Chapter 05 - Handsome trouble

VINE

“What the fuck is this?” A familiarly strong male voice echoed in my head.

“How dare you print the flyers without my name in them?!”

I heard a kick. Followed by a painful groan.

Then I stepped closer, imagining that the person who was being hit was probably recoiling in pain by now.

I smoothed down my blue tight-fitted gown, before pulling off one side of the Louboutin heel my roommate gave me to wear for this party as I walked faster to the restroom.

Clyde and I were already at the party, but after some drinks, I went to the restroom, only to be met with this scene.

“Please sir, spare me, I…I was told to keep the theme mysterious.”

The familiar voice laughed mockingly.

“No way in hell are you serious,” he kicked the boy in his stomach, “you did this intentionally, didn't you? You didn't want everyone knowing…”

“Enough!!” I screamed as I flung the shoe straight at the head of the hunter.

Well, let's just call the bully the hunter and the bullied, the prey.

The bully was still holding the leaflet in one hand, while the other was buried in his pocket.

Instinctively, he shifted his face, causing the heels to hit the wall instead.

I sucked in an anxious breath.

Goodness! I'm in trouble again.

What have I done, meddling in a business that was not mine?

Then, he turned sharply to face me,

“And who the hell are you to tell me what's enough?”

The sight of his face alone struck my nerve as my world came to a standstill.

“I am Vine, and you shouldn't fucking treat people that way!”

I yelled at him, surprised at myself for standing up for someone. Even more surprised that I used a curse word.

I guess it's because I already know what it feels like to be bullied.

“So what if he deserves it?”

His rosy red lips curled in a devastating smile as he left the guy he was dealing with and stalked closer to me, the scent of coconut and tonka bean registering in my senses.

My heart sank. But I maintained a powerful front as I looked him over.

His hair was tousled like it defied order, but still managed to look effortlessly perfect, his jawline sharp as razor, his blue eyes glinting with mischief.

My eyes went lower, to his broad shoulders that commanded confidence.

Gosh! Clyde needed to see him too, so that she would agree with me that his kind of face made hearts stammer, and conversations halt mid-sentence.

His kind of handsome made you forget how to breathe…

And I indeed forgot how to breathe as his fingers pinched my jawline, his eyes boring into mine,

“I see,” he scoffed, “Another fierce bitch seeking my attention.”

I slapped him hard across the cheeks as I turned around and ran away, and I couldn't tell if I heard him muttering how hot that was.

I went to sit beside Clyde, pretending like nothing of the sort had happened and suppressing my earlier urge to pee.

But wait a minute, why did he even look so familiar…?

"Girl you look so gorgeous, thank goddess you came." Clyde smiled, pulling me from my thoughts.

“That's what people tell me whenever I straighten my curled hair,” I beamed

"You look drop-dead gorgeous too," I returned.

"More bourbon!" I lifted a toast to Clyde and clinked our glasses before gulping it down all at once.

I wanted to forget the reason why I came here in the first place, I wanted to drink till I lost myself, and Drew or that fucker I met earlier were gone from my head.

Clyde nodded.

"Bourbon please!" I screamed at the waiter as I downed my fourth glass, letting it burn my throat, and warm my heart.

Drew... The more I tried to forget him, the more it hurt me. He used me, and later made a fool out of me... and I let him trample on my fragile heart all while I thought we were a bond forever couldn't break.

"You've got to stop drinking, Vine." Clyde held my hand as I lifted the fifth shot.

She was right... But I wanted to forget him... bury him with the alcohol... Because in loving him, I'd lost myself in the process.

"I want more Clyde..." I cried.

"No, we can go dance instead," Clyde said, but before I could say Jack, a young man came and pulled her away to the dance floor, leaving me all alone.

Just then, I saw Drew and Miriam approaching, a mischievous grin playing on their lips, causing me to sit up on the leather chair.

As if to show off, Miriam waved the back of her ring finger at me,

"Hey, ugly duckling how do I look?"

My eyes scanned her body, and that's when I realized that she was not wearing her own dress.

She was wearing my favorite golden colored lace dress that I sewed by myself while I wasn't going to school. I'd kept it in Drew's house, saying that I would wear it on the day he would host his Victory party but now...

Anger boiled my blood over, till I could feel it on the tip of my fingers and every skin pore.

But I kept mum, not wanting to attract any attention to myself.

Miriam took a glass of red wine from a passing waitress and poured it on my hair, and it dripped down to my dress, touching my skin.

A gasp left my lips as I looked down at my dress, imagining that even my makeup had been ruined.

"Wasn't this dress meant for your proposal? How come it didn't later happen? Was it because… you're a wolfless slut?”

Her voice was loud and clear, causing a crowd to gather around us. People were laughing at me, this time, not behind their hands, but openly pointing their hands at me.

"Ugly Duckling!"

No I wasn't, Miriam just wasted all my efforts at looking beautiful.

"Did she just wear that to a party?"

No. She just ruined my dress and embarrassed me in front of everyone.

"Who even invited you to this party, knowing that your sex tape is all over the internet?!"

I recognized that voice - Drew... I'd be able to fish it out in a drum of noise.

In that instant, tears brimmed in my eyes as I felt like their fingers had turned to thorns and they were poking them at every inch of my body.

Suddenly, I couldn't breathe. My chest tightening from unshed tears.

Then, I walked up to Miriam and landed a slap across her cheeks.

If I was going to be hated on, then, I'd better give them a good reason to be the villain.

"What have I done to deserve this unnecessary attention from you?"

"Huh?" I drew closer. She saw the anger in my eyes, momentarily forgot that I was wolfless, and pushed back,

"You took my mate and I left you, you spoiled my image in front of my parents and I let you go, then why can you not let me pick the remaining pieces of my life in peace?"

"Let you be?” She scoffed,

“That's funny and the last thing I would want to do. You deserve all this. I want to make you suffer.”

“Why?”

"Because I want to bring you down! And take every goddamn thing you think is worth it," She whisper-yelled for only me to hear.

In a less loud tone, she whispered, "Can't you see? That's why I wore your perfectly handcrafted dress, and you can do nothing about it."

I looked at her. Really looked at her, then I silently turned around to leave when Drew held the collar of my gown,

"Now that you look like a proper maid, why don't you serve us?"

I don't know why but the audience somehow found his words amusing and laughed at me and I moved still, my head bent down, my eyes fixed with shame to the ground.

Perhaps, because he was popular, they found nothing wrong with him humiliating me for their amusement.

As I walked, my gaze landed on a young man whose face was partly hidden behind the shadows of his hat as he leaned against a pillar, with a relaxed posture like none of this ever bothered him.

Then slowly, I turned and looked over my shoulder, right at Drew.

My eyes didn't waver. They dared him to stop me or show even an ounce of the control he thought he still had over me.

And then I made a decision with rebellion and revenge dancing on the edges of my heart...

I closed the space between us.

Our eyes met and something seemed to pass between us at that moment, his gaze piercing into mine like he could read my thoughts by just staring at me, and unconsciously, I shuddered.

He was the guy I slapped earlier.

Maybe that's why my skin burned with an electric heat as I stood on my toes, my hands slipping to the back of his neck.

Leaning in, I smirked with a confidence I had never felt before....

Damning the consequences, I kissed him... Hard...