Chapter 3 ~Not Just A kiss~

~ Roxanne ~

I blinked several times to be certain I wasn't imagining it. I clicked out of the message and then back but the image didn't change.

My stomach dropped, and my mind clouded with a million and one questions.

This has to be some kind of sick prank. 

But again, it wasn't.

Noah, my boyfriend of 3 years was lip locked with Juliette, my best friend of 5 years! The same Juliette who was the most upset after I told her I was leaving.

How could I not have seen through their facade?!

Their position was intimate enough for me to understand that this had been going on for a while.

A message popped below the image,

“Thought you deserved to know.” It read.

My vision blurred and my fingers trembled as I struggled to hold the phone in my hand.

“Hey, are you alright...?” Ashley trailed off as her gaze landed on the phone screen. 

“Is he?” She let out a sigh as though she had already gotten her answer.

“How could they?” My voice came out hoarse and shaky.

“Because they're both asses and don't deserve you.” Ashley wrapped her arms around me in a comforting hug. 

“You know what?” She pulled away. “I think you should go to Flynn's party. Show that jerk face boyfriend —”

“Ex-boyfriend.” I cut her off, my sadness replaced with pure rage.

“Right. Show your ex how stupid he is to have cheated on you. Show him you're better off without him.” Ashley grinned.

Maybe she was right. And maybe moving to Redhills was actually the right choice, else I would never have known of their betrayal.

“What time is it?" I asked, my teeth gritted.

“That's the spirit!” Ashley beamed as she began pulling me along.

“We should go shopping! And I'll give you a glam makeover so that every hot guy in that party would only have eyes for you.” Ashley squeaked.

She kept true to her word. Because by the time she was done with me, I was dumbstruck.

“So, what do you think?” She smirked, letting me take in my reflection in the mirror.

I barely recognized the girl staring back at me. 

The black satin dress hugged my body perfectly, the soft shimmer catching against my skin whenever I moved. The thin straps and open back made me feel strangely exposed yet powerful at the same time, while the slit against my thigh added a boldness I wasn’t used to carrying.

With my dark hair falling in loose waves around my shoulders and the smoky makeup making my blue eyes look sharper, I didn’t look like the Roxanne from Blue Valley anymore. I looked dangerous.

“Okay wow… now I’m questioning my sexuality.” Ashley gawked, and I giggled softly.

“I love it, Ash. Thank you.” 

Ashley grabbed her white purse and we headed for the party.

“Flynn lives here?” I asked, jaw dropped as Ashley drove into an exotic apartment.

“Hockey star privileges. They get an exclusive apartment rather than dorm rooms.” Ashley replied as she held my hand and we walked into the already crowded building.

Loud music, people screaming, bodies gyrating, that was exactly what I needed.

“I'm going to grab us some drinks.” Ashley said and left me in the midst of the crowd, all riding high at championship win.

I suddenly felt utterly exposed as the stinging gaze of lustful eyes fell on my body. 

My phone beeped. I checked immediately but regretted it instantly.

More photos.

I clenched my fist, that piercing ache returned to my chest.

“That's it.” I gritted my teeth.

“Hey I got this strawberry flavored cockt—” 

I grabbed the cup from Ashley before she could finish her sentence and chugged the entire content down in one go. I snatched hers and drank it as well.

“Woah, slow down. We just got here.” Ashley said with a cautious gaze. 

I raised the phone to her eye level and her mouth formed an “Oh” shape but the word didn't leave her mouth.

“You know what? I think you should show your ex what he's missing. Show him you can also have a good time without him.” Ashley smirked and my head lit up with an idea.

The best revenge would be to send a counter photo of me making out with a hot guy, and thankfully, there are many hot guys at Crescent Hills.

“Yo Rookie. You came.” I spotted Flynn ahead as he waved at me, motioning for us to join them at their exclusive corner.

My gaze locked with a pair of icy blue eyes next to Flynn. Time stopped, and everyone else seemed to have disappeared.

Alan West stood at the corner, looking unfairly good in black. 

He wore a fitted long-sleeved shirt that clung just enough to show the lean definition of his body, the top buttons left open to reveal a hint of smooth skin beneath. His sleeves were rolled to his forearms, veins faintly visible under the dim party lights, while the silver hook chain at the waist of his black jeans added to the effortless dangerous vibe he carried.

His dark hair fell messily over his forehead, and there was something cold yet magnetic about the way he moved—calm, confident, like he knew everyone in the room was watching him without even trying.

I could hear my heartbeat spiraling out of control, and as though sensing the chaos within me, he looked away, like he never intended to stare longer than he did.

“Roxanne, you okay?” Ashley waved her hand in front of my face, bringing me back to reality.

“Yeah, why?” I blinked.

“Your face is all flushed. Are you feeling sick?” She asked as she placed the back of her hand on my forehead.

“I'm fine.” I walked past the crowd to join Flynn and the others with Ashley following behind.

“We were just about to play a game, Rookie. You look hot by the way.” Flynn winked at me.

“My name is Roxanne.” I countered but he simply ignored me and proceeded to place a bottle on the table.

“Spin.” He urged.

“Is this your twisted way of trying to score with the newbie?” Alan suddenly spoke up, surprising everyone at the table.

Flynn shrugged,

“It's a game. We'll let the bottle decide.” 

