Games

1

Parties were not my thing. I'd gone to my fair share of them and I can positively say that I didn't fancy them one bit. There were too many people drinking and smoking and doing God knows what kind of drugs, and I just didn't fit in with the crowd. Sure, most were too fucked up to notice me sticking out like a sore thumb, but it still made me uncomfortable. And I could admit that the parties weren't as bad as Skins made them seem, but like I said: it made me uncomfortable.

The only reason I ever went was because Max and Dan liked to drag me along all the time. I'd much rather stay in bed all night and sleep like a normal human, but no, they always barge in and decide to force me outside at 11 at night. Why? So I could stand around and watch them get completely shit-faced and then drive them home at 2am? No thanks.

But of course, every time I tell myself I'm going to deny them, I end up going anyways. Something inside me always gives in to them.

So you could just imagine my discomfort standing in the corner of some random bloke's living room, watching the people around me dance to whatever pop hit or techno track that came on the never ending party playlist blaring through the speakers.

Max and Dan were off doing who knows what, and there I was, awkwardly leaning against the plaster on the wall like a complete idiot, a beer in hand. I never got drunk, but I did drink. Usually it was just one, but with the crowd tonight I had begun to think about settling on two.

As that thought raced through my head I decided to go through with it shortly after, pushing myself away from the grimy wall behind me and shoving my way through people. A few sloppy, drunk girls attempted to grab at my biceps while I pushed past them but I shrugged them off, a disgusted look on my face. Even if their genitalia was my type, I still wouldn't have gone for any of them; not with the way they threw themselves at me, desperately.

Once through the array of people I found myself in the kitchen, where I found it to be less crowded, cooler, and much easier to breathe - not to mention quieter. It was an escape from the blaring of music in the room next door.

There were no more than five other people in the kitchen at a time, which was a relief from the living room. A few stared at me when I stumbled in, but most turned their heads away almost immediately - most. There was a boy sitting on the countertop, beer can in hand, staring at me curiously, yet his attention was still on his friend who was blabbering in his ear. I knew this because he nodded every few seconds, his shaggy brown hair falling in and out of his face. Obviously I stared back, no expression on my face. Whoever he was, he looked me up and down slowly, smirked and finally looked away, back to giving his full attention to his friend, the one with plugs in his ears that seemed to move with every hand gesture he made.

I would have ignored the situation that had just occurred if the kid wasn't so god damn attractive; and if he wasn't walking towards me right now. I tried and failed miserably to keep casual and find the perfect balance between glancing at him as he drew nearer and looking away. The dark brown v neck shirt he wore showed off tons of colorful tattoos, all of which littered his chest and arms. Dark brown, doe-like eyes were almost hidden by messy, mousy brown hair. He smiled when he stood next to me, his lanky limbs making him taller than myself. A smile creeped onto his face. One of his front teeth, I noticed, jutted out just slightly further than the other, but all in all his smile was genuine and inviting.

"What's your name?" He asked, leaning down and speaking into my ear. Although the music wasn't as loud here you still needed to be relatively close in order to speak to one another.

"Josh," I replied, lifting my head up to say into his ear. An aroma of cologne whisked its way into my nose; he smelled nice. "You?"

"Oliver," he answered, reaching a tattooed hand out for me to take. I did, returning to his admire his perfect face. This man - boy? teenager? - Oliver, was absolutely gorgeous. And he was speaking to me. Maybe tonight I'd actually have to thank Max and Dan for dragging me out here.