just dive in [reed bishop spin-off] ✔️

twenty-nine

— t w e n t y - n i n e —

CHARLIE'S PARTY WAS ALREADY devolving into drunken chaos by the time they arrived and it was safe to say, before Oliver had even stepped foot into the house, the house was on its way to being utterly trashed. Teenagers gathered in messy groups and spilled out from the gate leading to the back garden, stumbling over each other as they moved in and out of the front door. Someone had shoved open the window to the front room as far as it would go and people were taking the liberty to use it as another entrance into the house. Oliver winced at the sight of Mrs Lockwood's white sofa sitting right under the window, trampled now by endless pairs of muddy shoes.

"Christ," Adam said, as a pair of girls ran past them, screeching with the volume of a small army. Something about losing their friend Bianca and a stolen bottle of wine. Oliver tried not to listen too closely, but it was hard when they were yelling the words loudly enough for the whole street to hear. "How many people did Charlie invite?"

"I'm sure he didn't put a limit on it," Oliver said dryly.

Reed snorted. "If Charlie has seen them at some point in his life, they've probably heard about the party. Meaning we can expect to see most of Woodway and a good number of Lexus students."

They had to shove their way through the crowd that had gathered on the stairs and porch leading up to the front door, and inside the house, it wasn't much better. The wide hallway was a sea of shoes and bags and coats, haphazard cups tossed across the floor amid sticky puddles of spilled liquid. One couple were making out further down the hall and didn't seem to care that they were doing so in such an open place. There was a very questionable stain across the carpeted floor and one guy was bent over one of the potted plants by the door, puking his guts out while a girl who was no less drunk than him patted him on the back.

"Don't worry, we'll get you some bread," she assured him, in a very slurred voice that was not reassuring in the slightest.

"I..." He lifted his head with a grimace. "I can't eat gluten."

"I said bread, silly," the girl giggled. "Not gluten!"

Reed, who had also bore witness to this scene while Adam had been smart enough to continue into the house, exchanged a look with Oliver. "I think we deserve a shot for that," he said.

Oliver would usually have a quip for that, and he had one ready on the tip of his tongue, but one look at Reed had it drying up in his mouth. He just nodded and motioned for Reed to follow Adam to the kitchen. Oliver certainly needed a shot, just not for the reasons Reed was suggesting. Possibly multiple shots. He knew nothing had changed between them, not really. His revelation in Juniper's had all been in his head and there was no reason things with Reed couldn't continue as normal. But that was the problem. This sneaking around and kissing in private had been normal with Finley, when he hadn't cared if it meant nothing more. Oliver cared too much about Reed for it to mean nothing more.

In fact, he was fairly certain he was in love with Reed and he didn't really know what to do with that information. Not when it felt like it was only going to end in heartbreak for Oliver.

Oliver was pouring himself a rather generous shot in the kitchen when Reed suddenly said, "Shit." Oliver looked up and his confusion faded to dread when he followed Reed's gaze. In an outfit that showed off her long, slim legs and supple curves, long red hair tumbling past her shoulders, Clair strode into the kitchen like she owned it. They weren't the only ones who had noticed her entrance and Oliver didn't miss the way guys gazes followed her, heads turning to watch her. She had clearly come tonight with the intention of looking as hot as possible and was entirely aware of the power she held. Adam, by some miracle, hadn't seen her yet; he was talking to some girl from his maths class and facing away from the door.