Chapter Seventeen

Talia's POV:

My focus on the occasion was divided. My eyes kept moving around, searching for him. Putting my attention to rest, he gave a speech. Very captivating and inspiring speech. For a man like him, every word he said during the speech rendition, left chills on my body.

Afterward, I didn't see him again after the ceremony, and I'm relieved. He must have left.

Stella drove me to Jake's house. She looked over the moon and kept singing 'Last Friday Night' by Katy Perry the entire way, excited to be done with high school and to start the next phase of our lives.

I would have normally joined her in her active mood, grooving to our new moment of freedom, but I was too disturbed by seeing Mr. High and Mighty, so I just sat there quietly.

It was eating me up because I hadn't told Stella about my encounter with him and meeting him in the club again. I only faked being sick and wanted to go home. I knew that staying out could mean trouble, especially now that he has set his eyes on me again.

I just had that unsettling feeling in my stomach. I didn't know why I couldn't talk to Stella about him. Likewise, I discussed everything with her except the fact that I have been sold to an unknown madman. I couldn't bring that up because I was threatened to not do so. But, I had the freedom to talk about this one.

Just couldn't. Maybe because it was difficult to even explain the situation. Stella might not understand, and it would only make matters worse for me. I needed a solution, not someone who would frighten me the more. I didn't even comprehend the circumstances myself.

At Jake's house, the party was another thing altogether when we arrived. My mind was still made up to tell Jake about my true feelings, although I was too stamped and freaked out from seeing Mr. High and Mighty earlier.

Goodness, what was his expensive name? I can't believe that it skipped my mind. What other better way of getting in a good mood and enjoying my party than getting drunk?

I decided to fill my system with as much alcohol as my body could handle. Once in my life, I had to be rebellious to stay sane and if drinking alcohol fails my good girl list, then so be it.

I walked over to the keg and poured myself a cup of whatever was in it. Sniffing it, I perceived what smelled like vodka. That is it. It has alcohol and that was what I was looking for. I gulped down the full cup greedily without taking pause.

Almost immediately, I started to feel buzzed and my ears made a ringing sound. That was a signal that my alcohol tolerance was poor. One cup of whatever was enough to knock me out.

My glance fell on wandering Jake and I followed him. He was gathering the used plates, cleaning up, throwing away the cups and dirty paper towels. Menh, remind me not to ever throw a party in the nearest future. These kids can be messy without mercy.

They don't even have the human consideration of what the person who would clean up after their mess would pass through. This reminded me of my grandmother and her host of nasty grannies whenever they had their party.

"Do you want some help with that?" I asked

He smiled, his brown eyes dazzling as always. "Of course. Get here. Do you even need to ask me that? Where is Stella? I need all the help I can get." His curly hair was a little long and fell over his forehead, making him look particularly cute. I melted a little inside. He was so handsome. He had the genes of a boy. Ever young.

At least you get comfortable around him, unlike Mr. High and Mighty, who scared the shit out of me merely looking at him. Goodness, he was disturbing.

Jake was tall and muscular. Big enough that you would think that he spent all his free time in the gym. He made maintaining his physique a criterion since he wanted to become a professional footballer.

I got to work, helping him clean up, brushing some crumbs off the counter and wiping up the drinks that had spilled on the floor. The entire time, my heart was beating fast from anxiety.

"I don't know what I will do without you, Talia," Jake said, looking at me.

I felt special and appreciated. Compliments from him always placed me on another dimension of happiness.

I gave him a huge grin. "Well, for one, you do play football very well, and I am not contributing in any way to that." I joked.

"You do attend all my practices. That helps in a way. Thanks," he said sincerely.

"What even inspired you to throw this party, knowing that the cleaning up won't be easy?"

"Honestly, I had no idea that it would be this crazy and the cleanup would become tedious. All the same, I am going to give Jason a nice, healthy punch for talking me into this."

I let out a deep belly laugh, "make sure it is brutal," I added.

That makes total sense to me. Jake never did loud and crazy. This awful idea had to come from somewhere, and I was right. I love the fact that he saw what a waste of time and resources this was.

We started chatting. Reminiscing about our old memories. For the first time, he broke the news that shattered my heart into a million pieces. He had gotten a full-time scholarship to one of the best universities in Illinois. He was going away.

I don't have a plan yet. I just wanted to work hard and save up money so that I can leave Seattle for another city where I could start up my life, away from my past. I didn't plan to make Jake my last, but he was already making me his. I didn't tell him all that, I just told him that I was going to use a year and fix my life.