third time's a charm

bosley & burns

chapter two: bosley & burns

Friday, December 8. 10:42 PM

"So, what are you going to tell your parents when they see your forehead?" I asked Jamie as he led me into the kitchen. Although we hadn't run into any people, I could tell by the noise that more people had shown up.

"That is a good question," Jamie said, pondering for a second as he walked over to the counter that seemed to be the bar for the night. "I have no clue. What do you think I should tell them?"

"Maybe tell them that you missed a step going upstairs," I said, shrugging my shoulders before walking up to the counter and hopping up to take a seat. "Or that you fell in the shower! I feel like that's a classic."

"Fell in the shower? Am I eighty?" Jamie looked over his shoulder at me and I rolled my eyes playfully. "That might actually work."

"Of course it will," I said, nodding my head. "What are you making?"

"Rum and coke." My eyebrows raised at the choice, but I didn't let him see that I was surprised when he turned around. "Have you ever had one?"

"No," I told him, shaking my head.

"I can't remember the last time I actually enjoyed one of these parties," Jamie told me, hopping onto the counter next to me. "I'm usually freaking out that someone is going to break something, so I just awkwardly walk around while I put coasters under beer bottles and shit."

"Wow... big shot Jamison Burnside is really too cool for school." Jamie's eyes rolled as he took a sip of his drink and I absentmindedly scrunched my nose at the thought of the taste.

"You're the one who made assumptions about me. In reality, I happen to be one of the lamest people I know."

"If you were lame, people wouldn't come."

"I know you're a rookie at this whole partying thing, but if teenagers hear that someone is hosting a party and there's alcohol involved, they don't give a fuck who is throwing it," Jamie told me and I shrugged, guessing he was probably right, but still not believing that he was lame. Jamie took another drink and I suddenly became curious.

"Could I try it?" I asked, referring to his drink. Jamie nodded and handed me his cup. I took a dramatic breath in before taking a drink and although I grimaced, it wasn't nearly as horrible as I thought it was going to be. "That's... interesting."

"That's sort of the thing about alcohol. Something about it makes you wanna keep drinking it, but it's usually not good," Jamie said, shrugging as he started to take his drink back. I moved the cup closer to me and took one last drink before handing it back to him. "Do you want one?"

"Oh... I don't know," I said, unsure of whether I should have one. "Maybe, like, just a small amount of it?" Jamie nodded at my request before jumping down from the counter and returning to the drinks, making another cup.

Once he turned back to hand me the cup, I felt a sort of guilt as I took it from his hands.

"You don't have to drink it, Ellie," Jamie said, laughing quietly as he got back up on the counter. I knew that I would eventually drink it, but, for now, I kept it in my hands.

"Why are you letting yourself enjoy this one?" I asked Jamie, referring back to what we had been talking about earlier. Jamie looked at me and laughed nervously as he sent me a smile. His shoulders shrugged and he leaned back against the cabinet that was behind him.

"I found someone worth talking to," Jamie responded, hiding behind his cup as he glanced over at me. My cheeks started to burn and, finding myself embarrassed, I took a drink to distract myself, but only ended up shuddering as I swallowed. Jamie couldn't help but laugh at me and my cheeks only continued to crimson as I somehow dug myself into a hole of embarrassment. "So, uh... how do you know Andy?" Jamie asked, thankfully changing the subject.