Dance with a Devil

The party was raging. At least it was in Violet's eyes. Garrett didn't want to come because he wasn't feeling very well, but Violet had one hell of a day at school. Practically failing two exams and almost falling asleep through a lecture? It was rough, so she decided to get ridiculously drunk.

"Kenny!" she exclaimed, stumbling over her own feet. Her voice so loud and high-pitched, it even pierced her own ears.

Kennedy laughed. "Hi, drunk Violet."

Violet grinned, swinging her arm around him. The beer in her other hand sloshed and spilled over slightly.

All her friends watched, amusedly. Jared and his girlfriend, Tessa, were laughing but they weren't paying that much attention to her, as they were to themselves. They were cute, Violet thought. She hoped they would get married soon. Tim and Eric were cracking jokes about drunk Violet, with Kenny joining in a few times, too. John was just drinking his beer, watching her, intently.

"You're watching me," Violet accused him. "Stop watching me!"

John shrugged, smirking. "I can't really help it."

The music started to blare louder and everyone left the kitchen to dance and mingle, leaving John and Violet by themselves. Even her drunk self knew that they didn't like each other–John was an asshole.

She huffed and turned on her heel, making her way outside to the backyard, where it was nice and cool. John followed her.

"Stop following me!" she exclaimed.

"You're gonna end up impaling yourself with something at the rate you're going through with that," he jerked his head towards the beer in her hands. "I'm just watching out for you."

"I don't need you," Violet glared.

"I'm sure," John smirked.

"All you do is smirk," she said, disgusted. "Why can't you ever be nice for change? Why can't you be loving? Why can't just be human?" she stumbled into him.

John caught her and said, "Whoa, there."

Violet shoved him off. "Go away."

"You hate me, I get that," John shrugged. "But clearly, you're in no shape to be by yourself. How many fucking beers did you have, anyway?"

Violet sneered at him. "Not that many! Like five..."

John laughed. "I've gotta be honest, drunk Violet is way more amusing than normal Violet. Why don't you ever get drunk? No, the real question is, why are you drunk now?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Shit day."

"Ah," John took a swig of his beer. "Isn't that everyone's excuse?"

She rolled her eyes at him.

"Shut up."

John only laughed. He watched her the entire time. Violet didn't really know what she was doing. One minute, she was insulting John, next she was circling him while reciting random Arizona state laws that she had to learn for a class, and then next, she was singing a song by The Maine.

John found it highly amusing.

"You are the best drunk person I have ever met," John said, in between laughter.

"Please, I'm awesome either way," Violet rolled her eyes, waving her hand.

"That is true," John nodded.

She snapped her head to look at him, glaring. He looked at her and asked, "What did I do now?"

"You agree that I'm awesome?" she scoffed. "What are you getting at, O'Callaghan? Do you want something from me?"

John smirked. "I can't think you're awesome?"

Violet shook her head. "You're an asshole! All you do is criticize me and scrutinize me and compare me to all those other slutty girls. Well, ho ho ho, John O'Callaghan, nope. Your words have no affect on me! You wanna know why? Because you're just like a typical jock at school. A charming douchebag who gets everything that he ever wants. You can't think I'm awesome. Douchebags have no right."

She stumbled forward a little bit and John caught her, laughing just slightly.

"I agree," he nodded. "I am a douche and a jackass and an asshole sometimes, but there is so much about me you don't even know, Violet Casey," he smirked, looking into her eyes. Their faces were very close to each other and Violet looked a little dazed.

And then she threw up all over his shoes.

"Okay, I'm taking you home now," John said, chuckling. He flung her arm around him and guided her towards the gate and then towards his truck.

John started the ignition and drove in the direction of Violet and Garrett's apartment.

"Why are you taking care of me?" she mumbled.

"'Cause Garrett's gonna kill me if anything happens to you. I am the last person who saw you..." he replied, slightly jokingly. "Seriously, though, you think that I'm this scary beast or something? Really, Violet?"

Violet shrugged her shoulders, suddenly feeling tired. "You've never showed any other side of you."

John glanced at the girl, feeling something inside him bubble up.

"You really just don't know me then," John said, quietly. Violet seemed to not have heard him. She was watching the scenery go by through the window. She felt sick again but she didn't feel the urge to vomit. She just wanted to go home.

"Vi?" John poked her at a red light. She swiveled her head in his direction. He laughed and said, "Jesus, you're really drunk."

John smiled, suddenly. "Well, I guess I better say this now then, right? I'm just gonna say it and you can't say anything back, ya hear?" he glanced at her. Her eyes were drooping and she was slowly falling asleep.

John took a breath and then said, "I love you, Violet. I have no idea for how long, but ever since I've known you, you've always been the one to counter me. How long as it been? Over a year? Almost two years? Maybe it's just a thing for guys to be attracted to girls who are their complete opposite, but I care about you and I definitely don't compare you to other girls and scrutinize you. I like who you are. I like that you're optimistic. I like that you don't hide from a fight. I like that you're feisty. I like that you aren't like those girls at parties that would do anything for attention. I like everything about you, it seems. Unfortunately for me, you're in love with Garrett, and that's fine. I get that. He's a great guy and deserves someone like you. I'm an asshole, right? A 'charming douchebag'? Yeah, well, this charming douchebag is in love with someone he can't ever have..." John glanced at her again, but she was fast asleep against his window. He was slightly glad.

