Ethereal

1

Hira

"I can't believe school started a week ago and I'm already behind" Gia, my best friend, whined as she plopped down at the cafeteria table. 

"Maybe if you actually did your work you wouldn't be" I replied, taking a bite of my sandwich. 

"Shut it Dhillon" she scowled. 

"She has a point Gia, just last night you messaged me to send you my work because you were going to some college party" my other best friend, Claire said. She handed Gia her chip bag. 

Gia took the chip bag from her. "It wasn't just any college party, it was Jamar's friend's party. Jamar invited me" she Gia replied. 

"Please, Jamar says one word and you drop everything to go see him" Claire scoffed. 

"I-I do not" Gia replied, choking on her chips. 

"Alright if you say so" Claire replied in a sing-song voice. 

"Tell her I don't Hira!" Gia said. 

I ignored them and went back to eating my sandwich and reading. 

Claire laughed while Gia let out a grunt. 

"Whatever" Gia said, stuffing a handful of chips in her mouth.

"Oh that reminds me, there is a party I do want to go to this week. It's at Alec's, y'all should come with me" Claire said, beaming at us.

"Who's Alec?" Gia asked. 

"Her new boyfriend of the week" I replied. 

"Shut it Hira, we aren't dating" Claire said, smacking my arm.

"Yet" I mumbled. 

Claire ignored me. "Wanna go?" she asked. 

Gia hummed in agreement. 

"When is it?" I asked. 

"Friday at 7, I'll give you guys a ride" she said. 

"Sounds great!" Gia said, enthusiastically. 

~~

That Friday came by quickly. Soon I was wasting my precious Friday standing around at someone's place while sweaty teens danced to shitty overplayed music, drank out of solo cups, made out or talked aggressively loud. 

"Claire! You came!" a tall, brunette, muscular guy said, pulling Claire into a hug when we came into the house. Claire giggled, hugging him. 

"I told you I would!" she said. 

"You two must be her friends, I'm Alec" he said, smiling at us, his eyes sparkling. 

He's like a overeager puppy. Poor guy, Claire is going to eat him alive. 

"I'm Hira, and she's Gia" I said.

"Hey" Gia said, looking around the house. She let out a low whistle. "You must be loaded" she said.

"Gia!" Claire exclaimed, looking mortified. 

Alec laughed. "It's true I am privileged" he said.

"Nothing compared to Hira though" Gia mumbled. I elbowed her. Luckily Alec didn't hear her. 

"So you girls can do whatever you want. Only rule is that the bedroom at the end of the hallway upstairs is off limits. My cousin is staying in that room and he said he wouldn't tell my parents about this party as long as no one goes into his room" Alec said. 

"Sounds cool" Claire said, as Gia and I just nodded. 

"Yeah okay, where's your booze?" Gia asked. 

Alec smiled, his dimple showing. "Follow me".

~~

I stood to the side sipping my drink. I shouldn't have come. 

I could be snuggled up at home watching anime or like doing something productive. But here I am, drinking shitty drinks and listening to shitty music. 

Claire had gone off to dance with Alec, her-not yet- boyfriend and Gia was off playing strip poker. 

I ran my hand through my hair, pushing it away from my face and leaned against the wall.

I don't even remember what drink I'm on.

I chuckled slightly, if my mom saw me right now she would freak out. 

It's at parties like these where I realize how lonely I felt. Sure I have friends, Gia, Claire and the rest of our cheerleading squad. But, you can be surrounded by people and still be lonely. 

Claire and Gia are my good friends but there's even things that I wouldn't tell them. 

I finished off my drink. 

I feel sick.

I threw my cup into the 'garbage' which was really a bag taped to the wall and went up the stairs. 

This house was huge, not as huge as my own place, but still big enough that if you went upstairs it was slightly quiet compared to downstairs. 

Of course, you could still hear the music and the chitter chatter of drunk teens but at least there were less people around upstairs. 

I walked down the hall and cringed as I heard someone moaning from behind a door.

Ew how can people do it at a party.

I opened a random door, hoping that no one would be inside and luckily no one was. 

It was a tidy bedroom, with a washroom attached and a small balcony. From the looks of it, it was a guy's room. 

I plopped down on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. 

My head was spinning slightly. Did I drink too much? Usually I pace myself, maybe today because I was truly alone, I drank more than I could handle. 

I closed my eyes. "I just need to rest for two minutes..." I mumbled to myself. 

I heard a door creak open and I slowly opened my eyes and turned to the washroom. There a guy stood in the washroom's doorway, staring at me. 

"Who are you? Why are you in my room?" he asked. 

Wait.

I thought back to what Alec had first said when he arrived to his house.

Damn this must be his cousin.

I stared at him quietly. He was  a lean guy, shirtless and wearing black track pants and his black hair wet.

"Damnit, Alec is so dead. I told him not to let anyone in my room" he muttered, before walking over to me and sticking his hand out to me.

He had a British accent as he spoke and his voice was so deep that it sent shivers down my spine. 

"Cmon get up" he said.

He looks mad. 

I slowly grabbed his hand, and he pulled me up.

Oh no I got up too fast.

"Are you feeling alright?" he asked, peering down at my face, his face softening a bit.

The next thing I knew, I had threw up all over him.

~~

Song: Modern Loneliness by Lauv