Everything's Different Now

After the movie Kenny thought it would be nice to get something to eat afterwards, and it was but I know he was doing it so I'd like him more than Joe. Seriously I didn't anticipate there would be a rivalry, besides even with mine and Joe's history Kenny is my closest friend and he knows it. Maybe he just wants the reassurance.

When we got back to mine he helped me finish cleaning my room and now he's gone home leaving me bored out of my mind. I was tempted to go to that house warming party Joe invited me to but do I really want to force myself to mingle with people I don't know.... Oh god it's like school all over again when Joe asked me to his house party and I ended up drunk and woke up the next morning in his bedroom. Then again I most likely won't drink this time just to be on the safe side, and it's not like I have to stay long. Just go say hi and come home. No- it's probably too late anyway.

Looking at the clock it reads just after ten.... Damn it.

Ok, I'll just throw something on go over there and see how it is. As long as I don't have to talk to Justin I'll be fine. I'm a grown woman.

***

Putting on my sixth outfit choice I run my hands over my black skirt. I let out a sigh of frustration, why this is so difficult? It's not like I'm trying to impress anyone. Looking around my room it's starting to look like it did when it was trashed, collecting all my discarded clothes from the floor I dump them on my bed before looking for a pair of shoes to go with the outfit I've put together. Finally deciding on a pair of grey suede heels I start filling my black clutch with money and my phone.

I take a look at myself in the mirror, my face made up, my hair styled and my outfit complete.

"I can do this." I say to myself as I look at my reflection. "It's just a party, there's nothing scary about a party. There's no teenagers, no school rapist.... Nothing."

Taking another calming breath I leave my room turning off all the lights and grabbing my keys before leaving my apartment making sure to double check I've locked the door. The last thing I need is for whoever broke in to come back and do it again.

***

Paying the taxi fare I step out and look up at what I'm assuming is Justin's new apartment building. You can tell just by looking at it he's not afraid at spending his inheritance money quickly.

"Are you here for the party too?" The doorman asked as I reached the entrance

"Er... yea." I finally answer with a nod.

"Go on up." He smiled opening the door for me.

"Thanks" I smile back but not actually walking inside.

"Are you ok?" he laughed

"Just nervous, are there a lot of people? At the party I mean."

"About fifty people." He shrugged "Do you want me to call someone down to take you up?"

"Oh no, no it's fine. I can manage. Thanks." Quickly walking in I take the private elevator up feeling more and more nervous, it isn't long before the sound of music starts echoing from the party.

The doors slide open and I reluctantly step out, almost everyone I can see is involved in their own conversation but there are a few who feel the need to look at me which isn't helping the situation.

All I need to do is find Joe, it shouldn't be too hard.

Walking through the party and closer to the huge living room which seems to be where most people have congregated; in the centre of the room is what I guess is being considered the dance floor even though really it's not dancing, it's grinding.

As I look around the room for Joe my view is blocked by a waiter with a tray of drinks "No thank you." I say stepping around him and squeezing past a few people before I'm stopped again.

"You look nice." Justin smiled gesturing to my outfit.

"Thanks." I say forcing myself to talk normally rather then acting like the timid mouse I've turned into the past hour.

"Joe said he invited you, but he was convinced you weren't going to show up."

"Speaking of Joe, do you know where he is?" I ask leaning forward to make sure Justin can hear me over the music.

"I believe he is.... Oh- right there." He said pointing behind me. Turning around I look to find myself staring at the dance floor, and right in the centre of my eye line is Joe practically dry humping some girl.

Well that's unexpected and... well kind of uncomfortable for me to watch. It's not like I expected him to be standing in the corner or anything but I didn't think he'd be grinding against some girl either... and now he's kissing her. Ok I think it's time for me to go. I knew this was a mistake. Every time I go to something Joe invites me to, it ends up being a mistake. First his house party, then it was that night out bowling with his friend when I found out he was using me for a bet, then that stupid party at his friend's cousins place- and that's just the tip of the ice burg. I should've learnt by now.

I quickly whip back around almost forgetting that Justin is still standing there. "I've gotta go." I quickly step around him but he puts his arm out to stop me. "What are you doing?" I ask looking up at him

"We need to talk." He takes hold of my hand and pulls my through the crowd and into a separate room- his bedroom.

