Bitter (wlw) (txs)

twenty-three

Mei had texted me her friend's house address earlier, and luckily it was right next to the bus stop we got off at.

"Buses stop passing at 2am" I said, checking the timetable beside the stop. "We should manage to leave by then"

"Definitely. Gives us a valid excuse to escape if the party's shit" Vic laughed.

We walked up to a three floor house covered in white paint and plants covering the balconies. As soon as I rang the bell the door opened to reveal Mei behind it.

"Ellie!" she immediately hugged me.

"Hi! How are you?" I asked.

"Pretty good. You? How was Christmas?"

"It was fine, I guess. Better than I thought" I chuckled.

"I'm glad. You must be Vic" she added, turning towards my friend.

"Indeed. Nice to meet you" she smiled.

"I'm Mei" she said as they shook hands.

"So, the kitchen is around that corner" Mei added as she pointed towards a corridor. "And the garden is on the opposite side. I think everyone will be going there to watch the fireworks at midnight. I was gonna go and get some drinks in the kitchen right now, if you wanna come along"

"Why not" Vic promptly said, before I could even think.

"Ellie" she then whispered, as we followed Mei down the hallway. We were probably one of the last people to arrive, judging by the number of people who were already there.

"Yeah?"

"Have you had a hot people magnet attached to you ever since you started college or what?"

"That would explain lots of things" I laughed. "But I don't think so"

"It really would explain a lot. Might move to New York if everyone's so good looking" she shrugged.

The three of us chatted for a while, until Mei's friends basically dragged her to the other side of the room, but I tried to stick with Vic to avoid ending up alone.

It took me just one short trip to the bathroom for that to happen, though. I went back to the kitchen for Vic not to be where I'd last left her.

I poured myself a second drink and tried to look for her. I'd told myself that would be my last drink, because knowing me drinking more than that would end badly.

I found her across the room talking to some girl looking completely smitten with her, so I just didn't intervene and left her alone. That was so typical of Vic.

By then midnight was in less than an hour and Mei wasn't in sight so I decided to just hang out around the garden, sitting crossed-legged on a stool beside the back door.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket to text the only person who could really keep me company at that moment.

you: hi, missing you a lot rn

A reply arrived just a few seconds later.

sam<3: I miss you too, baby. Are you alright? Is the party not fun?

you: it's okay, i guess. both my friends are just out of sight and i'm not really in the mood to socialize. what are you up to? already out?

sam<3: Just heading out now actually. I'd send you a pic of my outfit but I'm literally wearing as many layers as I can fit to avoid freezing alive

you: i absolutely want a pic of your multilayered outfit now!

I visibly laughed at imagining what she described, and I laughed even more as she'd sent a mirror selfie. I'd already seen the jacket she was wearing on her, but it looked ten times bigger and tighter because of everything else she was wearing under it.