5: Drop the ego.

I stretched my hands towards the bedside table, simply feeling around for my ringing phone.

Whoever was calling me at this time of the night had better have a good explanation... Like, they're being chased by a serial killer or their house is on fire. Cause if it's not, I'm going to strangle whoever is on the other line!

I finally grabbed my phone and answered it without even bothering to check who the caller was.

"To call me at this time... Whatever this time is... This had better be important!" I whisper yelled through the phone. The last thing I needed was to wake up the entire house.

"It's only one fifteen," Brian's voice rang through the phone.

Argh!

"I should have known it was you!"

"I have a feeling you wouldn't have answered my call if you did," Well he was right. I wouldn't have answered. Is it too late to hang up?

"What do you want? And think very well of the answer your about to give me... It had better be good, "

"I'm pretty sure you didn't call me at one in the morning to ask me how cheer camp was! What do you really want?"

I knew when Brian was stalling... He's doing it right now. He has a tendency of doing that only when he wants to ask for a favor.

"You won't even ask me how I am?"

"Cut the crap Brian!" I almost yelled, "What do you want?"

Ever since Casey introduced me to Brian, he's been like the annoying elder brother I never asked for. He knows all the right ways to push my buttons. I can't seem to ever have a normal conversation. All of them always end with me shouting at him.

I heard him sigh, "Well I didn't want to call you... But your cousin insisted on it,"

"Of course he did!"

"He's kinda drank?"

"Of course he is,"

"He needs a ride home,"

"Of course he does!"

That is so like Casey. He goes out, gets drank, and then gives me the responsibility of being his uber driver. Sometimes I get lucky, and he simply just spends the night with a random girl... But I guess this is not one of those lucky nights.

"You know I'm really sorry about this! But you're the only one who can help him,"

"He has his car. Can't you just drive him home?"

"You know I can't drive Connie," he said, and I have a feeling he was rolling his eyes when doing so, "And even if I could drive, you know how his father is when Casey gets home drank... Plus I don't want to face him... And neither does Casey,"

Okay, that I understand. Uncle Robert has a really violent nature. And well, he's a very impulsive person... I hate it when he beats up Casey... I hate him when he beats up Casey. It's why Casey usually prefers sleeping here most of the time... He can't seen to stand his dad, and his mom is hardly ever around.

"Then get him into a cab and let him come here!"

"Connie___"

"Okay okay fine!!! But if this is simply one of your dumb ideas to get me to go to your dumb party___"

"I swear it's not!"

"Okay. Send me the address. I'm on my way," and with that, I hang up the phone.

And so I got dressed, the closest outfit that caught my eyes, grabbed my phone, keys and sneakers, and sneaked out of the house.

So now, here I am, at the address Brian sent me. I even had to bribe the guards just so they would not tell my parents of me leaving the house.

I parked the car right outside the house. I knew I was simply going in, getting Casey and getting out. Hopefully, I wouldn't have to spend even an extra second longer than I have to.

I slowly climbed the stairs to the entrance of the house, and even from where I was, I could hear the loud music thumping from inside.

I admit, I hate quiet places... But I'm not exactly extatic about loud places either. They make it so damn hard to concentrate, focus,think straight. One can't even formulate anything! Maybe I ought to rethink this whole thing. It may not have been the best idea I have come up with.

But then again, I know Casey, and he can get impatient and stubborn. If I don't go for him, he might decide to drive himself. And I can think of a thousand possibilities how that will backfire.

I would never forgive myself if I let anything happen to Casey simply because I  couldn't pick him up from this dumb party.

I stood at the entrance, debating with myself whether or not I should go in. My heart simply wanted nothing more than to rush in there and get Casey out... But my brain told every limb in my body not to.

It was too late to turn back anyway, so I might as well get this over and done with. So I listened to my heart, and in I went...

It was a terrible idea, and I immediately regretted it.

The lights were blinding... Music was deafening. There was a really thick cloud of smoke in the air. A couple of people grinding against each other on the dance floor, some were even making out at the stairs... Others at the very end of the room. Some sat on the couch, sniffing cocaine! How the hell did they even get their hands on that stuff? 

