The Treehouse [BxB]

seven

Rachel McGill lived in a narrow townhouse, tucked just behind Axminster's high street. When Mickey and River arrived, the party was in full swing; music seeped out into the road while teenagers smoked beneath the lampposts and kissed each other under the stars.

Inside, they found Declan leant up against the kitchen counter, huddled around the rest of the skaters. Spencer and George were laughing on either side of him, sharing a bottle of rum, and passing it back and forth between them. When Declan caught River's eye, his lips softened into a smile, and he offered him a wave.

"You can go over there, if you want." River told Mickey, his voice raised over the loud music.

Mickey shook his head, "Nah."

"Why not?" River asked, "They're your friends."

Were they? They never felt like friends. "Let's get pissed." Mickey suggested, ignoring River's question.

And that's what they did. They drank, they smoked, they talked about their classmates behind their backs. And as the night trudged on, and weary teens napped on each other's laps, the boys got separated. Whilst a girl in the year below flirted with Mickey, River was sprawled out across the sofa, his fingers tracing the rim of an empty beer bottle, as he stared up at the ceiling. He was only vaguely aware of his surroundings; little fragments of the party that drifted by him. An Oasis song playing through the speakers, the smell of a burnt out cigarette, and distant laughter coming from the other room.

And suddenly, Casey Dawson was sitting beside him, clutching a can of cider, a hint of amusement in his eyes, "River." He said. He wasn't drunk.

River tilted his head to the side, and the entire room spun for a moment, "Casey." He murmured, and the words felt fuzzy and far away. "What...?" He gulped, attempting to gather his words, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm a friend of Rachel's." He smiled, "You're drunk."

"Last day of school." He slurred.

Casey chuckled, "I didn't take you for much of a party animal."

River attempted to sit up, but merely slouched back into the sofa's cushions, "That's because you don't fucking know me." He responded. He didn't intend for his words to be tinged with such bitter aggression. They just slipped out. "M'sorry." He added quietly.

"It's okay." Casey assured him. "You're right. I don't know you." He admitted, "I want to, though."

"Why?"

Casey examined him curiously, "I've never met anyone quite like you, River."

"That's because everyone's different. There's a whole world of different people with different..." He hiccuped, "Different lives. And...A-And you've never met anyone like me because there is only one me. And there's only one you. One Mickey. One Declan. One..." He trailed off, his drunken ramble fading into silence. Because that's when he saw it. Declan, across the room, getting off with Rachel McGill. Their lips were locked, and Declan's hand had disappeared up her dress.

"Are you okay?" Casey frowned, following River's gaze, and sighing when he realised what was happening, "Oh." He breathed, "Did you like him?"

"No." River answered too quickly; he gave himself away. But it was only in that moment that he realised for the first time that he did like Declan. And that was scary. He had never liked anyone before.

"Do you want to kiss me to make him jealous?" Casey rose an eyebrow suggestively, only half-joking.

"No." River shook his head, "I-I think I'm gonna be sick."