“This was a bad idea, Ava!” yelled Valeria, although no one else could hear except for Ava, who was in front of her, scoping the house near the entrance.
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They were standing just behind the gate, beside the hedges. Ava climbed at the right side of the gate to see the house, squinting her eyes to search either for Danielle or any of her friends; whilst Valeria was standing on the sidewalk with her hands on her hips, waiting for Ava to finish, “Well… can you see anyone?” asked Valeria impatiently, trying to cover her face as a few people walked by.
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“Hmmm,” mumbled Ava as she continued to look, ignoring Valeria’s question, “Hmmm…”
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“Are you just going to hang there all day until you see Danielle’s face?” asked Valeria again, now with a more annoyed tone as her lips showed her teeth.
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“…Well, I can’t see anything behind the bright lights and there are too many people around to single out that witch’s face…” Her mouth suddenly turned quiet, until, “Which is perfect! I can sneak in without getting caught!” exclaimed Ava, her wide smirk dominating her face.
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“You sneak in? What about me?!” asked Valeria, pointing at herself as she looked up at Ava.
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Ava turned her head and looked down at Valeria, raising her eyebrows as she did so, “Did you already forget that Damien asked you to go to the party. He is probably looking for you right now!” said Ava as she climbed over the hedge, “Besides, mostly everyone knows Damien; and if he is looking for you, they will tell him, so you sneaking in and hiding will lessen those chances.”
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“So, are you just going to leave me here alone?!” exclaimed Valeria, her eyes wide while a glint of red shone.
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“…. Yes.” She jumped off the hedge and landed on the other side where shrubs and tall grass grew, “You still have a chance of getting in even if Danielle finds you! As for me, I’m already banned from standing close to her, let alone enter her house! Love you, Val!” shouted Ava before sneaking away into the party.
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“Ava!” she yelled, hoping to bring Ava back, but to no avail, she had already left the entrance and went into the party unnoticed.
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A few moments passed by after Ava left, with Valeria looking through the gate to examine the party. She paced patiently along the entrance, deciding whether or not to continue the plan or just go home. She stopped at the very middle, gazing upon the guests one last time; searching for either Danielle or Damien, but all she could see was drunk students and a few passed out people that she had never seen before. The lights were shining bright on her face, making her close her eyes to think. Finally, she took a deep breath as she closed her hands, lifting her right leg to take a step forward, followed by the other as she continued. She passed through the gates alongside other people arriving to the party; but unlike Valeria, they were invited.
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Closing in to the welcoming steps of the house, she pinched her pants and ignored the light shining in her eyes — moving a few pieces of her hair to block them. She stopped as she reached the first step of the short entrance stairs, looking up; then left and right, hoping to spot Ava hiding somewhere or placing one of her so-called ‘toys’ for the party, but there was no sign of her. She moved her head back to face the stairs, her heart slowly beating; and with many second thoughts, she climbed the stairs carefully; trying not to let her heart beat a slip out of her.
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She reached the end of the stairs, where the house door was just a few meters in front of her; alongside the party people entering and leaving, “Maybe… he’s in there somewhere,” she thought to herself, ignoring the loud music that filled the air around the premise. She took a deep breath as she lifted her foot once again to step forward towards the door, slowly touching the tiled floor until.
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“What do you think you’re doing?” a soft voice was heard from her right — familiar, yet made her heart sank. Confusion flamed up in her mind, but not from ignorance of who it was, but anger. Her hands decided whether to stay open or close, but she did the former. She finally turned her head slightly to the right, followed by her eyes; and there she saw — Danielle.
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“I fondly remember that I didn’t invite you to MY party; or maybe you didn’t hear me well.” The sound of her heels flowed through Valeria’s ear as Danielle stepped forward in front of her, blocking her view of the door. “Should I remind you, Prickly Rose?” Her eyes glared deep into Valeria’s; her annoyance clear on her face; breaking the smoothness made from her make up. Valeria could only stare back, trying to hide her anger as her eyes and eyebrows struggled to show their flare.
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“When I say you’re not invited, it means you are not allowed within 30 meters of me or any of my places! Or is it too hard for a prickly rose like you to understand?” insulted Danielle, her anger mixed with a smirk as she gazed upon Valeria’s lowered eyes as she continued, “Now, either you get out of my place or I make you; my guests sure need someone for them to laugh at.” She let out a giggle, while Valeria looked at the ground, trying to maintain her composure; thinking of Damien as she tries to stay calm.
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“I…was,” she whispered, hoping Danielle would hear.
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“What’s that? Speak up! Or are you just too afraid to talk back to me?” said Danielle with a laugh as she urged Valeria.
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“I…. Was invited… by someone else,” said Valeria with a much louder tone, yet she still looked down, avoiding Danielle’s eyes.
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“Invited by someone else?!” said Danielle in disbelief, quickly shifting into a fire in her voice, “Now who would in the right mind would invite you? Especially, at MY precious party where the likes of you are not allo-“
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“I did,” a voice said from a short distance behind Valeria, but this time, it made her frown turn into a smile. Despite Danielle in front of her, she lifts her head and slowly turns it around — to see the one thing that made that night special; Damien.
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He walked up the stairs, stopping at the top beside Valeria, “I invited her Danielle, I hope it isn’t a problem,” said Damien with an assured tone as he stuck his eyes’ gaze at Danielle, but he took a few quick glances at Valeria.
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“Oh, Damien!” exclaimed Danielle, with a broad smile as she turned her gaze away from Valeria; using a different voice unlike what she used for Valeria, “You made it finally, it was getting a little boring without you hehe,” she giggled playfully.
