Spectrum. (Kellic)

Chapter 4

*KELLIN'S POV*

I tried to avoid Vic as much as I could, but by Friday night, this became impossible.

At about 8PM, he knocked on the door to my bedroom. "Hey," he says, "You wanna come out here, I have to tell you something."

"What?" I snap, looking up from my book.

He opens the door, looking at the ground.

"Well?" I ask.

"I was gonna have a party here tonight, but if you..."

"You're asking my permission?" I gasp, faking bewilderment, "But seriously," I say, my expression switching back to annoyed, "Do you really think that I think you'd just call off your party because I just want to be a nerd and hide here in my room without the noise of people having sex and your... Music?"

"Hm..." He smirks. "No." He bounces off down the corridor, and I just sigh and shake my head. He's just so fucking annoying. And he didn't even close the door!

A few seconds later, I hear Vic yell, "Come on, guys, we're ready!" Followed by the opening of the door, an eruption of whoops, yells, cheers, and random chatter, and then, some awful dance track pounds through the apartment. I groan loudly and drop my book on my face. This is gonna be a long night.

Scratch that- this is gonna be a long ten weeks.

I check the clock constantly. It's 8:30, it's 9:00, it's 9:15, it's 9:20, it's 9:21, 22, 23. By 9:30, I've been 'studying' for over two hours, and I've written about 200 out of my required 4000 words for this essay. I can tell I won't be writing anything tonight.

I don't know why I ever agreed to this. I'd honestly rather live in the elevator.

I sigh and return to my bed, where I lie face down on my stomach, utterly exasperated. Five minutes later, giggling and shuffling turns into a couple trying to bust in. I twist around to see one of Vic's friends- jaime I'm sure it was- with a girl. She has brown hair with caramel streaks through it. And a nose piercing.

"Sorry." He chuckles. "You really should come out here, you know." He adds.

"No, I really shouldn't," I reply.

"Whatever," he shrugs, taking the girls hand and leading her out. At least he knows how to close a goddamn door.

I only have to briefly consider his offer before deciding I need a snack anyway. I stand up, still pretending- only for my own benefit- that I don't want to be going out into the sea of drunk adults. It's easy to stay unnoticed- right? Although I tell myself I'll only be out in my lounge for five minutes- I change my shirt anyway. Out in the corridor, I have to push past people even to move a step. How does Vic even know so many people? I ask myself. I see him right away- playing pool over in a corner with some guy. People are passing money between themselves all around him. I guess they're all making bets. I go to the fridge and grab a Pepsi, before sitting down on the sofa somewhat awkwardly. I'm actually about to leave- realising that it's a bad decision to be out here- when Jaime and his girl sit down right across from me.

"I'm Jaime." He states, handing me a bowl of peanuts.

"Um, thanks." I say, taking the bowl from him. "It's, uh, Kellin."

"I know." He smirks. "Vic told me."

"Oh."

"Tay," The girl introduces, reaching out her hand.

I somehow manage to balance the peanuts and soda in one hand, and extend my other to meet hers. Neither of them miss out on the awkwardness of the situation, and they both laugh at me.

"You're not very good at this." Jaime notes.

"At what?" I say, defensively. "Because I'm great at balancing peanuts." I say that impulsively and immediately regret it-realising how stupid it sounds- but he seems to find it funny, and grins back at me.

"At meeting people, I meant. At parties." Explains Jaime.

"I've never even been to a real party like this!" I reply.

"What!?" They both splutter.

"Are you crazy or something?" Tay asks me.

I just shrug. Am I?

"Wow!" I hear a voice behind me. "You came out of your hideaway?" It says sarcastically.

Of course. Vic.

"I was just going." I say, standing up.

"No, you weren't." He chuckles, placing a hand on my shoulder and pushing me back down. He sits down on my other side, a little closer than I would have liked. I shift around a little bit, trying to move slightly away from him, which he -of course- notices, and just smirks.

Tay continues to stare at me before making eye contact with Vic and then laughing. She gets up and goes over towards the speakers, turning up the music, and then jumps on top of the pool table, dragging multiple people up with her.

The awkwardness of the situation was almost unbearable. Vic was pressed against me on my left, his arm sprawled behind me on top of the sofa. Jaime was at the other end, slouched with his legs over the coffee table, staring at the both of us without saying a single word.

"I need another drink." Jaime sighs, grinning.

He gets up, leaving me alone with Vic. "See," he says, "Parties aren't so bad after all, are they?"

"Parties are horrible." I reply quickly.

"No." He insists. "I think you're enjoying this." The tone of his voice just irritates me so much. He knows that he's pissing me off, and that's why he continues to talk. "See that guy over there?" He points towards someone standing in the corner. He's easy to spot because of his hair. It's like a skunk. "That's Jack. He's gay, go talk to him."

"Excuse me?" I turn to him. "Are you fucking serious? You can't just say things like that!"

He doesn't reply, as his eyes are still trained on the guy he pointed out to me. "Dammit!" He says, so I look back towards Jack and see him pinned up against the wall, a different guy kissing him. And so Vic continues to scan the room, looking for more gay men to point out to me. Again, he knows that he's pissing me off, and that's why he continues to do it, but before he can say anything else, I'm heading back towards my room, taking Jaime's bowl of peanuts with me.