1983 c.h. (au)

1: lollipops and cigarettes

Loud music played through the house and heavy bass thumped on and on against the bodies of unnamed people taking body shots off of one another and doing what any reckless teenage partiers would. Charlie wouldn't ever find herself here without Olivia. And it took a lot of convincing to be apart of this crowd from Phoenix. Charlie Carters stood awkwardly with the unfamiliar teenagers that surrounded her acting wild.

The thick haze clouded over the room and Charlie stood still awkwardly. She unwrapped a cherry lollipop before putting it in her mouth and sucking on it like she hasn't aged a day. She didn't belong here. She didn't think she belonged anywhere. "Charlie?" She heard Phoenix's voice and looked into his big gold eyes. "I'm gonna get another drink. Do you want one?" Charlie nodded solemnly. If Liv were here, Charlie would have no problem with taking shot after shot. But she was gone.

Charlie still stood there awkwardly and sucked on her lollipop until she heard a round of laughter and cheers from across the way. Many happy faces crowded around a pool table littered with cups. Her eyes traveled along the wall that had many open spaces. Until she had stopped her gaze upon a boy. He had dark hair with little streaks of blond and was one of the most beautiful pieces of art she had seen. His jawline was sharp and he took a drag from his cigarette before looking up from his feet. His eyes were round and a beautiful colour of brown. His lips were a pretty shade of pink and he had a tall frame. Who was he?

He stared at her staring at him. Charlie looked down at her feet licking hard against the sweet cherry flavored candy on a stick. Where was Phoenix and her drink? She scanned the room but couldn't find his bleached white hair. She looked back over to the wall with the mysterious but very attractive boy. He had moved. Closer. Closer and more closer to Charlie.

She stood there waiting for him to hurry up. He looked like the type that would always be at these kinds of parties. Scoping out for girls that didn't have an ounce of respect for themselves. Having one night stands every weekend. The cocky smirk on his face showed that much. She stopped licking her half finished lollipop and wrapped it up again.

"Who are you?" He said with a hint of curiousness but also half knowing. Then took a drag from his cigarette and blew the smoke in her face. Charlie coughed the cloud away.

"Me? I'm Charlie Carters."

"Hello Charlie Carters. I'm Calum Hood."

"Hi Calum."

"What's a pretty, little girl like you doing at a big party like this?" He took another drag before finishing it off.

"My friend Olivia used to bring me. But I just realized that I wasn't the party type." She tried and failed miserably at cracking a joke. Then she shrugged her shoulders. Calum nodded his head then laced his long fingers with hers. His full lips curved into a smile.

"Yeah? I don't like parties either." They had to shout over the music. But Charlie couldn't hear anything but the sound of Calum's voice and the blood crashing against her ears. "Do you wanna get outta here?"

Charlie choked out a 'yes' then nodded totally ditching the social scene of what fun was supposed to be. But what was fun about illegally consuming poison? Charlie had just sat down as Calum slammed the car door shut. She took a few deep breaths as she watched Calum jog around the front. "Where are we going?" She asked a little shyly. In all actuality, she felt totally uncomfortable that she just agreed with a complete stranger to leave a party and go to some anonymous destination. Charlie prayed silently that Calum was not a rapist or axe murderer or anything along those lines. Even though she was attracted to him, she didn't want to lose her virginity to someone that she met literally 2 minutes ago in a one night stand. Charlie also valued herself and definitely knew that she shouldn't have agreed with Phoenix to come out with him to this damn party.

"On an adventure." Calum answered her question cockily and drove away.

Anyone would have told her that Charlie lost her damn mind and should know better not to go somewhere unknown with a boy like Calum Hood. Because lollipops and cigarettes don't mix.