Vodka & Energy Drink

Part One

Parties are awful. The noise is annoying, the people jumping around, full of alcohol and even fuller of a fucking fake happiness. No. Maybe not really fake, but surely momentaneous. Going to a party and losing your shit and throwing it all up, sometimes even before you can get home, is certainly not a thing Tony Padilla would do. He can count the times the red Mustang parked in front of a house that's trembling with an unbearable sound and full of crazy teenagers. 2 times, with this one.

He hates it. Even at the night clubs he went with Ryan Shaver a few times. The last thing he wants is someone rubbing -or simply touching- on himself and his leather jacket. That's why, when the car stopped in front of Wick's house, the first thing he did was take off the jacket. Under it, a gray and white flannel shirt, unbuttoned, and a black shirt, his usual jeans and boots. Impeccable hair together with a sweet and almost imperceptible, especially among so many drunk kids, strawberry scent.

The Wicks moved to Crestmont a few weeks ago. Jordan Wick and Cole Maddox Wick spend most of the time alone, as their father, John, is always out because of work. Their mother, Helen Wick, unfortunately passed away due to cancer not long ago. The twins met Clay at school, and through Clay, they met Tony as well. The four of them have spent their time together at Monet's almost every afternoon since then. The girl has a crush on the tattooed boy's hair, the boy likes music and has a studio.

Tony thinks about leaving at least a hundred times until he reaches the front door. More than a hundred times when he got in, trying, and failing miserably, not to touch anyone or don't get anyone touching him. Ignoring all the gossip, because he knows what they're saying.

What is Tony Padilla doing at a party?

Is he alone?

Along with looks, some awful and uncomfortable, some wishing they could put their hands on him. Have you already been told that he hates it? He does. He even turns around to leave, until his eyes meet the reason he came: Clay Jensen.

Tony bites his lip, he keeps saying "excuse me" and "sorry" all the way he walks to the taller boy, even cursing a bit in the process. Stopping a bit when Clay's blue eyes meet his own eyes. That sky-blue is something he keeps loving in secret for years. He hates himself for that, because, even now, those ocean-blue eyes still have the same effect on him. His heart beats faster and he can feel it on his throat. Even so, Tony is not a nervous or anxious person, he can hide it pretty well as he tries a smile back at the pale boy. He swallows and walks once again towards him.

"Hey, Clay." His voice is too low for all the noise.

Clay found no sense in being at a party too, even more after what happened at the first party he was at. After reflecting on the reasons that brought him there, he realized that something was repeating: he wanted to see someone. Not just a friend. At the first party he did the same sacrifice for Hannah Baker and for the desire he had to get to know that girl better. And it was great. Obviously Clay didn't expect everything that happened that night, he probably would never have attended that damn party. But now he was there for Tony Padilla. Although Jordan practically forced him to go too, Tony took a space in Clay's thoughts in a special way.

He never formally thanked him for the night that Tony simply stood by his side and saw him cry because of Hannah's tapes. That meant a lot to the blue-eyed boy. Tony just stood beside him, saying nothing or judging him for whatever it was.

It all made him feel weird. He was there to see Tony Padilla, but did that mean he was really feeling something for his friend? Was he at a party to see a boy?

The pale boy took a deep breath, praying that Skye was not among all those crazy, drunk and noisy teenagers. It had been a few days since they broke up. The last thing he wanted to do was see her there - and let her know that he was waiting for someone -.