Highmore Manor

The party kicked off soon after 7:30, the driver took us out a bit further so that we would disturb any of the other boat around us at the port and then the party really began. The waiters Chase has hired opened the makeshift bars and started serving out the drinks.

The music was thumping steadily though every floor of the boat, making it sway slightly under the weight and movement of all the people packed into the space.

The boat was made to fit 20 people comfortably with their own bit of space but there was well over 60 people on the boat so space was a luxury to find.

I hung out Callie at the bar drinking shots and dancing with whoever asked me to dance. Chase had told us at the start that anything that we bought would immediately be charged to his tab and that we pretty much had almost unlimited amount we could buy, within reason of course.

After a dance with another boy I would probably never see again I made my way over to the bar and watched the people swarming around.

The closed in space was a kaleidoscope of flashing coloured lights that reflected like a mirror off the calm water outside the boat.

Suddenly I felt arms wrap themselves around my waist. It was Chase, obviously quite drunk and holding a half full bottle of some type of alcoholic beverage in the air in his hand so that it rested against my stomach when he arms were around me.

“Having fun, babe?” he asked seductively in my ear, his chest vibrating and warm against my back. I leaned my head back on his shoulder and ‘mhmm’-ed with a smile.

“Want to meet my friends?” he inquired softly. I shrugged slightly, it wasn’t something I wanted to do the most but if he wanted me to meet them then I didn’t mind.

“Sure,” I replied taking his hand and following him out onto the back deck where a group of guys around Chase’s age, 19-21, were standing talking and drinking. They all wolf-whistled as we approached, looking at me with appraising eyes, their gazes running up and down my body in a way that made me want to shudder but I blushed anyway and accepted the comment.

Chase put his arms around my shoulder and pulled me gently against him.
“Everyone this is Hayley, Hayley meet everyone,” he said proudly. They all laughed and shot some more appraising glances. One of Chase’s friends pushed through the group to get closer to us, peering into my face a little creepily.

“Damn, Chase you hooked yourself a good one,” he commented almost sleazily, “You want to share a bit of her?”

I must have shuddered then because Chase pulled me closer and away from him protectively, pointing his finger at the guy, the bottle hanging from his hand loosely.

“You stay away from her, Greg, or I’ll smash you,” he growled. Greg backed off slightly, holding his hands up in the air like he was surrendering but the smile on his face directed at me still said he wasn’t going to just leave it like that. Chase leaned down in front of me. “You ok babe? They won’t touch you while I’m here,” he said gently, the alcohol on his breath probably mixing with the alcohol on mine.

I grinned up at him. “That’s good, I wouldn’t want to be touched by ugly creeps like him,” I said, placing a hand on his chest and shooting a glare at Greg, who was now leaning on the railing still leering at us. All the guys hooted with laughter at my comment, some of them slapping Chase on the back and saying “Good one, mate,” and then giving me admiring smiles. They all slowly went back to talking and laughing loudly.

Chase grinned down at me. “That’s my girl,” he said happily. “Now who wants to dance?” I smiled at him and let him pull me up onto the packed dance floor.

He pulled me close to him, wrapping his arms around my waist and swaying and moving my body with his. It was kind of awkward having hardly any room to move in but we managed anyway.

Half an hour and quite a few dances later my feet were killing me. I told Chase I was going to sit down for a bit and he said he’d come with me.

He took my hand again and led me over to one of the seats on the outside deck beside his friends again. I knew wearing high heels was a bad idea for dancing in, but they made my legs look amazing. I’d really liked what I was wearing; it was short enough to see just the right amount of my, thankfully, still tanned legs and the tight band around the waist pulled the dress in to show how small I was.

Callie had done my hair, straightening it to perfection and my make up, big smoky eyes that showed off the colouring. When we’d come upstairs after changing Chase had looked at me and smiled like I was the most beautiful person alive, I’d even saw Jesse looking over admiringly and then trying to look like he was looking at something behind me when I caught him.

The night was going exactly like I’d hoped it would.

“So are you enjoying yourself?” Chase asked after a bit. I smiled and nodded.

