Love Never Dies

It was night almost ten regardless of the late hour a party was in full swing. Teenagers were arriving at a double decker house that was lively with the signs of a party. From every direction kids arrived either by car, bike, skateboard, scooter, or by foot. The house was loud with music and chatter. Alcohol was being drank and shared.

Another big sign of partying was the obvious sign of teen hormones and libido. You couldn't look anywhere without coming to the sight of teens making out in corners or couches. There was already a dude with a lampshade on his head and another was throwing up in a plant. Splashing could be heard as people dived into the pool and splashed water at one another. Yes everyone was lively and having fun except for one person.

Dylan paced back and forth in the alley wondering why he had let his friends talk him into coming and contemplating whether to go back inside or not. On one hand he thought he should to make sure his friends were okay and do they wouldn't leave him behind. On the other if he did he would see her and her new man.

"To go back inside or not." He said out loud to himself. "I should cause I was here first and to show her that her sucking on his face isn't getting to me." "On the other hand just the thought of that makes me...he sighed to himself. "That only makes me miss her all over again."

Dylan was so caught up in his ramblings he didn't hear the door to the house open then close. He also didn't see nor noticed the girl who stood a couple of feet away watching him. She stood listening to him mumbling to himself she tilted her head then looked around before speaking.

"Who are you talking too?" She asked.

Dylan jumped and turned quickly finally noticing the girl who now stood with an amused look on her face. His eyes widen wondering how long had she been standing there and listening to him. She stood still with an amused smile waiting for an answer.

He collected himself shoving his hands into his pockets. "You scared the crap outta me."

"Sorry." She said with a small grin.

"No no it's okay." He said shaking his head. "I just, um...thought I was alone."

"So you were talking to no one?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No." He said lamely looking at the girl.

She was around his age, about 5'6 maybe a little shorter, her skin was pale almost like a china doll, her dark hair which rested on her collarbone contrasted beautifully with her skin, her eyes look either greenish brown or hazel. He couldn't really tell from where he was standing. She wore an army styled jacket which was zipped up so he couldn't tell what kind of shirt she wore. A black ripple skirt stopped just above her knees with black leggings and small heeled Mary Jane shoes. She also wore a bag which was slung over a shoulder and rested on her right hip.

Seeing him staring she looked down bashful before breaking the silence. "So you go to Humphrey?" She asked trying to make conversation.

"Yeah Westerberg?" He asked kicking pebbles.

"Same here." She said then look towards the house. "You know whose party this is?"

"No, not a clue." He said with a shake it his head then looked back at her. "You?"

She shook her head. "No, I don't know my brother brought me here."

"Well, my friends it's like we drive around all night calling everyone we know, just looking for some party, you know, I mean, any party." "Then we finally find one, we'll get there and we won't know anybody so we just stand around eventually just leave, and go look for some other party."

"That's silly." She said. "Why do you do it?"

"What else are you gonna do, right?" He asked looking back down at his feet.

He walked around the door opened as a couple walked out the girl giggled clinging onto a guy's arm. He glanced briefly at the couple before turning back to the girl.

"Why'd you come out tonight?" He asked.

"I honestly didn't want too my brother heard about this party and decided to drop me off here." She said.

"Why?" Dylan asked.

"Him and my dad are having their guys night out I guess he felt bad about leaving me at home alone so he decided to get me out the house by bringing me here." She said with an eye roll.

He chuckled slightly. "Don't sound like you're too happy about that."

"No, not really." She said with a small smile. "I mean I appreciate him getting me out but I'm just not a big party person."

"I can relate." Dylan replied with a nod.

"Is that why you're not in there right now?" She asked.

"No, it's not the main reason I'm not." He said as he stopped pacing.

"Why then?" She asked noticing his posture deflate she shook her head. "You don't have to tell me I'm sorry I asked...

"No, no it's okay." He said. "You don't have to apologize you didn't do anything it's just...it's hard being in there when your ex is in there frenching her new guy.

He glanced up noticing her eyes widen he kicked himself why did he tell this girl he didn't even know that? She was probably thinking he was pathetic letting his ex get to him like that.

"I'm sorry." She whispered making him look up. "You still care about her a lot."

"Well, yeah she was my first love my first everything." Dylan said. "No matter what happens your feelings about your first don't just go away you'll always feel something for them to a degree."

