Our different worlds

Max Cookies

L

This was surely a place of parties. It had only been a month-maybe two-since the last one, and here I was again, caught up in the chaos of another celebration. For me, parties were rare; I usually only attended twice a year-Halloween and my birthday. But tonight was different, and the energy in the air was palpable.

I slipped into a sleek black dress that Julia had picked out for me. It hugged my curves perfectly, making me feel a bit more confident than usual. Amelia twirled beside me in her silver dress, shimmering under the dim lights. We met Maeve and Julia outside the university, and together we walked to the stone bridge where the boys were waiting, leaning casually against the ancient stones.

As we approached, they greeted us with compliments, their eyes glimmering with mischief. Max, of course, made a point to tell me how beautiful I looked in a dress, and I couldn't help but blush. The heat crept up my cheeks as Dan and Thomas made exaggerated "ooh" sounds, while James playfully admonished Max, suggesting he'd better stop or people would start thinking he had a crush on me.

I could feel my face getting warmer, so I instinctively pulled my black jacket tighter around me, trying to hide the embarrassment. Just then, Alex caught up to me, a teasing grin on his face. "You know that jacket won't make you disappear, right?" he said, his tone light and playful.

"Yeah, well, it's worth a try," I replied, managing a shy smile as we entered the party.

As soon as we stepped inside, I was greeted by an unexpected scene. This party had a theme I wasn't prepared for-foam. The floor was covered in frothy bubbles, the air was thick with it, and everyone was practically wearing nothing. It was wild and exhilarating, yet oddly overwhelming.

Dan immediately headed to the drinks table, concocting something that looked suspiciously like a potent mix. I danced for a bit with Amelia and Julia, trying to shake off the initial shock of the party atmosphere. The three of us moved through the foam, laughing and squealing as the bubbles splashed against us.

When we made our way back to the boys, I realized they were in the middle of a drinking game-a combination of Truth or Dare and, more appropriately, Truth or Drink. The boys were firing off questions, and I could feel the tension rising with each revelation.

"Okay, Alex," Thomas said, smirking. "Who was your first crush?"

"Drink," Alex replied, grabbing his cup and downing the contents in one go, much to everyone's laughter.

"Boring!" Dan chimed in, throwing his hands up in mock frustration. "No fun at all!"

I stood back, watching the banter unfold, until the next question came up, directed at Max. "Who's your celebrity crush?"

"Emma Watson," he admitted, grinning widely. "She's brilliant and beautiful."

"Typical," James said, rolling his eyes. "You're basically a walking cliché."

Then it was Dan's turn, and he was asked if he had ever had a crush on someone at the party. "Truth or drink?" he teased.

"I'll drink," he said, laughing as he took a swig.

Everyone started speculating who it might be, they turned to Alex again. "Do you like anyone at the party?"

For a brief moment, the room fell silent as all eyes turned toward him. I could feel my heart race, the question hanging heavily in the air. But instead of answering, Alex just kept drinking.

"Okay, okay," Thomas pressed, clearly amused. "So it is someone here!"

The game continued with a mix of laughter and playful shouts. Just when I thought the questions couldn't get any more entertaining, Thomas leaned in with a mischievous grin. "Max," he said, feigning seriousness, "do you have a crush on anyone here?"