Dendrophile - Miragehound

2

9 o'clock rolled around and Elliott was just waiting for his mom to leave so he could head out. Meanwhile, the group chat with his friends was blowing up.

THE SQUAD
Octavio: Ajay u still coming to get me??
Octavio: niña bonita??? text me i need a ride
Makoa: guys i'm bringing modelos and my boyfriend ok?
Ajay: Silva shut the hell up i'm driving to your house rn
Natalie: Renee and I are coming now! I brought snacks :)

Elliott groaned as he muted the group chat momentarily. As he was waiting, he looked for a jacket, knowing he'd end up being cold later that night. Eventually his mother was ready to leave, she made sure she had lots of leftovers for him in case he was hungry, and she gave him maybe too many hugs and kisses before she left on her short business trip. Elliott would miss her but as soon as he saw her car driving down the road, he grabbed his keys and jacket and left the house. He walked down the hill from his house and down the street. It was definitely starting to get dark now. Elliott was never afraid of the dark, but if he was he wouldn't admit it.

After walking for a few minutes, a white car pulled up next to him and beeped the horn. Elliott looked in confusion until the window rolled down and he saw Renee in the passenger seat. Her usual bun was down, showing all of her dark hair flowing down her face and shoulders like a mysterious waterfall. He admitted she looked good, but he knew he should keep that to himself. He didn't want to upset her girlfriend.
"Hi Elliott! Need a ride?" Natalie asked, her French accent was thick and full of excitement. He assumed this was her first party. Elliott got into the car, sitting in the passenger seat and he was filled with the warmth of the car's heating. He didn't notice how cold it really was outside.
It was a rather silent ride there, other than the quiet beat of music he could only assume was Renee's playlist. Natalie pulled up a dark winding road until they arrived at a makeshift camp site. There was another car and a motorcycle parked there, which Elliott assumed was Ajay and Makoa's. The trio left the car and walked over to the group that had a small fire going.
Octavio was already a little bit tipsy, he probably started drinking before Ajay even picked him up. He was running laps around the fire, much to Tae Joon's drunken excitement.
Now that everyone had arrived, the drinking truly began. Ajay put her playlist on everyone started a party. It was surprising no one found a bunch of drunk teenagers in the woods.
Octavio challenged Anita to a drinking contest. "I bet ya can't drink as much as me!" Octavio bellowed while Anita kept quiet. The two slammed down cheap beers until Anita was eventually the victor. Octavio threw up, incredibly drunk while Anita was somehow a little tipsy.
The party raged on for hours, almost everyone was drunk including Elliott. It was two in the morning and everyone decided maybe it was time to head home. Octavio began harassing Elliott, who was tired and drunk almost the same as the little Spaniard and a small fight broke out. Octavio ran into the woods and in a drunken rage, Elliott followed. "Octavio! Elliott! Get back here!" Ajay and Natalie yelled, while Renee went after them with a flashlight but the two were far gone.