WILDFLOWER

2: The Party

I checked myself out in the full length mirror in my room for what feels like the millionth time, turning around and looking at myself from every angle to make sure everything is perfect. I wasn't sure what the vibe of the party was so I decided to go cute but casual, with a patterned mid length skirt, a band T-shirt, and my platform Dr. Martens. I smooth down the skirt and make sure the shirt is tucked in properly before I take a deep breath, making eye contact with myself in the mirror in an effort to simultaneously calm myself down and hype myself up.

I'm not sure why I'm so anxious for this party, maybe it's because I won't know anyone, but maybe it's also because I haven't really been to a house party since I graduated college and started this bartender gig. Since Fridays and Saturdays are the best nights for tips, I rarely make it out to parties anymore, or out in general. Sometimes I'll meet some close friends at our favorite dive after my shift ends, but 99% of the time I'm too exhausted to do anything besides come home and scroll through tiktok in bed.

I was lucky that Ashton was throwing this party on a Thursday, and I intended to make the most of it. Grabbing my stuff, I readied myself for what was to come and made my way to Ashton's door. After a deep inhale, I knocked.

All too quickly, the door swung open. Thankfully, it revealed Ashton's beaming face.

"Violet!! You came!" he nearly shouted over the sounds of the party happening behind him. He opened the door wider, standing aside and beckoning for me to come in.

As I stepped over the threshold, I took a lingering look around his apartment, always having been curious about what the considerably nicer unit at the end of the hall looked like inside, having only glimpsed it the few times that Ashton was coming or going at the same time as I was. It was modern and full of high end furniture, but decorated throughout with plants and photos and other memorabilia, making it appear more homey and lived in.

As Ashton shut the door behind me, I continued to take in the scene. All around the large open plan living room and kitchen, there were about 50 or so people standing, talking, dancing, and drinking. Music thumped from his massive stereo system (was that Joy Division?) as Ashton lead me to the kitchen.

"What's your drink?"

His question quickly snapped me back to the present. Looking up at the man in front of me, I requested a vodka soda with lime. As he quickly threw the drink together, he told me how happy he was that I made it to the party, which eased my anxieties a little.

He handed me the cocktail, waiting until I took a sip and nodded my approval before he lead me over to the opposite side of he kitchen where a few people were standing together and talking, clearly in the middle of an intense conversation. 

"Mikey! Crystal! This is my neighbor Violet!" he shouted over the music. The couple greeted me with smiles as Ashton patted me on the shoulder and ran off to answer the door for some new arrivals. 

I grasped at straws, trying to find a way to start a conversation with these two strangers, and finally landed on "so ummm.. how do you two know Ashton?". 

Michael brightly answered, filling me in on his and Ashton's band and their long history. Since we lived in LA, I wasn't too surprised to learn they were in a band (it seemed like every other guy here played some instrument or another), but I was impressed to hear that they had been together for so long and had even moved across the world to try and make it work. 

As he was talking, I started to get the sense that I knew him from somewhere, but brushed it off, thinking I had probably served him at the bar or seen him coming or going from Ashton's apartment. 

I was half-listening to Michael tell a story about a new song they were recording while I was really trying to put the pieces together of how I could know him, when Ashton swooped back into the conversation, this time with another person in tow.

"Violet, I'd like you to meet Calum. I think you two would really get along". 

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Author's note: I know it's hard lol but try to imagine a world where u don't know exactly what 5sos is up to at this moment in time, it makes the story more fun 

hope u enjoyed xoxo