sunrise [until dawn]

vi: baby wolverine

yes i also apologize for making josh into an asshole but it'll all be explained later!

-

Of course Josh was going to be an asshole. I had blown up on him a few minutes previous, I didn't even blame him. I just didn't take him for that type of guy that "pokes the bear."

Ashley, Matt, and Sam are still congregating over by the stairs, so I decide to join them. Sam sees me approaching and waves.

"Hey, weren't you off with the boys?" She asked, "What happened?"

"Josh was being an asshole," I dismiss her comment as quickly as I can, "How is school going for you all-?"

"What do you mean, he was being an asshole?" Matt interjects.

Fuck. I was really not in the mood to explain the whole ordeal, or speculate as to what was shoved up Josh's ass, but now I didn't really have an option. Considering the three friends were all staring at me with waiting eyes.

"Nothing much," I mentally decide to play it cool, "He just said some really nasty things. I'm not going to explain who or what is was about, because I don't want to offend anyone. But I tried to be mature, and he felt the need to be an asshole about it. So, here I am."

Matt and Ashley seem satisfied with this and don't push the issue, but dear Sam wants more. I don't know how else I'm going to get her out of my hair, so I might as well tell her.

"We were walking," I start, sighing, "I heard Josh and Chris talking about...Ashley. And I thought nothing about it, but....-"

"Go on!" Ashley exclaims, inching closer to me.

I gulp, "Josh was saying things about how you were hot and how he'd like to m-make snow angels. It was just to mess with Chris, but...I defended you. I told him he was being an asshole, saying those sexual things about her, and right in front of me, no less!"

Ashley looks visibly hurt by my revelation, but urges me to finish my story.

"He got really upset, but I dropped it. We found a window to boost Chris up into, and we moved one of Mister Washington's gun racks or something so he could climb on it. I don't know why, but Josh was upset that Chris asked me to help move it."

Sam rolls her eyes, muttering, "Asshole."

"Then I spit at him and walked back here."

Sam and Ashley burst out into laughter and Matt ruffles my hair playfully.

"That," Ashley chokes between giggles, "is too good!"

With that, I notice Chris through the small window carved into the door, and alert the others. The door swings open as he shakes his hand in some type of agony.

"Fuck-"

I'm completely taken back when a small brown thing darts door past us. My heart has jumped up into my throat, and I awkwardly look at my shoes as Sam laughs.

"Aw, it's a cute little baby wolverine!"

"B-baby?" Chris stutters, allowing us inside.

Warmth radiates through my body as I step up and over the ledge, and I hug my arms against my body. Mindlessly wandering to the kitchen, my mind brings me back to last year's winter getaway.

—

"Say cheese!"

Chris rushed back into position next to me, and we all made a pose. The click of the camera shutters, and Chris rushes back over to examine the photo.

"This is so good!" He exclaims, and shoos us out of our position.

We all glance for a moment at the picture. In the front row is Chris, Ashley, Beth, Matt and I all giving each other bunny ears, and in the back, Sam is giving Josh a piggyback ride, and Mike has Em, Hannah, and Jess clinging to his arm in a starstruck manner.

"I think this calls for a toast," Josh reaches up into the cabinet and pulls out a bottle of vodka, "Shots, everyone?"

Chris distributed shot glasses, and then grabbed his own. I hesitate as the clear liquid spills a bit over the brim. I had never had any sort of alcohol; to be honest, I was a bit afraid of it. Courtesy of coming home from school to see Chris hungover on the couch, vomiting into a metal garbage pail.

"A toast," Mike raises his shot glass, "To all of us being up here together in each-other's company."

I tilt my head back, allowing the liquid to slide down my throat. It fucking burns. It burns and tears at the back of my throat and chest, and tears brim my eyes as I grip onto the granite countertop.

"That was your first time with alcohol, Maggie," Josh laughs hysterically, patting my back, "How do you feel?"

"Surprisingly, not bad."

The burning had departed, and was replaced with a warmth coursing throughout my body. I feel good, of all things.

"To Maggie's first shot!"

My friends down their second shot of vodka almost as quickly as Chris pours it for them.

—

I feel tears collecting in my eyes, and I find myself sitting atop one of the bar stools.

"Get ahold of yourself," I mumble, wiping my face with the back of my hand, "Don't fucking cry."

I couldn't help it. I couldn't stop crying. So I sit there, letting the tears stream down my face as my friends laugh about something in the next room over.

———

Josh: 6/10
Chris: 10/10
Ashley: 7/10
Sam: 10/10
Jess: 5/10
Mike: 5/10
Matt: 5/10
Emily: 1/10

Honest: 9/10
Charitable: 7/10
Funny: 6/10
Brave: 5/10
Romantic: 7/10
Curious: 7/10

That ending part about her crying alone made me so sad aw