Afterwards: An "After" Fanfiction

Chapter 2: Live While We're Young

(A/N: Thank you thank you so so much for reading and voting on my first story. It means the world to me!! Please leave some comments as well so I know what you like or don't like, it will help me improve as a writer. To leave a comment, highlight a block of text and click on it then select comment. I just figured that out the other day haha!!! OK y'all, please enjoy chapter 3! There is a trigger warning for drugs and alcohol.)

Beer Pong. Flip Cup. Kings. Never Have I Ever. The list of drinking games Tessa was dragged into was seemingly endless. It had been almost two hours since they had arrived at the band's four bedroom apartment--quite an expensive looking one at that--and Tessa had not once seen Hardin. Already three sheets to the wind, the young publisher excused herself before she could be roped into a juvenile game of Truth or Dare. Using the wall as support, she inched her way to a corner of the apartment that didn't make her head feel like exploding. In her inebriated state, she just barely noticed the other human inhabiting the same quiet corner. "Oops...sorry. Didn't mean to steal your spot."

Tapping his foot incessantly and trying to blend unsuccessfully into the wallpaper, was a young man around Tessa's age. Sweat lined his ebony brow, the discomfort on his face quickly giving way to confusion as Tessa slumped against the wall. "No worries, you look like you need a rest anyways. I'll be leaving soon, hopefully." Inky irises darted about the room beneath long lashes while he spoke. "By the way--have you seen a guy around here who's tall, dark, and British?"

Only one name came to mind. "You know Hardin?" With eyes wide, Tessa hiccuped, slipping further along the wall until she was sitting on the ground. "I haven't seen him. I might just nap here until our friend shows up."

"Friend? Ha...I wish. Hardin's my brother." The other joined her on the floor, looking disapprovingly at the party goers who dared to stare."I'm Landon."

The words seemed foreign to Tessa's foggy brain. She looked again at the man before her, rubbing her glossy eyes while trying to conjure an accurate picture of Hardin Scott. "You don't look like his brother." When Landon began to object, criticism growing strong within his sideways stare, Tessa's face whitened as she realized her mistake. "I didn't mean to be rude I just...sorry. I'm drunk."

Instead of writing her off for being politically incorrect, the young man's face softened into a smile. "I'm his step brother; his dad married my mom. And trust me, he wasn't happy about it." Sadness played upon his stunning features, flickering away before Tessa could pry further. "Anyways. He borrowed my laptop and I invited my girlfriend over to watch Netflix. I just stopped by to get it back. Had no idea he was having a whole party. I don't usually do parties." Glancing at the cross-legged girl before him on the floor, he added, "I suppose you don't either." The two laughed, their shared social anxiety making them fast friends.

For a minute, Tessa found herself fantasizing about curling up with Noah and watching a movie like they used to do every Friday night. She longed to relive the tender moments, wondering why she gave all of that up to sit drunk on the ground at a stupid party with a pounding headache.

"Well, it was nice to meet you..." Breaking her out of the pleasant reverie, Landon held out his hand.

"Tessa."

"Tessa. If you see Hardin before I do, would you let him know I came by? I gotta go pick up Nora."

"Of course! See ya, I guess." Now alone on the floor, Tessa was left to succumb to her unwelcome thoughts about Noah as her new friend left the party. Just as she began to fumble with her phone and dial her ex, a familiar face popped up in her peripheral.

With a smirk that made Tessa's heart stop and a confident step that secreted pure swagger, Zed swung in to shoot his shot. Offering a hand to the girl on the ground, the bass player introduced himself. "Thank God that loser left you alone. I was waiting for him to leave so we could finally chat. Zed, remember?" He clasped her small hand in his, pulling her up with ease as she stumbled. "So, looks like you could use another drink. Come on, I got a stash in my room."