CHAPTER 19: You just made out with an imaginary being

"Hey, Coleman! Why don't you stop being a wuss and fight me here?" A loud voice booms through the long hallway we were standing in and I struggle to turn. However, I don't fail to recognize it was Caleb's.

How I did that was beyond my imagination.

"Not...not now, Anderson. I...I'm busy!" I grunt as I continue pushing this guy off me. The nerve of him. Busy? Busy trying to undress me? I wriggle my hand under his grip so I could have a direct shot at his face, but his grip was too tight. I was surely expecting a bruised wrist by the end of the night.

Caleb walks toward us, furiously, and I don't know what takes over me to shout, "Stop!". He stops in his tracks, eyebrows furrowed, probably wondering what the hell I was playing at while my life was at stake here. I suddenly feel Coleman's hand getting loose on the grip and I don't fail to take the chance as I swing it upwards, hitting somewhere between the jaw and his chin.

"What are you doing?!" I look at Caleb who was surprised at my sudden outburst.

"Ugh! I don't know. I'm just shooting in the dark here!" I shout and look down to see Coleman on the floor, unconsciousness looming over his dumb face.

"Uh...good shooting," Caleb trails off, his eyes still wide, no doubt in awe of my fighting skills. That ought to tell him to stay away from me.

"You okay?" Caleb asks as he takes a step back and signals me to go ahead. I do so as I smoothen my tee shirt and take a deep breath.

"Yeah. Yeah, I am. Didn't you see me punch the shit out of him?" Irritation takes over me as I think of how much this party sucks.

"Why did you come then?" I look at him rolling his eyes and I close my mouth before I utter something obnoxious, mentally face-palming myself for thinking out loud.

"How did you know I was here?" Caleb's face goes blank as he moves his eyes around suspiciously. I raise an eyebrow and halt in my steps.

"I asked you a question, Caleb. How did you know I was here?"

"Calm down, woman! I wanted to go to the bathroom and I just happened to see you here in the hallway." He continues looking around, not even bothering to look at me while answering. We continue walking until we reach the party area, neither of us uttering a word.

"Well, take care. I mean, stay around with your friends." He mutters before looking at me one last time and walking off. I stare at his back – not ass, come on – until he blends in with the rest of the crazy people dancing on the floor.

"Summer! I've been looking for you." Maddie and Blake walk up to me, followed by Austin and Noel closely behind them.

"I just...nothing. I was in the bathroom." I lie, not wanting Maddie to unnecessarily rant off all her motherly talk in one night. Let me save that part for her kids, alright?

Pity them, though.

"Hooked up with someone?" I glare at Blake who had a smirk on his clean-shaven face.

"Wouldn't want to spoil the night narrating the story to you, would I?" I snatch the water bottle he had in his hand and walk past him, taking a seat on one of the empty couches which didn't have any moving bodies, if you know what I mean.

"Was he hot?" Austin asks while they all take a seat next to me.

"Hotter than you. Yeah." I state as I finish off the water, my eyes zooming around the room for any signs of my brothers or Veronica or, surprisingly, Caleb.

"Congratulations, my friend. You just made out with an imaginary being from a possibly unknown vortex, you being the first girl he saw and hence, pounced on." Blake states in a matter-of-fact voice and sticks his tongue out childishly at the end. I roll my eyes and smack him at the back of his head.

"I'm telling you, one of these days I'll start losing hair because of all your uncalled hits." He lovingly pats his hair, pouting like a girl which makes us all break into boisterous laughter.

As I smile at all these idiots, my eyes seem to pick up on a quick movement Veronica makes as she storms toward... me.

Now, what the fuck did I do?

Can I hope she's going for the one behind me?

"Summer."

Hopes crashed. Miserably.

"Veronica."

We use the same calm but angry tones at each other, standing with our arms crossed.

"You love ruining people's lives, don't you?" Her features seem to distort – internally, I mean – as she starts off by that unmerited question.

