A LOST BEAR

Friday October 30th, 69 days before 18th birthday

69 days before 18th birthday

Parties are loud.

And hot.

There are people everywhere.

So many different bodies drinking and smashed together.

I can feel the bass of the music vibrating through my feet.

This is so much stimulus.

I would have been overwhelmed already if it hadn't been for Nuka.

He hasn't left myside the entire hour we've been here.

We're standing in a corner of the room with Gabe, Archer and two other guys from the hockey team, a shorter red-haired boy named Jordan and a ebony skinned guy who was nearly as big as Nuka named Ollie.

Despite the heat and noise, being around them is....

Nice.

They are clearly close.

Closer to each other than the rest of the team.

And they are funny, interesting, and smart.

And none of them make me feel like I don't belong.

Some of the other people here do.

I know I've heard at least a few people ask why they were hanging out with the weirdo.

And several girls have been glaring at the arm Nuka had flung over my shoulder for a while now.

I don't understand why they were upset by it.

I must be because I'm here and they don't like me for some reason.

I'm trying to ignore it.

Nuka and the other 4 make it easier.

"Hey, Little Genius. It's hot, loud and way too crazy for my taste, wanna go outside?" Nuka says right in my ear, his breath tickling my neck.

I nod and his arm moves from my shoulder as he grabs my hand, leading me past all the glaring girls and weird looks from the various intoxicated teenagers right out the front door.

I don't barely even notice that the rest of the guys had followed us out.

"Dude, it's insane in there." Jordan says, taking a deep breath of the much cooler air.

It's chilly out.

I think it's going to snow.

I like the snow.

I hope it snows.

"Yeah, I thought is was supposed to be just the team and ma.... A guest." Archer says, "This is bullshit. I hate when the other guys pull shit like this. They know we have a game tomorrow night."

"You're just mad because some girl rubbed all over Gabe earlier." Nuka teases his friend.

Archer just crosses his arms over his chest and grumbles as a bright blush spreads up Gabe's neck.

Nuka turns his dark brown gaze to me.

"I'm really sorry Iago. It wasn't supposed to be like this. It was supposed to be more mellow. We don't party like this when we have a game the next day. I would have found something else for us to do if I had known it was gonna be like this."

I just shrug one shoulder.

It was worth it to spend time with him.

"So, what now?" Gabe looks over at me, "LG what do you wanna do? We have some many things we can do! What is everyone feeling? We can go to hang at someone's place. Maybe go skating? Or, OR, we can go for a run! Can we do that? Please? A run would be so much fun!! Don't you think a..."