Tokyo Drift || HS

28 || Stormtrooper Shuffle (Part 1)

I WAIT OUTSIDE HARRY'S dressing room for him and his friend Tom. It feels like they're taking forever and I haven't the least idea what they're up to.

Tom appeared at the door of Harry's room not long after I agreed to come to the after-party. He immediately brought a chaotic sanguine energy that actually made me feel slightly more at ease.

Harry told me about him before – a long time ago – but it's nice to be able to put a face to the name. That, and I saw some comments about him in the interview. I can already tell he's as goofy and fun-loving as Harry painted him to be.

As the minutes pass by, I begin to wonder how much I'm going to regret this. I lean my head against the white wall, pondering the odds of all of this happening.

Everything has been weird between Harry and I for a while now. Hanging out with him for a night sounds like a recipe for disaster. Especially if just seeing him is enough to set me off. But it's not like we would be at the party alone. There should be ample opportunities for distraction, and I don't have anything else to do until my flight departs tomorrow afternoon.

"What's taking so long?" Curiosity gets the best of me as I wait outside the heavy door. "What are you guys doing in there?"

"You'll see!" Tom yells from inside the room.

A smile slowly stretches across my face as I impatiently await their surprise. Tom is so kind, I already feel like we're going to be easy friends.

A few moments later, the door swings open and Tom exits in a dramatic stance.

"What in the hell?" I let out an airy laugh as I take in the scene in front of me.

Harry and Tom emerge wearing full body stormtrooper suits from Star Wars. Complete with white, plastic shell-like armor and a helmet that covers every portion of their heads.

My eyes absorb their ridiculous costumes, noticing that every part of their bodies is fully concealed except for their hands, where a set of metal rings clearly distinguishes which member of the Imperial Army is Harry.

Their demeanor is completely neutral as they stand in the doorway – like this is just an outfit for everyday occasions.

"You ready?" Harry asks.

✤ ✤ ✤

The ride in the car feels surprisingly normal. My mind slowly adjusts to being around Harry again. Tom tells me about his lovely kids and his beautiful wife Jenny. It's all much easier if it's not Harry and I alone.

We drive to a different area of Nashville and arrive twenty minutes later at a large building that reminds me of a high school gym.

When we walk into the dimly lit warehouse, my eyes are immediately drawn to the tall ceiling, which is high enough to fit a couple of large blow-up slides and a bouncy house. The exterior of the space is surrounded by games and photobooths, while the middle is devoted to beaming disco lights and an abundance of room to dance. A DJ booth is set up in the corner. Energetic music blasts through the speakers, glazing over the already massive set of listeners that stagger throughout the area below.

Harry and Tom instantly draw attention to themselves when they enter the party, but it's not hard to see why. They're the only ones out of the giant crowd who decided to celebrate Halloween early.

Two people come walking over to us, both whom I'm never met before. They grab Harry and Tom, welcoming them with quick greetings. Harry and Tom temporarily pull off their helmets while the woman looks at me with a smile. Her blonde hair is perfectly styled and her outfit looks gorgeous and chic.