Falling Into Place

Chapter Four: I Don't Dance, But I Do Game

Alice
We arrived at the party just as it was getting into a rhythm. It wasn't quite in full flow, but everyone seemed to have drinks in their hands.
"Why don't we go get you a drink?" Cooper, the gayest guy in our school, seemed to appear out of nowhere, ushering us up to the bar, "Hey DJ, I think you'd like this."
He handed DJ a bottle of beer from behind the counter, winked at the bartender, and led DJ off to another room.
"Hello Lauren." The cute bartender smiled, "I'm Luke. We have Geography together."
"Luke!" Lauren grinned, already seeming to forget DJ, "You know how to mix drinks?"
"Yes, and I know just what you'd like, m'lady." He started throwing around bottles and mixing up an elaborate drink, "Viola! I call it 'Tall, Dark, Handsome', much like myself."
"I think that is quite fitting." She flirted, mouthing an 'I'm sorry' to me, "So how'd you get into bartending?"
Their conversation continued as if I ha never been there, and I was left awkwardly standing by the bar.
"Two Lemon Drops please." Someone requested behind me, "Then you can get back to the lady."
Luke smile and started mixing up the drinks, adding sugar and fruit juices.
"Thanks Luke." It was Chase, grinning like a fool as he slid a tip over the bar, and grabbing my arm, "Let's leave them to their devices, eh?"
He handed my one of the drinks and led me to the next room. There was a DJ booth in the corner that was broadcasting some House music, and people dancing with drinks in their hands.
"Strange to see you without Dean for once." Chase smiled, leaning against the wall, "What's going on? We haven't caught up in a while. You still going strong with Dean? Anything you want to get off your chest?"
I took a sip of the drink and was surprised by the flavours. It was perfectly sweet and sugary, exactly what I loved in a drink. Dean would only drink 'manly' drinks, and was too embarrassed to get me anything with more than one syllable, which was basically 'beer', 'wine' and, at a stretch, 'shots'. Chase shamelessly drank the 'girliest' drink imaginable.
"Dean's at art camp." I shrugged, avoiding eye contact, "We're together."
"That's good." He was nodding along to the song, "Not for me. Good for Dean. He managed to land someone a thousand miles out of his league. To Dean."
He clinked his glass against mine, before downing the rest of the drink.
"Want to dance?" Chase smiled, "Or we could get another drink. Since this is your first party without Dean, you deserve a bit of freedom. I shall protect the Lady from any unwanted suitors."
"My knight in shining armour." I laughed, "I can't dance. Wanna go see if there are any video games? A big house like this is bound to have a console or two somewhere."
We'd made the perfect team as kids when we played together. I'd forgotten about that. Every day after school is go to his house before his brother Tom got home, and we'd play on his playstation. Back then he was always a little better than I was, but I'd gotten ins lot of practice since I'd started dating Dean. I was willing to bet that I could thrash him at any game on PS4 by now.
"Howard has a new playstation from Christmas." Chase grinned, "And he has the newest Call Of Duty game. They're in the spare room upstairs. You ready to lose?"
"No way am I losing now." I followed his lead upstairs, putting my glass down on a coffee table beside his, "I am gonna make you wish you'd never accepted my offer of a game."
"We'll see." He was bounding up the stairs, "Just don't tell Dean I beat you, or I'll be in for it."
"Like he'd care." I said without thinking, "He's too busy pouring over DaVinci and Monet."
"You sure everything's okay between the two of you?" Chase out his and on my shoulder, "Because if it isn't working out, don't feel like you have to stick around. There are plenty of fish in the sea, and most of them are dying to replace him."
"Yeah, it's just sorta..." I couldn't believe I was discussing this with Chase, "Not ideal."
"If you ever need me, I'm totally here." He looked into my eyes, "A shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen, 100% on your side."
"That sweetness won't stop you from getting your ass handed to you at Call Of Duty." I tried to lighten the mood.
"I would hope not." He smiled, "I'm looking forward to this game. As long as we're done by half past. Howard's got some game set up."
"Sounds like a plan." I blushed as he pushed open the door for me, revealing a full-on games room, with those fancy chairs rich kids have in movies, a giant TV, and about every console released in the last ten years.
"Welcome to the game cave." Chase smiled at my bewilderment, "Take a seat, whichever you want. I'll get the game set up."
I took the seat on the right as he began fiddling with the PS4 and the TV. This had the makings of a great night.