Sweetest Pain || Hawk Moskowitz

36 Private Conversations

"So, tell me again, your parents are doing what?"

KT looked at Demetri with a deadpan expression before explaining it once more. "They go to this holiday party one of Freddie's friends hosts every year. It's supposedly really fun, but it's only fun for the adults. The one time Yas and I went, it was a total bust. Just a bunch of adults getting drunk and talking about life, not the kind of thing a twelve and thirteen year old is all that into. So when it's party time, Yas and I usually just stay home."

The table was quiet as she explained it, though Miguel and Aisha weren't listening as they had gotten it the first time she had said it. Eli was listening attentively, regardless of if he had already heard it, and Demetri was nodding along.

"So they just trust you guys not to have a party of your own?" Miguel asked, looking up from his lunch.

KT nodded. "Well, yeah. We've never done anything while at home alone that would make them not trust us."

That's a lie, Eli thought to himself. He would almost be ashamed had it not felt so good. I bet Miguel, Demetri, and Aisha don't even realize why she's talking about all of this... all so I can go over there. I almost feel bad for lying to my mom again, but she's lying to her parents too... and she seems alright with it, so I shouldn't worry about it.

"Yasmine seems like the type to throw ragers when your parents aren't home, though," Aisha said, sounding extremely bored. She hadn't completely warmed up to KT yet, which Eli was hoping she would soon. He liked Aisha and he understood her hesitancy to trust his girlfriend, but she was also his friend, so he wanted his friend and his girlfriend to get along.

"Yeah, but she doesn't want to clean up the mess," KT said, biting her lip nervously. "It's why she ends up throwing parties at other people's houses."

"That sounds..." Miguel didn't seem to know what word he should use.

"Heinous?" Aisha suggested. "Totally awful?"

KT awkwardly looked down at her lap, letting out a soft sigh. Eli reached over and took her hand into his, grabbing her attention. He offered her a little smile and squeezed her hand, which she squeezed back. He knew it was still a sour spot for her whenever Yasmine's misdeeds were put into question, as she never liked or condoned them. He didn't like seeing her down, especially over something like that. He didn't want her to be upset or uncomfortable or sad, he wanted to be the hero that fought it away and brought a smile back onto her face.

He leaned over to her, pecking her lips shyly. That made her smile.

"Alright so," she said softly, scooting her chair closer to his while the others changed the conversation away from Yasmine. She let out a little giggle before continuing in a low whisper, "the party starts at seven and they have to leave at five to get there on time. So, you can come over anytime after that. Yasmine will have already left by then."

"And where is she going?" he asked.

"Moon's mom won some kind of free skiing lessons, so they're going to go learn to ski."

"You didn't want to go?"

She shook her head. "No, not really. Besides, it was only for three people to go anyway."

"So, then we'll really have the place all to ourselves?" he asked, blushing softly.

She nodded, bringing a hand up to his cheek and lightly caressing it before threading her fingers into his hair. "Yep, just you and me, all night if you want."

"Wait, your parents won't be coming home?"

"Nope. They get super drunk at the party and stay the night." The things that can happen in one night... "So, we can watch all the movies we want and eat the Christmas dinner leftovers. It should be a blast."