Maze cringes. “Well, it’s not technically at Slade’s place.”
“Technically? What’s that supposed to mean? It’s either his place or not?”
“It’s Damian’s place and Slade is there enough so…it’s kinda like his place.”
“Fuck, Maze. What were you thinking dragging me into the lion’s den?”
“Come on,” she says, looking over and trying to appear somewhat innocent. “It’s really not that bad. Damian’s place is huge and there’re going to be so many people there that you probably won’t even see them. Besides, they’re the kind to sit outside with girls dancing on their laps, keeping them distracted. If we chill inside, we’ll be safe.”
I roll my eyes and let out a groan. “Fine, but don’t think for one second that I’m going to be hiding from them. If we’re going to do this thing, then we’re going all out and enjoying ourselves until those fuckers inevitably kick us out.”
“Damn straight. That’s the motherfucking spirit.”
“Okay,” I laugh, wondering how the hell tonight is going to play out. “You can bring it down a notch.”
“No, I can’t. Tonight we’re having fun so you need to put your Slade bullshit aside so we can enjoy ourselves. I don’t know about you, but I plan on getting shit-faced. Hell, I might even be down for a threesome tonight.”
“Bullshit,” I laugh, hoping she’s an advocate for ‘don’t drink and drive.’ “There’s no way. You don’t have the balls for a threesome.”
Maze pauses and considers me a moment before reality sets in. “Okay…you might be right about the threesome, but a girl can dream.”
I shake my head as Maze grins wide with excitement and turns up the music until I can’t even hear myself think. I let out a long breath and relax back into the seat. Maze is right, tonight I need to push my Slade bullshit aside and enjoy myself. It’s been a week of hell waiting for him to humiliate me in some horrendous kind of way after I let Blake loose on his ass, trying to get my knife back. Though, I don’t regret it one bit. I’ve been sleeping like a baby and haven’t had anyone sneaking into my room in the dead of night, so that’s always a bonus.
Maze brings her beat-up car to a stop in a busy street and I follow the crowd down to a small house. At least, this is my version of small. For Aston Creek, it’s probably one of the bigger properties, but after being raised as a mob princess with a silver spoon in my mouth, I seem to have a slightly different meaning to the term ‘big.’
Maze and I step out of her car and she instantly fixes her skirt and adjusts her thigh-high boots, making sure she looks perfect. Me, I couldn’t give a shit what I look like. I’m not here to impress anyone.
She loops her arms through mine and practically drags me along. I glance down at our arms with a strange fondness that I wasn’t quite prepared for. I grew up with my best friend, Luce and well, I don’t know if she’d even consider herself that anymore seeing as though I up and left without a word nearly four weeks ago, but I’ve missed her and right now, I feel as though this strange friendship with Maze is beginning to fill the void. Hell, maybe one day Maze and I could have something really great, if she can chill with all that extra spirit and chatter she seems so full of.
We walk down the pathway leading to Damian’s front door and realize there’s no way in unless we plan on barging through the packed bodies spilling out of the open door. I glance over to the front window and see that it’s just as full. Maze was right, there’s going to be so many people here that I won’t even notice Slade. I guess I can relax and enjoy myself after all.
Upon seeing me walking down the pathway, most of the party guests step out of my way and I grin knowing that I’ve made some sort of impact in Aston Creek. People know that I’m not going to sit back and be trampled, I’ve had that life and that’s not me anymore. I’m stronger, fiercer. Besides, they’re probably more afraid that I’ll cause some sort of damage trying to get through.
Maze and I barge through the bodies and I let out a sigh. While most people have shuffled out of our way, there’s still hardly any room and I still end up with sore shoulders from having to barge my way past.
We break out into the open living space and I glance around. There’s a bit more room to breathe here, but after glancing out the back window to where bodies are crammed into the backyard, I realize we have it good.