She nodded. "So what's her name?"

"Britt." He said.

"Britt Robertson?" She asked.

"Yeah you know her?" Dylan asked surprised.

"Not personally I know her face and I hear about her around school."

"I forgot you go to the same school I do." He said. "I've never seen you around."

"I've...I had to be out some weeks sometimes months so I'm kinda absent a lot." She said.

"Hmm...family problems?" Dylan asked.

She glanced down. "Something like that." She whispered.

Dylan noticed how her voice took on a sad tune how her face dropped. He briefly wondered what was going on with her family.

"So, what's your name?" She asked looking back up.

"Um...Dylan." He said. "Dylan O'Brien."

"Dylan, I'm Aaliyah." She said walking alongside the wall.

"Aliyah." He said it incorrectly.

"Aaliyah." She corrected him firmly. "Put a little emphasis and pressure on the a." "Aaliyah like Muhammad Ali."

"Aaliyah." He said pronouncing it correctly.

"There you go!" She said giving him a thumbs up making him chuckle.

"So are you a junior or senior?" He asked.

"Don't know yet I had to take summer classes to catch up." She said sliding down the wall into a sitting position. "But I'm keeping my fingers, toes, and everything else crossed."

"I'm sure you've passed." He said. "Besides you've got the look."

"What look?" She asked with a tilt of her head.

"That desperate kinda demented look that whoa I'm a senior I graduate and all my nights of drunken high school parties are almost over." He said.

She tilted her head again with a half smirk. "You've got that look."

He twirled his finger around his face. "Right?"

"So, if you don't mind me asking what happened to you and Britt?" She asked pulling her knees up her chest and laying her head down.

Dylan stopped walking debating whether to tell her or not. He barely knew her so it was any of her business but she seemed like a very cool person. "She decided that she didn't want to be with me anymore so she dumped me for another guy on top of that a guy she knows I despise greatly."

"Who is he?" She asked.

"Brendan Meltzer." He said with a tone of disgust.

"I've seen him he's ripped and good looking." Aaliyah said a grin tugging at her lips at Dylan's affronted expression. "But he's a jerk, womanizer, and a cheater." "Guy can't keep it in his pants couldn't stay faithful to his other girlfriends what makes Britt think she's an exception I wonder."

"Thank you!" Dylan said failing his arms. "God, I just don't understand of all the guys in the world." "HIM?" "To make it worse it feels like she's rubbing it in my face that she's with someone new."

"So that's why you're out here hiding." Aaliyah said.

"What?" He asked irritated. "I'm not hiding."

"Fleeing then?" She asked stretching her legs out.

"I just...I had to get out of there." He said with a sigh. "Watching my ex making out with the best looking guy ever." "It's torture."

"Gummy worm?" She asked holding out s bag.

"No, thanks I'm good." He said pausing to look at her scratching his neck. "Yeah sure."

He walked over as she held the bag out he reached down into the bag grabbing a couple. She looked up her eyes meeting his her eyes were a stunning mix of brown and green. Dylan lost himself in her eyes as he slowly pulled his hand out the bag she blinked giving him a small smile as he stepped back.

She stood up adjusting her bag. "I should probably get going home." She said sending him another friendly smile. "It was nice meeting you."

"You too." He nodded.

She started to walk away before stopping turning to see his back to her. "You're cute." She said.

Dylan stopped and turned surprised. "What?" He asked.

"I said you're cute miles good looking then Brenden." Aaliyah said messing with the strap of her bag.

Dylan blushed. "You don't have to say that to make me feel better." He said.

"I'm not I never say anything I don't mean." She said. "You really are attractive and any girl would be lucky to have you as her boyfriend." "Britt doesn't know what she's lost but her lost is someone else's gain because the girl you end up with is gonna be a very lucky girl."

His face grew even more redder and hotter at her compliments.

"You don't even know me." He said. "So how can you think that about me?"

"I can tell good people just have an air about them that radiates from them and you have that." She said her face a little flustered.

Dylan felt his blush grow the way she talked about and looked at him made him...he was brought out his thoughts by his own two feet. He stumbled and ended up falling on his butt right in front of Aaliyah.

"Are you okay?" She asked quickly running over.

