A Piece of Me

3

Elizabeth's pov

Luckily, we were able to find the kitchen since it was right next to the back door.

I didn't want to make things complicated, so I grabbed two beer cans, one for Stas and one for myself.

It was so crowded that I was shoulder to shoulder with everyone here. It was nearly impossible to get anywhere, and the music was too loud to hear what anyone had to say.

The music only got louder as we got to the front of the house, where the speakers were blasting some rap song that everyone was jumping to. Nobody could properly dance, everyone was jumping.

Stas and I couldn't stay in that room now that our cans were open and full, leaving them to slosh over the other people in the room.

"Let's look around!" Stas shouted in my ear, pulling on my free arm as she tried to make her way back to the kitchen.

I followed her, unsurprisingly, and when we got to the kitchen there was an actual walkway to a little hallway.

There were less people down this hallway, and Stas led the way. It turned out to lead to a garage, where people were playing beer pong on the table, with people sitting on couches and beanbag chairs.

I didn't know what to do. We were in a room full of strangers who knew nothing about us.

They seemed friendly, or drunk, or high. Or maybe all of the above.

Stas seemed to know how to handle this, because she led me over to a couch that was half empty. She was on the edge of the couch, leaving me to sit next to a guy who was not as obnoxious as the others in the room.

Our legs brushed together for a split moment, but Stas distracted me from the man. "Hi everyone. Enjoying the party?"

She had to pretend like she knew what she was doing and who she was talking to, and she seemed to pull it off very well.

"Yeah, it's a blast as always," One of them, with dark hair pulled up into a man bun, agreed, "I don't think we've met before. I'm Corey, and this is my girlfriend Devyn. This is Sam and Kat," He pointed over to the couple sitting beside him, "That's Xepher,"

Xepher, a gorgeous woman who I could swear was a model, waved and smiled, "Nice to meet you guys,"

"-And that's Colby," Corey finished, talking about the one I was next to.

"How are you guys?" Colby greeted, his smile flawless. He definitely used whiting strips, or had dentures. One of the two.

His blue eyes could freeze me if I let them, and it was very clear that his friends adored him.

Sam seemed to watch him for a moment longer than the rest of them, though. Either he was very pissed or very protective. One of the two.

"Where are you from?" Kat asked, her blue hair bright and curled. Her makeup was done to perfection, probably by a professional or herself.

"Oregon," Stas answered, probably lying for me.

"What's your names?" Xepher asked, leaning over Colby to study us better.

"I'm Liz, and she's Stas," I answered, my heart pounding like it did when I had to present something in front of the class when I was in high school.

"It's funny how we've only just met," Sam seemed suspicious of us, and something in my head said that he definitely lived here, "Are you a friend of Scotty's?"

"Gabby's," I blurted out, hopefully they didn't care enough to ask.

"That's Jake's girlfriend right?" Xepher asked, looking over at Colby.

"Yeah, she's cool," Colby sighed, playing with the couple of rings on his hands like he'd rather be anywhere else.

I liked that this was the calmer part of the party, like nobody wanted to be in the garage except for them.

We talked for a while, just trying to get to know each other. Most of them did Youtube, except for Kat who was a singer, Devyn was a makeup artist and Xepher was a brand ambassador for some company I didn't know.

Colby and I ended up talking quietly to each other while the rest moved on to another subject.

"What brought you out to LA?" He asked, twisting his body to face mine more.

"My mom, actually," I didn't point out that I only moved out here when she was diagnosed with cancer.

I don't need a stranger's sympathy.

"That's nice of you," He smiled, "I would do anything to bring my family out here,"

"Would you?" I asked, scrunching my nose.

"No," He let out a little chuckle, more polite than humorous, "My mom likes the peace and quiet,"

"My mom was always a partier," I grinned, and that part was true.

She used to be a very beautiful woman, skinny but with curves that would fit perfectly in anything.

Her hair was brown before it fell out, easy to style since it was so long.

By now I had gone through the entire can of beer.

My throat ached for more. My mind wanted to feel swimmy, like it was twenty feet deep in the ocean.

But my heart told me not to leave the seat, not without Colby.

I wanted to get to know him better, ditch my friend beside me and talk the night away with him.

Drunk or not.

"I win! Fuck yeah!" A man with lots of tattoos cheered from the beer pong table.

"Mike won. Twenty bucks," Corey leaned across the space between the two couches to Colby, who reluctantly handed him a crisp twenty dollar bill.

"I had my faith in you Kevin," Colby teased the tall, short haired, dark skinned man who looked like a sad puppy.

"He cheated. Let's rematch," He begged Mike, who shook his head.

"No. I won fair and square," Mike had a triumphant grin on his face as he left the room, leaving Kevin to drag his feet in our direction.

I looked around at all the seats, realizing that Stas and I sat in the last free spots.

"Oh I'm sorry," I instantly stood up, "Here, have my seat,"

I turned to see Stas laughing with Kat and Sam while they told her some story I didn't care to tune in to.

"Thank you so much. New problem:" Kevin presented dramatically, "Is that you only made enough room for half of my right ass cheek. Colby, since you are my least favorite roommate, I'm evicting you from your seat on the couch,"

"I had my money on you and this is what you do to me?" Colby asked, his face mocking hurt as he stood up.

"That was your first mistake," Kevin laughed, and his laugh was so loud but in a cute way, I couldn't help but giggle a little myself.

I was starting to think that I would like these new people Stas and I encountered.

If only I could figure out how we'd be able to keep in touch after tonight was over.