Devils and Angels

xv. mindless partying

sphallolalia

flirtatious talk that leads nowhere

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FLUSHED, FEVERISH AIR GRAZED THE exposed skin of my arms as I swayed through the house, a Coca-cola mixer in hand; half-sloshed with rum that still lingered on my lips as I pushed through the crowds.

Elizabeth had tried to corner me in raucous, indignant small-talk, but I'd neatly swerved her between idling at the drinks table and losing myself in the crowd.

All my friends were sprawled over various sofa cushions and bean bags that they'd dragged together to make a full circle, and I let myself crash down beside Caspian―his usual easy charm dominated by alcohol, and the chains of his social restraints swallowed by inebriation as he let his arm linger behind me, the perspiring warmth of it pressing into the small of my back through my dress.

I kicked my legs out, crossing them over Henry's―he flashed me a smile, raising his drink and knocking it against mine before lifting it to his lips―and draining my cup of the last of its contents before snatching one of the bottles someone had stolen from the drinks table and pouring myself a refill.

The atmosphere quivered with heavy bass and pulsating heat; thick with the mass movements of gyrating bodies, and bright with the low lights glinting off of eyes as glazed and lustrous as the sequins on Jess' dress and the glitter on all the girls' lips.

Finn was slumped over a sprawl of pillows, a drink shaking in his hands. His lips were raised in a permanent smirk, and his eyes tilted half-open as he downed the last few drops, demanding another off of Caspian who started to lean forward, then thought better of it.

"Slow down for the night," He advised, but the words went unnoticed as Finn frowned and gestured for Casp to speak up. "You've had too much to drink," He persisted, the first signs of a dry throat and slow words shining through.

Finn let out a noise of protest, starting to reach for a mostly full bottle to pound it down in one, but Derek slapped his hand away.

"Caspian's right," He raised his voice above the pounding music, revealing how little clarity remained in his speech, shoving a bottle of water into my brother's hand instead. "You'll do something you'll regret."

"Fine!" Finn ran a hand through his dishevelled hair, collapsing back over the cushions with water gushing down his chin and forming a dark patch on his shirt; mingling with the sweat already present.

I peeled my watchful eyes away from him, switching to Henry, who was climbing closer so that I was crushed between him and Caspian, my legs over his lap, but my upper body suspended in Casp's embrace.

"Are you drunk?" He asked, a grin twitching at his lips. His words were fast-paced and crystal-clear; the alcohol clearly diluted in his system.

"Two...three drinks isn't drunk," I replied defensively, pressing two fingers to the rapid pounding in my temple, attempting to alleviate it by force. "Mmh. I'm tipsy and I think I hurt."

"You think?" Caspian's chuckle came from behind me, wrapping around me like my hair winding around his finger. "You're cute," He declared, a slow, weighted drawl. "And I think that's your hand on my thigh."

"You want my hands everywhere." I smirked, tipping my head back, uproarious, pressing my palm into his leg before tearing it away. My arm went up, a dizzying finger-point in the vague direction of the stairs, where Ayden and Archie were approaching, fully wrapped around each other in the drink-distorted darkness.