"I'm fine." He said rubbing his butt embarrassed. "I just tripped is all."

She tilted her head."that was a pretty big fall though."

"Really I'm fine." He said quickly with a chuckle. "Nothing bruised except for my bruised confidence."

"Better that then something else." She mumbled quietly.

He glanced up hearing her he started to ask her what she meant but was cut off by a guy coming out and getting on a skateboard rolling away. He scooted up till his back was against the wall.

"Well, you probably want to go away and get a head start home since you were on your way there." He said.

"Trying to get rid of me?" Aaliyah asked with a small frown.

"No, no it's not...his words were cut off as she burst out laughing at his face. "I'm just teasing!" She said still laughing.

Dylan frowned not finding it funny at all she stopped noticing his face. "Come on it was a little funny your face was the cake though." She said imitating his face. Dylan shook his head but he found himself fighting a smile and a laugh. He started to laugh with her she giggled sitting down next to him.

"Okay it was a little funny." He admitted shaking his head.

They grew quiet as a new song started to play from inside the house.

"I paint my nails black"
"I dye my hair a darker shade of brown"
"Because you like your women Spanish, dark, strong, and proud"

"Lana del Rey." Aaliyah whispered meeting his eyes. "This songs amazing."

"Yeah, this some is amazing." He agreed though he had never really heard any of Lanas songs but the beat was nice. Out the corner of his eyes he saw Aaliyah smile softly to herself as the chorus started she closed her eyes moving her head with the music and mouthing the words.

Dylan couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked and so serene. "You wanna dance with me?" He asked.

Her eyes popped open meeting his eyes. "I...I don't do you wanna dance with me?" He asked again.

"The last time I danced I was seven, it was at my aunts wedding, and I hated it." She said. "I don't dance."

"Man, way to build up my confidence which was lacking." He said. "You even picked up it was."

"I just haven't done it in a while plus I'm afraid I'll embarrass myself." She said play with her jacket zipper. "I don't want to be laughed at."

"Well, we're all alone here and second I was just talking about one dance but it's okay if you don't want too." He said looking down.

She smiled faintly before getting up, dusting the back of her skirt, and walked away. Dylan sighed shaking his head. "Well?" He looked up seeing Aaliyah stanching there waiting he quickly got up dusted the back of his pants off and approached her.

She raised her arms slightly he slowly put his hands on her waist as she stretched her arms and wrapped them around his neck.

Lana's sultry voice continuing singing in the background as they moved slowly. Aaliyah was looking at his hands on her waist before meeting his eyes she giggled softly. "You're really tall." She said. "You have big hands." Dylan rolled his eyes but couldn't help but chuckle there was something about her laugh and smile that you couldn't help but join in. As he held her he noticed that her hipbones were really prominent.

"I haven't done this in forever so this feels really weird." She said breaking him out his thoughts. "But..:it's a good weird."

He couldn't help but smile this did feel nice she returned it her fingers playing with the hair on his nape. Her smile faded as she heard mainly felt something. "Your balls are vibrating." She said.

They both quickly took a step away from each other as Dylan pulled his phone out and looked at the message. He read it, looked up meeting Aayliah's inquisitive eyes.

"The cops are here...his words were cut off as the door opened and screaming could be heard. Kids ran out screaming and running in every direction. A guy ran out and stopped looking at them. "They're taking everybody's name, they're handcuffing people, it's every man for himself!" "Let's go!" He yelled before running off.

Dylan looked at Aaliyah who looked back before they both took off running in the same direction the guy ran into. They ran until they made it into the front yard.

"What should we do?" She asked trying to catch her breath.

"Hang on." Dylan said taking out his phone. "I'll call my...his words were cut off as a car slowly drove away containing Brenden and Britt who was smiling and looking back at all the fleeing partiers. He sighed looking sadly at the car as it passed he stared at it for a couple of minutes before remembering Aaliyah.

He looked around seeing her standing a couple of feet behind him. She gave him a sympathetic look before smiling faintly she jumped down and walked over to him.

"My house isn't far from here it's like ten blocks away." She said. "You wanna walk with me for a little?"

He looked back in the direction of the car and thought about it, he found himself not wanting to leave Aaliyah just yet she was nice to talk to and to be around.

Finally he nodded and said "Yes."