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“Don’t you even dare,” whispered Valeria, making sure both of them couldn’t hear.
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“I got caught up with something back home, but I’m here now; I hope you don’t mind that I invited a plus one, Dani.” Valeria could feel her pinky being caressed and cuddled, she slowly looks down to see Damien’s holding hers, making her struggle to not show her pink blushes.
“Oh…” Danielle immediately glared at Valeria, but she didn’t keep it hidden, “It’s… fine, but why would you invite her Damien? I thought you left her… and forgot,” she said with visible joy in her voice.
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“The only thing he forgot is how annoying you can be,” Valeria whispered again.
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“She’s still a friend of mine, one I like to catch up with; if you don’t mind?” he said firmly, not averting his eyes away.
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“…Just a friend.”
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Danielle glares back at Valeria, now with more fire in her eyes; then ending with a smirk on her face, “Actually Damien, I do mi-“
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“Danielle!” one of the guests came running out of the front door of the house, moving her head trying to search for Danielle; then her eyes landed on her, “Danielle! I think that girl Ava is here! We saw one of her plastic balls on the table!”
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“WHAT!” yelled Danielle, ignoring both Damien and Valeria as she stormed towards the front door, following the guest, “Don’t let anyone touch whatever that was!!” her voice slowly disappearing away into the music of the party, leaving Valeria with Damien.
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Although the beat of the music was loud in their chests, silence caressed their skin for a moment; with Damien scratching the back of his head and Valeria making her cheeks blush more behind the strands of hair that fell down on her face as she lifted her head up. Without any notice, Valeria giggled at the thought of Danielle; taking notice, looked at Damien, making him smile as he looked at Valeria’s joyful sound.
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“Well, I guess Ava has her uses parties hehe,” said Valeria joyfully, turning her head to look at Damien.
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“It’s Ava, you don’t know what you’ll expect from her,”
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“That’s true, HAHA.”
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They both shared a laugh, ignoring the people around them and the music that filled their ears; then a quick silence from both of them entered, yet left as quickly as it came, “I’m sorry that I didn’t arrive early, I could’ve stopped Danielle from bothering you,” said Damien apologetically.
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“It’s fine Damien, I shouldn’t even be here; maybe I should just go so I wouldn’t make any more trouble for you,” said Valeria sadly, her eyes looking down again.
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“What? No, stay!” argued Damien, his eyes suddenly turned round, “I… want you to be here… with me, if you’re still willing to catch up?”
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Valeria lifted her eyes again to meet Damien’s; seeing his eyes begging for an answer, she giggled silently at the sight, “Okay, I’ll stay.”
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“Great! Oh sorry.” He stopped his excited tone, trying to get his calm composure back, “Well then, let’s go to the garden; there won’t be quite as many people and music there.” He walked towards the side of the house, where another set of stairs leading down to a garden lit with lights; he then turns back around towards Valeria, extending his hand.
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“Come, if you want,” he said slowly, smiling at her as he waited for an answer.
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Valeria followed his steps towards the side, stopping in front of him before looking down at his hand; trying not to make her blush visible, “I’d… like that.” She grabs his hands before both of them walked down the stairs to the garden. They reached the end, then proceeded to the small gate to where the garden was, with Damien opening it for Valeria to walk through before he followed after. They enter the garden filled with many different kinds of flowers, each with a different aroma — but all of them smelled beautifully.
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“Well, although Danielle is a queen witch; she sure does know her flowers hehe,” said Valeria, smelling the patch of roses.”
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“Some things never change, even your attitude towards Dani, huh?” said Damien, smiling at the sight of her.
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“I think it won’t change, especially with Ava beside me; and you know Danielle hates her deeply more than me or anyone else hehe,” she moves her nose away from the roses, then turns around at Damien, “I still wonder sometimes why you’re still friends with her.”
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“It’s… complicated, you know how it is,” said Damien, trying to avoid the subject, “Now, how’s it going between you and school? I reckon being a senior student is as fun as the pamphlets told us?” said Damien, somewhat sarcastically.
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“Oh, please don’t bring that up, we were just stupid high school kids thinking that it would be different; when its just a name being plastered with something old,” said Valeria, her hand on her face.
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“Hehe, I still remember how determined you were that it was; you even picked your strand before it was announced Haha,” laughed Damien at the precious memory.
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“Well, I regret it now; it’s still the same with a lot more pressure,” she laughed along side him under the lights of the garden, stopping with her eyes looking at Damien’s. Wishing the moment would go into a loop, forever staying still; but alas, time passed.
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“I… miss this, spending time with you,” said Valeria, moving a piece of hair blocking her eye.
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“… Me too, I wished… that I hadn’t accepted that stupid contract; I wish I had stayed,” said Damien, with his regret seen on his face as she stared at Valeria.
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Without thinking, Valeria slowly moved closer to Damien, looking up at him, “You had to, for your future; you don’t need to apologize… to me,” she said firmly, trying not to blush at the closeness of distance from her and Damien’s face.
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“… But I do, you were the one that I hurt the most when I left…”
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“It… was fine, I understood back then… who was I to stop you…”
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Without looking down, Valeria felt something in her hand; she gripped it tightly and quickly realized — it was Damien’s hand holding hers again.
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“… The only reason that would’ve made me stay…”
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The lights shined brighter than they were around them, but they ignored it as their eyes stared at each other with delight. Their faces slowly getting closer, with their lips at a breathing closeness — ignoring everything around them, and forgetting every single thing that came into mind; for the other was the only thing that was important. Slowly embracing a memory of them that they wanted back, yet something was amiss.
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“BOOM!”
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