Chapter <b>25 </b>
Harper
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From where <b>I </b>stood in the front yard, I could just make out the corner of the backyard. The glow of the porchlight stretched far enough to catch Maddox alone with Kate. He was kissing her hard. He had his hands tightly around her waist, shoving his tongue into her mouth. She pulled away for a second to catch her breath, but his lips followed hers again like he wanted her so badly.
Zoey ced her hand on my shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Harper. Maybe we shouldn’t havee.”
“Zoey’s right.” E said. “Are you okay?”
My gaze lingered on Maddox and Kate for a while and it began to feel like he actually wanted me to see that. He’d heard my friends talking since they were a bit too loud.
Looking back at my girls, my lips curved into a genuine smile. “I’m great. So what if he’s showing off? <b>I </b>already expected to see them together. This is a party, so let’s have a good time!”
They both did a little dance while cheering, each of them hooking an arm around mine as we made our way to the entrance. We’d barely made it past the front door security and I could feel the hard techno beat crawling up my legs.
The interior had changed so much just for his birthday party and it looked like we were in an actual nightclub. There were dim and purple lights, a light smoky haze in the air and a whole bar section with a neon sign glowing above shelves of expensive liquor bottles.
In the living room, the furniture was gone or hidden and in its ce were severalrge semi circr lounge seats, the few guests who had arrived early drinking and vibing to the music while facing the DJ booth near them. They were dressed to impress with a touch of elegance.
“Well, let’s party!” E yelled over the music.
Zoey cheered and I joined in, the three of us bopping our heads to the music as we headed to the bar section.
We still had our arms hooked when E mmed the side of her shoulder into a guy who looked like a model. He smiled charmingly at the three of us, then leaned towards her and said something which made her grin like she had already fallen for him.
“Hello, there, why don’t youdies sit with us?” he said.
He pointed at his lounge seat, his twin, who even had the same hairstyle, looking over at us and there was so much room for more people.
E was so into him that she pulled us along with her as he led the way.
There were smaller round tables in the middle with a mix of whiskeys, vodkas, wines, sodas and even water for <b>all </b>to drink.
We took our seats right next to each other and he dropped himself right next to her.
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“I’m Adrian Bary.” He leaned towards her as he said it.
“That green dress <b>is </b>gorgeous. I’m Aiden Bary,” the other one said to Zoey.
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Zoey was just about to introduce herself first when Aiden spotted a bunch of girlsing over to us, making
him rise to his feet.
She and E looked like they wanted to leave when the twins weed the other girls. But as soon as they took their seats and it became clear that they were all just friends, their faces lit up.
We had to yell over the music just to introduce ourselves.
“I’m Harper!”
“Wait, aren’t you that girl from Tiffany’s post?” one of the girls asked.
I nodded proudly.
“You’re so much prettier in person.”
“Thanks!”
As 8 PM drew closer, more and more guests began to arrive.
Grayson was right when he told me I’d have a st. It hadn’t even been that long but I already had a great feeling about it. I also needed that as I had been working too hard.
I was about to take a sip of wine when I paused at the sudden loud cheers from the other guests. I looked over and spotted Maddox with Kate, his arm wrapped around her body and hand resting on the side of her arm. She was already so drunk that she needed his support to move in those heels.
Judging by the direction they were moving in, he meant to take her to a certain lounge seat but as he was looking around, he spotted me, whispered something to Kate and he changed direction, his hand now around her waist. They wereing right where I was and I leaned back in my seat, amused by the situation. I began to have a better understanding of what he was trying to do.
He made sure to sit across from me and she seemed like she would pass out if she kept drinking, judging by how she threw her head back as soon as she took a seat.
While he gave everyone the same level of energy as he looked all around, he barely acknowledged my presence, even quickly focusing on Kate as he poured her a ss of water.
I decided to ignore it, but Zoey and E kept nudging me with their elbows from both sides, as if asking if I was okay.
“Happy birthday. This ce looks amazing,” I said to him with no bitterness.
He blinked rapidly, like he didn’t expect that. “Thanks, it wouldn’t have turned out this way without Kate. You should be thanking her.”
“Did
you hear that, Harper Moore?” Kate chimed inzily, her speech even slow. “I did this! Not some fucking
7:27 <b>Tue</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>16 </b>
events manager out there! I’m d you came. Have fun while you can because-”
“Hey, that’s enough.” Maddox gently ced his fingertips on her chin to guide her gaze.
“Fine.” She rolled her eyes, holding him by the cor to bring his <b>face </b>real close.
