53. Plastic Cups

Hot Chip - I Feel Better


ELLA'S POV



Noah sat on my bed as I hunted through my wardrobe looking for something decent to wear. I was still in my bathrobe and I had no idea what I even wanted to wear. Would a dress be too much? Would jeans be too casual?

“We’re going to be late,” Noah said as he lay on my bed looking at my ceiling. I looked across at him. Did he know that there’s no such thing as being late to a house party? At times like these I wish I had Gina here to help me decide what to wear; Noah wasn’t being much help.

Finally I settled on a zebra print playsuit before pairing it with a black ballet flats and a black cardigan. “You look hot,” Noah said as he stopped sucking on the straw for his cocktail and sat up. “Knock their Lemoyne socks off,” he added with a grin. “Who lives south of the river anyway?” I rolled my eyes at him as I began gathering things into my purse and searching for my car keys.

As Max’s house was nowhere near a subway and a taxi fare would have been up in the extortionate regions, I decided to drive, as Noah said he would drive me back so that I could drink. Seems fair.

I drove south east through the city enjoying people watching as we sat at red light after red light after red light. It was nearly ten pm by the time we had crossed the river. I barely ever come south because, well everything I need is on the island so south just seems so unnecessary.

“Oh it looks happening,” Noah said as we found a parking spot a way down the street. Even from here we could hear the party and the music from a couple hundred of metres away. As we got closer, the glass windows were positively vibrating and I could hear people dancing and cheering at something that was going on inside.

Pushing the door open with Noah at my heels I headed for the kitchen or somewhere to find Max. I grabbed a plastic cup and filled it with punch as I took in his decorations. He had gone all out – the beach in his kitchen, the two girls in the pool with some ginger haired guy stripping his trousers off to join them, the beer funnel running down the stairs, beer pong.

“Ella!” Geno greeted me as I headed back to the hall looking for Max. I was wrapped in a rather sweaty hug from the Russian as he proceeded to give my cheek a really sloppy kiss and then tried to drag me over to the beer pong. I declined and made my way back into the hallway where Noah was chatting to two girls in French.

“Hey Ella,” Kris greeted me, kissing me on both cheeks and pulling me into the warmest hug. I was getting such a nice reception from his teammates, part of me began to think that Jordan was here somewhere. “What are you drinking?” Kris asked huskily as he pulled me away from Geno and towards a heavily laden drinks table. Looking at the table I wasn’t sure, but I wasn’t driving, Noah was. I had already started on the punch, so it seemed natural to continue with it. “How’s your summer been?” I asked Kris as he too, helped himself to punch. He tilted his head a little from side to side, as if he was weighing up the question. “Not bad, just training and relaxing. Went to visit some friends, went to Miami with Sid and Geno and spent the last couple of weeks here. How about you?”

“Working, working, working. I got an internship here so that’s great. Hopefully they’ll decide to take me on at the end of the summer,” I added, taking a long sip from the strong, citrus punch.

“Yeah, Jordan told me about that,” Kris said as he fidgeted with the back of his cap. “You like it there?”

“Better than I thought I would.” It was true, the work was challenging and I was pushed hard, only to reap the benefits later. And having a chance to enter such a huge company this summer, if I wanted to explore another path in the company, the doors would be open.

“Good,” Kris said, stringing a large arm around my shoulder and directing me through to the dimly lit hallway again, where a small crowd was gathering around the beer funnel. Kris kept his arm strung around my shoulders for longer than I deemed was necessary. Kris smelt good, really good, like oranges and citrus fruits, though that could have been the punch, I’m not sure. The warmth of his arm was like my own personal space heater, keeping my neck warm.

I wasn’t sure I would have had such a nice welcome from Jordan’s teammates – after all, Max had told me, I had broken Jordan’s heart – so I was happy to even be greeted with smiles and polite hellos. Max was different, he had been with Gina and subsequently I had gotten to know him away from Jordan and the rest of the team. I would like to think we would still be friends even now that Gina’s gone. The rest, they are all nice people, I told myself; hopefully they’re not going to be harsh, not even after what I did.

“Watch out!” Kris warned as I was tackled from behind by two hairy arms. Grinning I turned around to see Max flanked by three girls coming out of the bathroom. God only knows what they were up to in there. He looked happy as he picked me up and turned me upside down before putting me down on the ground. Thank God I was wearing decent underwear tonight though no one was going to see it.

“Hey Ella, will you go get me something from the basement. I’ve kind of got my hands tied up here,” Max said as the two girls closest to him giggled in his ear. I nodded as he pointed me in the location of the basement. “Just more cups,” Max added.

I started walking down the stairs when the door was closed behind me and I heard the lock click.

What the fuck?!

I walked back up the few steps I had just descended, before hammering loudly on the door. I could hear an insane cackle that sounded something like Max. What kind of sick joke was this?

Cups, I told myself as I went down the stairs and into the vast basement. There was a lot of stuff down here, things I presumed Max didn’t want to get wrecked from the party. I passed a couple of photo frames, a large picture of him and Gina smiling. I picked it up, running my finger over the glass, looking at their matching grins and the happiness radiating out from their eyes.

I made my way into the small entrance, wondering which way to go, as I looked at the three rooms ahead of me. Christ, Max’s basement was enormous. Wouldn't it have been easier if Max had come down here?

To my left, illuminated by the harsh light of the cellar was what looked like a laundry room. Straight ahead there were couches, what looked like some kind of games console and Max’s den. To the right was a small makeshift kitchen, complete with fridge, table, microwave and a few cupboards. Thinking that this was my best bet, I walked into the room to the right, noticing several large boxes on the counter. Peeking in, I noticed that Max had never quite got round to unpacking, as china poked out from its wrapping. God only knows how long it had been sitting here.

Where are they? I looked round hoping for the cups to be in a really obvious place and not buried beneath junk. I wasn't in the mood for rummaging.

Glancing quickly to the left of the boxes, I caught sight of several hundred cups, which I picked up, retreating back to the stairs I had come down.

“Hi,” I said as Jordan reached the bottom of the steps. “What are you doing down here?” failing to keep any element of surprise out of my voice. I hadn't seen him upstairs, but after seeing his teammates here tonight, and knowing that Jordan isn't one to miss a party, I knew it would be only a matter of time before I bumped into him. I just hadn't expected him to corner me in Max's basement.

“Max asked me to fetch some cups,” he replied. MAAAAAXXXXX!