Falling For Juliet

Chapter 20: Cody Burton Is A Vampire...?!

JULIET

Danny grabbed two cups, and filled each of them with beer from one of the kegs on the table. He handed me one of the cups.

"Don't ever put your drink down, and don't ever take a drink from anyone random!" he told me over the music. "It could be drugged."

He had a good point there. I nodded in understanding, and then Danny held his cup out for a toast, I presumed. I tapped my cup against his before we both took a sip of beer. I'd never had beer before, just a bit of wine at dinner with my parents' permission. The beer was bubbly, like a caffeinated soda...and the flavor was a bit tart. I scrunched up my face, a response that seemed to happen without my control, and glanced at Danny.

He didn't seem to have a problem with his drink at all, though he has had beer before. He must have seen my expression because he chuckled.

"What's wrong?! You don't like it?!" he asked.

"It's okay, I guess!" I told him and shrugged.

"Do you want something else?! Like something stronger?!"

"No! I'm good!"

I knew it was my first college party, but I was already high, I didn't feel like I needed anything stronger than beer. I didn't want to end up so wasted that I couldn't remember what happened the next day.

After a few more sips of beer, it didn't taste as pungent and I could already enjoy it more. That one cup turned into three, and before I knew it, Danny and I were dancing along with everyone else. I was lost in the music, swaying my body to the rhythm, when suddenly a chorus of people started shouting the word "chug" repeatedly.

Despite the music being so loud, the group of chanters was even louder somehow. The noise caught everyone's attention, including Danny and I. And at the same time I happened to spot someone familiar... That hair, that body...it was Naomi! But it was hard to keep track of her in the mass of bodies.

All of my senses were screaming at me to go over there and confess my feelings. Before I could think about it any longer, I lost sight of her! She disappeared into the crowd and I felt deflated. I felt a tug on my hand and turned to see it was Danny.

"Follow me!" he said, shouting over the music.

He guided me through the house, never letting go of my hand, until we ended up in the backyard. It wasn't as packed as it was earlier. Danny and I made our way to a vacant spot on the grass, and then he sat down. I followed suit.

"Not as loud out here," he pointed out as he took the bag of joints from his pocket. He took a joint from the bag before putting the bag back in his pocket.

"Yeah..."

I was totally distracted. This party was huge, there was no way I would see Naomi twice...

"What's wrong?" Danny asked as he lit the end of the joint.

I looked down at the grass before pulling some out of the ground. I felt the dirt and blades of grass in my palm, it was soft and cool.

"I saw her," I muttered.

"Saw who?"

"Her..."

"Naomi?!"

I looked at Danny, who was shocked. He pushed his glasses up his nose before offering me the joint. I thought about it for a brief moment, and took it. I inhaled long and slow, feeling the smoke hit my lungs. I didn't cough as much as I did earlier though, and I was grateful for that.

"Yeah, she's here," I told him as I exhaled.

"Well, we gotta go find her then! It's the perfect night for a first kiss," Danny coaxed.