Annie shook her head, a small smile on her lips, "Hello Riley."
"Hello Annie," he grinned back, "how are you?" He asked as he grabbed her hand pulling her closer to him so he could actually talk to her.
"I'm okay, Riley," said Annie as she pulled her hand out of his grasp, putting some distance between the two.
"Hmm, I like it when you say my name," Riley slurred, clearly drunk.
"What are you doing here!?" Kyson hissed as he stormed towards Annie and the group of people surrounding her.
"I didn't think this party was the invitation type Kyson, I'm allowed to be here," Annie sighed as she took in the slightly drunk figure of Kyson.
"You ruined my life by coming back home and now you have to ruin my social standing," he hissed, "you should go home now before you embarrass yourself further!"
Annie shook her head at her drunk step-brother, "the only person embarrassing themselves is you, Kyson, just ignore that I'm here!"
"Oh you!" Kyson was about to pull his hand up to smack Annie across the cheek when Max rigidly grabbed Kysons arm.
"Come," he said, pulling Kyson out of his angry drunk stupor, pulling him out of the room.
Annie let out a shaky breath as Ellie chirps, "Let's get a drink."
Pulling Annie back into the crowd of people into the kitchen where the drinks were placed.
Annie looked at each drink, everything was alcohol. Annie wasn't in the mood to drink around a bunch of people she didn't trust, so instead, she grabbed a red solo cup and pour water in it instead.
"Hmm what are you drinking?" Riley asked as he pulled the cup out of her hand and took a sip. "Tastes like water."
"Maybe you're just to drunk to taste the liqour," the lie rolled off Annie's tongue like it was second nature. Why she didn't just tell the truth was beyond her, she felt the social pressure of needing to drink.
"Hmm, maybe," Riley slurred, "you know you're really pretty," he smiled as he moved a piece of hair out of her face.
"Um, thanks," Annie said back awkwardly.
"Riley, stop flirting with her you creep!" Ellie shouted over the bass music so Riley could hear her.
"But Ellie!" Riley whined. Ellie smacked him on the arm and shoo'd him away, earning a laugh to escape Annie's lips, pure and light.
"I'm so sorry about him, he's even more intolerable drunk," Ellie huffed, her brown eyes following his retreating figure.
"It's okay, I think it's just who he is as a person, a flirt," Annie shrugged, looking at her brunette friend with a smile.
Ellie rolled her eyes, leaning her hip against the kitchen counter and taking a long sip of whatever neon-colored concoction was in her cup. "A flirt? That's one way to put it. I usually go with 'nuisance,' but your way sounds nicer. You are too sweet for your own good, Annie."
Annie looked down at her cup of water, her thumb tracing the rim. "I'm just trying to keep the peace. Especially after Kyson's little... performance."
"Ugh, don't even get me started on him," Ellie groaned, reaching over to give Annie's arm a supportive squeeze. "He's been a nightmare lately, he's been spending to much time around Riley and Max. And honestly, ignore him. He's just mad because you're actually interesting and he's... well, he's justKyson. I'm just glad you're here. I missed having someone to talk to who doesn't just want to gossip about who's hooking up in the history classroom."
Annie felt a small warmth bloom in her chest. "I missed this too. Even the loud music and the smell of cheap beer. It feels... normal. Almost."
"Good! Because I'm not letting you go back into hiding," Ellie declared, her eyes bright. The light moment was cut short, however, when the crowd near the kitchen doorway parted. Vanessa sauntered in, her heels clicking sharply against the tile even over the beat of the music. She looked immaculate, every blonde hair in place, holding a drink like it was a prop in a movie.
She didn't even acknowledge the others. Her eyes locked onto Annie, scanning her from her flats up to her baby blue dress with a slow, deliberate coldness that made the air in the room feel ten degrees colder.
"Well, look what the cat dragged in," Vanessa drawled, her voice cutting through the warmth of Annie and Ellie's conversation like a blade. "I seen that you were back Annie, but I didn't think you'd come here. I figured you'd have the decency to stay tucked away in that dusty house of yours. You always did have a habit of showing up where you aren't wanted."
Vanessa stepped closer, the cloying scent of her expensive perfume clashing with the smell of the party. She tilted her head, a mock-sympathetic pout forming on her lips as she looked Annie up and down.
"And that dress... blue? Really?" Vanessa let out a sharp, breathless laugh. "I guess it's a choice. It's a bit 'lost little girl,' isn't it? But I suppose that's the brand you're going for now. The depressed, grieving, tragic daughter routine must be working wonders for attention."
Annie felt the words hit her like a physical blow. The mention of her grief was a low blow, even for Vanessa. Her heart hammered against her ribs and a cold ache spread through her chest, but she didn't let her expression flicker. She kept her chin level, her gaze steady, refusing to give Vanessa the satisfaction of a single tear or a quivering lip.
"I heard about your mom, by the way," Vanessa continued, her voice dropping to a faux-whisper that carried perfectly to the onlookers. "It's a shame. But honestly, Annie, coming out to a party a week after being back? It's a bit desperate. You're lucky Ethan is so charitable, we all know he's only hanging around you because he feels sorry for you. It's kind of his thing, taking in the broken ones."
The room seemed to go quiet for Annie, the bass of the music muffled by the ringing in her ears.
Charity. The word stung worse than anything else. Was that all she was to Ethan? Aproject?
Before Ellie could snap back or Annie could find her voice, a heavy, warm presence materialized behind her. A familiar hand settled firmly on the small of Annie's back- protective, solid, and grounding.
"You done, Vanessa?"
Ethan's voice wasn't loud, but it had a dangerous, icy edge that immediately silenced the kitchen. He didn't even look at Vanessa- his eyes were fixed entirely on the side of Annie's face, searching for the damage. He had seen the way she was standing, too still, too rigid.
"Because I think we're done here," Ethan stated. He stepped closer to Annie, his body shielding her from the prying eyes of the crowd. He looked down at her, his expression softening instantly, his voice dropping to that private, velvet tone.
"Hey," he murmured, ignoring the gasps from the people watching. "I'm bored. This party is a bust and the company is even worse. You want to get out of here, Doll? I was thinking a drive with the windows down sounds a lot better than staying in this heat."
Annie nodded her head before turning her gaze to Ellie, giving her a firm hug and a goodbye, they leave the party.