"What on earth are you blabbing on about, Veronica?" At this point, the party seemed to be dying. Everyone's attention was currently fixed on the queen bitch over here throwing her sassy remarks as she pleases.

"Don't give me that innocent face bullshit, you ugly bitch! You know what you did!" Her two minions stand beside her and it really seemed as if I was being attacked by the dangerous trio from hell. I sigh at my humorous thoughts even at a moment like this.

"Look, I know you had no good intentions inviting me to this party of yours but-

"Of course, I didn't. You really thought I would invite a person like you. You're nothing but a low life." She sneers at me like a vicious snake. My anger continues to build inside me and my fists clench, wanting to punch her nose off.

"You're crossing your limits there, Veronica. Better keep that mouth shut." I don't shout or scream at her since I wasn't like her, plus I never wanted to make a fool out of myself.

"Or what? You can't do shit to me, Summer! Let me enlighten you. All of you," She turns around dramatically then comes back next to my face and continues, "This girl right here thinks she can easily lure Caleb Anderson into her trap. Like wow. Caleb? Wake up, bitch. He isn't yours and could never be."

"Back off, Veronica. You don't know-

"Shut up, Blake. No need to defend her. How do you guys even hang out with her? Oh, I know. Her life is ruined so now she's set off to ruin others." She walks around me and I don't know why I was feeling so weak all of a sudden. I wanted to crawl up in my bed under my pillow as usual and hide away from everyone.

"Veronica-

"Blake! Enough! You know what will happen if you get in my way, right?" Her glare enough makes Blake take a step back but he still continues fuming. I don't blame him for his helplessness – we all know Veronica always has the upper hand given her riches.

"So, where were we, Summer? Ah. Yes. I was telling everyone how your life is ruined." She continues talking casually as if she was narrating a bedtime story.

"Veronica, please. Don't make a scene." Maddie jumps in, pleading with her sweet voice. It won't work, I wanted to tell her.

Veronica dismisses her off and goes on talking, "Yes. Whatever. So, Summer, why did your mother raise you like this?" I look at her angrily, tears pricking the edge of my eyes. She shouldn't have gone there.

"Oh! She's angry. She's angry, people!" She laughs maniacally and turns around suddenly, "Want to hear a story? No? It's okay. Another time. But, for now. You! You have no parents, no wealthy house, nothing. What makes you think that you could get everything that a girl in this school aspires for? Caleb, his riches and the rest you all know. My advice, stop being a coward like your mom and get the hell out of all our lives. You will never ever belong here, you get me?" She runs her finger down my cheek, wiping the free tear that managed to escape the strong walls I built years ago.

"Come on, girls." She walks off with the two girls but not before turning around one last time, "And do me a favor. Next time, don't walk in my house with those dirty shoes. I'll give you money if you'd like." She waves and laughs, with the rest. My palms were beginning to get sweaty with the repeated clenching of my fists. I quickly run out of there, my tears multiplying by the passing second.

I find my way out of the house, the laughter, and taunts of everyone at the party echoing loudly in my ears. I don't wait for any of the guys or Maddie and I run straight out of Veronica's gate.

Everything related to my mom is nerve-racking and intolerable. Those were strings no one dared pull – not even Jason, Aaron or Draven. Not even Maddie. Anyone who knew me closely knew how sensitive I am to that matter. There are certain limits and walls I have built around my heart for no one to enter. No one to enter that specific part entitled to my mom. Not out of love, not out of hatred or anything else. I barely know her, but somewhere deep down I always wish for her to return. For me. For her children who desperately need her.

I continue running until I reach that hospital. The park opposite it was that place I often find myself in whenever I'm upset or sad. I take a seat on one of the benches despite knowing I'm not supposed to be here at this time of the night. I don't even know what the time is.

As I continue sitting on the bench, I take a look at the dark sky. There were no stars adorning it tonight. I quickly look down and in a few seconds, I'm a mess with my tears turning into sobs.