Vip section

I never planned out how I was going to leave either of their parties. I didn't come up with an excuse I just didn't know how. I looked online to see how all the queens' parties were going so far. Saleena's party was hosted at the Local Roller rink which she rented out while Danie hosted her's at one of her Dad's hotels.

I think I was expected to stick around at Daniela's for the rest of the night but I had business. Lorel glared at me from across the room in her Jenifer's body costume, mouthing something I couldn't comprehend. I flashed her a confused expression which irritated her. She crossed over to me rolling her eyes.

"I said I know." Which I barely heard due to the booming music.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, even more confused than before.

"What you talked about with the psycho. So you're both scheming to cock block Aubrey?" She said smugly while taking a swig of her beer. How the hell did she find out? Did this crazy bitch really suck off Saintclair?

"How do you know?"

"I sold him some weed and I told him if he doesn't tell me I'm reporting him for drug use. Empty threat but effective." Her cocky smile made me kinda irritated. She wasn't supposed to know until the deed was over. "Can't wait to see you in your costume." She winked at me but now I didn't even want to step into that. "You thought I did something with that weirdo didn't you?"

"Maybe."

"I heard the plan is to leave here for Dani's party then to Ebany. I'm following all the way I need to see how this might play out." I feel I was a source of amusement for them tonight. "I feel sorry for my sister, it's like you're a ghost at her events."

Since I arrived I haven't really paid attention to her sister. She was way too busy surrounded by the company of her friends to notice me as well. I could tell she was going to take the crown for this event and maybe the whole Queen of hearts. I could recognize many of the people getting ready to skate or already there. The voting system was conducted online. 20 hearts per person and to buy them you use your student ID to combat overbuying and fake votes. The vote extended to students at the neighboring schools as well who rarely did voting but participated in the events. I split my votes evenly between Saleena and Daniela to show no favoritism.

"You should get out there and make my sister's night before you disappear on her. Make sure to get enough photos." My whole role in this was to be there for her and I'm currently failing because I realized my heart's not really into this. We look good together, her smile is warm but I don't really want anything out of this which makes all this boring.

"Smile for the camera."

"Can I ask you a question, Zayn?"

"Hm..?"

"Am I that uninteresting?" What the hell?

"You are so stiff around me. I picked you as my prince because people said you're a nice but stoic guy and you soften around people you find interesting. Am I uninteresting?" Yes, yes you are. It's maybe because I haven't spent that much time around her that much time to learn much about her but why does she feel like dry bread? She could probably be the most fun person to hang out with but from what I picked up It's not really there. "When you talk to my sister you're smiling and joking but when you're with me your face drops."

"You're not uninteresting or anything, it's just me. I've been going through a lot lately and it's been weighing on me lately. I'm sorry for it showing through." I hope that is what she wanted to hear.

"I get it, I heard about your year last year, Don't let that energy bleed through to my photos. These are getting posted everywhere." I could see Lorel giving me a thumbs up indicating things are probably going well but things might have to get cut short as the timmer Saintclair sent me went off.

"Is it time to go?" Lorel asked, more excited than me. "Oh my god this is so fun."

"What about this is fun?"

"Getting back at Aaron in your own little way. I feel happy for you. Am I not allowed to feel happy for you?" I wasn't getting back at him. It's closure and a favor I'm doing for Saintclair. It's not like I didn't think in my mind if it could be revenge but for me in my mind it's just closure.

"It's not revenge, it's closure."

"One in the same."

It didn't take that long to reach the location of Daniela's party considering they were in the same part of town. Many people were jumping between here and there easily but many people started shifted to Daniela's party when they heard how packed it was and who was going to show up. She called in some favors and got her cousin and her friends to come who posted it on social media and who wouldn't miss a chance to rub elbows with celebs.

Even if she wasn't winning over the school she was winning the favors of others in the area which put a smile on my face. Her dream was coming into fruition.

"I see like 7 people who I'm pretty sure are dressed as Chrisean Rock. Lame as fuck, everybody wanna be trendy." Lorel muttered and kissed her teeth. I don't know why she's being so judgy when her costume isn't original either. "The party seems bomb though. I really doubted Dani. She really pulled in a crowd." The venue was large and with too much going on in my opinion. I like to chill off to the side.

Even though not many people from our school were supporting Daniela, that doesn't mean there weren't any familiar faces. The douchebag lacrosse team was here aka Chantelle's entourage, some cheerleaders were here, majority of the band club, the art hoes were all here, even my fellow track team members showed up and other miscellaneous people that I can't exactly name but I knew.

"I hate this thing but I can't lie, this is fun." I couldn't see Daniela but we spotted Chantelle on the balcony overlooking the main party. "Ew, Is he dressed as Harry Styles?" Lorel exclaimed, scrunching up her face. "That's a disrespect to Harry."

"What did Dani say she was dressing as again?"

"I swear to god if she's Chrisean, I'm throwing myself out the window." I roll my eyes in response. "Oh my god Vip section." Lorel purrs as we walk up to a velvet rope.

"Names."

