Neighbor Calum

Chapter 18

The musics loud, louder than usual, in fact the party itself is more than usual. The people seem to have if not doubled then tripled in size and I don't know anyone aside from my little group of five and the theater guy that Michael had somehow drove me to invite. I really hadn't planned on inviting him, in fact I wasn't even planning on seeing him again, no matter how many free movies were promised to me.

It's not like he's a bad guy or anything. He's actually super sweet which makes this even worst. He genuinely thinks I'm interested when really he'd only been an experiment. An experiment on whether or not I could date or have feelings for someone that wasn't Calum. Which, no. I cannot. As irritating as that was.

I lost the group roughly about 20 minutes ago. Luke and Michael were well drunk at the time, Kylie and Calum not far behind and Ashton had been merely tipsy. I, on the other hand, had unofficially promised myself I wasn't going to get wasted, remembering the terrible throbbing in my head the last time I'd gotten drunk. Also maybe because I got a bit too emotional for my liking the last time.

So I was being mom for the night. Of course maybe it would help if I actually knew where the lot had gone off to. It's not like any of us walked away, we were all very much still huddled together but the more people that showed up, the more we seemed to drift.

Now I was stuck waiting for theater guy - as the group like to call him refusing to use his actual name, Alex - to get out of the restroom to continue our search for my friends. He apparently isn't one for drinking and hasn't even had a sip of alcohol which really wouldn't bother me as much if I didn't have to deal with his side comments on people we pass as if he's better because he doesn't drink.

I'm contemplating ditching him and blaming it on the drinks - though I've only had one and a half - when I hear a familiar voice, chipper than I've heard him in a while.

"Kota!" Calum beams drunkenly, face just as red as his eyes.

"Calum!" I say back in the same beaming tone.

"Where'd you go!?" he's unsteady on his feet, swaying in his spot in front of me.

"Was looking for you actually," I can't help but smile at the giddy boy.

"Lets dance yeah?" He asks and I'm sure he probably forgot about what we were even talking about.

It's weird seeing him so drunk. He's never really drunk at these little parties with the exception of once but even then he wasn't this wasted. It's almost endearing really how confident and giggly he is and of course the redness in his face like he'd been out in the sun for too long - which wouldn't even lead to actual sunburn because I always make it a point to make him wear sunblock wouldn't want my little kiwi getting sunburn now would we. He always groans and complains but does it anyway.

"I like you being drunk," I say idly, not even sure he can hear me.

"I like being drunk," he nods firmly, reaching out and grabbing my hips to pull me closer. "I also like you," he adds.

"Calum," I sigh, making a half-assed attempt at pulling away but he's pulling me even closer.

"No really, like, a lot," his voice lowered, almost a whisper but by all means not sweet or light or innocent. It feels wrong talking about this while he's in this state but we're so close now I can smell the liquor on his lips. "And I know I fucked up, really..really," he hiccups, "bad. But I really liked you and I still do, Kota, you're all I ever think about."

Now this is definitely too personal. This is stuff he'd never say sober and I'm not sure I want to hear them drunk but still, I humor him. "Always?"

He nods a bit frantically, his head looking too heavy for him to carry. "Always. Can't stop."