"Look, I don't know what you're planning but-"

"Oh get over yourself." He said impatiently as he closed the door. "I don't want to sleep with you. For starters you're Joe's girl and in all honesty you're too high maintenance."

High maintenance? I am not high maintenance! "First of all I'm not Joe's girl, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't insult me."

"Why are you here?" Justin asked crossing his arms

"Joe invited me." I answered confused by the question. I'm pretty sure we already covered that Joe invited me here.

"I know that, but you obviously don't want to be here just like you obviously have a problem with me."

"Joe told you?"

Dropping his arms Justin let out a laugh of disbelief "Come on! I'm not an idiot. I can tell. What I would like to know is why? As far as I know I haven't done anything to you."

"I never said you did. I just don't like you. The way you view life as one big party is unbelievable not to mention the way you spend money the way that you do-"

"So you don't like me because I have money?"

"No I don't like the way you act with money. Money that isn't even yours. Seriously, what sick and twisted person is glad that their own dad is dead? He cut you off big deal, he probably did it so you wouldn't end up the way that you have, but clearly it was a waste of effort considering you've done it anyway." Having finished my brief rant I can already start mentally listing more things I don't like about Justin.

"Wow, you really have an opinion on everything don't you?" He said taking a small step toward me.

"I really don't understand why Joe's friends with you." I mutter pushing past him.

"You're not leaving until I've said what I have to say." he loudly spoke

"Get on with it then." I demand turning back to face him.

"You might have this little judgmental opinion about me but you're just pissed because you know I'm a better friend to Joe then you'd like to admit."

"I highly doubt that. Especially considering what you've turned him into." I argue back

"What I've turned him into?" Justin laughed rolling his eyes.

"Yes you! The Joe I knew had a good time and yes he had friends that I didn't like and he did things I didn't like, but he didn't hook up with random girls at parties. I mean god knows how many girls he's slept with since becoming friends with you, not to mention he wouldn't have acted the way he did when I saw him for the first time this year."

"Newsflash!" Justin shouted "Joe acts the way that he does because of you."

"So why is it that when I'm with him he's a decent guy and the moment you come around he's.... well he's like you!" I shout back.

Justin pushes his hand over his hair in frustration. "Do you have any concept of what affect you have on him?"

"I don't want to talk about this with you-"

"You don't need to talk, you just need to listen. When he started college he kept to himself and only ever left his room to go to class; I was his roommate and I could tell from talking to him that he's really a confidant guy. Being a friend I got him to act like himself again and he started to actually enjoy college life; I took him to some parties and he decided- on his own- that he wanted to keep going out. Do you want to know why?"

"No" I angrily mutter just wanting Justin to finish his lecture so I can go home.

"It's because going out and hooking up with girls made him forget about the girl who broke his heart....Here's another thing you might not know, after he saw you he went out and he partied, he drank and he hooked up. He didn't do that because of me, he did it because of you; because you get in his head and you mess with him."

"I'm not messing with him." I say trying to avoid eye contact with Justin.

"You don't even see it!" He shouted in disbelief almost forcing me to actually look at him "You slept with him, you left, you appear out of nowhere, you act like you're his friend, you pick fights with him and then become his friend again, and to top it all off you tell him he has a daughter. Seriously the guy loves you and for whatever reason puts up with all your shit and you can't even make a simple decision about whether or not you like him. I thought Ashley was bad but you seriously go above and beyond on the crazy scale."

My head snaps up "What?"

"Did you listen to any of what I just said? I'm not r-"

"No I heard you. Who-Whose Ashley?" I ask

"Joe's ex! If that's the only bit you heard then- Where are you going?"

Ignoring Justin I quickly get out the room, as I leave and head towards the exit I can't help but look in Joe's direction, unfortunately he looks away from the girl he's with long enough to see me. Being spotted makes me speed up and I'm almost running to the elevator. Rapidly pushing the button for the lobby the door slides closed before Joe can catch up with me.

He's right. I can't believe am about to admit it but Justin's right. I've messed with Joe's head and he's changed because of it. But then there's that thing he said about Ashley- I don't know maybe I'm jumping to conclusion, it might just be a coincidence. There are loads of people with that name. It's not necessarily the same person.

It can't be the same person.