Cold Ashes

fourteen

I was heavily intoxicated.

Or not. Heavily, I mean. I wasn't heavily intoxicated. A little, yes, but not really that much.

And Penny was throwing random, totally random, guys at me.

"Penny, God, stop." I groaned, sliding down on the couch I was sitting on until I was nearly lying on it and my butt was at the very end.

The loud cheers and music of the party were making it a little hard to think. I closed my eyes and tipped my head back.

"I just want you to have a fun night." She exclaimed, dropping down beside me and wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "Besides, Jamie is too busy snogging someone who isn't you."

My heart naturally raced at his name and I nudged my drunk friend off of me. "Stop lying. Jamie's not here."

"Or maybe he is." She straightened up and pulled her red hair up in a ponytail, only to let them fall over her shoulders once again. "Just because you can't see him, doesn't mean he's not snogging someone."

I frowned a little, sat up too, and my head wobbled. I softly pushed my glasses over my nose, closing my eyes briefly. There was this pain blooming behind my eyelids. I think it was the bright pink coloured punch Lana had introduced both Penny and I to, the moment we arrived at her family bungalow.

And just like I had expected, her house was bloody crowded with people. There was not a single empty spot, save for this couch.

"Didn't you once tell me that you ship us both?" I asked her. "Aren't you supposed to be consoling me right now since Jamie clearly ditched his plans with me to go up to the balcony and make out? Like really make out. Hey, did I tell you about that night when I was pretty fucking sure he was about to kiss me, but he actually didn't?"

"Ugh." Penny slumped forward and onto me. "You guys are adorable. Like one of those cute little Pomsky breeds. Totally adorbs."

"I'm trying to understand why you just compared me to a dog."

"So. Fucking. Cute."

I sighed a bit dreamily. "I wasn't planning on confessing this but...Pen, I really would've kissed the life out of him if he hadn't pulled away that night."

"So. Fucking. Hot."

I patted her back encouragingly. "Your dress is pretty hot too, Pen." And it was. She looked gorgeous in that mini golden dress, making her hair look like fire. Magical fire.

Penny hugged me. "Dee," She whispered, "Did you know Neo just arrived here too?"

I frowned a little.

"He was kissing a girl in Lana's grand kitchen." She sounded sad, and I thought, oh. Maybe Penny's crush on Neo hadn't completely faded like I had thought.

"Neo's not worth it, Pen," I reassured her. Penny deserved the whole absolute best and to be fairly honest, Neo came in like the opposite category. "There's plenty of fish in the sea. And you're like the...sea goddess or something. You, my friend, can get any fish."

Penny giggled at that. Then groaned again. "Ew. No. I hate seafood."

She did hate seafood, I thought. "Oh, well, then let's imagine it's a...a river." I hiccupped. "Fishes in a river."

"The fucking best." She nodded.

I take it back. We both were heavily drunk.

Somehow, I really don't know how, a whole hour passed by and we both managed to act sober even if we were far from it. It was way after midnight when Lana took pity on me (I decided I liked her very much) and gave me a whole glass of water to chug down. I sobered up for real this time and decided that I didn't want to be attending the party anymore, waiting for Jamie who clearly wasn't going to be showing up. It was too late already. Almost everyone was either passed out or going home.