|chapter six:: party after party|

"TELL me again why I'm doing this?" Ander asked as he stared at himself in the mirror and I sat in the chair behind him.

"Because you are being a good friend to Omar by doing this," I explained and he glanced back at me.

"By wearing this?" He questioned, motioning at the golden right shorts he wore. That was basically the costume, seeing as both him and Omar were going to be characters from Rocky Horror Picture Show.

I nodded, "Yes, he needed someone to match with," He groaned at my words, so I smirked, "If you don't want to wear it, I will."

"No," He instantly turned to look at me, as I sat in cheerleader outfit, "It's bad enough you're going to be matching with Niccoló."

I smiled, "He didn't have anyone to match with unlike you. Carla was dressing out of his taste and Valerio wanted to be a vampire."

"And what's so wrong with vampires?" He asked, but when I shrugged, he scoffed, "Let me guess, he was just making excuses so you can't dress up with me."

"He wasn't making excuses." Ander gave me a look when I defended Nic, as if what I said was absurd, and part of me knew it was. "We used to dress up together anyways."

"Yeah, but that was before he got sent to boarding school and before you had a boyfriend," Ander explained, "Now he's trying to act like nothing has changed and you're going along with it as usual."

I furrowed my brows, refraining myself from rolling my eyes, "Ander, don't start, please."

"Don't start what?" He remarked, "I'm just saying the truth and what I see. He's pretending like everything is the same between you too and it's like I suddenly don't exist once you guys start talking."

I couldn't tell if he was starting an argument because of the hardships he still dealt with himself or because he genuinely hated Nic. I sighed anyways, "Ander, I don't treat you like you don't exist."

"Maybe not you, but that dickhead does," He expressed, "I just don't like you being around him is all."

"So do you expect me to just stop talking to him out of nowhere?" I asked, "Treat him like he's the one that doesn't exist?"

"I'm not asking that from you," Ander huffed out, "I'm not asking you to do anything. I would just appreciate if you let Nic know where he stands and where I stand when it comes to you."

"I don't even know any of that, so how can I tell him?" I asked and he furrowed his brows at me.

"You don't where we stand?" He asked, having us both just stare at each other for a moment, before I sighed.

"We never used to keep secrets," I explained, "And if there were, it was between us. We wouldn't keep things from each other, especially after these past three months, so yeah, I'm not sure."

"I'm not keeping things from you," Ander argued, but before I could refute that, he went on, "And every relationship there are challenges, so don't just use my distancing as an excuse for you to do and say certain things."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, and he huffed loudly.

"I overheard Nic talking to Valerio about you going to the club after our dinner just go be with him yesterday." Ander informed me, but I drawn my brows together.

"I just needed a drink and actual friend at the moment and it's not like you were in the mood to even be bothered with me or even spare me a glance," I retorted, clenching my jaw, "And we did nothing but drink and dance for a bit, that's it."

"Okay, so why didn't you tell me yesterday?"

"Because it wasn't important, Ander." I claimed, "It's not like I fucked him."

"But you say I keep secrets." He scoffed and I get up from the chair to go him.

"No, I said we, not just you." I assured him, "Something changed between us, Ander. Never were you distant and wanted to start arguments out of nowhere. We promised not to push each other away."

"I'm not the only one that was distant, Adriana." He grunted, "And none of this came out of nowhere."

"So where? Where did it come from, huh?" I asked him, but he stood silent, so I shoved him a bit, "Why aren't you letting me all the way in, Ander? What's wrong because none of this is about me, Nic, or our relationship?"

"Everything, Adriana! Everything is wrong and everything is fucked up and I can't tell you any of it!" He suddenly exclaimed before we both heard a knock at the door.

"Come in!" We said in unison before the door swing open to reveal Omar in his costume. I couldn't help, but smile as Omar was finally becoming comfortable in his own skin, "You look great, Omar."

He eyed us, knowing that anger resided inside both of us before smiling back at me, "Thanks. I was hoping the makeup wasn't too much."

I go over to him and cup his face, nodding over to Ander who was behind us, "He's all yours. I'll meet you guys at the party." Before he answered, I walked off and out of Ander's house to go to my car. When I got in the car, I slammed the door shut and rested my head on the steering wheel, "Fuck!" I cursed loudly to myself, not even sure if I was mad at him or myself.

Why couldn't he tell me things? I wondered to myself, what was he keeping from me that's eating him up so badly?

I let out a groan before I put my keys in the ignition and drove off to my old house. It wasn't long before I got there, a weird feeling hitting the pit of my stomach as I pulled up in front of the house, though I chose to distract myself with everyone entering the house with costumes on.

