The Night Children

Bonus Chapter

I refused to acknowledge she was here the moment she walked through the door with her salmon pink dress clinging to her body in a way that made my heart skip a beat. It was like I was staring at a new person, her hair curled to form a rolling wave of brown down her shoulder blades. She was smiling, her lips arching into a glorious array of glee as she talked to the guy who had opened the door for her. She then swiftly nodded at him, her hair shifting to fall over her face. I eyed her curiously, admiring the way her eyes seemed to glow in the evening light.

She made a bee line to one of the waitresses, snatching an entire vodka bottle in one movement before glancing around the room. She looked determined with her eyebrows drawn together, her lips pressed as she examined her surroundings. Something pierced my heart, causing a shot of heat to flare up my chest. I felt myself frown as I turned away. Why was I so invested in a brown haired tunid?

I never believed in love at first sight, I thought it was nothing more than a load of fiction used to give hope to the people who were unfortunate enough to think someone would actually love them back. I didn't believe in love, there was no such thing. No one ever showed me love, not even my own parents. So why believe in something that was so obviously fake. I chuckled to myself, shaking my head at my thoughts. How pitiful of me to even think of love, it was a stupid word. A word that I loathed from the moment I was born.

I turned just in time to see Chelsea saunter over to me, her dress way too revealing in a way that forced my eyes to wonder in places I would rather not look at. Her enlarged pupils already told me she was drunk, and I forced myself to upturn my lips in a semi smile as she reached me.

"There you are Zaccy." She chuckled, her voice light and airy as she waved her cruiser. I openly flinched but she didn't seem to acknowledge this as she took a step closer. I hated the way she forced herself on top of me, her body all sharp angles of bone. I knew what these girls were like at schools like this. They believed jutted ribs, slim waists and flat stomachs were the only things guys were into, when in reality, they couldn't be any further than the truth.

"Pretty sure my name starts with the syllable of 'I'." I suggested sarcastically, taking a step backwards from her to try and detangle myself from all her limbs. She smiled, but I noticed it wasn't the type of smile that wanted to make me smile, it was a forced movement, one that was so obviously fake. Her smile wasn't like Renee's in a way that reached her eyes and made her face shine. I blinked and shut out the thought of her. I told myself the only reason why I was so invested in her was because she was the only girl that showed no interest in me, and it only made me want to understand her thoughts.

Chelsea only laughed, waving her beverage so the contents spilt onto the floor. I grimaced as the red colour seeped into the carpet. That would take some effort to get the stain out.

"Oh right." She slurred, tilting her entire body over me as she spoke. I arched my eyebrow in disgust, watching as she battered her eyes at me as if something was stuck in them. She reminded me of a small animal that needed to be put down, its personality too obnoxious to not get pissed at. Instead of throwing her off me, I only made a small noise in the back of my throat in response to her answer. She gave me another smile, her makeup crinkling around her smile lines, her eyeliner already smudged under her eyes so she looked like a racoon. I had the decency to force myself not to laugh at her although it was hard to keep a straight face when a girl in front of you kept stumbling and whirling her bottle around clumsily. I honestly didn't know how I had lasted this long dealing with her, but I had managed to get away with minimal kissing, barely touching or hugging her despite her constant pleads.

I had been with many girls before, but none of them meant much to me. They were just a distraction from reality, something to fallback on when I had nothing. That was what she was to me. Although her touch didn't bring me comfort, it at least brought feeling. And sometimes feeling was the only thing that could keep me going.