedly staring at me.

I spotted another girl in his vicinity, but my spin was faster than my gaze and I was facing Sophie again. Fuck. Encouraging Sophie to hold my hand, I twisted and spun her around so we were naturally at an angle that allowed me the pleasure of looking at him. The girl in question was another senior, Anna, I think, and as far as I knew, she was on the cheer team. She was talking to Noah about something, and he seemed to be listening at least, even if he didn't have enough to contribute. Of course, she was blonde, stick thin and probably dumb as a rock.

I smacked the back of my hand. No, Brianna, that's not what a feminist queen does. I focused on the important stuff. Anna and Noah ran around the same circles in college. She was studying Botany, while Noah was doing Zoology. The science wing was far removed from the remaining area, separated by the huge soccer grounds. They were more likely to run into each other.

Wait.

Why was I even doing this? Why did it matter who Noah was talking to?

It didn't, so I removed my gaze from them, focusing back on my chest beating to the thump of the music, my stockings covered feet bouncing in tandem to Sophie's jumps, half an eye on the high heels I had thrown off in a bid to dance comfortably.

Eleanor appeared apparently from nowhere, squeezing between Sophie and me, immediately throwing herself into the music. For a while, it was just the three of us, dancing and shaking to the beat, just like how we were before Eleanor got entangled with Noah.

Before our lives got messed up and wound into a cluster of intercrossing wires.

Too lost to focus correctly, I didn't notice when the doorbell rang, and the room was suddenly emptying.

Uh oh.

The neighbors had made the complaints. While Sophie and Eleanor rushed towards the exit, dodging the police, I had to head deeper into the house to collect my shoes. They cost a fortune, and I was not willing to lose them.

I found one tucked under the table, but the second one was nowhere to be seen. Shit. Holding the stiletto in my fingers, I walked back out to the living room, to find the lights turned back to normal, a yellow glow softening the feel. The room was a mess of thrown packets of chips, and used glasses and empty liquor bottles, taking my mind back to River's room.

I have to talk to her tomorrow.

Okay, shoes first.

"Looking for something?" Noah stood by a passageway, holding my shoe by it's heel. God, I would wipe his smirk away with the same shoe if he tried something. I marched over to where he stood, stealing the shoe back from his grip. It only took a whole minute of wobbling to get my feet settled in them, but I did it anyway, feeling the burn of Noah's gaze on my body.

This sexy Harleen Quinzel was a bad idea.

I could have just dressed up in an orange tee shirt and made myself a Camper at Half Blood Hill. I could have pulled on my Ginny Weasley robe. No. I had to try sexy today.

Regaining my balance, I walked towards the exit, only to be met with more confusion, "Noah?"

"Yes, princess?"

My insides shivered.

"Did you take my coat? And purse?" The chair housing all the coats was empty.

Noah walked over to the hallway, looking at the chair in earnest confusion, "No I didn't."

"Eleanor must have taken it," I let out a frustrated sigh, "Can you call her and ask?"

Noah unlocked his phone and handed it to me, "You remember the number?"

I raised an eyebrow, "You haven't saved her number?"

Noah shrugged, "Why should I?"

I sighed, dialling her number from memory. The line rang thrice before disconnecting.

"Is Daniel's number saved at least?"

"Yeah," Noah nodded, "He's literally on my team, babe."

I looked it up and called him, only to head straight into voicemail.

What on earth was everyone doing?

"No response?"

"No," I pouted, feeling the click in my ankles as I shifted my weight from one foot to another.

"You can sit inside," Noah offered, and I gratefully accepted. On the sofa, I didn't let go of Noah's phone, dialling Nathan's number. Thankfully, of all people, he answered my phone.

"Hey Nathan, can you come pick me up from somewhere? I've lost my phone and wallet and everything-"

"Woman, I picked up the phone because I thought it was the guy from Brett's party. Let me sleep for fuck's sake!" The line went dead.

That bitch!

I dialled his number again, only to be sent to voicemail. Fuck.

"I could drive you?" Noah offered.

I immediately shook my head, "You've been drinking."

"I'm good to drive," he swore, "trust me."

"You're drunk, you're not driving. End of."

"Well then, you can take the guest room for the night," Noah offered.

"Is there a lock on the door?"

He laughed, "You think I need you to be asleep for me to perv on you?"

I rolled my eyes, "Fine, guest bedroom it is."

I handed Noah his phone, getting up again to hobble behind him as he led me to the guest room.

He stopped abruptly, making me bump into his back. I was about to ask why, when he raised a finger to his lips, motioning me with the tilt of his head to listen. So I listened.

Oh no, I could hear a humdrum of moans and whispers, immediately making me retrace my steps to the living room.

"There is one other option," Noah shrugged, a twinkle in his eyes. I was not going to like this. "You can sleep in my room."

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A double update? Who even am I at this point?

Jk. This update is brought to you by a caffeine drunk poor decision maker. Enjoy!

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