Well this is the reason I despise parties... I  hope you're seeing my reasoning now! The sooner I find Casey, the sooner I get to leave. The atmosphere of this place was just so suffocating. And with the place this crowded, I have no idea where I'll even begin looking for him.

Perhaps if I was at a higher ground I'd be able to spot Casey better?

So up the stairs I went, having to say 'sorry' and 'excuse me' for every single step I took. With couples making out at the stairs and others smoking, I had to cautiously watch my step.

There was this couple that shot me a a really nasty glare when I interrupted their little make out session.

So I was really glad when I finally got to the top. And I was right above the dance floor, so scanning for Casey was much easier. There were a bunch of people of people around, but it wasn't as crowded as it was downstairs, so I was really grateful for that.

I leaned on the railings to get a better look down.

Perhaps it would be easier to just call Brian? Why the hell didn't I even think about it in the beginning?!

I took out my phone a ND dialed his number. His phone rang and rang, but he didn't pick up. So I decided to call Casey's phone instead... But his phone was apparently 'busy'. Okay, so much for calling Brian. I'll figure it out on my own.

"Is it judgment day already?" a deep hoarse voice whispered in my ear, "Cause I see an angel would like to take me to heaven,"

I turned around and came face to face with a really tall muscular figure. His hair looked black... But with the multiple dim colored lights, it made it impossible to distinguish the color of his eyes. His breath smelt of hard liquor... Perhaps even tobacco? One thing was for sure though, he was definitely drank.

And don't even get me started on his corny jokes! I wanted thus conversation to end before it even began.

"You know princess, I know everyone at this party. And I'd really hate to forget the face of such an angel. Have we met before? You don't look the slightest bit familiar. Are you here with someone?"

Not that it was any of his business but, "I'm actually here as an uber driver,"

"Who's the lucky passenger?" he put his hands on the railings beside my waist, leaning in and trapping me in the  middle, "I might help you find him or her,"

"No thank, I'll be fine on my own,"

I tried to stay calm, even though deep inside, I was really panicking. All the alarms were going off in my head. I had no idea which one was worse, his corny jokes, his breath, or how trapped and anxious I felt.

Keep it together Connie!

"What if..." he stepped even close (how was that even possible) "... You and I get out of here and go have some real fun?"

"Or... You back up first," I tried a gentle approach, talked as nicely as I could, I didn't want to risk pissing off a drank. I gently tried to push him off, but the guy didn't even budge.

And every second longer I spent in that place, the more panicked I got, and the more I regretted coming to this party in the first place.

"Come on princess, loosen up a bit,"

God! Call me that again and I might end up throwing you over this railings.

His hands travelled from the railings to my waist. For a someone who's drank, he sure had a really strong grip. Which is weird, I mean, the guy could hardly even balance his own weight. How was he even able to maintain such a strong grip?

"Let go of me," I said, still on my normal sweet voice, which now that I think of it, gave him the impression that I was enjoy on whatever was happening. Which I wasn't! I hated every single second of it!

"When you say 'let go', I only hear 'come closer', "

"Could you stop?!" I shoved him hard, and I guess it caught him off guard and stumbled a couple of steps back.

And when he finally regained his balance, do you know what he did?

He smirked at me... That malicious, lustful, intimidating, stupid smirk that tells you that you've just made the biggest mistake of your life!

"Fiesty! I like you already. I think you and I are going to get along just fine,"

I have no idea how nobody heard all the commotion... The music maybe? Or maybe they did and they just didn't care.

But all my life, I've never really felt like I needed a knight in shinning armour to defend or protect me... Which is why I always disagree with Casey. And hopefully, I'll never have to be saved by a guy like they do in rom-coms.

I've never depended on anyone for help... And no way in hell am I going to start now... I wasn't going to ask for help.

But now with this perverted drunk man, will I have to finally drop my ego and ask for help?

*********

Keep her pride and loose her dignity?

Or keep her dignity and loose her pride.

Or is she going to end up losing all?