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[i][color=#6c2dff]‘You alright there, Ariel? What was that all about?’[/color] he said, offering her a cup of punch.[/i]

Jesus, it seemed at this party you couldn't take five steps without tripping over someone’s repressed feelings or splintered relationship. There was clearly [i]something[/i] going on between Ariel and Marisol - the latino was drilling a hole through the other girl with her icy stare, only moving her eyes to flash them in anger when Ariel greeted her. Jordan had managed to get himself into a bit of an awkward situation- he’d initially turned away from Marisol to give Ariel a hand, only to find her not needing it and him seemingly pissing off Marisol in doing so. The two girls facing off reminded him of a mexican showdown in the old westerns, with their eyes glued on the other and their fingers twitching for nonexistent revolvers which, judging by the looks on their faces, were probably wishing were more in the realm of reality.

The eye contact was finally broken by Ariel after several long seconds, who took the offered cup of punch from Jordan’s hand with a grateful smile. The movement released several strands of raven coloured hair from her tresses, and she tucked them behind her ear with a petite hand.

[color=00eddd]"It's a really long story... I just don't really like being touched."[/color] She took a deep breath and locked her brown eyes with his, having to tilt her head back to look upwards into his face. 

[color=00eddd]"Kinda makes me sound like a freak, doesn't it?"[/color]

[color=#6c2dff]‘You’re not a freak. I’m sure we all have our buttons we don’t like being pressed..’[/color] The end of his reassurance tailed off slightly- he’d been distracted by a flash of Kavi’s black singlet splashing into the pool next to a hot redhead. To be honest, he had to internally applaud the polynesian’s bouncebackability at the least. In three minutes he’d gone from stone cold rejection from Ariel and right into sliding into conversation with another girl.

[color=darkorange]“After the scene that just happened, I imagine the dumbass is probably in a sour mood. First time getting rejected and all that.”[/color] The comment had come from the misfit he hadn’t seen before - Sonny, right? - seeming strangely happy about his friend getting turned down. He let out an almost relieved laugh. Maybe the Misfit’s ‘group bond’ was weaker than it seemed.

[color=darkorange]“And we have you to thank, Ariel. I have to imagine he’s not gonna be happy.”[/color] On the contrary, Ariel seemed far more shook up over her treatment of Kavi than the boy was. Jordan took a quick look over to the water to see Kavi still lounging and exchanging smiles with pool girl.

[color=00eddd]"I wasn't looking to start drama and I sure as Hell didn't mean to make Kavi mad. Or anyone else for that matter. Considering how he waltzed off to Nadia, I think he'll be just fine."[/color] While he could understand her outburst on Kavi, rarking Marisol up didn’t scream ‘not looking to start drama,’ to him, to be honest, but he kept his thoughts to himself.

The group parted slightly for a moment to make way for a pointy looking girl, her authoritative walk slightly off-set by the jolly straw hat she was wearing. As she brushed through the throng, her fingers lingered on Sonny’s arm for a second longer than perhaps necessary before disappearing into the crowd around the booze. Jordan noticed Marisol’s eyes widen at the sight and her mouth stiffen into a hard line. He could practically see steam start pouring from her ears. Perhaps seeking to defuse the ticking time-bomb of his friend, Archer leant in to whisper soft words in her ear. While Jordan couldn’t hear what was said from where he was standing, especially over the god-awful music the massive subs were booming, hopefully it would calm the girl down.

[color=brown]“You know what? Excuse me. I’m going to go drown myself in the Atlantic Ocean before I commit bloody fucking murder up in this party.”[/color] Her tone was sickly sweet, and the smile she delivered with the words was matching. Fucking hell, A+ on the placating words, Archer. She finished by turning away and flouncing away from the group into the darkness around the edges of the party.

[color=#6c2dff]‘Aw fuck, was it something I said?’[/color] He said, directing the question at Marisol’s friends with an incredulous expression. Jordan wasn’t used to needing to step softly around the tripwires of established relationships and grudges, having spent most of his life in the same school and neighbourhood. It seemed he’d already managed to blunder and piss off Marisol, at the least.

Ten seconds after she had stomped off, a strangled yelp of pain came from her direction. Jordan spotted a tall guy writhing around on the ground, moaning in pain and unsuccessfully attempting to both clutch his crotch and staunch the flow of blood streaming from his nose. Jesus, did Marisol just do that? Concerned bystanders had surrounded the poor guy, giving him tissues and sympathetic words. From the looks of it, they’d probably be better off searching for his balls in the back of his throat where she’d kicked them. Marisol seemed to have hit and run, as try as he might, he couldn’t spot where she’d gone.

His mind was taken off the brutal assault by Ariel once again. [color=00eddd]"So is your first American party everything you hoped and wished it would be?"[/color] she said with a laugh. 

[color=#6c2dff]‘Oh, everything I ever hoped and more,’[/color] he said with a wry grin. [color=#6c2dff]‘Booze, birds and beatings, what’s more to want?’[/color] He shook his punch, almost empty now. [color=#6c2dff]‘You’ve even got the red cups! I feel right at home.’[/color] 

[color=#6c2dff]‘Although about those birds.. What just happened? You and Marisol got something between you or what? She wasn’t looking too happy, even before she threatened murder- well, and attempted it on him,’[/color] he said, gesturing over his shoulder at where the hispanic dude was still clutching tissues at his nose. [color=#6c2dff]‘I’d like to know what I’m getting into before I go blundering around pissing people off again.’[/color]