The Colours We Give | On hold

| 19 |

arashi

THE LOCATION OF THE PARTY is not as big as I expected it to be. It doesn't look any bigger than my house, and that's a sign that at least one by sixteenth of the population of Portmouth High is cramped into each other's sweat. Which is obviously a horrible sign.

Nash lets me walk slowly to the entrance. I am right. There's barely any space for a person to walk, and that space is occupied by people dancing. I reconsider my decision of going in.

It seems like Nash does too. "I don't think this is a good place to enter from. Let's get in through the back door."

He takes me around the house, greeting different people in between. A few girls laugh when they see us, and I'm seriously beginning to regret coming to this party. The fact that Nash is holding my arm like a protective mother is even more embarrassing. 

The back door opens right into the kitchen, and that's good for me. Luckily, it isn't as crowded. There are only five people, all boys. Three of them don't have any special costumes on, while the other two are dressed as Legolas and a not-so-figure-outable Ron Weasley. 

"Hey bro," the guy cosplaying Legolas says, pulling Nash into a hug. He's just slightly less paler than Nash, and his hairstyle is so perfect, I can't figure out if it's a wig or not. With the perfectly fitting fake armor and archery set, he looks like a stunning replica. "Cool outfit," he says to Nash, slowly and with an easy smile. Then he giggles.

He's high.

"Thanks Arnie," Nash replies, patting his back. "You look as heart-throbbing as ever."

"Hehe," Arnie literally says, instead of actually giggling. I accidentally let out a laugh, making him turn towards me. "Nice choker, dude," he points with his fingers, giggling for real this time. I awkwardly thank him.

Before we can start with a sensible conversation, Nash pulls me and takes us inside the house where the main party is going on. "They're great people, but you'll get high from the air around them if you stay for too long," he informs, screaming the words into my ear. I still barely manage to hear him through the sound of the loudspeakers.

My head begins to pound, and exactly at that moment Nash realizes that music this loud could potentially kill me. He looks at me with large eyes, mumbles a sorry, and drags me back where we came from. As we're getting out, Arnie stops him. "Leavin' so soon?"

"No we're just going outside. My friend's feeling a little sick," Nash hurriedly explains.

Arnie and his friends smile, looking at me with half-open eyes. "Let it all out, dude," he says. I awkwardly thank them before Nash gets me out of the kitchen, and we walk to a place in the yard where the group of girls who laughed at us can't see us.

The air outside which we were surrounded by less than a minute ago, feels different now. It's fresher, and suddenly heavenly. Nash tells me to sit down for a moment and it makes my headache slowly turn foggy.

"Damn, I'm sorry Ara. I don't think I should have asked you to come," Nash apologizes, not meeting my eyes.

I laugh. "You just asked. I'm the one who agreed. Besides, I was planning to stay outside anyways. I just came here to get a drink."

"But you shouldn't be drinking in this condition," he fights.

"One glass won't hurt," I offer. "Just one glass."

"I'll get a drink for you then. Stay here," he insists.

My head starts to ache again. "I don't think I'll be able to go anywhere else," I blandly joke.