We All Fall Down

The curling iron was on and I made sure not to touch it since the steam was already rolling off. I didn’t want a scorching white burn on my fingers.

I was brushing a light base around my forehead as I stared at myself in the mirror. The curling iron was hot enough so I decided I could start on my hair. I took the ends of my dark brown hair and twirled it around the curling iron. Counting off to fifteen, I pulled it out, watching the curl bounce off. I pulled at it to loosen it a little and started on the other side of my hair.

When I was finished with my hair, I ruffled it around a bit to make the curls turn into more looser waves. I spritzed only a little bit of hairspray onto my palms before I rubbed them together and combed it through the curls.

I turned off the iron, moving back to makeup. I pulled off the brush tip of the liquid eyeliner and began making a swift motion over my eyelids, making sure that I didn’t smear any of it. Sometimes it was difficult to deal with liquid eyeliner, but I found that I was actually pretty good at it. I wiped at the little smudges that had formed in the creases of my eyes and dabbed some water on it to make it come off.

Next, I rubbed some creamy eyeshadow over my closed lids and around my eyes to give me that fresh, eye-popping look.

After that was just simple lipgloss.

I already had on a black dress that were half quarter sleeves and reached my knees. As I was putting on my earrings, I turned to my dresser to see the clock on it.

It read nine-thirty.

I knew that I was probably kind of late, but it didn’t matter. I wouldn’t know anyone besides the ATL boys and the FTSK boys. Oh, and Matt. Their manager.

And Lena.

I sighed, pulling my light, gingham coat on. I reached down for my bag on the floor and began making my way out of the room.

The room that had belonged to Aidan and I.

But I knew, that after this night, that was going to change. I already made plans on moving out. Within just one night, I had made the decision to break up with my boyfriend, move out, and move back into my dorm, from which I heard from my former roommate, Kayla, was still available.

I already decided that I definitely was not going to stay here for another night. Not another night without Aidan here. In an empty apartment that just seemed so vast and lonely in it’s presence.

I had packed a bag in my car so I could stay at my old dorm. I still had the key to it.

I decided that I would talk to Aidan in the morning. I couldn’t force all of this onto him in just a five minute conversation over the phone, in between his shoots. That was just rude. I had to come back--one, for my stuff, and two, to tell Aidan everything.

Maybe I was rushing out of things that I had rushed into, but I knew that I just had to get out before anything.

So for tonight, I was gonna go to a party. To forget about everything and drown my sorrows in loud, blasting music with nice, cold beer.

How classy was I?

I got into my car, pulling out of the apartment complex garages and turned onto the road. I still remembered exactly where Alex lived. He had bought a new house during the year and I remembered going there often back when we were as close as ever.

Haha, guess that’s not the case now…

I finally reached the little house I remembered as Alex’s new pad and made my way to the door. There was loud music going on in the inside and I rang the doorbell.

Sighing loudly, I waited.

But not for long. Before I even had time to compose, the door swung open and there stood Zack Merrick.

“Mia!” he shouted, engulfing me in a bone-crushing hug.

I went willing, laughing into his shoulder as I said, “Hey Zack.”

He pulled away from me and shut the door behind me as he dragged me along with him towards the foyer. I went willing, still, and saw that we were going towards the kitchen.

Where everyone was standing.

And I was surprised. I mean, I actually recognized most of the people there. They were all high school friends and friends we had made out of high school. I even saw Alex’s parents there. That really surprised me.

That’s when I realized this wasn’t a normal house party.

Jack was the first one to spot me.

“Mia!” he shouted, mimicking Zack’s first reaction as well.

I giggled at this as I went over to give him a hug. “Hey Jack,” I said as I wrapped my arms around his skinny waist.

When I pulled away from him I saw that Alex was instantly by my side. He put his arms around me, patting me lightly on the back as he said, “Glad you could come.”

I was overwhelmed with a feeling of nostalgia being in Alex’s arms again. I slowly hugged him back, giving into the feeling as I said, “Of course. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

I felt him tense at my words.

That was weird.

I pulled away to look at him but saw that he had already darted his gaze and wouldn’t meet my eyes. He walked away from me, moving back to where I saw Lena was standing. She smiled warmly at him as he put an arm around her shoulder and brought her close to him. A habit he had whenever he was with her.

That’s when I saw cups sitting off to the side and I went for it. I took a sip, hoping that it would be alcohol of the sort, but only to be met with soda.

Honestly, what kind of party was this when there was no freaking alcohol?

I was just standing there, idly, sipping quietly at my non-alcoholic drink when someone had turned down the music and I saw that Rian was clapping his hands together. I felt a tug on my hand and turned to Jack who looked like he was about to pass out; his face was that white.

“Jack?” I asked, a little worried at the sight of him.

He pulled on my hand harder as he said, “Mia. There’s something I forgot to tell you--”

But before he could say anything else, Rian raised the red cup in his hands and said, “To the lovebirds! Alex and Lena! The little fucker finally got engaged!”

My gaze shot to Alex.

And what surprised me the most, wasn’t actually the news that Rian had just professed, even though I was finding it harder to breathe, it was that Alex was looking directly straight at me. As if he was waiting for my reaction.

All I could give him was a wide-eyed look and a smile as I lifted my cup to him.

“Congratulations,” I whispered.

And I knew that he had heard me.

Even over everyone else’s cheering and congratulatory sayings.

I had to get out of there. I needed air.

I broke away from Alex’s stare and from Jack’s hold, and went to find the balcony. It was the only place I could feel safe in this situation. I needed to get away from everyone and everything here. Especially that ring on her finger.

I didn’t even look at it.

That’s when I heard someone behind me. I looked to see that Alex had followed me out to the balcony.

Oh god.