3 The Party

We arrive at the party and I immediately recognize Sam’s brother, Martin, in the crowd. I feel very uncomfortable with his presence, but I rather not mention it to Miranda. She has no idea he’s here or that he has also seen me and now he and his friends are looking at me in the most hostile way possible. I can only imagine what they must be saying about me. I want to go home and hide under my bed.

“Hi! I’m so glad you came.” Says Laura, a classmate from college, I must have known she’d be here, she is dating the guy whose house we are in. “I love that dress! You look super cute, Olivia.” She says kindly. 

“I think I look good too.” Says Miranda not been able to bear when someone else gets the attention. 

“Yes, of course, you both look great.” Replies Laura with a big kind smile. 

They both start chatting next to me, but I have no clue what they are saying. I’m fixated on Martin and his friends. Whatever they are saying about me is not nice at all. I try to look away, but it’s like I can feel rivers of hate flowing towards me. 

“Are you here by yourself, Olivia?” Laura asks me. 

Hearing my name takes me out of my self-absorption. But before I can answer, Miranda talks again. 

“No, she’s with me.” She says with a childish voice. 

“I know, but I meant with a guy. I heard you’ve been dating Sam Molina.” Says Laura. 

I freeze, not knowing what to say. I wish I could erase everything related to Sam from my life, including his brother looking at me so insistently right now. 

“Olivia and Sam? No way! Olivia is dating a guy waaay hotter than Sam.” Says Miranda. “Sam’s nothing compared to the hottie she’s going out with.”

I look at her with begging eyes, imploring her to stop, but Miranda pretends she doesn’t notice me. 

“Really?” Asks Laura with a curious smile in her face. “Where is he? Why didn’t he come with you?” 

I’m still out of words. I just smile back at her with a dumb expression in my face.

“He’s working. He’s such a hard worker. Which is why he has lots and lots of money. Yeah, you wouldn’t believe how rich he is... and handsome! Did I mention he’s handsome?” 

“Ok, Miranda, that’s enough.” I mumble. 

Is there a switch off button in her somewhere? 

“No, I wanna hear about this handsome rich guy you are dating. What’s his name? Where did you meet?” Laura is obviously not buying any of this. 

“He works for my dad.” I answer and try to come up with a name, but my mind is blank. “His name is...”

“Let’s get out of here before daddy points a gun to our heads.” 

I see Martin walking towards us with two other guys. They give me a dirty look as if I was some kind of hideous creature. I lose my train of thought, I just feel a cold chill running thru my spine. 

I know by Miranda’s look that she gets the reference and she’s ready to give them some witty reply, but I take her by the arm.

“Please don’t. Just ignore them.” I ask her.

Miranda glares at me clearly pissed off. 

“Are you really doing nothing?” She asks astonished. 

“I prefer not to make a big deal out of this.” I say as if it was nothing, but I just want to go hide and never come out. 

“I thought so, you’re not as brave when daddy is not here to defend you.” Martin expresses with anger.

“Get lost. Her dad might not be here, but I am and you just messed with the wrong girls.” Miranda replies defiantly. 

“My brother had to get stitches after what her dad did to him.” Martin mutters. 

“I feel so sorry for what happened.” I say in trembling voice. I feel mortified. Poor Sam, he didn’t deserve what happened to him.

“Your apology means nothing. I’ll make you pay for what you did...”

“Why don’t you go take care of your brother and leave us alone.” Miranda takes a step forward and places herself between Martin and me. She lifts her face showing him she’s not intimidated by him. I’m so thankful to have a friend like her. 

One of Martin friends puts his hand on his shoulder. “Let’s go, dude.” He hisses.  

Martin takes a step back and walks away with his friends. 

“What did I miss?” Laura asks, confused. 

“Nothing!” I answer a little too loud. 

Erick, Laura’s boyfriend and owner of the house we are in, approaches us with a grim look. 

“I think it’s better if you go now, Olivia. I don’t want you in my house.” He says to me rudely. 

I feel a knot in the pit of my stomach. Is this really happening? Am I being kicked out of the party?

“Hey! What’s going on, babe? That’s really rude. Don’t talk to my friends like that.” Laura complains not knowing what’s happening. 

