Inside these walls

3. air

Socializing is not my favorite thing, to be fair.

I loved parties and I loved hanging out with my friends and feeling like I belong, but at one point it gets tiring and I start feeling extremely overwhelmed by everything. The stickiness I felt on my skin from that whiskey that spilled on me was not making things easier.

I sat on the edge of the couch, trying to keep my balance as the room swirled around me. The pounding music and the cacophony of voices clashed in my head, making it hard to focus. Eden, Dylan, and Seb were engaged in a heated argument about something I couldn't quite catch. My mind was foggy from the beer pong we'd just played, and I could feel the edges of my anxiety creeping in. Alcohol did that to me sometimes, made me feel more anxious than usual. I just hoped it wouldn't happen tonight but apparently it did.

"I'm telling you, pineapple absolutely belongs on pizza!" Dylan's voice rose above the din, his cheeks flushed with enthusiasm and alcohol.

Seb rolled his eyes dramatically. "That's sacrilege, man. Pizza is meant to be savory, not sweet. It's like putting candy on a steak!"

Eden laughed, her eyes flicking between them. "How did you even end up talking about this? God, you guys are too drunk."

Their banter washed over me, but I couldn't bring myself to join in. My chest felt tight, and my hands were clammy. I tried to smile, but it felt more like a grimace. Eden must have noticed my discomfort because she suddenly reached over and grabbed my hand.

"Hey, Kayla, you okay?" she asked, her voice softening with concern.

I nodded, but it was clear she didn't believe me. She stood up, tugging me to my feet. "Come on, let's go do something fun."

The guys were too busy arguing to notice us leaving. Eden led me through the crowd to a quieter corner of the room where a group was gathered, playing a rowdy game of truth or dare. I felt a little better, away from the main throng of the party, but my heart was still racing and my confidence and energy was starting to wear off.

As we approached, a girl with bright pink hair pointed at me. "Hey, Anderson! Truth or dare?"

"What is this, highschool?" I mumbled and glanced at Eden in confusion. She squeezed my hand reassuringly, silently telling me to loosen up. "Dare," I finally said, rolling my eyes, hoping it wasn't something too crazy.

The girl grinned wickedly. "I dare you to kiss Zion." There was a collective "ooooh" from the crowd, and I felt my face heat up.

Do people at these parties ever grow up?

"Who?" I asked, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. I looked around the group of people and my eyes landed on a pair of eyes that were already looking at me intensely.

My stomach did a flip. Zion was, apparently, the guy who had bumped into me earlier and spilled his whiskey all over me. He was leaning against the wall, watching me with a raised eyebrow and challenging dark eyes that looked even more attractive in this purple lighting. The memory of his scent—whiskey and his cologne—flashed through my mind.

Zion pushed off the wall, a smirk playing on his lips as he approached, confidence evident in every step. "Guess we're making up for earlier, huh? Anderson." my last name rolled off his lips in a teasing voice that made my heart skip a beat.

I swallowed hard, trying to appear more confident than I felt. "I guess so."

As he moved closer, the tension between us was almost unbearable. His gaze was intense, and I could see the amusement and desire flickering in his eyes. He was clearly enjoying this, and despite my best efforts to stay composed, I couldn't deny the magnetic pull I felt towards him.