Mountain of The Suns • Book 2

Chapter 6

I had made the mistake of taking Ollie up on his kindness and his pouring skills. It seems like every time he filled up my glass it had emptied just as quick. Everyone seemed to be doing the same as they started to all slosh and stumble around. A small group had started to play music in the dining hall. It was just like the parties and galas my parents used to host except I was actually relaxed and enjoying it.

I was used to sticking to wall or hiding away in a separate room. Though now I was talking to all sort of people. Maybe all I needed was some liquid courage, but I hadn't ever been a social butterfly before. I had been stuck at Jun's hip since I had been here, but now I was talking to so many others on my own and often finding that I had lost track of him.

I was stood next to Ollie and another girl Suni. She and Ollie seemed to be good friends though I think that was his tutor and she was really nice despite her appearance. She was really bulky and scary looking but her tone was a lot nicer than I expected. I didn't stick with one group for too long I sort of drifted but I really liked talking with those two.

Their friend Goro was there as well, but he didn't speak a single word. He seemed to be uncomfortable but Ollie had mentioned he had been excited about meeting me so maybe he had gotten stage fright. I tried to be kind but my social awkwardness and his clearly left us a little unsure of each other, I just hope he didn't think less of me.

It wasn't long before I had Jun at my side. By that point I was almost seeing two of everything. I hadn't ever drank before and I definitely over did it. Jun had caught my arm, but I nearly stumbled and fell. I looked up at him and his face was flushed bright red.

"Jun?" I asked looking at him. He had been talking with Riku, Minoru's younger brother all night and I hadn't seen him once in the last hour.

"I lost you, I couldn't find you." He said and his own words were sloshed around.

"I've been here where have you been?" I asked him trying to focus on what I was saying.

"Riku went to bed, he said it was late, but it doesn't even feel late." He said shaking his head. "These people can drink."

"Don't we have classes tomorrow?" I asked and his face went to a shocked expression like he had forgotten.

"Oh god we do." He whined.

"I think I drank too much." I said in a guilty tone.

"I think I did to." He said with a small smirk but it only made me smirk too. Not a moment later before we both were giggling and laughing as we doubled over together.

"We should sneak out before they notice we're drunk." Jun said looking around the room.

"I should find my friends, they were just right here?" I said flipping around and looking for them but they were gone and out of sight.

"You made friends?" He asked with with a shocked face.

"Yeah, they're so nice. One of them I think is the other intermediate student who's going to be in our classes." I said smiling.

"That's so cool." He said looking down at me before giving me one heavy pat on top of my head.

"You should meet them, they're so nice." I said wobbling into him a little bit because I didn't have my balance.

"I will, but we should get to bed." He said placing his arms around me.

"I don't remember where bed is." I said looking towards the exit. I knew how to get to the entrance from the main cavern, but I didn't remember the complicated hallways.

"Come on we'll find it." He said pulling me by my hand much faster than my short legs could walk.

Normally he'd grab my elbow or wrist but he didn't hesitate to intertwine his fingers with my own. I giggled as he pulled me out of the dining hall hardly. I looked behind me and the music was still playing, but it wasn't as loud as before. The room was still full of people, but I could definitely see the crowd had thinned a little. I couldn't spot my friends, but I was stumbling behind Jun out of the room before I could really even get a look.