"Zayn Snipes."

"Lorel Catrina Mendez." The man flips through a list of names and blankly looks at us.

"Not on the list." Lorel chuckles.

"Are you serious? 1: We are the hostess' friends, 2: I'm Lorenzo Mendez's daughter. I was on TV just this morning while he talked about gas prices."

"I don't care, you're not on the list." He turns away from us while Lorel is huffing puffing.

"Call someone, Call Danie-" A hand is placed on my shoulder which sorta startles me. We both turn to see Saintclair smiling from ear to ear. Wasn't I supposed to meet this mad man at Ebany's? Why the sudden change of plans?

"Hey friends."

"We are not friends."

"They're with me." Saintclair raises his hand to the bouncer showing a wristband.

"How the fuck are you on this fucking list but we aren't?"

"Because I bought a spot this morning. You think I wanna be asked questions about my parents by the children of his supporters?" Lorel was ticked and so was I. There wasn't a need for us to buy a spot. We are the friends of the host, that should be automatically free right? We didn't even know about this until now. Lorel pushed past Saintclair once we were let through and pulled me along. Daniela was sitting next to Chantelle and others joking about something. She was dressed as Alien Doja cat.

"Why aren't we on the list bitch?!" Lorel said loud enough to catch them all off guard.

"Oh you came. Why would you be on the list? You would be let right through." That answer still annoyed Lorel because that's not how it played out and we had to rely on Saintclair.

"That's not what happened."

"Sorry…"

"Happy birthday Daniela!!" Saintclair yelled as he passed by to go to the bar.

"Oh my god! Whole time he's been here all he's done is tell me happy birthday. It's not my birthday and he was literally the first person here. I'm serious. He's just drinking and dancing to my automated message, not the music, the automated message. I don't know what's wrong. First thing he did when he came was send me all his hearts and early at like 3 am I saw he bought a vip slot. I don't know why he's here and he's not even on theme. He said he's dressed as Prince as in the singer but he's obviously some sort of Disney prince."

"Mhm this is my favorite song." Saintclair says as he does dance to her automated message about voting for her plays after a song. I swear he didn't look drunk or high in any way when we arrived. "What the fuck is happening?"

"AHHH! IS THAT AUSTIN PETRI FROM OVER MY DEAD BODY?!" Lorel screams as she points into a partially closed off area.

"Uh yeah he came with my cousin. I think they're dati-"

"I DON'T GIVE A FUCK!! He's in the biggest vampire thing since Twilight. I'm having his babies tonight." She runs off leaving me with Daniela who was still dissatisfied with Saitclair's presence.

"Has he really been here since the party began?"

"Mhm, he's just been here disturbing me. I don't want to say anything because he paid and he showed his support but he always has some other type of motive and I'm scared. Deal with this for me." She squeezed my hand and I can't disagree to that. "Also keep this on the hush hush. I didn't know until now but there's hookahs somewhere here I don't know, not my thing. I heard the police pulled up to Ebany's party because she had some so close your mouth."

I walked over to Saintclair who was chuckling to himself which made me so scared.

"Why are you here?"

"To enjoy a good party like yourself."

"No I mean weren't we supposed to meet at Ebany's?"

"Yeah, but plans changed when I was banned before I could even show my face. I helped plan and pay for that shit to receive a message that said I'm not welcome."

"So what now?"

"Yeah I too was unsure but someone posted a video of Aubrey getting a little too handsy so I reported the hookahs and so on they had." So it was him, obviously. "I think you might have to continue this mission alone." He said, patting my shoulder with his cold hands.

"Why are you telling Daniela happy birthday?"

"I'm pretending to be drunk, it makes her feel sorry for me and leave me alone and not ban me. She could think of it as reparations for all the times she got drunk and embarrassed herself at parties I was at." I don't think she's getting any satisfaction out of seeing him 'drunk' as hell. "In an hour, put on the costume and Lorel would be your coach." Lorel is busy trying to get in between an actor and his influencer girlfriend.

"She's currently busy trying to get Austin Petri."

"You know what I can't believe, Mormon knows them like personally. He always came off so lame but he used to rub elbows with people that big. Well just another instant of him ultimately ruining everything." Saintclair tsks.

"What actually happened though?"

"That's a question to ask that guy." He point to really lonely guy sitting in the corner on his phone. Wait, I know him.

"That's!-"

"Yeah it is Felix Brown. That's the guy Mormon spread the rumors about." I thought the people Mormon used to be a part of, worked in the same field as his parents. Like the people in the background making things happen but turns out he was the only one. He was kinda like the me of his group I guess. How was his best friend one of the most popular pop stars? He really does come off as lame.

"Fuck, I didn't know that."

"He never said exactly what he did but all I know is they said they forgive him but he can't look them in the face but somehow after ratting me out to the police he can look me in the eyes. Double standards." It was obviously different situations. I am a big fan of Felix's music and it would be nice to interact with him but asking such an intimate question that might have some trauma behind it seems triggering. "I mean if you got the balls go for it but it all seems like a big thing."