wrapped up in you

one.

song for the chapter: Youth by Troye Sivan

--

Christian and Summer met during high school. It was the typical, cliché story of him being a fun-loving, party-throwing, one-night-stand type of a guy that was failing most of his sophomore classes, and her being the pastor's daughter, intelligent beyond compare with virtue as clean as a whistle. She tutored him, they fell in an unlikely love, and began dating. (She fell when he asked "Do you have some Christian in you?" and when she answered yes which wasn't the answer he was expecting, he unsurely followed with "Do you want some... more?") (He fell when she blushed a bright red at that comment. So innocent, so corruptible)

Since then, it had always been Christian and Summer. Their lives were so intricately intertwined, whether they knew it or not. Like the orange juice stain on Christian's white shirt from Summer's birthday party that they still can't get out, or the cigarette-smelling hoodie of his that sits in her closet behind her Sunday's best.

In university, Christian found himself in the fraternity Alpha Sigma where he was welcomed with open arms by the other carefree boys. Summer stayed on the honours' engineer floor, surrounded by cut-throat science enthusiasts and bookworms. Even then, they were still Christian and Summer.

***

"So, what do you think about thermodynamics?" the girl with the glasses asks. Christian is currently at one of Summer's friend's parties. It's in the common room of the honours' engineer floor, and is attempting to engage in conversation with her friends. Their worlds are separate, and they would have never met if they never went to high school together, Christian thinks.

"Uh..." he says awkwardly. "No comment?" he says unsurely, the group in front of him roll their eyes in annoyance. He takes a big swing of the beer in his hand, but it does't do much and he's still very much too sober for this.

"It's so weird that's you're dating Summer. She just seems like she could... do better. More intellectual, less... surfer." the boy in the group says with a judgmental stare. And even in conversations where she isn't present at all, she's still mentioned and associated with him. Christian and Summer.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asks, rightfully offended by the comment.

Before anyone can reply, Summer sits next to him on the sofa. "Hey, babe. How are you getting along?" she asks with her usual happy smile. The group of her friends greet her before standing up to talk to other people who they think is intellectually on the same wave length. "That was weird." Summer commented with a confused grimace. It was so cute, and Christian just wanted to pinch her cheeks. He didn't, though.

"Yeah, can we go now?" he asks, and she looks shocked to hear it.

"Why? Aren't you having a good time?" she asks with a little pout, hand creasing over her impeccably white dress.

"No, Summer. Your friends are boring and mean, and they clearly don't like me. I tried to befriend them for you, I really did, but they all just think I'm some stupid guy that peaked in high school. It's just, ugh, can we just go?" he asks, voice tired and angry.

"Yeah. Sure." she says, clearly discouraged.

"Hey, it's okay. We can still have fun! Come on, let's go to Alpha Sig— there's a party going on now." he says with a smile in an attempt to comfort her, offering his hand out for her to take. She does so, and his hand is familiar in hers. Christian and Summer.

They walked into the fraternity party and Christian immediately felt at home. There were blinding strobe lights of different colours, some students piercing each others tongues in the kitchen, couples practically dry humping in public, there were two keg stands happening at the same time, and a thick layer of weed smoke engulfing the air. Everyone is drunk and warm and this is the feeling of home. Christian smiles and leads both of them to the kitchen, where a girl was mid-pierce, and he takes three straight shots before turning to his girlfriend again. "Anything to drink?" he offers, obviously much calmer than he was a while ago.

"No, thank you." she says with a tight smile, looking down at her feet.