Still breathing | Original story

Chapter One: Drunk

Word count: 4139

The apartment building was loud. I could hear the deep bass of music as we climbed the steps up to the first floor. Ella opened the door and I followed clumsily behind her.
Hot air enveloped me and I was greeted by sweat and pulsing bodies all crammed in too close. The aroma of alcohol filling the air was too much for my nostrils and I felt like I was getting second-hand drunk by how much people were having. I saw the lazy grins on everyone's faces, stumbling around and laughing for no apparent reason. I shook my head at them. I didn't like getting drunk, it was never something that interested me. Saying that, though, if anyone were to offer me an alcoholic beverage I wouldn't always turn it down; when surrounded by drunk people you don't want to be sober but you also don't want to be as drunk as them. The second part for safety reasons as people do crazy things when alcohol is in their system. At least, that's what my dad always used to tell me. 

Ella made her way to some people who had attended the party whilst I stood by the door, fiddling with the sleeves of my jacket. I looked around but couldn't find a place that looked welcoming. Out of nowhere a pain jerked my arm and I was pushed aside as a guy with a half shaved head and long fringe came past me with a guitar that continued to graze my side. He said nothing, but the man behind him smiled at me apologetically. He looked familiar, I've probably met him a few times. He must've been Ella's old friend, the one whose band was playing. I put a thumbs up to him because the noise was way too overpowering to even attempt to speak. He nodded and was on his way.
I watched the band begin to set up pretty close to where I was standing and the crowd of people going mental over them. They weren't even popular but the crowd was all up for the entertainment. I just about managed to move away in time before I was engulfed by the crowd too. It was pretty daft come to think of it. How a band was supposed to play for that many people in such a small space was beyond me but somehow everyone else thought it was a brilliant idea, including Ella.

Someone turned the stereo off as the band started playing a few songs and the groups of sweaty, alcohol ridden adults moved together to surround the band. At that point, Ella was making her way over and she handed me a cold beer in a plastic cup. I looked to see if I could have it because I was still not quite at the legal age of eighteen to be able to have it and many people stigmatise under-aged drinking. I didn't want to get kicked out, well I sort of did, but I knew Ella wanted to stay. I looked at the guy who owned the place but in his state he wouldn't even intervene if I were drinking bleach. He was more than pissed, he was slumped over one chair slurring madly at someone that wasn't even there. I grimaced into my cup. Ella began dragging me out of the corner I had put myself into and to the front of the crowd. I apologised as I bumped past people but no one seemed to notice me.
"Come on Rem it'll be fun," Ella's whiny voice filled my mind, "you're always stuck in the house, let's go out and have fun."
Have fun?  I wasn't having fun. I was stuck in a crowded apartment full of people I didn't even know. I sighed internally. As much as I hated being there I couldn't hate Ella for dragging me out. I knew she had a point, I had spent many of my nights sitting on my bed with either a book or the internet for company. Browsing endless stories, letting fiction envelope me into a completely new world. It was about time I went into the real world.
I hadn't left fiction behind, I didn't think I ever could. I had the feeling that something was going to happen. In books the protagonist would meet her guy in a place like that, they would escape the place and some adventure would happen. However, when I surveyed the area I noticed everyone was over my age. Being only sixteen and everyone else being at least twenty it was a bit uncomfortable for me. I was awkward enough as it was normally but I was completely out of my comfort zone. I was merely a caterpillar in a room of social butterflies and I couldn't learn how to cocoon myself quick enough in order to transform into someone more confident.