T A Y L O R S P.O.V

It's now Friday.

Friday - the glorious day most students looked forward to - the day that marks the temporary end of their academic prison sentence. Weaving myself through the throng of teachers and students that littered the front of Vale's campus, I reached the school bus where Ana was waiting for me.

Everyone's mind was set on one particular thing this particular Friday. My mind, Darko's mind, everyone's mind - It had been 'the talk' of the week, the thing everyone was anticipating.

It was the dreaded day of Lyra Anderson's party, and I'm absolutely shitting my pants.

'For god's sake, Taylor, breathe,' I thought to myself when Ana smiled at me. Darko told me to keep repeating this to myself, which was sweet of him, but it's just not working.

Ana and I squeezed into the bus, which was packed to the sides like a can of oversized tuna. The party was the only audible subject. The girls were freaking out over what clothes they'll wear and what makeup they'll be showcasing, while the guys were betting on who would get laid the most and who would get wasted first.

Me? I wasn't thinking about any of this. Yesterday, after Darko left suddenly, all I could think about was Bella's vague plan - how she was going to 'make' Darko like me. She's been MIA for days now; no school, no texts, absolutely nothing. She still hadn't fully explained the plan yet, which is making me anxious as all hell.

What the hell was she doing?!

When Ana and I got home, I ran to my room and locked the door behind me. A few moments later, Ana knocked tentatively on my door. She asked, "the hell? What's wrong dude," a few times before she left - probably leaving to get ready for Lyra's event.

Mum was going to go see her therapist for most of the night, so Ana was able to come. Thank goodness she is - if anything bad happens I can go straight to her.

I sat there on my bed, nervously tapping away at the sheets, checking my phone every few moments. I kept my eyes locked onto my digital clock, watching the seconds tick by, hoping that by some chance time will freeze so I don't have to go to this godforsaken party. The quick flashes of the colon separating the hours and minutes seemed to torture me - every single flash indicating a second had passed, which means a second closer to the party.

Rumours about the party spread around the school like wildfire. Apparently, Lyra was going all out - she apparently hired a stripper, bought a shit tonne of booze, and I think she talked to a drug dealer because there were rumours of weed and ecstasy being 'provided' at the party.

There's too much illegal stuff happening there. If my dad left me anything, it was my morals.

Oh God, I can see it now; everyone's going to be drunk and drugged out of their minds, going skits, dancing like idiots while they make out with anybody that is willing.

Note to self; never tell Bella anything ever again.

I should have never told her how I felt about Darko. If I never told her, then I never would have been blackmailed last week, and I would never have locked myself in my room, acting like a pissbaby because I'm a nervous wreck. If I had just kept my mouth shut, then I wouldn't have gotten myself into this mess. Now I have to go and get tipsy because otherwise, Bella is going to ruin me.

TAYLOR, WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO YOURSELF?!

A soft knock reverberated on my thin bedroom door, snapping me out of my thoughts. Nearly shiting my pants at the sudden sound, I called out.

"What do you want Ana?!" I yelled. After a tense moment, a voice began to speak.

"Actually... it's Darko. I came after Ana called. Can I come in?"

Did Ana call him? Ugh, WHY?

I groaned. Of course, she called Darko. Of course, Darko had to come in at this exact point in time to check up on me, to see how much of a nervous wreck I am, as if he is going to miraculously fix how I feel. Soon, we're going to drive to the party as if nothing had happened.

This is so cliché. At this point, the only person that was going to make me go is Bella, and she's off the grid right now, thank God.

"Yeah, sure, whatever, Just let me unlock it," I said, my voice breaking a little. I slowly got up out of my bed, unlocking the door. Darko looked daggers at me.

"Please don't tell me you're still nervous from yesterday," Darko asked. I shrugged.

"Why are you freaking out over this? I've said to you too many times just to breathe." Darko said, leaning on my door frame, an angry look on his face forming.

"That just doesn't work for me! I'm socially awkward; you know that!" I said, accidentally raising my voice. Darko's eyes widened.

"I'm sorry," I said, slumping slightly, "Just go. The only reason I'm going to this stupid thing anyway is because of Bella; since she's been MIA for the past few days, I'm gonna take advantage of it."

