dogfight-e.d

seventeen

fifth date

rap music blasts through the speakers so loud its a wonder the house isn't shaking. bright neon lights illuminate the several bodies dancing on the floor. girls wearing tight tops and grinding against guys in bomber jackets. couples making out in nearly every corner. the burning smell of alcohol thickening the air as teens chug it back like tap water.

so this is a typical high school party.

rey stands awkwardly near the doorway while she scans the environment she's in numerous times. her heart is racing at the thought of how many people are here and she doesn't really know any of them, sure she recognises the popular kids from school but of course they aren't her friends. she's received a few side eyes and confused looks from the people here, someone like rey isn't normally seen at a place like this, she doesn't belong here.

"miss me doll?" ethan's cheery voice in her ear relaxes her, she turns her head to face him and smiles at how his eyes are shining in the lights. "here you go" ethan hands her one of the red cups in his hand, she hesitates to take a sip since she's not keen on drinking tonight...or ever. "don't worry rey, its just juice" ethan smiles down at her "strictly non alcoholic". "thanks" rey says before taking a sip, the sweet taste of the drink bursting in her mouth. ethan's eyes look rey up and down as the tip of his tongue pokes out between his lips, "you having fun?" he has to shout slightly so rey is able to hear him over the drake song that's currently playing. rey nods as eagerly as she can, "I just...don't really know what i'm supposed to do here" she admits honestly.

ethan looks at her in surprise, to him its pretty obvious what you do at a party, you just drink and dance and try to score with someone hot. then he remembers that rey has never been to a party like this before while its a common aspect of his life. he smiles in sympathy and looks over to the dancefloor, "one thing you're supposed to do is dance". rey blinks as her eyes follow ethan's to look at the teenagers on the dancefloor, engaging in suggestive and provocative moves. "I don't know" rey protests, looking back to ethan with wide eyes. "why not? you danced at the d..." ethan's words halt in his mouth, he cant bring up that night, "you've danced with me before".

rey shrugs and scratches the back of her neck, "I cant dance like they all are" she shakes her head but ethan sighs. "yeah, you're not really the type of girl who can get down to drake" he chuckles and gently nudges her chin with his finger, making rey blush and look down. "if they play some 'journey' then i'll dance...like I do in my bedroom" rey smiles playfully, "those are the guys who sing 'living on a prayer' right?" ethan asks seriously and rey nearly chokes on her juice from his lack of basic classic rock knowledge. "no....think 'don't stop believing' and 'separate ways'".

"yo eth!" nate suddenly calls out from somewhere in the kitchen, ethan grits his teeth quickly before turning over to look at his friend. he's standing with grayson, the rest of their friends and a bunch of other people whose sharp stares at rey cause her to feel a sickly twist in her stomach. "s'up guys!" ethan greets them back in typical guy fashion, rey tries to avoid making eye contact with anyone in the group of people who make her days at school near enough unbearable, she hopes that ethan won't engage in a long conversation with them but of course he will. they're his friends after all.

"what's up with your girl?" jack asks, a smirk on his face as he looks rey up and down "she a little shy?". the rest of the group snigger and raise their eyebrows at one another, as if rey is already being made into some hilarious joke between them, only making that knot in her stomach tighter. ethan shakes his head playfully before looking over to rey, a sudden look of genuine concern on his face, "we just gotta talk to them for a few minutes, thats all".

rey pauses, taking a deep breath. to be honest, she would much prefer to avoid people like grayson and the rest of his and ethan's friends at all costs, instead just talking to ethan for the whole night. but she doesn't want to force ethan into staying with just her if he doesn't want to, so she sucks it up and nods, telling him that its fine. ethan smiles at her and places his hand on her shoulder, his touch making rey's heartbeat accelerate, "they're okay guys once you get to know them, I promise". his words show that he can read a little into rey's mind since she's dawning on the dogfight and how cruel these so called 'okay guys' were, but she trusts ethan and its slowly becoming impossible not to.