Prisoners

NINE

The bass pumped. I could feel it course through my body. I could feel my heartbeat match to its rhythm, almost as if my body was a transmitter and the bass had to go straight through me.

I was wearing heels, a short dress, and my hair down. I wasn't entirely sure how much I loved this outfit, but Piper picked it out and said it was great, so whatever. She knows more about fashion than I ever will.

I felt someone grab my shoulder. It was Piper. She gave me a thumbs up, then yelled in my ear, "COME WITH ME!"

I nodded and followed her through the crowd. She grabbed my wrist to keep from losing me as we pushed through a group of drunk guys (two of them happened to be the Stoll brothers), a group of giggling girls who were watching the guys (a reluctant Katie Gardner was among them), and a couple making out. I wrinkled my nose.

"Get a room!" I yelled as we pushed through them. They did not heed my advice.

Finally we exited the room and stumbled out into the hall. It was eerie, how quiet it was compared to the tumultuous party. My ears were ringing.

Piper took a deep breath. "Okay, so I need your help."

"What's up?" I asked, sipping my cup.

"It's Jason," she said breathlessly, shifting her cup nervously from hand to hand.

I laughed. "Seriously? You were just making out with him earlier."

She looked really nervous. "I need your advice."

"My advice?"

She nodded.

I laughed again. "Piper McLean wants my advice about boys? Holy shit, you must be desperate."

She shrugged. "Thalia was wasted, and you're semi-responsible, so I thought I'd ask you."

"Semi-responsible?" I asked. "Really?"

"What? You've made some bad decisions," she conceded.

I snorted. "Pipes, we've all made bad decisions. That's why we're here."

"Yeah, I know." She fiddled with her earrings for a moment. "But, here's the thing. I want to dance with Jason, but I don't know how to ask."

I shrugged. "Simple. He's smitten with you, so just walk up to him and say, 'Hey, dance with me,' or something, and he'll gladly agree."

"You think so?" she asked. I looked into her eyes. They were full of hope, and anxiety.

"You'll do fine, Pipes. Just go get 'em."

She nodded at me. I patted her on the back. "And by the way, can I be the maid of honor?"

She turned around and hit my shoulder. "Don't distract me."

"Alright. D'you think Percy will be best man?" I called after her as she disappeared into the party. The last I saw of her was her middle finger.

I chuckled to myself before heading to refill my drink. 

"Hm," I muttered as I tried to decide between punch and some other strange substance that seemed to be going pretty fast.

"Hey," I heard someone say in my ear. I jumped nearly a foot. Turning around, I realized that it was Percy.

"Jesus, don't scare me like that," I said, glaring at him.

He put his hands up in surrender. "Dance with me?"

I pretended to think for a moment, then shook my head. "Nah."

"Please?" he asked, pushing his bottom lip out and looking at me with the most adorable eyes ever. They were like a little baby seal's. I could feel myself crumbling.

I frowned. "Fine. But just this once, alright?"

His cute face disappeared as he clapped his hands excitedly. "Come on, then!"

I sighed and abandoned my cup and the prospect of having a fun night.

He pulled me out on the dance floor. I don't remember exactly what song was playing -- I think it was Pitbull. Soon we were swaying and bopping to the music, forgetting who we were dancing with and where we were dancing. I have to admit it was kind of fun. Percy was a really good dancer, surprisingly, and I found that I wasn't half-bad myself.

During a song that I didn't like too much, I went over and made a new cup (my old one had disappeared somehow), filling it with the strange liquid that everyone seemed to like.

Soon I was losing my head -- and fast. Something was in that glowing green liquid, probably alcohol, that was affecting my decision-making skills. I could feel myself slipping away from my morals. Soon, I barely knew what I was doing.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a sloppy drunk. I never get hangovers, either. Thalia is really jealous of me sometimes.

But I just sort of lost myself in the music and the dance floor and Percy and I suddenly understood what all those songs about drinking and dancing were saying. Everything that I had told myself I wouldn't do at this party I somehow ended up doing (including getting drunk).

The rest of the night I couldn't remember. 

A/N: i find it hilarious that i don't update this story as much as my other one, yet this one gets more votes and people like this one more. short chapter but whatever