Cosmic Love || Newtmas

Thomas should not drink.

By lunch on Friday, Thomas fell into the routine of things. His closest friend remained chuck, who started to feel like a little brother to him. They sat at the same table at lunch, everyday. Thomas had a perfect vantage point of the table where the student leadership and track kids sat.

Every so often he would catch Newt's eye on accident, and the blonde boy would smile and Thomas would look away quickly.

In fourth hour, Newt continued to call him Tommy and make him laugh.

In fifth hour, Thomas, Newt, and Minho enjoyed whispering through the lesson and trashing Gally, who kept muttering threats to Thomas. Thomas tried to take everyone's advice and ignore him and Ben, focusing more on the new friends he had made. Thomas found that he got on quite nicely with the track captain, and Newt.

With a few minutes to go in the day, Newt turned to Thomas, holding a pen. He grabbed Thomas's hand and scribbled something there. "Party at Minho's house tonight. You should come." Thomas really liked Newt's voice. His hand tingled where Newt's skin had touched his.

He read the note. It was an address and a time scribbled in neat writing.

"You've gotta come greenie," Minho added with a grin.

Thomas smiled inwardly. "Yeah I'll try," he answered nonchalantly, but for some reason his stomach plummeted at the blonde boy's smile.

Thomas shook the thought from his head. No it couldn't possibly be because of Newt. It must be nerves about going to the party.

"Great, see you t'night Newt said over the bell.

Minho's house was very nice. Thomas stood on the driveway, the thrum of the party could be felt beneath the soles of his shoes.

He knocked on the door, which was thrown open by a clearly drunk Newt.

"Tommy you made it." He grinned, his words were sloppy and slurred. "Come on in." Newt beckoned to Thomas and he followed tentatively.

There was a large bonfire and laughter and drinking and girls and noise. There was a lot of noise. Thomas didn't drink anything, but he felt like he couldn't breathe. After mingling and talking to people, (mostly Minho and Newt, and some with Alby) Thomas sat down away from the chaos of the party, his head spinning.

A few minutes later Newt showed up and sat with him. "How you liking it here newbie?" He asked, carelessly swirling the contents of the bottle in his hand.

Thomas shrugged, unsure if here meant the town, the school, or the party.

Newt nodded, then handed his bottle over to Thomas. "Drink. It's a party."

Thomas tipped the contents of the bottle into his mouth and the whipped his mouth with his sleeve and handed it back to Newt.

Newt grinned, and Thomas's stomach clenched.

For the briefest of moments, Thomas had the urge to kiss Newt. Alcohol did weird things to the brain, Thomas thought.

They sat there passing the bottle back and forth till it was empty, and somewhere in that time, the sound of the party had shifted, died down and then the sounds of  a fight had picked up.

Thomas turned to look at the ruckus.

Three or four Grievers had Alby and Minho engaged in a fight.

Thomas jumped to his feet and sprinted over to the scene.

"Hey," he shouted. "Stop. Stop it. Leave them alone!"

"Tommy don't."

Thomas ignored Newt.