The Problem Child

Extra: New Year Party

All these years, Charlie had managed to find witty excuses to keep himself from going to parties.

It was quite boring for him. Even with a lots of people around, it is as if you are in a really awkward place, all by yourself with the walls closing in on you.

It was boring and scary at the same time.

But right now, he felt different. He was excited, anxious, nervous. He didn't know what exactly it was. Something riled inside of him, making his organs twist everytime he checked his watch.

Charlie sighed and averted his gaze to his side, where his friends were gathered. He noticed Trevor watching him from his spot and a smile immediately made its way on to his face.

"What got your mind so preoccupied?" Trevor's voice had gotten a little husky from the glass of drink he took and Charlie liked the way it made him sound.

"I dunno" Charlie shrugged. "It's been a great year, hasn't it?" He asked, thinking about all the good stuff that had happened in the past twelve months-- how he had realised that there was more to life than what you learn in school, how he made friends with two of the coolest people he had ever met and most importantly, and what he is the most proud of, how he had managed to shamelessly fall head over heels for an awesome boy. Charlie smiled at his own thoughts.

"It was a decent year" Trevor's reply made Charlie raise an eyebrow at him.

Trevor gave him a side eye and made a low chuckle. "I was joking" he shook his head to himself. "It's been great. And I feel kinda bad that this year is going to end because it's been... So great" he smiled and gripped his glass even tighter as he heaved a sigh.

None of them spoke after that. They just watched as Conner and Joshua argued about something over alcohol.

The room was filled with chatter. And yet it felt so silent. But it was a comfortable silence that none of them bothered to break it.

•••

Two minutes.

Charlie left Trevor's side for two minutes and the other boy was long gone. It was as if he had disappeared into thin air, he was no where to be found.

Charlie went over the whole place, searching every nook and corner of the house, looking for Trevor. But he couldn't find him. He even accidentally ran into a couple having sex in some random room in the house.

A grave fear took hold of his heart as he wondered if Trevor left early because he found the crowd too noisy. If that was the case, he was sure going to sue him.

Charlie heaved a heavy sigh as he stood in the middle of the crowded kitchen. He carefully scanned the room, searching for the familiar face.

Though he couldn't find Trevor, he spotted Conner leaning on the kitchen counter.

He walked over to the boy and shook him by his shoulders. "Hey Kon, have you seen Trev?"

"Sorry, no pineapple. Thanks" Conner said in a husky drunk voice and Charlie's mouth fell slightly open out of pure confusion.

"What?" He asked with his eyebrows knotted together.

"Uh? I don't like putting pineapple on pizza" Conner said and stared at Charlie for a while before laughing and patting him on his hand. "Oh, you are Charlie-boy! My, my! I thought you were the pizza guy. I promised sponge-bob a pizza, you know. Heh"

Charlie felt too tired to deal with Conner right now. He left him by the kitchen counter, exactly as he had found him and went out looking for Joshua. Hopefully, he would be able to shed some light into the whereabouts of Trevor.