CHAPTER FOUR;

Jealousy

"Hi Tyler,"

"Tyler!"

"Dude!"

"Hi sweetie."

Both of them are not completely in at the venue yet but they were clogged near the entrance. Almost every single soul inside greeted Tyler, and he also greeted back with all smiles. They all chatted even though the music is deafening, and also, they completely ignored the one who's trailing behind him like a toad. The toad was also pushed back away from him.

The toad watch as a crowd of people began to form around him. 

Althea was grateful though, she really is. The less attention she recieve, the less bother she will have. All is well, all is well. It was good thing that Tyler's popularity is not only giving her misfortune.

 When they finally entered the sea of crowd, she thought she will be freed from Tyler since he was being dragged here and there, but, damn him, even when she went to get foods, he never let her out of his sight.

And if she somehow moves further away, he quickly makes an excuse to follow her and break from their grasp.

 But he will not approach and stand by her side, he will instead stand in a distance that is enough for him to move again in case she attempted to move away.

It irked her. Now, there's no way she can escape on her own. Tyler is supposedly busy with the party and the girls! Why is he guarding her like a dog?

A dog Tyler?

... It doesn't sounds bad.

'What kind of stupidity I am thinking?!' she angrily shouted in her mind. 

Why is it that every time her mind wanders, it walks leisurely into a room with nothing but crap? She needs to think about how to escape from Tyler, fast.

Ah, her precious weekend.

Althea once met the eyes of one of the guys she talked before, about helping her out, but he just looked away like he doesn't know her. The other one looked at her with sympathy. 

He sent her his brain waves, 'Sorry! We forgot that when Tyler likes something, he sticks to it like a leech! You will never get him off!'

She recieved his brain waves and she almost snapped.

'Sorry?! Forgot?! Do you think I'm stupid?!'

Yes, she is stupid, she was stupid enough to believe them earlier. 

"Snap!"

Althea looked down only to see the poor stick she was holding snapped into two after receiving her anger. Somehow, it calmed her nerves. 

'If I can't go home early, so be it.' She gave up. She crossed through tables and picked up a glass of juice. 'Better to enjoy the party then.'

She gaze swept through the dancing crowd. Many familiar faces are mixed with the unfamiliar ones. They were grinding against each other. Some were holding a glass of alcoholic drink while dancing like they lost their mind. 

All of them are, basically, wasted. The girls are wearing short dresses like the fabrics in this world is scarce. The guys are ogling with their exposed thighs. Even occasionally touching here and there.

Althea felt her body shudder in disgust. She's fifteen, she knew that everyone here is not far from her age. But to have this audacity to do such disgraceful acts--!

Whatever. Teenage pregnancy at it's finest.

'Uh,' she thought while looking at the crowd and the place where the party is held. 'Such grand party it is. To have this large mansion, how rich is the one who's holding the party?'

As she was absorbed in her own thoughts, she did not noticed an approaching figure. She did not expect that anyone will take notice of her in the first place.

"Hi, 'r you alone?" A smiling voice said. The music was loud, so the man leaned towards her ears and asked.

Every hair on her body stood. She was startled by his sudden approach. Unconsciously, she stepped back until they were atleast arms lenght away. 

The stranger noticed this but instead of getting annoyed, it set his blood boiling. His smile widen. He stepped towards her again.

Althea was getting more uncomfortable. She surpassed her twitched mouth. She said calmly, "I'm,"

Wait, is she alone?

Her mind wandered towards the memory of Tyler accompanying her inside. She mentally shook her head. 

"I am." 

The smile of this stranger widen even more, Althea tried to maintain her polite smile.

'This lustful bastard, how thick face is he? Can't he see that I don't want to do anything?'

"That's great!" Because of the loud booming of music, he shouted. He tried being seductive but to Althea, he was just being an ugly frog. He might be overly confident just because he hooked up with many women before, but he should exclude her from them. "Dance with me!"

The man reached for her waist, he did not even wait for her response. She, in shock, stepped away. But before his hand touches her, another strong arm snaked on Althea's waist. Althea jolted in shock and with wide eyes, she look over her shoulder.

She can't see the man's face fully because he was way taller than her. But his chiseled jaw and his low alluring voice gave his identity away.

'Tyler?!' she screamed in her mind. ' Isn't he meters away from me?'

"Sorry," he's voice was smile but his eyes glinted with malice. The other man felt that every hair on his body stood up. "She's with me."

That was a threat, he was not that stupid to not notice the threat and warning in his voice and eyes. His eyes unconsciously wandered to his arm on Althea's slender waist.

'Darn,' he mentally shook his head. 'Tyler sure is territorial.'

"Okay!" He shouted with a laugh, raising his hands in surrendered. He shot Althea a wink before turning his back on them and walking away with the new discovery. No matter how he wanted to dance with the girl, he have to stop himself for now and wait until Tyler gets bored with her.

Althea watched his retreating back in relief. 

'Finally, got myself off from the nuisance.'

"You're pretty popular aren't you?"

"Huh?" Althea looked up and met his eyes. Upon having the contact, she unconsciously shrunk back her neck. "What are you talking about?"

This guy, why is he glaring at me like that?

Tyler blank for a second before before his shoulders shook visibly. He broke into a smile and his eyes where also laughing. 

'Hang on one damn second, so this girl did not notice?' he was amused. The arm that was holding her small waist tighten as he surpass the urge of hugging her under the eyes of many.

It seems like everyone knew about this but the topic itself. Ever since Althea transferred in the school, almost every one in the school knows her. She's one of the beauties, she is also smart, not the typical beauty in the school that could care less about their marks. And, above all, everyone knows that Tyler has his eyes on her.

The reason why no one approached her was because she was giving off a vibe of, 'approach me and die'. 

"So cute!" He blurted out of blue. 

 Althea was taken aback. Did he knocked his head or something? How can he call her cute all of a sudden?

N-not that she's against it or something.

Embarrassed by her thoughts she looked away and lifted up her cup to drink the remnants of the orange liquid.

They remained silent after. She felt so awkward and she can't bring herself to talk about anything. Not that they have anything to talk about in the first place. She just wanted to break the awkward atmosphere they have. But between them, she was the only one who feels awkward. Tyler is enjoying resting his hand on her small waist.

Althea began to move her head and body along with the loud music. The place was lively and she can't help but dance with the the beat. She thought that party really isn't bad as long as nothing unfortunate happens. The unfortunate for her is, by the way, being invited to dance on the crowded dance floor.

Tyler just watched the surrounding silently with a smile on his lips. Then he looked down at the person in his embrace and it seems like she still is not aware of it. He chuckled.

"Hey," he called, leaning towards her ears. "How about we go to another place? We are rather getting too much attention here."

Althea ignored the tingling sensation on her ears, she looked up, her faces is only inches away from him. She paused for a second before ignoring the small gap. They spoke in that distance to the point that they are already smelling each other's breath.

"What are you-" saying? What?

Getting too much what?

'Oh please,' she prayed. 'I hope it isn't what I think.'

She looked around only to see the crowd sneaking glances towards them. Some even bluntly look and whispered towards the one on their side.

Althea was confused at first, why the hell is she getting too much attention? Then, she noticed the arm that was circling her waist.

She flushed from white to red.

"See that? I told you so, we are getting too much attention."

Althea wanted to jab his body with her elbow. Jab his ribs until they crack and pierce his own heart. Earlier, she told herself that she was grateful that Tyler is not with her because she loves the almost no attention she got. But this-

It's too much for wanting no attention! Almost everyone in the area have their eyes on them. It's embarrassing that she could die!

Floor, open up and shallow me whole!