Neverending Peace

The Party

Look at me updating two days in a row 😗✌️

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

There was something very easy about kissing Taylor. It felt natural. That Monday the two were lying in his bed after school. Joe had to admit that their relationship wasn't traditional. If anything, it was the opposite of traditional.

There were three things Joe could definitely say weren't traditional about their relationship.

Firstly, he was her boss.

Secondly, one was dying of cancer.

The third was just about to happen.

Taylor pulled away suddenly, her hand over her mouth. She was shaking her head. Joe sat up, concerned.

"Taylor?"

The blonde waved towards the trashcan in the corner. Joe, without missing a beat, grabbed the can and held it up to Taylor's chin. Within three heaves Taylor's entire lunch came up. And then some. Joe did his best to rub his girlfriend's back and whisper comforting words.

"I thought I was done with this shit," Taylor groaned. "After the chemo. Ugh."

Before Joe could reply Taylor had leaned back over the can and began throwing up some more.

"Is everything alright?"

"Taylor!" Joe said, relieved. Taylor's mother came in swiftly, easily pushing the boy aside and taking his place by her daughter.

"There there, sweetie. Let it out. That's right. Let it all out."

Go , she mouthed to Joe.

He nodded, stood up, and left. Taylor texted him later.

It was Friday night which meant the production team was celebrating their recent Cma's performance, and Lauryn had been begging him to come.

He was a bit weary, but he'd already can cancelled on her so many times that month that he felt bad ignoring her invite. Which lead him to where he was now. Standing outside of her house music blaring inside slowly turning the doorknob inching inside. Turning around quickly he bumped into his friend who quickly offered him a drink.

He declined, not wanting to get drunk in case Taylor needed him.

" Oh come on Joe. You're really gonna come to my party and not drink." She pouted.

"Um, maybe later I just wanna say hi to everyone first." He tried smiling hoping she wouldn't push like she always did.

"Fine. But you've gotta come we're playing truth or dare and I'm not letting my friends think you're boring." She dragged him by the arm sitting down on a couch next to a few other people. "Pass him the bottle then!" Lauryn's voice echoed through the small room. She held it out towards Joe with a small smirk.

"I'm not drinking that," came Joe's response. "Someone has to stay sober ready for when something goes wrong."

"Oh, go on, Joe, nothing's gonna happen-" Jack began, but Lauryn cut him off. "Bugger that, Jack. He's been dared, so he has to drink it." With a sly smile, she slid the whiskey bottle directly across the circle to Joe, who glanced in annoyance at the people around him.

"I hate this game," he muttered sourly, pouting.
"You get used to the taste if you drink it enough," Lauryn offered. He'd never been the biggest fan of whisky, preferring... classier drinks

"I don't want to get used to the taste, Lauryn." The Blonde laughed good-naturedly as Joe tentatively raised the bottle to his lips and drank. Within seconds, his eyes were filled with tears and he was coughing and spluttering. Jack patted him on the back as he choked the liquid down, while the others cheered him on. The game raged on for a while longer. Confessions were made, and the dares, ranging from tame to completely outlandish, were mostly completed. Everyone in attendance, with the exception of Lauryn, had been drinking, and they ran the gamut from slightly tipsy to bordering on being completely and utterly gone.

"Alright, alright!" Another friend scanned the circle of people. "Hmm. Lauryn. Truth or dare?"

Lauryn scoffed. "Who the fuck do I look like Joe? You know the answer."

The guy paused to think, before his eyes lit up with glee. "I've got it. I dare you to take a swig of the whiskey and keep it in your mouth."

"Boring! But fine." She quickly completed it and the game moved on to Joe.

Another friend chose his dare since he'd picked truth the round before." I dare you to drink the alcohol out of Lauryn's mouth."

Everyone started whooping and laughing, but Joe just sat there in shock. No one there knew he was dating Taylor with the exception of Lauryn of course. He lightly shook his head and looked down at his shoes.

"I'm not sure guys. I don't really wan-" His words were caught off by a pair of lips
slamming into his own.

His mouth quickly became filled with a warm liquid his sense being overwhelmed as if his brain weren't connected to his body. He tried holding his hand out towards her shoulder slightly pushing them apart, but she just continued to infiltrate his mouth.

The only thing he could think to do was lean back trying desperately to separate their lips. His head flew back and hit the desk behind him. Loudly wincing he threw his hands back to hold that part of his head before getting up and stumbling away frow the muddled couch.

Lauryn instantly called after him. "Running away pretty boy. Was I that amazing?" She chuckled as everyone around them burst into laughter. Still holding the back of his head slightly tripping over the carpet he hurried out of the room making his way towards the door. Letting go of his head to grab the doorknob he struggled turning it as it felt slick not fully turning. He looked down to see it and his hand covered in blood. His blood.

His eyes widened in fear taking his other clean hand and slightly touching the back of his head now fully feeling the sticky mess filling his hair. He brought it back where he could see it the red tainting his fingers. Mouth hanging wide open. With shaking hands he gripped onto the doorknob and twisted it open stepping out into the cold fall air of southern California. Stumbling his way towards the safety of his car and away from the nightmare disguising itself in the form of friendship.

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

Dont we all LOVE Lauryn 😁

Sry this chapter was a bit short :) Hope it was interesting tho💕