I hesitated before leaving my car, going into the house slowly as the music for louder and the smell of weed and alcohol got stronger. I pushed my way through the crowd as I went inside, smiling at everyone's costume under the blacklights that surrounded the house now. For a sudden party like this, people were sure to have a costume in time. I guess people will do anything for free drinks.

"Ana!" I heard, only to smile wide when I saw Lu waving me down as she dressed up at Frida Kahlo. I went over to her only for to scan my outfit, "I didn't expect the skirt to be that short on you. Freshman year, it touched your knees."

I laughed at her words, glancing down at my skirt, "It's called growing, Lu."

She chuckled and handed me a cup, letting me keep it before she looked around, "Where's your dates?"

I raised a brow at her, "Did you intentionally say it plural?" She smirked and I shook my head, "I don't know, Lu and I don't care."

She eyed me for a moment, "God, don't tell me you and Ander got into an argument..again."

I shrugged, chugging down the drink I didn't even know anything about, "I don't want to think about it. It was really stupid and just-"

"Addy!" Niccoló yelled out as he walked up to us with Valerio and Lu rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry, but didn't you see us having a conversation?" Lu asked him before Valerio draped his arm over her shoulder.

"Relax, sis," Valerio cooed, before eyeing me, "Wow, Adriana. If only cheerleading was still in our school-"

"I think Val means to say that you look nice," Nic intervened and I looked at him as he stood near me with his football costume, though more of the slutty kind.

"You don't look too bad yourself." I complimented back and he grinned before taking the cup from hand to drink from it, "Oh, thanks for asking, Nic."

He chuckled, licking his lips, "I still have some left if you wanna taste." He then puckered his lips out me, and I shoved him with a light laugh, though when I looked at Lu, she held disgust before she shoved Valerio off of her and looked past us.

I followed her gaze to Ander, who entered the party with Omar, who were both gaining some stares as they both wore coats, "I did not expect that either."

I chuckled, "Yeah, I told Ander to match with Omar so he wouldn't be alone." Nic looked back as well, noticing Ander, before looking at me with a smirk, though I hit his arm before he could get a word out, "Don't do it."

"Do what? I didn't even do or say anything!" He groaned, rubbing his arm a bit, "I was just going to offer you another drink."

I scoffed, but nodded as he then grabbed Valerio and walked off again. Lu fixed her hair lightly, disgust still on her face, "What is it?"

"He clearly doesn't care about anything still." Lu acknowledged, "It's been years and you would think at least one of them would have changed their ways." I didn't respond, but she didn't car if I  did when she looked down at her phone, "I have to go search around for Guzman, he isn't answering his phone," I nodded as she watched Nic come back to us without Valerio, "Have fun."

"I intend to," Nic responded and she rolled her eyes again before walking off, "Literally, no one likes me here."

"Are you just noticing that?" I retorted when he gave a fake laugh before handing me a cup.

"You like me though, right?" He asked and I chuckled as I took a sip, "What? What's so funny?"

"You're funny," I clarified, "I don't like you, I only tolerate you, Nic. There's a difference."

He nodded slowly as he drank from his cup, "Really, because you used to do more than tolerate me."

"It's as if you like bringing up the past all the time," I remarked and he hummed, "It's called the past for a reason. It's meant to stay behind us as we look forward."

"Yeah, but also so we can look back and remember all the things we missed, things we did... things we wish there were more of," He trailed, eyeing me.

I sighed, "Niccoló -"

"Dance with me," He interrupted, holding his hand for me to grab before he pulled me downstairs to my former basement to where even more people were. The floor felt like it was vibrating as he led me to where everyone was dancing, only to pull me close to him when he felt we were in a good spot. I yelped at his sudden action, almost spilling both of our drinks since I was unaware of his plans.

I then look around the room to see Ander staring at us as he sipped on his beer, before Nic stood in front of my view, "So I guess nobody likes me or tolerates me either."

"What do you mean?" I asked and we slowly began dancing.

"Ander clearly doesn't like me and so I avoid him at all cost," He explained, "Yet he's been glaring at me since he got here."

"That's because he's mad at me," I sighed before drinking more from my cup as he raised a brow, "We've just been at odds lately is all."

"Is it because I'm here?"

I shrugged, "I don't know, one minute it's about you, then it's about me and then it's about the unexplainable."

He smirked, downing his cup before pulling me close again. I tried to push him off because I knew what his motive was. He really enjoyed pissing other people off since it meant he could get under people's skin very easily. And by the looks of it, he was already getting under Ander's.

We danced for a while in silence, even when slow songs started to play as if it were prom. God, the DJ couldn't read the room. Nic and I soon sat down, especially when I expressed how my heels made my feet cry in pain after the first hour.