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She stuck out her tongue and giggled flirtatiously, like she wanted him to <b>taste </b>it right there. I caught him ncing at me like he was about to do it and I actually hoped he wouldn’t. I was still certain of what he was trying to do, but I didn’t want to sit there and watch the two of them lock lips for everyone to see, like it was being thrown in my face.
I watched him closely and waited, but right when he was about to kiss her, she dropped her head on his shoulder. She was drunk as fuck.
He nced at me with frustration, like that didn’t go as nned and I internally scoffed. He was trying to paint a specific picture, that he was a yboy with no room for anything else, but I saw beyond it more and more the longer I observed him.
As he engaged in conversation with the others while barely looking in my direction, he carefully positioned Kate’s head so she could have something to lean on. He then excused himself to wee his other guests.
Kate’s eyes were fixed on me with a smirk. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasing.
Zoey nudged my shoulder and I nced at her. She subtly signaled for me to look in a certain direction and when I did, Maddox was in thepany of five girls, who just wanted to be all over him and he didn’t stop them. I caught him ncing in my direction again before he paid attention to them again.
It wasn’t the same when he was talking to the guys, but as soon as he was in the presence of another bunch of girls, they were a bit too close and once again, he nced at me.
I chuckled softly, pouring myself a drink before taking a few selfies.
Even though E and Zoey were so lost in conversation with the Bary twins, they got closer just to take a few pictures with me. We pouted, grinned and even stuck out our tongues just for the fun of it.
I held out my hand some more for the final picture when it was shoved out of the way by someone who walked past me so they could sit down. I was ready tosh out but paused when I realized it was Tittany. She was in a long trench coat and that made everyone wonder what was underneath.
“Tiff, you’re here.” Kate could barely sit up but did her best.
“Ugh! Drunk so early?” She shook her head in disbelief.
“I couldn’t help it, okay? What’s with the trenchcoat?”
Tiffany smirked. “Are you ready?”
She looked all around as she said it. The others were actually eager to see what was inside.
Then, she dropped her trench coat to reveal her outfit, making jaws drop. She was in the same dress as me.
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“Oh, <b>wow</b>!” Katezily pointed at her. “You’re wearing the same dress as Harper.”
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Tiffany rolled her eyes, like she was about to brag. “I know, but mine <b>is </b>straight from the designer. It was $3,000. This thrift store version doesn’t cost anything more than $20.”
“Yikes! That’s such a huge difference.” Kate burst intoughter.
As they continued to have that conversation about the dresses, the energy from the other girls shifted. I was looked at as an outsider. Kate must’ve known that would happen. It exined why she kept looking at me like that.
How did Tiffany know about the exact dress <b>I </b>was going to wear? Was she in the store when I went shopping with E and Zoey?
She took a seat right next to Kate, now being the life of the party, just like she wanted to be. She was Maddox’s popr sister and I expected nothing less. She smirked triumphantly as she looked right at me even while talking to the others.
I still kept myposure with no ns of getting up. That was exactly what she would’ve wanted to see.
I was d that E, Zoey and the Bary twins didn’t care much that she was there, so I paid attention to them instead.
I was able to ignore her for a while, but it all changed when she suddenly rose to her feet and began to dance, the other girls cheering her on. She didn’t even seem to care about any of that, her gaze fixed in a certain direction.I looked over and spotted Grayson, who was already making his way to us.
She then curled her finger, seductively telling him toe closer.
He licked his bottom lip as that got him excited and it made my chest tighten.
He spotted me right when he got to her, only giving me a nod of acknowledgement before cing his hands on her hips while standing behind her.
She raised her hands, swinging her hips harder while looking back at him. Their eye contact was so maic that no one could get between them and my stomach twisted. I hated every second of it.
She turned around to face him, resting her forehead against his and he grinned, holding her tight like he would never let go.
I couldn’t watch it anymore, so I lowered my head but that wasn’t the end of it. Tiffany made sure to move from that spot and Grayson moved along with her.
She stopped right in front of me, the two of them now dancing and touching right in my fucking face. Everyone was enjoying it, but I could see E and Zoey in my peripheral vision, constantly checking up on
<b>me</b>,
When she kissed him first and he responded by shoving his tongue in her mouth, I wanted to shut my eyes so badly but had to stop myself in fear of tears streaming down my face. The purple lighting might have been enough to hide what was going on with my eyes, but I couldn’t just sit there and watch it all. How could I possibly leave at that exact moment?
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