Falling for September

1 | After Party

"Wake up! Wake up, man!"
"What the fuck!?"
"Get up! You have to get out of here!"

Leo opens his eyes to see his friend Aries in distraught.

"What the hell is going on, man!?" he asks annoyed.

"I told you, my parents are coming home in the morning. You shouldn't be here!" exclaims Aries.

Leo looks around to see himself lying on the bathroom floor, still holding a bottle of beer with his right hand. He tries to get up but drops back to the ground.

"You're hammered again" says Aries in a concerned voice, as he helps Leo stand up. He takes the empty beer bottle from Leo's hand and puts it in a black garbage bag.

"I've been cleaning up all night, Leo. I told you we shouldn't have had that party here" says Aries.

Leo ignores Aries' whining and turns to face the mirror. His dark hair wet and sticking to his face. He noticed a cut on his lips that's still bleeding. He runs the wound with his tongue and feels nothing.

"The med kit's under the sink, as usual" reminds Aries. "I'll head out the backyard to pick up more trash. Will you come and help me after you're done here?"

"I thought you said, I should leave?" says Leo. Aries rolls his eyes and says, "I just said that to wake you up. You look like shit on my tiled floor"

Leo gives him a death stare then Aries laughs.

"Will you just hurry and help?" says Aries as he leaves to get back to cleaning.

Leo stares at his reflection, ignoring Aries' request. His sea green eyes looked black in his vision. His normally blushed skin has turned red from all the alcohol intake. He laughs at himself and pushes his hair back with his fingers, that's when he noticed bruises on his knuckles.

He couldn't quite remember how he got them but he didn't care any less either. He didn't even bother to wash his face and just walked out of the bathroom and to the backyard.

"I'm leaving, Ar" he says.

Aries was busy picking up used paper cups and empty beer cans & bottles from the grass.

"I said I'm leaving!" shouts Leo.

Aries just looks at him disappointed but not surprised. He and Leo have been friends for a long time and he knew that the moment he agreed to having the party at his home, would mean him cleaning the whole place all on his own.

"Whatever, shit head. Just go home" answers Aries.

"Pssh" says Leo as he walks all wobbly to the side walk.

Leo lived nearby but he always hung around Aries' place. Aries' parents seemed to not mind but once in a while Leo would hear them telling Aries to find new friends - those with better reputations. But Aries, being the loyal friend that he is, still stuck with Leo.

They're known as the dashing duo in their local High School with having opposite personalities and completely different lifestyles.

Aries is the epitome of an idol. Everyone admired him and not just because of his charming looks: tanned skin, dirty blond hair and fit physique but also for having the brains in his family. He is president of the chess club and quarterback of the football team. He is every girl's dream boat.

Aries' family owns an oil company in their town. His father is the long-standing CEO and Aries is expected to take over after he graduates college.

Most students know why Aries is friends with Leo, being that they grew up together but for the new kids that come to their school, it was a mystery.

Leo is well-known for being the campus' notorious bad boy. And he isn't the type who walks around bullying people, he's the type to make a lot of acquaintances and drags them down with him. He's popular, not because he was Aries' best friend but because he has made a lot of trouble in town.

Leo is born with good looks. He didn't have to work hard for it. He naturally has a lean body and strong suit in him. Girls swooned over his brooding demeanor but he never paid attention to them. No one really knows what he truly cared about. They aren't even sure if he cared for Aries.

He was born in a simple household. He became friends with Aries because his father was a former Sheriff and was a close friend of Aries' dad back when they were young.

The people in town have different gossips to tell about Leo's family but no one really knew what goes on inside their humble abode, not even Aries. Leo always makes sure his personal life was private and often just covered it with the chaos that he brings.

Leo finally arrived at his house after walking a few blocks. He groggily felt for the front door keys in his pocket and immediately dropped it upon taking it out.

"Shit!"

He bends to pick it up while leaning his left arm onto the front door. He slipped and his hand dropped to the concrete floor for support. He looked up to see the door already open.

His buzz suddenly disappeared as his heart thumped in his chest.

Something was not right. He quickly stood up and slowly entered his home. All the lights were off and there was only a slither of moonlight coming from the living room window.

"Mom?" he called while walking stealthily.

He could feel his sweat dripping from his forehead.

"Mom!?" he called out for her again but still, no answer.

He felt for the light switches and flicked them on but nothing happened. Electricity was down.

He walked in the darkness and was stopped on his feet by something blocking his way. His eyes widened and his heart leaped. His shaking hands pulled out his mobile phone and turned it on.

"02:00 am" read the time. He hesitantly tapped on the flashlight and slowly moved the light to where he stood.

He gasped at what he saw and tears fell from his eyes. He dropped his phone and was frozen in place.