"Addy," Nic called me and I hummed in response as I removed my shoes, "I've really missed us," He mumbled, but I laughed, so he turned to look at me fully, "I mean it, Adriana."

I looked up from my feet and at him to see the seriousness in his eyes, causing me to raise a brow a little, "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I left without even telling you how I truly felt for you," He explained, "And yeah, I know I'm fucked up by saying it now because you're with Ander, but my feelings never changed. Ever since middle school, I always felt something for you."

I looked down, "Nic-"

"I know, I know," He groaned, "I know things are difficult and maybe I'm only saying it because I see how things between you and Ander are-"

"Niccoló!" We heard and turned to see Ander shoving through the crowd with Omar and Guzman trying to hold him back, "You know you've been a real pain in my ass since you showed up."

Nic suddenly smirked and got up from his seat to go up to Ander, who was clearly drunk, "And I'm curious to know why, Ander." Nic entertained, "Is it because Guzman doesn't like me, so you have to follow him like a pet and thinks what he thinks?" He wondered, then glanced at me, his smirk widened as I approached the two, "Or is because of the relationship that I have with Adriana?"

"You guys have no relationship," Ander sneered, "She hasn't ever thought about you."

"Are you sure?" Nic asked as he tried to get close to Ander, but I stood in between them, "You never seem to give her the time of day lately, so how would you know?"

"Nic, stop okay? He's drunk." I tell him, watching him meet my eyes for a brief second before at Ander, who continued.

"I don't need you to defend me, Adriana," Ander told me when I glanced back at him as Nic moved around me.

"She's just trying to stop you from looking like an ass in front of everyone here," Nic chuckled, "I know I'm a dick, but I wouldn't be one to my girlfriend."

"How would you know about relationships, huh?" Ander questioned as Guzman still tried to pull him away, "You never even gotten close to one to even criticize mine."

Nic looked at him amused, but I called out his name, "Niccoló, don't."

"Says the guys who came here wearing gold shorts." Nic laughed cruelly, clearly ignoring me, "And at least I know I've treated your girlfriend better than you ever could," He commented, "In more way than one actually, especially when we slept together."

Ander froze and met my eyes briefly before turning to Nic and lunging at him in seconds. He shoved past Guzman and Omar, and within seconds, he straddle Nic to repeatedly punch him.

"Ander, stop!" I yelled as Guzman and I tried to pull him off Nic, "Ander!" I grabbed his arm stop him from punch, but Nic then hit him hard, knocking Ander off of him. They then stood up, ready to fight again, until Valerio and Rebeca came in.

"Okay, this was supposed to be a Halloween party," Rebeca told them as Valerio pulled Nic aside, "Not fight club." I looked around the room, seeing everyone's eyes on us, which also made me notice the damn music stopped too until Rebeca told the DJ to turn it back on.

"Let me go!" Ander yelled at Guzman and my brother reluctantly let him go before Ander walked off and he followed close behind, briefly sharing a look with me.

I clench my jaw before turning to Nic and shoving him, "What the fuck is wrong with you, huh?"

"I just told him the truth."

"Yeah, about something that happened years ago, Niccoló," I exclaimed at him as he rubbed his jaw.

"He didn't ask for a when it happened." Nic retorted and I balled my fist and punched him in the face.

He stumbled back a bit, but Valerio caught him quickly, "You need to get over it, Nic. You need to move on and stop trying to fuck things up all the time."

I stormed off, but he was quick on my heels, "Hey, I'm not the only one putting all the cards on the table, Addy." He grunted, pull my arm to stop me, "You are playing like you never felt anything for me."

"I didn't," I huffed and he smirked a little.

"Liar," He mumbled, but I shoved him again, pulling my arm from his grip before I kept walking away. Though, he yanked me by my waist and into the bathroom nearby. I flared at him as he closed and blocked off the door, "Why are you with him, Adriana?"

"Because I love him, Nic," I admitted, "We've been through a lot together and I'm not going to just throw what I feel for him away like it meant nothing just because you're back."

"But you'll throw away your feelings for me?" He wondered and I groaned.

"We were never going to get farther than where we are now, and what I feel for Ander is different than what I felt for you," I ranted, "You don't know what that feels like, Nic, because all you like to do is fuck with everyone's head and their emotions. "

"So what, you think I'm some heartless bastard?" He questioned, "You don't think I have emotions, Adriana? Because I do and it fucking sucks, which is why I fuck with everyone's head and emotions. I treat everyone like shit and I act like I don't give a damn because I know that if I ever told you how I really felt and that I'm in love with you, nothing would change."

I stared at him for a moment, before huffing heavily, "Yeah, you're right," I nodded slowly as I go up to him, reaching for the doorknob, making him move to the side, "Nothing would change, Nic."