Mine

Chapter Six

It didn't occur to Damian that he had no idea what he was going to say to Astrid until he was sat in Esther's living room, a can of cola in his hand and trying to ignore the hive of activity around him. He hated parties and usually avoided them, even his best friend's ones. He much preferred the quiet movie nights she threw instead, when it was usually just the seven of them - him, Esther, the Forsyth Triplets, Joasia and Iona - but this was definitely far too many people. They all seemed to know his name as well which unsettled him to no end because he had no clue who any of them were (and ordinarily he would not have cared).
He hadn't seen the pink-haired girl or her lanky friend as of yet and he was on tenterhooks as he waited. He had positioned himself so that he was facing the door; there was no way that she would get in without him seeing her, though he somehow doubted that he would miss her arrival at all. Astrid had this way of changing the atmosphere of any room that she entered, making him aware of her presence. That was why lunch in the cafeteria had been so odd these last few days in any case.
He glanced over towards the small group of people that had gathered nearby and wasn't surprised to find that Joasia and Iona were a part of it. They never seemed to be able to be too far away. A small voice told him that this was some sort of compliment but in reality it just made his blood run cold. There were plenty other boys for them to fawn over and he would rather that they get on with it.
When he looked back to the door, there she was. Astrid. He stood up as his eyes landed on her but froze when she was not alone. She'd brought her friend - the boy, Mal - just as she had said she would. Damian had hoped that the boy would not be able to make it, especially on such short notice, but he was out of luck there.
He took a deep breath, swallowed dryly before taking a swig of his can and crossed the living room to the two younger people who looked more than a little bewildered, though Astrid was doing her best to try and hide that fact from everyone around her.
"Hello." Damian said once he was close enough to be heard over the deafening music. "I'm glad you came."
As soon as he spoke, Astrid's expression of being overwhelmed was replaced with a smile that Damian knew he had never seen anywhere else and never wanted to see on anyone else.
"Hi." She said, her voice somewhat soft, but still loud enough to be heard. "I wasn't sure we were at the right place until we heard the music."
Damian smiled, a little unsure if the music was managing to cover up the pounding of his heart just then or not as it filled his ears. "I'd say follow the trail of people but I think everyone's here now. Though I could be wrong. Esther seems to know everyone. Do you want a drink?" He knew his nerves were showing slightly now and it bugged him more than a little.
Mal nodded from where he still stood in the doorway, his posture giving away just how awkward and uncomfortable he felt in being there. Damian realised that he must care for Astrid quite a bit and that was not a welcome thought just then. He supposed that small twinge was what jealousy felt like.
"Yeah, a drink of something would be great." The boy nodded, glancing sideways at Astrid who appeared to be surveying the room.
It then occurred to Damian just then that this could be the first proper teenage party that the younger pair had attended but he quickly pushed that thought down. He didn't particularly need the reminder of the age gap between himself and the girl.
"Kitchen's this way." He told them as he turned on his heel and headed through the house he knew almost better than he knew his own. He glanced over his shoulder a couple of times as he walked to check that Astrid hadn't ducked out again - which is what he knew he would done if faced with so many strange (and drunk) faces.
Once in the kitchen - where Esther was with an over-excited blonde girl that he didn't think that he'd ever seen before - he turned back to the pair. Astrid looked stunning, his breath caught in his throat, and he was glad of the interruption from Esther who swapped the can in his hand for a glass of some strong smelling spirit. She gave one to Astrid and Mal as well with a grin but as she raised her own glass to them and knocked it back, he saw Astrid set hers down. Mal seemed quite content with his and even grabbed himself a jelly shot from the counter when Esther and the blonde did. Damian doubted that he realised it contained alcohol but that wasn't his problem.
"Alright?" He asked Astrid who still appeared to be at ease there, but still something bugged him slightly. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, however, whatever it was.
Astrid nodded as she fixed her grey eyes on his. Her gaze held him there, and the rest of the world seemed to just melt away.
Damian knew he was fucked.
"Come on! Drink up!" Essie's voice made him physically jump and almost drop his glass as he crashed back to reality. "We're gonna get a game going in a minute!"
Damian did as he was told and knocked back the foul smelling drink. He reckoned that he would need it in order to get through whatever it was that the redhead had planned - especially if she somehow got Astrid involved.