Elliot

6 - The party

Alec pushed open the door to his apartment, a playful grin spreading across his face as he stepped inside, his girlfriend, Mia, following closely behind. The sound of loud, upbeat 90s music blasted through the walls, vibrating the floor beneath their feet. Alec couldn't help but chuckle at the vibrant energy seeping into their space from next door.

Nate was sprawled on the couch, a gaming controller in hand, his brow furrowed in mild irritation. "Can you ask them turn that down?" he called out, his voice barely rising above the music. "I'm trying to concentrate over here."

"Come on, Nate! It's a party!" Alec said, dropping his bag by the door. "Lighten up a bit! It's just some loud 90s nostalgia. Besides, it sounds like fun."

"Fun for you, maybe," Nate replied dryly, his eyes still glued to the screen. "I don't get why you're so excited about a bunch of  dancers throwing a rave next door. It's like they're trying to start a disco inferno."

Mia laughed, playfully nudging Nate's shoulder as she joined Alec in the kitchen. "Oh, come on, Nate. You should join them! Live a little! Who knows, you might actually enjoy yourself."

Nate rolled his eyes but couldn't suppress a small smile at their banter. He'd seen the dancers, too, vibrant and full of life, as they'd arrived with Elliot two hours ago. Elliot, with his colorful clothes and infectious energy, had quickly become the talk of the building—at least for Alec and Mia.

Alec leaned against the kitchen counter, pouring himself a glass of water. "You know, Elliot's just your type... physically," he said, a teasing glint in his eye. "And he's fun, enthusiastic, and he clearly loves to dance. I mean, you could use a little more excitement in your life, don't you think?"

Nate shrugged, feigning indifference as he continued to play his game. "Yeah, well, I don't really do 'parties.'"

Alec leaned in, a smirk on his face. "You mean you don't do fun. Just think about it, Nate. You could go over there, dance a little, and maybe even meet someone who doesn't think you're a total bore."

"Please," Nate muttered, though the corners of his mouth twitched upward. "I don't dance. You know that."

"But you could!" Mia chimed in, her excitement infectious. "You could let loose for once! Elliot seems like he knows how to have a good time. And who knows? He might surprise you."

Nate let out a reluctant sigh, glancing toward the wall that separated their apartment from Elliot's. The music pulsed in rhythm with the chatter of laughter and conversation from next door. He could picture the scene—colorful outfits, carefree smiles, and Elliot, probably the center of it all, inviting everyone to join in.

"Not a chance," Nate finally conceded.

Alec let out a sigh and shook his head while, Mia leaned over to Nate, her expression softer. "You know, it might be nice to break out of your shell a little. Just give it a chance. You might find it refreshing."

Nate ignored her, and continued his game until he couldn't bear the invasion of 'Spice up your life' pounding against his eardrum. He furrowed his brow, trying to focus on the game, but the relentless beat of the music made it nearly impossible. He glanced at the screen—his character was getting pummeled, and it was hard to concentrate with the sounds of laughter and the catchy 90s pop blaring through the walls.

"Seriously, how can they even hear themselves think?" he muttered, reaching for the volume control on his TV. But as he turned the knob, the music only seemed to get louder, as if mocking his efforts to drown it out. "See? This is why I don't do parties," Nate grumbled, finally pausing the game and throwing the controller onto the couch. He got up, running a hand through his dark hair in frustration. "That's it! I'll go over there and ask them to turn it down."