DAVID'S POV 
"Can we see" I asked Vanessa over the phone
"Sorry but I'm kind of busy today and ..."
"No i mean after work, i know you're at work now" I said while cutting her off in the process
"Please don't blow me off" I pleaded 
"David, i said I'll be busy okay, someother time perhaps" She said again
"What would you be doing after work anyways, I'm just asking for a bit of your time" I persisted sounding a bit angry 
"Fine, if you really would want to know, I'm going for a party, happy now?" She said a bit raged up as well and hung up after that
I don't even get why the hell she's angry, if there's anyone who should be then it's me, i know we don't have anything going on officially but at least she could have respected the fact that there's someone who has feelings for her 
"Dude you're alright?" A friend of mine from work walked in front of my desk and asked cause obviously he saw me fuming
"I'm fine, don't worry too much" I said dismissively and he didn't hear me speak again, he just dropped the cup of coffee which he held on my desk and took his leave
"Thanks" I simply said as he walked away, which left me with a sigh 
VANESSA'S POV 
  "Seriously Mum you really didn't have to do that" i replied her on the phone as i walked out of the building alongside Emily
"Why is this even a big deal, i know you guys were friends then in highschool, so why the sudden hate?" She asked from the other line
"No Mum don't rephrase it, i never told you that i hate nor have hated Raymond even for once in my life, he's my other friend after Emily, why I'm angry is far from that reason, maybe you and Dad should take a trip down memory lane, 19 years ago maybe,just maybe your question would be answered" I stated furiously and hung up
"Do you think that was a big hint for her?" Emily then asked
"I sure hope so"
"Now i know why you were mad at me for inviting Raymond to the party" Emily voiced out
"That's not the reason actually, i think i might be going through some guy crises between the three of them"I said but she looked confused from what i just said, so i clarified
"Raymond, David and Todd"
"Oh" Came her response
"I literally just lashed out my anger on David through the phone few minutes ago and yeah he saw me making out with Todd" I said again but Emily consoling words were
"That doesn't mean anything, you guys aren't dating yet or are you?" 
"No, of cause not" 
"Good, so take a chill pill" She said
"That's not even the entire problem, remember you asked Ray to tag along for the party, i bet he'll always be around me and Todd might have the wrong idea and you were the same person who brought the idea of putting a show infront of Claire, how would that work if he'll be there" i asked totally confused
"I think that show you'll put up wouldn't make just Claire jealous, but it would upset Raymond as well "
"Why so?"
"He should learn to get over his feelings for you cause you have, and remember he picked Alison over you then, so why should you be the second choice or maybe even the third, if he hadn't dated another person after her, you know guys like him easily get girls" She explained in details
"I'm just confused about everything" I stated
"I know what might help, it does wonders for me so it might help you" She said pulling me to where i packed my car
"And what's that?"I asked suspiciously
"Ice cream  it would cool down your temp, trust me " She said as i zoomed off. 
