The Reunion
TW: Emetophobia warning for the end of this chapter. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
The loud music reverberated through every part of my body. Even my quickly developing headache started to pound to the beat of the music. I closed my eyes and tried to take some deep breaths, willing the pain to go away.
“Are you okay, Lyra? Do you want to go somewhere a little quieter?” Dylan’s hot breath fanned my ear. My eyes snapped open, forgetting that I was in the presence of company. I had met Dylan an hour ago after reluctantly arriving at this party with Mina. It wasn’t long after our introduction before Mina excused herself to go find the drinks table with a wink.
Since then, Dylan has been glued to my hip. He’s a nice enough guy, with a cute-but-nerdy look going for him, but I just wasn’t in the mood for an hour-long discussion of school. I had three research papers to write, due in two days, and had barely glanced at any of them. Our conversation did nothing to ease my rising panic. I had already refused Dylan’s offer to get me a drink, wanting to be sober when I went home to work on my assignments. Mina promised we would only stay for two hours. She had talked me into coming to this party against my better judgment with a perfected routine of begging, guilting, and finally, invoking the Best Friend Favor.
We created it when we first became friends in our freshman year of college. The Best Friend Favor is meant to signal how significant the other person’s ask was. It was silly and childish, but it stuck. We used to joke that the Best Friend Favor was the gold standard of asks. And as we both know, it’s tough to say no to that.
“I’m okay. I just feel a little headache coming on. I get migraines pretty often,” I admitted absentmindedly, scanning the room for my missing best friend. I hadn’t had a chance to meet him, but Mina informed me as we were getting ready that the party would be hosted by Adrian Campbell. As soon as I entered the massive foyer, I knew what kind of family the Campbells were. The house (if it can even be called that) boasted nine bedrooms and had a massive staircase in the foyer. I didn’t get a good look around the house as we entered, not wanting to make it seem like I wasn’t used to this level of lavishness. I wasn’t, of course, but I still felt the need to keep up the pretense.
Looking around now, the home is furnished very tastefully and has a modern aesthetic. I take in the many details of the decor, including the clean black, white, and grey color scheme. My mouth twists into a smirk at the irony of a college rager being thrown in such a classy home. My eyes linger on the beer pong table in the center of the clean, open-concept living room. It seems the only difference between upper-class parties and lower-class parties is the scenery.
Still unable to find Mina among the throng, I make a start to hunt for her. A hand on my arm stops me, and I turn my head to look at Dylan. He gives me a questioning look, concern still etched on his face. I cup my mouth with my hand and lean close to his ear. “It was nice chatting with you. I’m going to find my friend Mina.”
He nods in understanding and moves to follow me. Great.
We check the kitchen first. My eyes scan the massive kitchen island and all the bodies gathered around it, looking for Mina’s signature long golden tresses.
Unsuccessful, I move to the back door. A few people are loitering outside, smoking and drinking. Taking a step outside, I let the cool September air fill my lungs and luxuriate in the feeling. I immediately feel my headache start to subside a bit. Shutting the door behind me does little to muffle the music’s bass inside. I scan the patio area, noticing a girl from one of my classes I spoke to briefly when I arrived. She’s lounging on a sofa with some other guys who I don’t recognize.
I raise my chin in her direction and stuff my hands in my pockets. “Hey, Caitlyn, have you seen Mina come outside? I lost track of her a while ago.”
Caitlyn thinks briefly, rubbing her chin with her thumb while her cigarette dangles daintily from her slender fingers. “The girl you came with, right? No, she hasn’t come out here. We’ve been here for a while. She’s probably back inside somewhere. You should check upstairs.”
She glances at Dylan, who stands awkwardly behind me, not saying anything. Still annoyed, I don’t move to introduce them. He’s the one that decided to follow me around. Dylan awkwardly clears his throat and steps from behind me to introduce himself.
“Dylan,” he extends a hand. Caitlyn raises herself slightly from the sofa to meet his handshake.
“Caitlyn. You guys can come chill with us if you want?” She offers kindly.
“I may take you up on that. I just have to find Mina first. I just want to make sure she’s okay.”
