Drunk Without Cause

Twenty-Five.

He truly did forget the way everything changed once he was drunk. For the first time in months, he didn't feel like he had to worry. He felt confident and strong. Everything that he seemed to stop feeling the more that time passed. Nessa was certain that he would never be able to be that person again. However, he could still try his best to replicate it.

The song that was playing was Dirty Paws by Of Monster and Men, one that Nessa actually knew. He felt the melody in his bones, he felt the way the crowd moved to the music and he did his best to fit right along with it. Nessa noticed that Venice was no where to be seen. A few drinks ago, he had left to use the bathroom, and when he came out, Venice was gone. He did not panic, though. He simply told himself that Venice would be just fine, and then proceeded to get lost in the crowd.

Another thing that he forgot was the reason as to why Venice had been following him in the first place. Why he was not meant to drink. Why he was too terrified to even leave the house. However, that blissful ignorance seemed to slip away abruptly.

Nessa remembered passing by Ilya, who was talking with an annoyed looking Ian, and a frustrated Kiwi. They didn't seem to notice him, but he didn't mind. He just kept on by, starting to wonder if Venice truly was alright. Then he stopped in his tracks.

Because amongst that crowd of unfamiliar faces, there was one standing perfectly familiar. With bleached blonde hair, wrongfully blue eyes. Tall, tan, as cold as ice. Nessa felt his lungs stop working. He felt his legs begin to give out beneath him. He felt his mind race as he tried to think.

He remembered those days before everything fell apart all too well. The hole he had dug himself, believing that everything would turn out just fine, simply because it usually seemed to. How naïve he had been, acting like a pathetic child. Nessa should have paid more attention. He should have looked for the signs.

Danny was the first to notice. With his sandy hair and bright green eyes, he had always been Nessa's best friend. At least, the closest out of everyone he hung out with. It was his dare that lead Nessa to the psychology room, just a few days after their new teacher was introduced.

All of the girls were going crazy over Mr. Lewandowski and his wonderfully good looks. Back when his deep brown hair was left in gorgeous waves, or his dark eyes were on full display. And Nessa would lying if he claimed that those aspects hadn't lured him in as well. Everyone was obsessed with him, and it was Danny that dared Nessa to try to see a side of Mr. L that no one else seemed to be able to.

Of course, Nessa took the dare just as he took all of them. That was what he was good at, after all. Drawing people in, making them want him. He did it to as many people as he could, usually when there was money involved. Sometimes though, he did it simply because he could.

Karma came around eventually. It always did. For Nessa, that karma was in the form of a hot teacher, who seemed to take the bait flawlessly.

However, it wasn't always about the dare. Not that time. Because what started out as a funny experiment, soon turned into true feelings. He felt stupid whenever he thought about it in retrospect. He hated how he had allowed himself to feel so deeply for something so fake.

Mr. L's first name was once Krzysztof, but he said that he changed it to the American version, Kristopher, when he was old enough to. When Nessa first started trying to get his attention, Kris seemed to be the shy type. He wore big glasses, and always tilted his nose down when he spoke. But what Nessa soon learned, was that Kris was playing a game of his own. Only his act was the shy kind.

Nessa always acted confident and oblivious when he did it. The same way he had been when around Ian. It was hard to not slip back into that character. That was why Danny started calling him Charmer. It was supposed to be endearing. Now, it was the name of a ghost haunting Nessa all throughout the months. The kind of spirit that never seemed to let up.