Lost and Found

36 | noah

Before too long, almost everyone is sufficiently tipsy off of wine. Getting a bunch of old friends together and giving them an unlimited supply of alcohol sounds like a good idea. Fun, even.

It's not.

Soon enough, old stories begin to be shared, mostly of the embarrassing caliber. It doesn't help matters that I'm practically the only sober person in the room, as drinking would be breaking my sobriety vow all over again. Plus, alcohol only reminds me of how much of my life I wasted because I was well . . . wasted. The fact that Mia and Thorne are abnormally touch when drunk only reminds me how single I am, and that the girl I'm in love with is sitting across the room from me. Then there's the fact that Charlie, Violet, and Wells are wild drinks, which doesn't make for a good time (although I'm sure they'd beg to differ). Lastly, the tension between Emmie and Asher is so thick, I can literally feel it. Even Blake is pretty out of it by this point, and I've never known her to be a fan of drinking. If I would have known that I'd end up being the only sober person in a room full of my crazy friends, I would have seriously contemplated not showing up today.

I'd say that I'm holding up pretty well; that is, until Thorne and Mia start aggressively making out with each other on the couch as Wells suggests we all play a round of strip poker. Asher and Emmie stare at each other unwaveringly, implying that something is going to happen between them sooner or later. Jay and Haley are cuddling in a recliner and I think they're asleep. Charlie and Violet keep slurring something about strip Uno, which leaves me baffled.

I realize that I either need to get drunk or take a moment to myself to bear this any longer. Eyeing the near-empty wine bottle perched on the coffee table, I know that there is no way I'm going to touch it. Instead, I rise from my seat next to Wells, knowing that no one is going to notice my absence as I step into the next room, wandering out onto the balcony for some fresh air.

I lean against the railing and take a deep breath, smiling to myself as I shake my head. I love my friends, but I happen to have some rather wild ones.

Standing here by myself, it dawns on me how much I've changed. I was a reckless kid in high school, the type to try anything if it sounded fun or was likely to get me into trouble. I stuck to bad habits, like drinking and smoking, for years. After Mom passed, I abused those habits like never before. It was a miracle when I woke up one morning and realized that I didn't want to keep heading down the dark path I was on. I worked hard to get myself sober and I'm proud of the way I've been able to stay clean.

The sound of female laughter interrupts my thoughts. I turn around to face the opened door to the balcony as Asher and Emmie pass. I'm not expecting the sight I find, stunned to watch Asher smirk down at Emmie with his hands gripping her hips. Emmie giggles again as Asher cups her face with a hand, his fingertips winding into her hair as he presses her back against the wall, the two of them melting into each other. I quickly look away to offer the couple some privacy, wondering why I'm surprised. After all, what does one expect when two drunk exes wind up together?

Asher and Emmie pass into another room in minutes, and I'm once again left to my own devices. I turn back to the balcony railing, content to be alone.

That is until I hear the sound of footsteps approaching, which suggests I'm not as alone as I thought I was. I turn to face my guest curiously, hesitating as I do.

Surprisingly enough, I find myself face-to-face with Blake Rhodes.

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a/n: before i moved out i would go to sleep at like 10:30 and now i'm staying up well past three am. i need help. and lots of coffee. and probably some sleep. but mostly the coffee.