Caitlyn nods in understanding, raising her cigarette to her lips for a long pull. She leans back on the sofa and continues her conversation with her companions.
I look at Dylan, “Do you want to stay with them?” I hope he’ll take me up on the suggestion, but he shakes his head.
“I don’t mind helping you look for Mina,” he offers with a sweet smile. I nod with a huff and continue my search. As soon as I open the door, the full volume of the music hits me like an invisible wall. I can feel my teeth vibrating in my skull. With nothing else for it, I clench my teeth and dive back into the fray. I do another check of the living room, the kitchen, the hallway, and the downstairs office before making my way to the grand spiral staircase in the foyer. I pass by a vacant washroom and stop, turning to Dylan.
“I have to use the washroom. Feel free to wait or go and mingle.” I try to encourage him
He nods and posts himself up against the wall outside the bathroom door. I release a sigh as I shut the door. What is it going to take for him to get the hint?
After using the bathroom, I take the time to assess myself in the mirror. I run my fingers through my curly brown hair to tamp down some of the volume and eliminate tangles. The bathroom lighting washes out my medium skin, making it look kind of sallow. Looking a little closer at myself, I see a small vein in my forehead throb to the beat of my rising headache.
I really wish I had thought to bring my migraine medication with me. My vision was starting to spin. I’ll have to find Mina and head home before it gets worse. I step back from the mirror to fix my fringe while I try to stall for time. Hopefully, Dylan will be gone by the time I head back out. Growing bored after another five minutes, I take a small breath before turning the door handle to leave.
Dylan was waiting for me right where I left him, beside the bathroom door.
“Ready to go?” I ask, forcing a smile. He follows me obediently as I start towards the staircase.
After going up a few stairs, I stop to look at Dylan. He looks up at me curiously before I motion for him to go ahead of me instead. His eyebrows twist in confusion for half a second before giving me a knowing smile. Brushing past me, he takes my place to lead us up the stairs.
“Better safe than sorry, huh?” He muses when he brushes past me.
Damn right. I’m not in the habit of giving butt-ogling freebies to stalkers.
The second floor is much less crowded. The top of the staircase opens into another slightly smaller living room that branches off to hallways in separate directions that I assume lead to the bedrooms. There are a few people milling about in the upstairs living room, relaxing on the plush sofas. The TV is turned on to a sports channel, but no one seems to be paying attention. I don’t recognize anyone in this new group. This party is mainly made up of Mina’s people. And with Mina’s popularity, she has a lot of people.
I approach the group, aware that they probably can barely hear me. “Hey, anyone seen Mina?” I yell over the steady rhythmic beat of the music.
Most of the girls ignore me while the guys look me over but give no indication they heard me. Only one guy stands up from the sofa to acknowledge me. Once he stands up, I notice how tall he is; he towers over Dylan and is at least a foot taller than me. At 5′8, I’m not considered short, but he’s making me rethink that perspective.
As he stands up, I take the time to look at him. He has brown hair that he keeps cropped on the sides. He brushes aside the longer pieces at the front as he straightens to stand. His nose looks as if it was broken once, but this only adds to his quirky charm. His brown eyes reflect a soft kindness as he looks me over curiously. As our eyes meet, he gives me a crooked smile, showing off pearly straight teeth before extending a hand to me.
“Maybe I can help you out. I’m Adrian. You’re looking for Mina?” I shake his hand, giving him my best smile. He lowers his head and leans close so we can hear each other better over the music.
“You’re Adrian? So this is your house, then? Nice to meet you. I’m Lyra.”
“My parent’s house, but yeah, that’s me. They let me have parties here sometimes, and my buddies need a place to host them. Honestly, any excuse to have pretty girls at my place I’ll take.” He gives me a playful wink, which makes me laugh. Hearing the sound of my laughter makes Dylan take a step closer to me, making his presence known. Adrian’s eyes shift between me and Dylan, saying nothing for a moment.
“You two dating?” He points his chin at Dylan and me, addressing us both.
“We just met,” I mumble. I feel Dylan take another step closer to me, feeling the heat of his body warm my back.