We were done preparing at exactly 7:30 and the party starts by eight, gladly enough Raymond showed up just on time and we hit the road 
"Babe i didn't know you were coming" Logan said while he hugged Emily immediately we entered the frat house
"Wanted it to be a surprise" She replied and he gave her a kiss on the lips
"Babe? Wait hold up a sec, why wasn't I informed?" I asked looking towards the both of them but non of them said a thing and i saw the rest of the clique approaching us 
"We're so gonna talk about this at home miss" I directed to Emily before they got to us
"Hey babes" Gwen jovially greeted, giving a side hug to both i and Emily
"And who's this handsome fella you guys came with" Gwen asked
"This is Raymond y'all, Raymond this is Gwen, Logan, Cole, Chad,Claire and Todd" I introduced and purposely locked eyes with Todd, he didn't seem happy
"Wassup man" Echoed around as they shooked hands, Todd was the last to shake, so our eyes departed 
"Come on let's go get some drinks" The guys left with Ray  to the bar while we girls sat and waited for their arrival, the party started 30 minutes ago and different people were trooping into the already filled party room while some went over to the pool area
"So Vanessa, who's Raymond, he's cute" Gwen asked distracting me from my thoughts
"Just a friend of mine from highschool" I replied
"Wow? he goes here?" Gwen asked again 
"Nope, he goes to Stanford, he's just here to catch up" I replied
"Sorry Gwen, that means you can't fuck him, like you go around fucking rich guys" Claire said  chuckling
"At least I'm open with mine unlike you cheating on your boyfriend with your professor" Gwen directed to Claire and it seems it hit her hard cause she was about walking to where Gwen was seated, to stomp on her perhaps but the guys returned just in time 
"Yea two can play that game" Gwen mouthed again
"Watch your mouth bitch" Claire retaliated 
"We were just out for a minute, you guys want to kill yourselves already? Jeez" Alex voiced out
"Babe let's go dance" Logan pulled Emily off the couch to where other dancers were
"Who's up for a game?" Cole asked with his deep bass voice
"Count me in"
 
"I am" Gwen and Chad chorused at the same time and they all filed out, it was left  with Me, Raymond, Claire, Alex and Todd.
"So Ray, enjoying the party so far?" Alex asked
"Well i haven't really done much but it's lit" Ray answered
"Trust me, it's more fun than it is now" Alex assured
"Didn't Emily say it was a pool party?" Raymond asked directly to me
"Yea it is, the pool's at the back, you can go now if you want cause it won't be crowded" Claire replied him, and if I'm not wrong, the nicest I've ever seen her since i met her, it was really surprising
"So Raymond, tell us how you know Vanessa  here" Todd asked in spite 
"Actually, we both met in highschoo, when ..." 
"No no no, that's not it, tell us why the hell you're here" Todd interrupted rudely
"I'm here for a party that Emily invited me to, what's your problem dude?" Ray asked getting pissed aswell 
"Don't dude me asshole, i don't see you around Emily do i? And worse of all, you don't even go to WSU" 
"You have a  problem with me or something? I don't even know you" Raymond fired back as they both stood up charging towards themselves
"Okay I'm outta here, can't deal with this crap" Claire said and walked away 
"You better get your fucking ass outta here, i invited Vanessa but ever since she got here you've been around her like some kind of pest" Todd lashed out  
"And how does that bother you huh?" Raymond retaliated, both of them inches from punching themselves, but before they could throw a punch, the guys dragged them off, it seems Alex went to get them
"What's all this about, this is a party" Cole said between them both
"Fuck off dude" Todd said and wiggled his way out of Logans grip  and went towards the crowd, Gwen on the other hand went to see how Raymond was doing while I followed Todd but he was way ahead of me so i had to yell so he can stop 
"Todd wait up"  He stopped for a sec which meant he heard, but he kept on walking afterwards, so i had to increase my pace to catch up with him, i got a grip of him seconds after
"Todd listen, i wasn't the person who invited Raymond, Emily only did it cause you said we could invite anyone, but i was against the idea though" I said which i think he heard but i couldn't hear myself well so i dragged him outside towards the pool area, the others were already out by then, seated at the opposite direction
"Then why does he keep hovering around you like a lost puppy" He asked, his voice a bit calmer this time
"That's his business, I'm just here to have fun... With you"I replied with smile this time, we were facing ourselves, inches apart and i sensed that the guys would probably be watching, so if i wanted to do anything, i better do it now
"And Todd another reason why Emily wanted him here was for a show" 
"What show?" He asked confused,lips still inches apart, i answered him with a smack  of my lips on his, he seemed caught unawares  but he carried on the process smoothly and I'm pretty sure Claire's jaw would be dropped by now
"Wanna swim?" Todd asked but before i could process the question to give a reply, he pulled me into the water, we took some few seconds to catch our breath after the jump before ripping our lips apart again.