DAERIN | ONE SHOTS🔞

life of the party

Haerin could hear the bass beat of the party music even when she was a few houses away from Beomgyu's front yard. The hour was late, the streets were lit by a dull, burnished orange glow from the streetlamps. Cars crowd the side of the streets. A few yards down she could see people. In pairs, in thirds, in groups, each holding a red plastic cup and carrying with them the sounds of laughter. Haerin hesitated. Second-guessed why she was there in the first place.

It's because Danielle invited you, she told herself as she entered through the gate of Beomgyu Choi's yard. She remembered that day – when Beomgyu and Danielle, the school's powerhouse couple, approached her at her locker. Beomgyu had his arm around Danielle's shoulder, hers around his waist.

"Hey Haerin, party at my house on Saturday night, okay? Everyone's invited."

"I-I don't know... I do my homework on Saturday nights." Haerin replied as she stacked her textbooks into her locker. She avoided Danielle's gaze, though the girl's features made it near-impossible to do so. She looked at Haerin, doe eyes intense, expectant.

"You can't do them on Sunday?" Danielle asked.

"I mean – I could, but – "

"No buts," Danielle said, a small smile on her lips. "You haven't been to a party before, right? It'll be fun, I promise."

What could Haerin say to that? She hesitated and Danielle read it in her expression. "Please come to the party, Haerin. For me?"

And Danielle blinked, fluttered her long lashes at Haerin until she found herself nodding. The blonde beamed. "Great! We'll see you then!" With their arms still wrapped around each other's, Haerin watched Beomgyu and Danielle traverse the length of the hallway while conjoined at their hips.

Haerin sighed at the memory – at the way Danielle's skirt swayed as she watched her leave. The swing of her high ponytail. The marble tautness of the backs of her thighs. Haerin entered through the front door of Beomgyu's house and wove through the crowd that gathered in the living room. She slipped into the kitchen where she found familiar faces. Hyein, Sunoo, Minjeong, Yunjin, and Wonyoung were chatting where the music was faintest while Minji and Hanni poured out drinks in a constant stream of vodka and tequila.

"You made it!" Hanni cheered, taking Haerin in a brief side hug.

"We were almost sure you wouldn't come," Yunjin said. She was half-screaming. Her face was flushed pink. Haerin was confident that she was already drunk.

"Yes, well, the football team out in the yard was nearly enough to put me off. They stared at me as I walked in – it felt like I was doing something wrong."

"Well, you're safe here," Hyein assured her. "Beomgyu and Danielle's influence go deep. They control the school, you know that."

Haerin nodded. She did know that. Ever since the popular couple joined the dance club, they had not been harassed since. Though people still stared, threatening and with a cruel glint in their eyes, the outright abuse had diminished.

Haerin thanked Minji when she handed her a cup half-full of a thin, murky liquid. She took a hesitant sip and coughed. "Minji, it's too strong for me."

"Just drink it slow – you'll be fine." Minji said.

"Oh please, I'm not going to take drinking advice from you," Haerin said. She found a cold can of ginger ale that she poured into her cup to dilute whatever was in there. "Where's Jake?"

"Last time I saw him, he was teaching the basketball team how to do his ten-step skin routine."

Haerin laughed at that. She felt warm – pleasantly so, as she took another sip of her Minji-made drink. "Have any of you seen Danielle?" She tried to sound as off-hand and casual as possible but anyone with decent perception knew how bad Haerin's crush was, and all of her friends knew, judging from the way they all shot her a knowing look. "What? She invited me here – it only makes sense I greet the host."