Under Seven Minutes // Private RP

Violeta did her best to smile as the girls all formed a circle, dragging her along as they bounced and swayed to the upbeat music. But her heart wsa hammering in her chest, palms sweating as panic flooded her system. What was she doing, wearing a dress like this in public? She was practically begging to have insults hurled at her. Slut, fatass, whale. The words ricocheted around the inside of her skull like bullets.

But suddenly, a hand was settling on her shoulder. Violeta pulled her eyes from the floor, only to watch Lillian wrap her up in a slightly stiff hug. "Stop overthinking things," she whispered, right against the anxious girl's ear. "Relax. You look gorgeous, alright? First person who dares to call you anything will get a fist in the face." And, strangely, the unusually soft words her redheaded roommate spoke calmed her down. "Have some fun tonight…"

Violeta broke away from the hug, traces of a genuine smile crinkling the corners of her eyes. Thank you, she mouthed, and, following everyone else's example, began to bounce to the beat of the loud music around them.

“Shit,” Gray cursed, trying to look away but failing miserably. He was sure he looked like an idiot, gawking like a high school kid in love. “This is bad. This is really, really bad.”

Laura burst out laughing, leaning against the wall as she did so, wrapping one arm around her slender waist.

“Oh my God, you should see your face!” She shook her hear, trying to stifle her laughter but failing, “I never thought I would see Grayson Jules so speechless like that. Oh God, this is priceless.”

Gray pinched her arm without looking at her. “Shut up, you witch. Can you blame me?” He breathed. “She’s out here trying to kill me. I literally decided to give up on her this week and look at her.”

Laura pinched his cheek with cruel affection.

“Fate doesn’t want you to give up on her,” she crooned before her eyes went to Violeta. She grinned mischievously. “Aw, look at the pretty girl. She’s dancing~”

“I can’t breathe,” Gray suddenly declared. “Shit.”

The song changed, a hardcore bass leaking into a much more romantic melody—Teenage Dream.

"Oh my god!" Rae practically screamed, fanning herself as she jumped up and down in excitement. "This song is iconic. Okay, okay, c'mon ladies, we've got to look good for all the guys." Rolling their eyes, the group followed her example, laughing as they swayed from side to side. Violeta was shaking her head while she danced, battling self-conscious thoughts back, and for once—she was succeeding. The hateful whispers in her head faded away to nothing, leaving her to enjoy herself.

“Laura, I think I’m going to die,” Gray whispered, and Laura had to lean in close to hear. She snickered, nudging his shoulder with hers. “No, I’m serious! Did she have to come looking so attractive? And her dancing.”

“Go dance with her,” Laura said instead, trying to push him to the dance floor. Her companion shot her a startled look, one which made her snort in amusement. “Go, before someone else does! You’ll lose your chance.”

“Definitely not,” he shook his head. “Are you crazy?”

Laura smiled brightly.

“I am,” she agreed, setting her cup away and grabbing his hand. “Dance with me, then. If you’re going to scare away my desserts, then you might as well be the one to show me a good time!” She grabbed his hand and, to Gray’s horror, decided the best place to dance would be near his crush. His companion hated him, didn’t she?

"You make me—" The girls were all singing now, giggling like mad as they linked hands. "Feel like I'm living a teenage dream—" All of a sudden, Rae let out a low whistle. "Speaking of 'teenage dream'," she muttered cheekily in Violeta's ear, "Grayson Jules looks hot tonight."

Amused, Violeta glanced over her shoulder…. and her eyes clashed with his.

Why was her heart racing all of a sudden?

“Laura, what are you doing?” Gray hissed as she pulled him to the dance floor, fluttering her eyelashes.

“Dancing,” she responded, winking at him. “What else? Look, your beloved is looking at you!”

Gray immediately looked only to find dark eyes staring at him already. He felt like his soul had left his body. Looking at her while she was unaware was one thing, but actually looking at her in the eyes was another. He felt electricity shoot through him and Gray knew he was a goner. He turned towards Laura, just about ready to tell her to drag him out before he melted into a puddle, but the sly woman slipped away, a man’s arm around her waist as he whispered in her ear. She smiled, turned back to look at him and, winked.

She had just abandoned him. On purpose. He’ll get her for this.

Gray looked like a lost puppy, standing there while a very familiar pink-haired girl slipped away. And all of a sudden, his eyes were on her, burning holes in her bare shoulders. Violeta's breathing quickened. Chest tightening, she ducked her head, dizzied and confused.

"Uh oh…" Lillian's voice suddenly echoed through her other ear. "For the love of god, stop giving pretty boy those eyes." Violeta's head snapped up, her cheeks burning. She swatted her roommates shoulder, but her eyes drifted immediately back to Gray.

"Oh, for the love of god," one of her other friends, a blonde girl named Sadie, snorted. "Go and dance with him, already." And before she could protest, they were calling him over.

"Hey, pretty boy!"

“Hey, pretty boy!” Gray blinked, his eyes falling over to a blonde girl. He failed to remember her name, but he still quirked an eyebrow and slowly walked towards the group, careful not to look at Violeta let his mask crumbled.

“Did you need something?” He questioned, tilting his head to the side, a fox smile on his features.

Unfazed by the same smile that had prompted so many girls to open their arms and lift their shirts, Sadie laughed, skipping around him in order to place him conveniently beside Violeta, who had her eyes fixed firmly to the ground. "Dance with us!" the blonde prompted, shaking out her hair.

Gray chuckled, his eyes falling on Violeta after failing to hold himself back.

“I don’t really dance,” his eyes crinkled as he smiled, the expression warm and sincere. “So sorry, ladies.”