“I’m helping her find her friend.” He places a hand on my hip, and I jump at the unexpected contact. I watch silently as Dylan maintains direct eye contact with Adrian.
Adrian’s eyes narrow at Dylan. “I know Mina. I can help you find her, Lyra.” His eyes never leave Dylan’s.
Okay, whatever the fuck was going on here needs to end. I turn to face him just as Dylan opens his mouth to respond. “Thanks for helping me look for her; I guess I’ll see you downstairs?”
Dylan gives me a defeated look. I strain my ears to hear him over the music. “S-Sure, I guess I’ll see you downstairs.” He awkwardly peels his hand away from my waist, takes a couple of tentative steps away, and waits, seeing if I will change my mind. I give him one last polite smile before he turns to head downstairs and disappears. I breathe a small sigh of relief at his retreat.
“Thanks for your help.” I tilt my head up to see Adrian smiling again.
“Always happy to help a pretty damsel in distress. Let’s go find your Mina. I saw her go off to one of the bedrooms with one of my buddies. She didn’t seem too tipsy when I last saw her, so I’m sure she’s okay. We might have to check a couple of rooms, though.”
He motions me to follow him as he starts down one of the long hallways that I assume leads to bedrooms. We check the first room to find a couple of girls fixing their makeup in the massive vanity mirror; they watch us passively as we reverse out of the room, and I shut the door with a slight wave.
Opening the door to the second bedroom after a quick knock reveals a guy I’ve never seen before sprawled out on an expansive king-sized bed. A timely break in the music lets us hear his heavy snoring. Adrian quirks an eyebrow at me in amusement, and we share a look before he reaches for the handle to close the door quietly.
“I have a good feeling about this one. Good things come in threes, right?” Adrian jokes as we stop at the next bedroom door in the hallway.
“I don’t think that’s the right saying,” I respond lightly, shaking my head at his silliness. Then, I turn the handle.
Nothing could have prepared me for what lay behind door number three.
The room was dark, save for one bedside lamp, casting distorted shadows. Mina was facing away from the door, on the bed, sitting on her knees with her head slightly tilted back, exposing her neck as Kian Atkins sucked and kissed hickeys into her neck. He sat upright on the bed, leaning against the headboard, with one leg straight out and the other bent at the knee. She was kneeling between his legs, small hands fisted in his T-shirt. Just as I was about to announce myself, I was stunned into silence as he kissed a particularly sensitive spot, and she mewled in pleasure.
Kian Atkins.
Kian Fucking Atkins.
Hearing the commotion at the door, Kian’s eyes pop open. His green eyes flick from me to Adrian before finally resting on me.
His gaze stays locked with mine as his lips leave her neck, only for his tongue to trail slowly along the crook of her neck, drawing a shiver and another soft moan from Mina. He trails kisses back up her neck again, grazing and gently nipping her with his teeth. He then raises one hand to tangle in her golden hair, tilting her head a little farther to give himself better access to the delicate flesh. He looks like a starved man as he feasts on her. Neither of us can look away as I watch the man I despise pleasure my best friend with his mouth.
The lamplight reflects the gleeful wickedness in his eyes as he gently slides his idle hand under her top, caressing her back. I’m completely rooted to the spot. A silent battle plays out between us as if he’s daring me to interrupt. His cold glare hints at a familiar hatred simmering just below the surface.
“What the fuck, Wilhelmina.” I breathe into the darkness, breaking the spell. The mild headache from earlier blossoms into a rhythmic throbbing in my left temple.
Behind me, I hear Adrian release a low whistle, taking in the scene.
Shit. I definitely feel a migraine coming on.
Hearing my outburst, Mina snaps her head around. Even in the low light, I can make out that her cheeks are painted in a bright red hue, and she’s breathing heavily. I’m definitely not a prude, but the thought that Kian Atkins was responsible for it makes my stomach roil.
“Oh! Lyra!” Mina struggles to scramble off of the bed to greet me.
For his part, Kian doesn’t move an inch at the intrusion. Resting his head against the headboard, his eyes are half closed as they hold mine. He looks completely at ease as if he had already anticipated my interruption. He never seems caught unaware when our paths cross like I am. I hate that I’m the only one affected by his presence. The sharp burn of resentment settles in my chest, gripping my airway like a vice.
