… lost my ticket?

"You shouldn't be here?" He hisses as he grabs me by the arm and pulls me closer, "This isn't your scene." He whispers harshly in my ear.

I only have the urge to frown at him but an intense feeling rises causing a fire to stir inside of me, whipping the courage to talk back to him. To defend myself. I shake my head at him and manage to take my arm back.

"We're only strangers to one another, so what would you know about my scene.'" I utter acidly, causing his head to jerk in shock.

"Leave her alone, Jace!" Andrew shouts as he bursts out from the crowd, which I only now realize, are watching us. I would feel sheepish if I didn't have so much adrenaline coursing through my blood.

"What the hell is going on!" Melody pushes past a few people using her elbows. She comes to a halt and freezes when she sees Jace.

"It's not your concern, I'm taking her home given how poorly you've been looking after her." He bites. "Come now, Lucy, we're going." He turns to me in a hushed tone.

But I stay silent, and I clench my fist hard in frustration, I wonder who he thinks he is?

He turns around to give me a harsh look. "What are you waiting for!" He barks, and I flinch at his outburst.

Andrew steps next to me, "She's not going home with you." Andrew frowns, voice sounding firm and steady.

"She can't take care of herself and you've proved that you can't keep her safe. Why bring her here, Andrew?" Jace asks bitterly.

Andrew lets out a hoarse laugh, "Since when do you care about anyone besides yourself?" He shakes his head. "You're selfish, always have been."

Jace gives him a fixed look, and he nods. "Why are you so obsessed? Why can't you see who was really at fault?" Jace says intensely.

"You shut your mouth!" Melody screams from behind me. "You're not a saint, Jace Harrison. You're just an asshole." Melody says fed up with Jace.

Jace then looks at me as he completely ignored Melody, "Are you coming?" He asks voice steady, but his grey eyes have a trace of hurt lingering in them. It makes me wonder if they have always been there. He seems genuine but I don't trust him.

"I'm staying." I finally say…

Jace gives me a cold look, "Fine." He mutters as he brushes past me.

Andrew looks at me and then he throws a look at Jace heading to the parking lot.

Andrew stares at me for a while as if he is studying me. I look over to Melody who is staring at me as well with a blank expression on her face.

"Is there something going on between Jace and you?" She forcibly asks as she marches toward me.

I shake my head, "No. Absolutely not. Why would you ask that?" I frown. "He is my neighbor and that's about it." I defensively admit.

"Just stay away from him, he isn't a good guy. Normally I'd love bad boys but he is… he's on another level of bad and messed up."

She confesses on Jace's behalf, leaving me to wonder about his actual personality, who he actually is, and what is his persona.

"Why? what's so bad about him?" I ask.

"He was here to do dru—"

"It's not our place!" Andrew scolds Melody, as he gives her a tight look, "We don't have the right, Jace obviously cares about her. She should find out who he is through him and make her own decision." Andrew says a bit calmer.

Melody frowns as she then presses her lips tightly together.

"I do think that maybe it was a bad decision to bring you here, Lucy." Andrew turns to me.

"Jemma's parties always have people on something. It's just a pretty bad environment." Andrew admits.

"Then why did you bring me here?" I query.

"Jemma is his ex..." Melody blurts from behind us.

"Mel, common." He says lamely.

"So you brought me here to make someone jealous?" I frown.

Andrew nods. "Short answer, yes. The second answer is because I wanted to get to know you." Andrew says staring straight and fixed into my eyes.

His eye color is somewhat plain in this lighting but you can still see a hint of shine in his gaze.

"You should have taken her on a proper date then." Melody interjects.

"Melody, go away. Please." Andrew mutters in an irritable manner.

She frowns and then walks past the pool area where there used to be a crowd of people, now only three.

Andrew sighs and then focuses his attention on me.

"I'm sorry." He apologises.

I smile, "You are forgiven."

He looks taken aback, "That easy?" He questions.

"Oh, believe me, There will be trials and there will be tribulations… and a bit of hellfire before you're fully forgiven," I smirk.

"Not hellfire, I mean I'm fine with the tribulations, but the hellfire is just pure torture." He jokes, "But then again, I really do want to be forgiven."

"In due time, the first order of business… just take me home", I say exhaustedly.

He nods, "Of course." We starts walking to the parking lot.

"What about Melody?" I question.

"It's still pretty early I'll pick her up after I drop you." He smiles, that wide one that I'm so fond of.

"Oh", I say as I catch up to him.

"So can I…", He fumbles, "can I take you out?"

I look over at him as we stroll neatly next to each other. "Where?" I say playfully.

Andrew squirms, "Uhm, could I take you out on a date?" He asks sheepishly.

I become serious, we reach his car and I turn to him.

"What about Jemma?" I query.

"We never really clicked." He admits and then opens the car door for me. In the distance I see a guy smoking a cigarette, it's Jace and he's watching me. Andrew turns to my gaze.

Then turns back to me.

I watch Jace, put out his cigarette as he leans on his bike, he looks up at me again and puts his helmet on, he then gets on the bike to start it up. He takes off fast. And just like that he's gone.

"Are you going to get in?" Andrew asks quietly.

"Yes…yes," I say hesitantly and climb into the car. Still not sure whether to agree to Andrew's date.

He pulls up in front of my house, it is in fact, half past ten and this has to be the earliest I've ever came home from a party.

"I hope I see you around Lucy." Andrew looks at me steadily.

I nod and open the door to slide out of the car, I fumble again.

"I'm sorry I forgot," Andrew says sadly as he leans on his steering wheel.

He then gets out of his car, "are you okay?" he raises his brow.

I nod, "Yes I'm fine and it's totally not your fault." I reassure him.

"Okay… I'll text you." Andrew forces a smile, I can tell because his eyes look as bland as ever.

I nod and stare at him, I wonder if he is being sincere. Why would he text me back.

"Do you want my number?" I query with a lump in my throat, I can't believe I just asked that.

He shakes his head, "No, I'll just get it from Mel. Speaking of which I should probably head back to the party." He shrugs with his hands in his pockets. "Bye though." He smiles then walks back to his car.

"B—bye." I stammer.

He isn't going to text is he?

No why would he?

I let out a sigh as I watch him drive off. Fitting isn't it? No romance, no love story and certainly no prince.

I should probably head inside.

The car's completely vanished from my eye turned to a corner and most probably never to be seen again.

I hit myself on the head, "Gosh." Im so stupid sometimes, Andrew could be my ticket to a less lonely life. I mean he's going to the same school as me and he's clearly popular.

I just hope I don't get bullied again...