Hold on Tight

6. The eve

» Beam «

"Bottoms up!" We all cheered in unison, raised our glasses then downed our drinks in one shot. I grimaced at how strong scent that penetrated my nose when I drank it all. But the sensation in my throat as I swallowed the dark liquid was very much welcomed, it heated my body and I liked it.

The other moons had invited us all to the club to celebrate their last day of rehearsals. The pageant was in two days and they were happy that all their suffering finally had an end. Actually, the spontaneous drinking session was only meant for the moons but since both me and Kit spend almost our time beside Pha, they had considered us as one of them. They never treated us as outcasts, we blended with them that nobody could even see the difference. Well, we are just as handsome as them after all.

But it wasn't as fun as I thought it would be. Even with alcohol and a bunch of pretty girls in skimpy clothes buzzing around the dance floor.

Why?

Simple.

Because Forth wasn't there.

Nobody knew where he ran off to after the final run through. He just disappeared out of nowhere when they adjourned the practice. It was about a quarter to 12 o'clock in the evening and the Engineering moon still wasn't present though everyone had made their own attempts at contacting him.

The others had been pestering me nonstop, all throughout the night to call Forth since, according to them, I was the only one he'd answer to in an instant. That assertion erupted a few cat calls and teasing from the group, Pha and Kit even spared me knowingly smirks but I raised my middle finger at them. 

"But honestly speaking Ai'Beam, only you could tame Ai'Forth," the faculty of finance moon said, he chuckled as I continued glaring holes at my best friends who were snickering. But I paid his words no mind, I shouldn't let it go to my head. I'll probably think about weird stuff again.

But yeah, I've been calling him for a few times and it was always left unanswered. I really want him to join us. Okay .. don't take it the wrong way. It's not that I miss Forth and his presence or anything! It's just ... it wasn't the same without him there.

Even though Forth rarely mingles with other people (I have grown to understand in the past few days after spending some time with him that Forth was just as introverted as Pha could be, probably even more) but I still half-expected him to come since in someway, he had also became attached to the moons just like we did. After all those weeks of seeing him after class for their rehearsals and those after sessions we did so I could help him with his talent performance ... I had became attached to him. He was a good person and a reliable friend, who wouldn't like him? (Just the platonic kind of 'like', mind you)

"What's wrong?" a whisper from beside me disturbed my usual train of thought. I turned my head slightly and Kit was staring worriedly at me. He had noticed me turn silent for a few minutes and was alarmed since I'm never like that before.

"Nothing," I said and nudged him gently by the shoulder, brushing his worries away. I then stood up to my feet. "I need fresh air. It's getting stuffy in here."

Kit didn't look convinced with my reason but he just took it as that and gave a simple nod as a reply. Pha did the same and I made my way after I politely excused myself from the rest.

I went outside the pub. I wasn't lying when I said the club was starting to get crowded because it really was. There was a lot of people entering the venue and I was starting to question how everyone will manage to fit inside. Well, almost everyone that was there were students who wanted to chill like we were so I wasn't shocked.