Grey
party
Rory’s party was exactly how I imagined it would be. The second I walked through the doors of his parent’s lavish home, I wrapped my arm protectively around Grey’s shoulders. She looked around at the chaotic scene, her green eyes wide.
“We can leave, if you want,” I said, tilting my head to speak directly in her ear. There was no other way she would’ve heard me. The music was far too loud, the flashing strobe lights at ever corner almost blinding. They made everything feel like it wasn’t real – like I was viewing everything that was happening in a series of photographs, right in front of me.
“I said I’d meet your friend,” Grey shouted. I shook my head and tightened my grip around her shoulders. “Just stay close to me,” I said in her ear, as I manoeuvred my way through the throngs of people, never loosening my grip on her. If I let her go, she was sure to get swallowed up by the crowds of people dancing, drinking and smoking in every room.
I found Rory soon enough, sitting on a couch in the main living room, surrounded by girls, cigarette in hand. “Rory!” I shouted. He looked over at me and broke into a huge smile, before getting up from the couch.
“Nate!” he exclaimed, “You came!”
I shook my head. “I shouldn’t have. I knew it wouldn’t be tame. This is no place for Grey and I. What if she gets hurt?”
“Don’t talk about me like I’m not here,” Grey cut in. I glanced down at her and saw immediately that she was genuinely upset.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “Rory, this is Grey.” I looked back over at Rory, who bowed theatrically.
“Finally, I’m in the presence of the famous Grey,” he said in a stupid accent.
“Nice to meet you,” Grey said, looking at him oddly.
“The pleasure,” Rory said, taking her hand in his, “is all mine, ma’am.” I shoved him in the shoulder and he fell backwards a few steps, laughing. “What’s the matter, Nate? Think I’ll steal her away?” he said. “Believe me, I wouldn’t think twice about it.” He was drunk – that much was obvious. He wasn’t himself, and the look in his eyes was dangerous.
“Grey, we’re leaving,” I said abruptly, turning to leave, tugging her along with me. “Leaving so soon, Nathaniel?” Rory called after me, laughter apparent in his tone. I ignored him and quickened my pace; sighing in relief once we were out of the house and heading over to my car.
Once inside the car, I sat and stared at the steering wheel for a long time, gripping it so tightly that my knuckles had turned white. Grey placed her hands over mine, gently prying them from the wheel. I glanced over at her, still visibly shaken from the party.
“Nate?” she said. “Are you okay?”
“I’m so sorry about Rory,” I said. “He was drunk. I’m getting you out of here.”
“Nate…”
“I know what he’s like. We’re just lucky we got out when we did. His parties always get out of hand.” I started the engine then, and took off, straight for Grey’s apartment. She remained silent in the passenger’s seat.
I sensed a strange sort of tension in the car, and when I looked over at Grey, she was staring straight ahead, a hard expression set on her face. If only I’d known then what was brewing under the surface, I never would have taken her home.
“We can leave, if you want,” I said, tilting my head to speak directly in her ear. There was no other way she would’ve heard me. The music was far too loud, the flashing strobe lights at ever corner almost blinding. They made everything feel like it wasn’t real – like I was viewing everything that was happening in a series of photographs, right in front of me.
“I said I’d meet your friend,” Grey shouted. I shook my head and tightened my grip around her shoulders. “Just stay close to me,” I said in her ear, as I manoeuvred my way through the throngs of people, never loosening my grip on her. If I let her go, she was sure to get swallowed up by the crowds of people dancing, drinking and smoking in every room.
I found Rory soon enough, sitting on a couch in the main living room, surrounded by girls, cigarette in hand. “Rory!” I shouted. He looked over at me and broke into a huge smile, before getting up from the couch.
“Nate!” he exclaimed, “You came!”
I shook my head. “I shouldn’t have. I knew it wouldn’t be tame. This is no place for Grey and I. What if she gets hurt?”
“Don’t talk about me like I’m not here,” Grey cut in. I glanced down at her and saw immediately that she was genuinely upset.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “Rory, this is Grey.” I looked back over at Rory, who bowed theatrically.
“Finally, I’m in the presence of the famous Grey,” he said in a stupid accent.
“Nice to meet you,” Grey said, looking at him oddly.
“The pleasure,” Rory said, taking her hand in his, “is all mine, ma’am.” I shoved him in the shoulder and he fell backwards a few steps, laughing. “What’s the matter, Nate? Think I’ll steal her away?” he said. “Believe me, I wouldn’t think twice about it.” He was drunk – that much was obvious. He wasn’t himself, and the look in his eyes was dangerous.
“Grey, we’re leaving,” I said abruptly, turning to leave, tugging her along with me. “Leaving so soon, Nathaniel?” Rory called after me, laughter apparent in his tone. I ignored him and quickened my pace; sighing in relief once we were out of the house and heading over to my car.
Once inside the car, I sat and stared at the steering wheel for a long time, gripping it so tightly that my knuckles had turned white. Grey placed her hands over mine, gently prying them from the wheel. I glanced over at her, still visibly shaken from the party.
“Nate?” she said. “Are you okay?”
“I’m so sorry about Rory,” I said. “He was drunk. I’m getting you out of here.”
“Nate…”
“I know what he’s like. We’re just lucky we got out when we did. His parties always get out of hand.” I started the engine then, and took off, straight for Grey’s apartment. She remained silent in the passenger’s seat.
I sensed a strange sort of tension in the car, and when I looked over at Grey, she was staring straight ahead, a hard expression set on her face. If only I’d known then what was brewing under the surface, I never would have taken her home.
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I don't even know.