“Little miss Lyra Lawson,” he lets the taunt roll slowly across his tongue with a satisfied smirk. He’s always liked to say my full name. Trying not to acknowledge him or his provocation, I focus on Mina, who is hurriedly adjusting the straps and hem of her spaghetti top.
“I was looking everywhere for you. I wanted to check on you.”
Mina runs a hand through her blonde, disheveled hair, trying to tame it. She opens her mouth, but I hear Kian’s voice behind her before she can respond.
“I didn’t know little miss Lyra Lawson was a Peeping Tom. If you want some, you’ll have to wait your turn, sweetie.” His attention turns to Adrian before continuing, “But I guess you’ve always been impatient.”
I don’t even have to look at him to know that he’s smirking. Determined to ignore him, I turn to Adrian, who is still standing behind me, looking wholeheartedly amused by the situation, his arms crossed over his chest.
“So this is one of your buddies? I would have thought you had better taste in friends” I cock an eyebrow at him, trying to ignore the rising bile in my throat and the pounding in my head. My migraines are sometimes accompanied by nausea when I don’t follow my usual steps to ease them. This time, it’s hard to tell whether my nausea is from seeing Kian or from the loud music.
Adrian looks between Kian and me. “He is, though he’s usually much better behaved than this.”
Kian moves to stand up from the bed, rolling his shoulders and stretching a little “No need to play nice. Lyra and I go way back. Don’t we Lyra?” he said the last part with a sneer as he looks me over.
Mina looks at me questioningly, unaware of our previous history. “We just went to high school together,” I tell her with a shrug.
The throbbing in my head starts getting more intense. I step closer to Mina and lower my voice. “I’ll explain later. Look, can we go?”
But before she can respond, Kian interrupts again.
“Leave it to Lyra Lawson to scurry off when things start getting fun. Stay, we were just getting to know each other.”
For the first time since our meeting, I addressed him directly, giving him my coldest stare. “Excuse me, but I was talking to my best friend. I would appreciate it if you letherspeak.”
He steps closer, forcing me to tilt my head up to hold his stare. “Polite as always, I see. Didn’t they teach you that interrupting private moments between adults is impolite?” He taunts me, curling his lip.
My nausea only gets worse with the close proximity, but I try to focus on sucking in slow, even breaths. “Stay away from her, Kian. I’m serious.” I warn him softly, not wanting Mina to hear. With the amount of concentration it takes to control my nausea, my voice quivers, and I internally cringe, hating how weak I sound in front of him.
“That’s cute. Come on, Lyra, you should know by now that I always get what I want.” His green eyes flash an even deeper color, looking predatory as he leans close to me to whisper. We’re so close that I can feel his minty breath lightly tickle my cheek. “And you know I don’t play fair when you tell me no.”
Before I can utter a scathing response, my stomach heaves as I lose the fight to my nausea. I feel my stomach cramp painfully, sending the hot acid from my stomach up my throat to bulge my cheeks before erupting from my mouth right onto Kian. It’s almost as if time slows down as I watch the vomit spew from my mouth onto the front of his shirt. I watch with twisted pleasure as some of it spatters on his face and neck. His signature smirk is finally wiped off his face as his eyes go wide, and his mouth twists in revulsion and horror.
I keel over, clutching my stomach, emptying the last of its contents on the hardwood floor. The cramping in my stomach leaves me gasping for breath.
As the horrible fog of the nausea clears, I know I should feel mortified. But when I look up at him, I can’t help but smile in crazed delight. Drool hangs from my chin. This is the first time I’ve seen Kian Atkins be taken entirely by surprise, and his look of disgust only adds to my thrill.
This definitely was not how I saw this night playing out. But knowing Kian, he would never let something like this go unpunished. Fine. There was too much bad blood between us for an apology to mean anything (not that I’d ever give him the satisfaction of hearing one). As long as we shared the same air, we would be at war.
Wiping my chin with my sleeve, I silently consider with perverse glee that I’m probably the first person to ever vomit on Kian Atkins.
Looks like this party isn’t a total waste after all.