"I just wish you could come. I kinda hoped you weren't ditching the party - "

"Uhm, excuse me, Taylor? You're not ditching the party, are you? You remember what we talked about in AP Biology?" a feminine voice pierced through the house, cutting him off mid-sentence.

Oh shit.

Darko and I both looked out from my bedroom, and we both saw Bella hovering in the doorway, glowering. Ana had just opened it for her.

"Oh thank god! You're finally out of your room," Ana said, "I knew calling your best friends would coax you out."

"Yeah, thanks, Ana. Appreciate it." I said flatly. Ana had rolled her eyes before she trudged off to her room, leaving us three alone.

"Bella, where the hell have you been the past few days!? I've sent you dozens of messages, and you've missed out on too much schoolwork! Why do you pick your phone up to my sister, but not me?" I yelled. Bella shrugged non-chalantly.

"My old phone broke, and mum wanted me to take a few days off of school. I was gonna call you anyway, but since your sister already was, I didn't bother to."

"So much has happend!" I began, before gesturing to Darko, "Darko got robbed, he learned how to play Fur Elise-"

"Wait, what?" Bella asked, before looking at Darko, "you were robbed?"

Darko nodded, "yeah. Had Taylor's birthday present in there. We still don't know who it was."

Bella nodded thoughtfully, before saying evenly, "I hope you find out who it was."

There was an uncomfortable silence. I put my hands in my pocket while Darko whipped out his phone. Bella was eyeing my clothes carefully, before looking at me condescendingly. "You're going to the party in that?"

Well, I was contemplating about faking my death a few moments ago so I didn't have to go, so...

I looked at my clothes and glanced back at her, not knowing what to say. She had huffed before she walked out of the doorway, into my bedroom. Darko followed her. I groaned and rolled my eyes as I followed them.

Of course, she came. Now that she's here, I can't just ditch the party in front of her; Darko's here. If I were to ditch it right now, she would tell him my secret straight away. Fuck my life.

"Hey, why don't you wear this?" I heard Darko say.

I turned around, and Darko lifted up a white shirt with a wolf pattern on its torso. He held it up, inspecting it before he scrunched it into a ball and threw it at me. Bella fished out a pair of black jeans that was in my closet and tossed them to me.

"Pair those up with your red Converse, and you'll look good!" Bella chirped. I glanced down at the clothes I was given, before rolling my eyes.

"I don't know guys...that look is for people that look cute without trying."

"You always look cute!" Darko and Bella said simultaneously. I cocked an eyebrow at Darko, who was looking daggers at Bella, who was looking at me, smirking.

"Uh, that's flattering and all, but-"

"Just put on the damn clothes, you big baby," Bella spat. She turned on her heel and walked to the door, before glancing to her side.

"Uh, Darko? Let's give Taylor some privacy," she said, before looking at me, "Unless you want to see Taylor undress."

Darko turned around, staring slack-jawed at Bella, while I mouthed 'fuck you' to her. She chuckled before walking out the door, Darko following her.

If I could scream, I would be. I DON'T WANNA GO. I. DO. NOT. WANT. TO. GO.

I nervously adjusted my glasses as I slipped on the clothes that they had picked out for me. I opened the door and gestured to myself, earning a smile from both Darko and Bella.

"Damn, you look good," Darko said. Bella, out of sight from Darko, wiggled her eyebrows at me.

"Heh, thanks, Darko," I said, earning a soft smile from him.

Bella's nose turned upward. She had narrowed her eyes before they focused on me. "Taylor, when was the last time you showered?"

My eyes widened at her words, and I felt my cheeks burn up. Quickly ducking back into my room, I fetched a towel and shoved past the two, making my way to the bathroom.

"I'll shower now," I said quickly as I walked. I made eye contact with Bella as I reached the door.

"We're gonna go and get ready," Darko said, smiling, "We'll be back in an hour or so to pick you and Ana up. See you then, man."

I nodded before slipping into the bathroom, locking it behind me. I hastily turned on the shower before sliding down the door, quickly taking off my clothes, still fuming that I managed to get myself in an inescapable situation.