He pulled up at Garrett and Violet's apartment complex and carried Violet in his arms up to their apartment. Garrett opened the door and immediately asked, "What the fuck did you do to her?"

"Calm down," John rolled his eyes. "She's just drunk. She won't remember a thing in the morning."

Garrett took Violet from him and muttered a thanks before he shut the door in John's face. John couldn't help but chuckle to himself. He raked his fingers through his hair and left the complex, going back to the party.

"I am such an idiot," he said to himself, shaking his head and driving back and thinking about Violet. "The biggest idiot alive..."

+

Violet sat inside Sully's Bakery on the request of Trey, because it suddenly became his (and the rest of the boys') newfound obsession. She wanted to just be alone and have some peace, but within a nice environment. Her and Garrett's apartment was too quiet and lonely since Garrett left. The bakery was very cozy and had a good amount of people in it.

She ordered a Golden Snitch cupcake because they sold themed cupcakes like that. Garrett would've loved it, if he didn't already. Violet couldn't help but think of how much he would love the Darth Vader ones.

"One Golden Snitch cupcake," a girl with long blonde hair said, bringing over her cupcake on a tiny plate.

"Thank you," Violet said, kindly.

"You're welcome!" the girl smiled. She was about to turn around when Violet stopped her by saying,

"I can't believe you guys actually make this."

The girl turned back around and beamed. "Yeah. It's my specialty, I guess."

"God, this is so weird. Like, I actually haven't been out in such a long time," Violet said, suddenly. "I only go to school, my house, and then John's house–but I haven't exactly been there in a while..." Violet suddenly realized that the girl in front of her had no idea what she was talking about. "Shit, I'm so sorry. I sound crazy."

The girl chuckled. "It's fine. Not everyone is society's definition of normal, you know? I'm weird, too, if you want to call yourself that."

Violet laughed. "I'm sorry. I've just been going through so much shit lately. All of my problems just built up and exploded right in my face, all at once."

"Sorry," the girl sympathized. "That must really suck."

Violet nodded. "It does. I'm sorry," she said again. "I'm Violet...since we're both weird, might as well get to know each other on a first name basis, right?"

The girl smiled. "Florence."

Violet fell silent, her mind thinking away. She sighed, loudly.

"Wanna talk about it?" Florence asked. "You look like you really need it."

"Oh, I don't want to keep you from your job..." Violet shook her head, even though she secretly wanted it. How nice would it be to get advice from someone who wouldn't have a bias, like Cecilia or any of her other friends?

Florence shrugged and sat down in front of her. "My sister owns this bakery. She can't exactly fire me without causing a rift in our family, now can she?"

Violet laughed and smiled. "Thank you. Well," she started. "It starts with a boy named John. He's been going through some stuff lately and it's really affecting him and his work–he's in a band. My boyfriend, Garrett, is also in that band, along with a few of our friends. They asked me to help John out, because the guy literally doesn't leave his house. He left everything behind. So, I kind of took care of him. Well, time passes and one day, I'm mad at John because he won't open up to me and next thing I know, we're kissing. I still have a boyfriend! I mean, Garrett was mad but now he's sad and he left and he's staying with his brother, instead of with me. He asked me what my feelings are towards John, but I couldn't answer him! Now I'm avoiding John because I honestly don't know how to answer that question. I don't know what to do."

Florence was listening, intently. Violet looked to her, desperately, for some advice.

"Okay," Florence said. "I'm actually the worst person to come to for advice, because I've actually never had a boyfriend before, but honestly? Violet, you love Garrett, there's no doubt about that, but if you have feelings for someone else, then clearly you and Garrett shouldn't be together. Or you should at least 'take a break' or something, because he doesn't deserve that. There's a quote somewhere by someone that I don't remember at the moment, but he said something like, 'If you fall in love with two people, go for the second one because you wouldn't have fallen in love with him in the first place if you truly loved the first.'"

Violet really thought about that. Clearly, she had feelings for John, but the question was if she was able to leave Garrett for him. All she ever knew was to love Garrett Nickelsen. He was her boyfriend–he was her first love. She loved Garrett more than she loved John...she hoped.

"I'm sorry that I wasn't much help to you," Florence stood up. "but I hope everything works out, eventually."

"Thank you so much, Florence," Violet looked up at her and said, honestly. "It means a lot for a stranger to help me out. All my friends would just be biased."

The girl smiled and said, "Oh, it's no problem." And with a smile, she went back to the the kitchens.

Violet sighed. The advice was helpful, but it also just made her confused. The funeral was this weekend and Violet promised John that she would go. She needed to support him while he was in a room full of people who basically hated him for some reason.

Maybe then she could figure it all out.