“Yeah it’s really good. I’ve never been to a party like this,” I said.

“Ah well, you’re going to be attending quite a few more if you stick with me,” he said happily. I grinned back at him.

“I’m going to get another drink,” I said.

“Wait, try this,” he said, turning to grab a large bottle off the seat beside him where a case of beer and shot glasses sat. He opened it and poured some into a shot glass and handed it to me. I took it, eyeing the black liquid cautiously.

“What is it?” I asked dubiously.

“Just something to make you feel amazing,” he smiled, nodding at me to take a sip, taking the drink I already had off me.

“It looks like tar,” I commented, he laughed and assured me it wasn’t. I glanced once more at him and then put the glass rim to lips and took a small gulp.

The sensation of burning seared down my throat like a wildfire, the sharp tang of something faintly licorice tasting scorched my mouth. I coughed harshly, forcing it down my throat. The effects were almost immediate. The rush of warmth to my head and stomach made me feel like I was floating. But my throat felt like it had been rubbed down with sand paper.

I looked up at Chase and gulped slightly, trying to get taste back into my mouth. He was grinning down at me again, a few of his friends laughing and taking sips out of their own drinks.

“Wow,” I managed to gasp.

“Wasn’t so bad was it?” he asked.

“That tasted horrible!” I exclaimed grabbing my own drink back and taking a quick gulp of the sweet tasting liquid.

“Aw come on, you’re hardly going to get drunk on that stuff,” he commented.

“Who says I want to get drunk,” I retorted firmly.

“Are you serious? That’s what going to a party is all about. Getting drunk, partying, getting with some chick you hardly know and waking up the next morning without remembering a thing,” he exclaimed. I narrowed my eyes at him.

“Getting with some chick you hardly know? Is that what you’re planning to do?” I asked harshly, pulling my hand out of his. His eyes widened slightly as he realized what he’d said.

“No!” he said too fast.

“Is it what you normally do then?” I asked, waiting impatiently for his answer.

He pulled a face but didn’t say anything, telling me the answer without even saying a word. I clenched my jaw and turned away from him, crossing my arms across my chest. Chase glanced at me once and then got up awkwardly and went and stood with some of his friends.

It was just then, with perfect timing as well, that a scantily clad girl in incredibly short shorts and a small top that only can halfway over her stomach walked past with a smirk on her face.

She went over to the group of guys and received quite a few hugs and wolf whistles.

I rolled my eyes and looked away from the group, watching a couple dancing slowly a little bit in front of me.

I envied them so much, for them it looked like they worked well together and everything was going right. I guess boys and me just doesn't work out too well at the moment, what kind of luck was that?

I sighed slightly to myself and then looked back over at Chase, just in time to catch the girl putting her hand on his chest with a flirtatious smile on her face. Chase smirked down at her softly and said something, she grinned lightly and then let him take her hand off his chest. He leaned closer and whispered something in her ear, she laughed and then looked over in my direction.

I scowled slightly and then stood up quickly. I couldn't bear watching him with another girl. I turned and walked away, feeling his eyes following me and I left.

I found Callie leaning against the bar back inside, sipping on her own drinking and watching people. I walked over to her and sat down at the stole beside where she was leaning.

“One vodka shot please,” I asked the bar man, he nodded and grabbed a shot glass then poured the liquid in. As soon as he had finished pouring it I grabbed it and poured it down my throat in one quick gulp, banging the glass back down on the counter once I'd finished.

"Woah girl, what's up?" Callie asked watching me worriedly.

"I can't be bothered with boys anymore," I said dejectedly, glaring at the couple that walked up beside my seat. They gave me a weird look and left as quickly as they could. When I turned back to Callie she was watching them leave with a small smile on her face.

"Join the club!" she said in an amused tone. She moved around me and took the bar stool beside me. "What happened?"

"Oh, just Chase. I can't be bothered talking about him either," I sighed. Callie turned to the barman and ordered a few more drinks.

"Ah well, we'll just have to drown our sorrows won't we?" she asked offering me one of the drinks. I looked up at her and smiled slightly, taking the drink off her.

"Sounds like a plan."