Chapter 02

Chapter 02

Lily's POV

The weather showed it was going to be a cold night. Just like every other night, I had nowhere to go. My mum and aunt were at work, so I was the only one at home.

My plan?

To have a hot cup of coffee and cuddle my old teddy bear as I read some romance novel, allowing my head to replace the male character in the book with my cru-

"Lily!!!"

"Shit", I caused under my breath at the red scab that suddenly appeared on my hand. The sudden yell startled the hell out of me, making me pour hot water on myself instead of into the cup. 

"Where the hell are you?!", I heard that annoyingly loud voice again as my door unlocked and swung open. 

Of course she found a way to take my keys when I wasn't looking.

"Lily!!! Li-" Sonia stopped and squinted at me immediately she saw me in the kitchen.

"Did you not hear me calling you?"

"Even the members of the neighboring packs heard you calling me. What do you want?"

"What are your plans for tonight?"

"Nothing. I just want to read myself to sl-"

"Cancel that. I have something better."

She made for her back pocket and revealed two tickets.

I didn't know what that was, but I didn't like where this was going.

"These are tickets to the exclusive party that Mark has been telling us about! He gave us passes just like he promised!" She squealed.

I looked confused, and that made her more pissed.

"Don't tell me you forgot that we were supposed to be going to his party tonight."

"Did you tell me?"

"I've told you now, so..."

"I'm sorry. I'll pass", I sipped my cup of coffee and walked to my room, hoping she wouldn't follow me.

"Are you kidding?", She questioned, following me to my room. "Do you know how many popular people from our school and other schools from other packs would be there? It's going to be a lit night!"

"The more reason why I don't wanna be there."

Sonia came and sat on the bed with me. "How long do you want to be cooled up in your room, because you're scared of people?"

I sighed. Sonia was the exact opposite of me. We both came from humble backgrounds, but she'd always been the life of the party. The hothead that no one could stare down on. I on the other hand, was used to being ignored and under the radar. I'd infact found solace in it. I wonder how we'd been besties for more than a decade now, being so unlike in nature.

"Look, I'm not scared. I just don't want to deal with people-"

"Fuck that. We're going", she stood up and went over to my wardrobe.

I groaned in distress, begging the Moon Goddess to save me from this predicament. "Sonia, please just go on your own-"

She swerved at me and gave me a glare. "We're going to get up from that old cranky bed, dress up and go have the time of our lives tonight. Whether you like it or not, we're leaving."

I sighed in surrender. Nothing was saving me tonight.

"And why don't you have something sexy in your wardrobe? Why are they all oversized t-shirts and hoodies?!"

Well, that's the best idea one could come up with after being called weird and ugly by a million people.

"Nevermind", she went over to the bag and took out a red gown and a pair of heels. "I brought a spare dress, just in case."

She was really serious about this.

I sighed and took off my clothes. With her help, I fitted into the sleeveless red gown and put on a pair of silver heels that she must've stolen from her mum.

She helped me with the make-up and combed my hair till it was flowing silk.

"Do you realize how beautiful you look in this?", She gasped in awe and turned me around to face the cracked wall mirror.

"I feel open", I muttered, trying to close my shoulder. 

"Ow!", I groaned as she spanked my butt. "Local girl."

She got into her own black dress and made us take pictures before dragging me out of the apartment. 

I had a feeling this was going to be a long night.

***

An hour and thirty minutes into the party, I was already wishing I insisted on not coming out.

I couldn't believe I traded the comfort of my bed for so much crowd and noise. 

There were a lot of rich influential kids, so I wasn't even surprised that I wasn't noticed. I just sat at the corner of the party like the nobody that I was, sipping on the margarita that was handed over to me by Sonia before she ran into the crowd to have her fun. 

That traitor. 

She knew I didn't want to come here in the first place. Yet she just left me here to rot.

My butt was sore from sitting, so I got up to go look for Mark, my only male friend.

It still was a surprise to me that someone with that much class insisted on being there for me everytime. We'd grown so close, he felt like a brother to me...

He was probably busy with his other rich friends. I began walking around to find him so I could say goodbye before I left.

All of a sudden, I had a gagging sound from behind. Immediately I turned, I felt warm fluid pour all over me.

"Fuck!!", I screamed in anger. Some rich drunk brat had just vomited on me!!

"How could you do this to me?!"

"You... should be grateful I threw up on you. You broke bitch...", He grumbled and stumbled his way out of my sight.

Just like I expected, no one cared to notice.

I gritted my teeth in rage and went upstairs to find a toilet where I could clean myself.

"This is the last time I'll take on one of Sonia's stupid invitations", I mumbled as I walked into Mark's room and into his toilet. 

Thankfully, I got most of it away with wipes, water and soap. I sprayed a little bit of my perfume that I always carried around due to my insecurities.

I was about to leave when I saw the door open from outside.

I took a step back to allow the person to come in, but I froze in shock when my eyes met the person I least expected.

This couldn't be possible.

I had to be dreaming.

I was standing in the presence of Joe Wellington.

I saw him size me up for a couple of seconds with an emotionless face before silently going over to the sink to wash his face.

Say something!

Tell him you've always liked him!

And get rejected?

I turned and headed for the door immediately. 

"Do you always run away from people, or are you scared, Lily?"

I stopped in my tracks at once.

Did...

Did he just speak to me?

And... He knows my name?

I slowly turned to face him. From the corner of my eye, I could see myself pale from the reflection of the mirror.

"H... Huh?"

Huh???

Who says huh to her crush????

He sighed and straightened himself before turning to me.

"You heard my question. So answer. Are you running away from me because you're scared, or you just don't like me?"

Was he crazy? I didn't like him?

"I... I just wanted to give you your privacy. Th... That's all, I swear."

"So... You like me?"

"No no no! I never said that! I would never-"

I slammed my hands over my mouth before I could say another implicating word.

"It's okay. You have your choice. I'm not every beautiful woman's taste."

I'd fucked this up. My first and probably my only chance at impressing him, and I'd fucked this up.

I needed to leave.

I made to take my perfume on the basin, but I forgot that my knee got too weak when I was nervous.

They fumbled before I could put one leg in front of the other, causing an imbalance.

I yelped and shut my eyes in fear as I felt myself tripping, but I noticed I didn't fall to the ground.

I opened my eyes slowly, and I gasped in appall.

Joe caught me before I could hit the ground. I was somehow in his arms.

"I'm... I'm so sorry, Prince Joe. I... I should've left a long time ago... I apologize-"

I tried to tear my embarrassed self away from his chest, but he did let me go.

"Why?"

"Why... What?"

"Why are you apologizing?", His voice hummed into my eye like music from this proximity.

It was either I be honest this time or fuck up again.

"Look, I know I'm not your type. Whether I like you or not is out of the picture. You go for the finest ladies from the most influential families. I... I'm a nobody. I'm just a weird nerd that everyone picks on-"

Before I could finish my sentence, magic happened. 

He leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on my lips.