I grabbed one of the cups on the table and chugged down another drink, then focused my attention on the bottle.

Three guys, one spin, one choice and one kiss. 

One of them would be my partner in my revenge plan, and I'm guessing it would be Flynn since he was seated right opposite from where I sat.

I took a deep breath then spun the bottle, holding my breath as I watched the tip rotate to a stop. 

My gaze trailed the black jeans up to the rolled up sleeves, locking with a pair of icy blue eyes.

Alan!

“Oh hell no.” The blondie next to Alan which I had only just noticed now snarled.

“Chill, Andrea. It's just a game.” Marcus chuckled.

Ashley had a weary look on her face, and in that moment, her words resurfaced in my head.

"For your own good, steer clear of Andrea Pembroke.”

I'm guessing Andrea and Alan were a thing for her to have reacted like that.

“It's fine. I could spin it again.” 

“Nonsense. Don't chicken out of me now, Rookie.” Flynn responded as he pointed to a door not too far from where we were.

“Let's get this over with." Alan said, his expression unreadable as he began walking towards the door.

I followed behind, my phone on stand by. Alan would have to do, and besides, it was just a meaningless kiss.

Alan pushed the door shut behind us, the muffled sound of the party fading instantly.

For a moment, neither of us said anything.

His icy blue eyes stayed on me, calm and unreadable, while my heartbeat spiraled wildly inside my chest.

“This is just for a game, right Rookie?” He asked, one brow slightly raised.

I lifted my chin stubbornly.

“Scared?”

A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips before he stepped closer, close enough for me to catch the scent of cedarwood and winter frost again.

Dangerous.

That was the only word my brain could come up with whenever he was near.

His fingers tilted my chin upward gently, and before I could overthink it, his lips met mine.

The kiss was supposed to feel meaningless.

A simple photo to send to Noah.

But the second our lips touched, something strange rushed through me like electricity beneath my skin. My breath caught, my chest tightening as warmth spread through my entire body.

And judging by the way Alan suddenly stiffened against me, I wasn't the only one who felt it.

The photo! 

I screamed internally as I quickly snapped the photo.

Alan pulled away almost immediately, clearing his throat as though trying to regain composure.

His expression hardened slightly as he glanced at my phone but surprisingly said nothing.

Then without another word, he walked out, leaving me alone in the room with my pulse racing wildly against my ribs.

I pressed my fingers against my lips, still feeling the lingering warmth of the kiss.

What the hell was that?

A wave of dizziness suddenly hit me, forcing me to steady myself against the wall.

My phone vibrated in my hand, pulling me back to reality.

Right. Noah.

I quickly sent the picture with trembling fingers before slipping my phone back into my purse and heading for the door.

I walked back in to the sound of phones buzzing around the party, and suddenly everyone's eyes were on me.

"Isn't that Alan?"

"Who's the girl?"

“Andrea's gonna lose it.”

Side talks everywhere, making me feel even more perplexed.

“What the actual fuck!” Andrea glared at me, as though she wanted to murder me with her gaze.

I'm suddenly surrounded by an angry mob of girls.

“Who the hell do you think you are?! Taking advantage of Alan like that! You pathetic attention seeking slut!” Andrea fired, the sound of her palm meeting my cheek followed.

I held my cheek in shock, still trying to figure out what was going on.

“Roxanne!” Ashley moved through the crowd until she was right beside me. “Why would you send this to the student group?” She asked as she showed me the photo I had supposedly sent to Noah.

Oh no!

I must have accidentally sent it to Crescent Hills students group!

“Alan never kisses girls publicly! Do you have any idea what you've done!” Andrea barked as she shoved me violently.

“Woah, let's calm down a bit here ladies.” Flynn and Marcus tried to intervene but someone suddenly threw a drink at my face.

The room went silent immediately.

The cold liquid dripped slowly down my face, staining my dress as laughter and whispers slowly erupted around me.

Something inside me snapped.

The betrayal. The humiliation. The rage.

It all crashed into me at once like a violent storm clawing its way free.

My breathing became uneven as a strange pressure built inside my chest, growing stronger with every passing second.

“I said calm down—” Flynn started but his voice suddenly sounded distant.

The room temperature dropped instantly.

A sharp gasp rippled across the crowd.

The lights above flickered violently, and the glasses on the nearby table began trembling against the surface.

My fingers twitched at my sides.

Pain tore through my body.

“What the hell…” Someone whispered fearfully.

The pressure in the room became suffocating, so heavy it felt impossible to breathe.

One by one, people began backing away from me instinctively.

Others froze completely.

Andrea stumbled backwards, her face drained of color as though she could suddenly sense danger for the very first time.

I could hear my heartbeat pounding louder and louder in my ears.

Everything around me felt wrong.

Unstable.

The glass cup beside me suddenly shattered on its own.

Several people screamed.

And then I noticed something even worse.

Almost everyone in the room had lowered their heads.

Like they were… submitting.

Fear crawled up my spine.

No…

What was happening to me?

My gaze lifted shakily and landed on Alan.

Unlike everyone else, he was still standing upright.

But the look in his icy blue eyes had changed completely.

Not shock.

Recognition.

The pressure inside me became unbearable.

A sharp pain exploded through my chest and my vision blurred instantly.

The last thing I heard before darkness swallowed me whole was someone yelling my name.