All four of Violeta's friends gave him a pointed look when they noticed where his eyes fell. Rae even went so far as to subtly kick him in the shin. Violeta, seeing this, leaned in close to her best friend's ear. "What are you doing?" she hissed, wrapping her fingers around the other girl's arm. "Rae, you're completely misinterpreting this—"

But Rae cut her off, arching an eyebrow at Gray. "And why not?"

Gray narrowed his eyes at the girl. Fantastic. Utterly fantastic.

When I get my hands on you, Laura, you will regret leaving me alone.

But he merely offered a shrug in return, pretending as if he hadn’t felt the kick.

“I’m not much of a dancer,” he responded offhandedly. “Much less at parties. Too exhausting. I prefer the other kind of dance.”

Lillian snorted loudly, tossing her mane of red hair. "Of course you do." She shot a significant look in Violeta's direction, but before either of her friends could embarrass her further, she was taking hold of Irene's wrist and pulling her away. "I'm going to go dance with Irene!" she called, desperate to get away, but her friend pulled her in the opposite direction, suggesting they grab a drink instead. Of course, their path back lead them past Gray…. and Violeta stumbled, causing the entire side of her body to brush his front.

Gray immediately caught her the second she stumbled, eyes widening a fraction. A jolt went through him when her body brushed against his. In that moment, he completely forgot the scene between her and Josh.

“Whoa there,” he murmured, looking over at her worriedly. “Are you okay?”

Violeta's eyes widened the moment strong arms encircled her. She froze, her heart slamming against her ribcage, but Gray's question jolted her back to reality.

"Y-Yeah–" she stammered, tearing herself away and taking a few steps backward. "Yeah—I'm just going to go–get a drink—

Gray was careful not to let his hurt flash on his face when Violeta pulled away from him. Instead, he just nodded.

“Don’t get the punch from the bowl,” he said to her. “It’s spiked.”

Violeta nodded hastily and turned away, pulling Irene after her as she wove through the thick crowd. "What's wrong with me?" she asked her friend, slumping against the wall of the miniature safe haven. "What on earth is wrong with me? He's been mocking me for years, I shouldn't–I shouldn't feel flustered."

Meanwhile, Rae was giving Gray a meaningful look, folding her arms. "You're not trying to deflower our girl, are you?"

Gray blinked at Rae, tilting his head to the side as a vacant look entered his eyes.

“If I wanted to, I would have done that a long time ago,” he answered quietly. “So no, I’m not trying to deflower your girl.”

"Good," she muttered, pushing a hand over her short, almost buzzed hair. "Why haven't you asked her out yet, pretty boy?"

Back in the kitchen, Irene gave a quiet laugh, snatching two plastic cups off the counter. "How many times do we have to tell you that he doesn't hate you? Even Josh said it, for god's sake!"

"But he does," she insisted, "He's hopelessly confusing sometimes, but in the long run, he just wants to watch me break."

“She hates me,” Gray said bluntly, shrugging as if it wasn't a big deal. “Besides, doesn’t she like that kid, Josh?”

Gray knew that if Laura were here, she would have whacked him over the head. He could practically feel the hit.

Irene sighed through her nose, clearly exasperated. Water sloshed from the sink and into the plastic cups, as if punctuating the silent chastising I knew she was giving me.

"Pretty sure she doesn't hate you," Sadie butted in, shrugging. "But do what you want. Now, are you going to dance with us or not?"

“Depends on what kind of dance you’re talking about,” Gray chuckled, shaking his head. “But no, I’m not. I have someone I need to find, so I’ll be taking my leave.”

"Flowers," Lillian told him right before he left. "She likes flowers, Have a nice night, Gray."

"You are the single most oblivious person I've ever met." Irene pressed the cup into Violeta's hands, frowning. "C'mon, Vi, at least wait and see. If you don't like Josh, that is. Do you like Josh?"

I gave a helpless shrug. "I don't know. Maybe. He's cute and doesn't hate me."

(Gray is hot and he loves you.)

Gray paused, looking back at Lillian before a sincere smile made its way to his lips.

“Flowers,” he repeated, chuckling softly. Of course she would like flowers. “Thank you, Lillian.”

(lmao)

Lillian gave him a one-shouldered shrug and turned away, calling a word of warning over her shoulder. "If you break your heart, you're done for. Tread carefully, pretty boy."

Irene sighed. "And you've had, what, four conversations with him? You've known Gray for four years?"

“I’ll gladly let you run me over with a truck if I do,” Gray answered back. “Though you’ll be deeply disappointed because that’ll never happen!”

All three girls laughed, shaking their heads as they watched him go. "Poor, oblivious Vy.." Rae grinned wickedly. "And she thinks he hates her. Alright, ladies, we need a plan. How are we going to get these lovestruck idiots together?"

It took quite a while to find Laura, but once he did, Gray was fuming.

“You!” He pointed at the lone girl who sipped her drink calmly. “You left me alone there. Why?”

Laura merely grinned.

“Why do you think, you idiot?”

Violeta and Irene returned to the group, who had gone back to laughing and dancing as Demons, by Imagine Dragons, came on.

The group laughed and jumped around for a while, just being careless and having fun, but they got tired eventually and went to sit down near the giant table of food at the back.

Rae tossed a beer in Lillian’a direction, knowing that neither of the other girl’s liked to drink much. They just sat there for a while, grinning while they caugh their breaths—until a group of very intoxicated guys closed in.

Gray would have continued arguing with Laura when he caught sight of Violeta and her group of friends with some other guys. At first, jealousy rose up again. But then he noticed that the girls did not want their company. Laura followed his gaze and sighed heavily. Before she could say something, Gray was already making his way towards the group.

Laura followed after him, naturally.