“She knows why I’m doing this.” He says upset. “I rather not hang out with your type people.”

“Hey, come on! This is just a misunderstanding. Olivia did nothing wrong.” Miranda interferes. 

“No, it’s not a misunderstanding, everything is clear for me: you are exactly the type of person I don’t want to have near me. Get out of my house or I will drag you outside myself.” Erick threats looking directly at me.

We draw the attention of the people around us, most of them are friends and people I hang out with regularly. Isn’t anybody going to say something in my favor? But no one does, they just look at me and whisper to each other. I have never felt so small or humiliated in my life. 

“This is ridiculous!” Miranda is acting outraged while I’m just standing there like a statue, trying to process what is happening. 

More and more people are staring at us. 

“Can someone please explain to me what’s going on?” Asks Laura as she places both hands on her hips waiting for an answer.

“I’ll tell you later, babe, but now Olivia has to go.” Erick replies before we clasps my arm to, as he threaten, drag me outside.

“Yeah! Take the bitch out!” Someone yells in the crowd and other voices raise to show support. 

I walk with him towards the door without opposing, even though his grip is hurting me. I’ve never been treated like this in my life. I’m in shock. 

“Hey! Stop! Have you lost your mind?” Miranda cries out. 

“I want this bitch out of my house now!” Erick replies. 

“It’s ok. I’ll go, you don’t have to do this.” I babble wishing I could make myself invisible. 

Erick lets go of my and points out to the door. 

“I’ll come with you.” Says Miranda, furious, but I know she was really looking forward to this party and I don’t want her to miss it because of me. 

“No! Don’t be silly. You stay. I’ll go. Ivan will take me home. I’m fine.” I say not believing one word coming out of my mouth. 

“If you are really ok with this... I guess I’ll stay.”

I can see a happy glow in Miranda’s eyes. She really wants to stay.

“Yes. It’s fine.” I lie. 

“Don’t you ever come near this house again. You are not welcome.” Erick states with his arms folded over his chest. 

Many pairs of eyes follow me to the exit. It’s really cold outside, but I barely feel it, the humiliation keeps me warm. I’m doing my best to wait until I’m inside the car to start crying. Not only did I lost a guy I really liked, but I also lost my social life. I can’t even blame them. It’s understandable they’re afraid to be near me after what happen. I’ll never date again, it’s going to take a really brave guy to ask me out now that the word is out about what my dad did.

I look around for Ivan, but instead I find someone else. 

“Are you leaving so soon?” The Handsome Intruder asks. 

He’s leaning over a blue BMW M8 Coupé having a smoke. 

“What are you doing here?” 

“Ivan had other things to do, so I offer to cover for him.” He says. 

What is he talking about? Ivan’s job is to be my driver, what else could he be doing? In all these years he has worked for my family Ivan has never done something like this. 

“What things?” I ask irritated, after what happen I just want to go home, I’m in no mood to deal with this presumptuous stranger. 

“Do you want me to take you home or not? It’s kind of early to leave a party if you ask me.” 

“I’m not asking. I have a headache.” I lie. 

“Then let’s go.” He opens the passenger door for me.

I get in reluctantly. The car smells like new, I love that smell. The Handsome Intruder gets in the driver seat and starts the car. 

“Did you have fun?” He asks looking ahead. 

“Yes.” I lie.

“You don’t look like you had fun to me. You actually look upset.”

“I don’t care. You know, Ivan usually keeps quiet, you should do the same.” I say rudely. 

The Handsome Intruder laughs. I know it’s not his fault that I was just kicked out of a party, but his attempt in making small talk is really getting in my nerves. I look at him out of the corner of my eye, Miranda is right, he is gorgeous. For some reason that just irritates me even more. 

Once we get home, he steps out to open the car door for me. We walk in silence to the front porch, I turn around to thank him for the ride and suddenly I feel his lips on mine. His kiss is soft and sweet. He puts his hands around my waist to keep my body close to his. It takes me a few seconds to react and flinch. 

“What do you think you are doing?!” I ask baffled. 

“You said I shouldn’t talk, but you didn’t mention anything about kissing, doll.”  He says as he winks at me. 

I push him away and step inside the house. Who does he think he is?