Catherine's POV
I spotted Julian heading toward the exit. I knew he was angry and that was the exact reason I decided to accept Collins' offer to dance with him.
Enough of Julian trying to meddle in my life. He called me an eighteen-year-old, right? I intended to prove him wrong.
Without thinking, I excused myself from Collins's grasp on the dance floor.
"Everything okay?" he asked, lifting his brows.
"Yeah," I lied. "Just need a minute. I'll be back."
I didn't even wait for his reply and hurriedly dashed out. My eyes stayed fixed on Julian's broad back as he strode toward the parking lot.
We were now outside and he was heading to his car. It looked like he was about to leave the party entirely—the audacity of his leaving without a word.
"Julian!" I called, but he ignored me like I was air.
I picked up my pace, my heels clacking against the ground, until I caught up just as he reached the handle of his car. "Julian!" I called again, louder this time.
He turned to me with a cold expression. "What? Huh? What is it you want this time?"
"Where are you going?"
"Home," he answered flatly.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
He scoffed, running a hand through his hair. "I didn't know I needed your permission to drive home."
"You know what I mean," I shot back, crossing my arms. "You plan to leave me here alone?"
He gave me that blank, infuriating look, the kind that made me want to scream, then he scoffed. "Don't act like you are all alone, you have Collins, he will drop you off."
I gave him a challenging look. "No way, I'm coming with you. Give me a few seconds," I said quickly. "Let me grab my purse."
He didn't answer. He could not even spare a nod or a grunt. Just that same deadpan stare.
"Julian," I repeated. "You better not leave, I'll be right back."
I didn't wait for his response. I ran back inside, weaving through the crowd until I spotted Tessa.
"Hey, I am leaving now," I told her. "Julian's heading home already."
Her eyes lit up instantly. "Omg, can you ask him to drop me off too?"
"Sure," I sighed. "He's in a hurry, so grab your stuff and come with me."
She quickly did that in excitement. We hurried outside together, only to find Julian's car already rolling away.
"Julian!" I yelled, waving my hand like a maniac. This bastard really had plans of leaving me behind. It looked like he couldn't hear us.
"You should give him a call, maybe he forgot you'd be riding with him."
I spat the words out of my mouth in anger, "forgot, my ass. He's intentionally doing this to rile me up!"
"Uhm.. I don't think so. Julian is a gentleman," Tessa annoyingly began and just when I was about to give her a befitting response, Julian tooted his car horn.
"See?" Tessa said, grinning like she'd just watched a rom-com. "He is not as bad as you make him out to be."
"Of course," I muttered, intentionally faking a smile.
I stormed toward the car, Tessa practically skipping behind me but just as we got close enough, then vroom,
Julian's car zoomed off, taillights vanishing into the night.
My jaw dropped and Tessa gasped beside me. "I thought… Did he just leave?"
I turned to her slowly, trying not to explode. "No, he teleported."
She blinked. "He must be in a bad mood, then." She started defending him and I groaned, walking back. "For crying out loud, Tessa. Use your brain."
"Shit, he did really leave. I didn't bring my bike!" she whined. "I was counting on you to ask him to let me ride along. Now what am I supposed to do?"
I stopped, giving her a look of pure disbelief. "You're joking, right? You didn't bring your own ride because you wanted Julian to chauffeur you home?"
She shrugged, sheepishly.
"Girl, you need medical help," I said flatly. "Like a full check-up urgently."
Before she could reply, Collins walked out from the hallway, looking concerned. "Are you two okay?"
I opened my mouth to answer, but Tessa jumped in, smiling like a pageant queen. "We're fine! Just heading back inside."
Then she looped her arm through mine, dragging me before I could say another word.
We barely made it three steps before Sasha appeared out of nowhere, blocking the doorway like a demon in a designer dress.
"Excuse me," I said sharply, trying to sidestep her.
She moved again, smirking. "Hi, Catherine. Been a while."
I wasn't in the mood for her games. "Please move."
Her grin widened, all fake sweetness. "You know, Catherine, I have to commend you on how easily you forced your way into this lifestyle. I've always thought it hard to rebrand cheap things but you have changed my perspective."
I clenched my fists, swallowing back the curse sitting on my tongue.
To my shock, Tessa snapped. "Yeah? At least no one is spreading their legs for their boyfriend's friends."
I froze and so did Sasha.
In a fleeting second, her hand came flying across Tessa's cheek.
Before I even processed it, Tessa slapped her back just as hard. "How dare you lay your hand on me, you diseased Barbie!"
Everything turned into chaos. I stepped forward, ready to yank Tessa away before security threw us out.
"Enough!" Ethan rushed over, sliding between them. "What the hell is going on?"
"Ask her!" Sasha hissed, pointing at Tessa.
Tessa folded her arms. "No, ask the party slut why she thinks everyone's competition."
Ethan held up his hands, looking from one to the other, then finally at me. "You know what? Everyone should just go home before things get worse. We've had enough fights for the day."
And that's how, five minutes later, I ended up sitting in the backseat of Ethan's car, silently seething.
Tessa was in the front seat, giggling at everything Ethan said. He kept flirting, and she was eating it up. This was when I realized she was actually drunk.
Meanwhile, I sat in the back, staring out the window, fighting the urge to scream, then I slumped back in the seat, muttering to myself, "Remind me never to leave my room again."