Cigarette Daydreams {CTH}

1: The Beginning

"Ever think what if we never met?

You love me, but you don't know it yet

Everything is just an accident"

A Happy Accident by Saint Motel

~

"Vienna, quit filming our asses for one second and come join! I need a beer pong partner!"

Vienna jolts, disturbing the carefully curated shots she has established on her camcorder at the call of her best friend of nearly 15 years. Having finally caught the brunette's attention, Calum shares a smug smile in victory, one that he knows gets under Vienna's skin and sets her on a competitive edge. Leaning back against the wall behind him, Calum crosses his arms and watches as Vienna begrudgingly sets aside her camera with a roll of her eyes and a slight smile slipping through the annoyed facade she is so desperately trying to uphold. But he knows her better than any front she tries to put up, half-heartedly or otherwise. He's spent too many years perfecting the art of riling her up just enough into action, and has become a master of her moods, anticipating every quip and mumbled word that falls past her lips.

Vacating her spot on one of the various couches spread across the large front room, Vienna slips her camera into her bag and makes her way over to Calum, weaving past numerous drunken party-goers, eyes on that infuriating smirk. Her boyfriend, Carson, is nowhere to be seen but his noted absence barely phases her as he is likely off sharing a blunt on the balcony of Ashton's new apartment with one of the many people in attendance.

The whole party is in celebration of said apartment. Ashton was proud of the new place, rightly so, and the group of guys and Vienna felt it was only fitting to celebrate what felt like the start of a new era. Michael, Ashton, Calum, and Luke had shared an apartment for years before Michael and Calum had decided to get their own places, respectively, about a year ago. It was only a matter of time that Ashton would bite the proverbial bullet and follow Michael and Cal's example once Luke's girlfriend of two years, Sierra, moved in. The move had been a group effort and a chaotic time in setting up a house-warming party, but as most of Ashton's parties went, the guest list had spiraled a bit out of control. No one can resist the combined charm of Ashton Irwin and Calum Hood at a house party apparently.

Finally having reached Calum, Vienna sheds her leather jacket and camera bag with a challenging smile on her face. Turning to their declared opponents, Michael and Luke, Vienna glances at the set up, considering her first move, reaches to take the first shot, and simply declares, "Game on, assholes."

Cheers ring out from the gathering crowd as Vienna easily scores, causing Luke to shoot back the cheap alcohol. "I knew I picked the perfect partner," Calum says as he bumps her shoulder, his grin now impossibly wide.

"Please, no one else is willing to put up with your sorry ass when you miss a shot," she quips. Vienna knows this is a complete lie as Calum always seems to have a line of people eager to try their hand at anything that could set themselves up to be his next fling, even if that means joining in on cliché party games. It's a running joke between their group at this point that Calum has his own little fan club.

The joke had started from a one-off snarky comment Vienna had let slip at the lunch table their junior year of high school. Calum had finally grown into his lanky build over the summer and people had started to notice, including young Vienna. The secret crush she had been harboring for her best friend for a couple years had ignited a slight jealous streak as she had watched him turn down what was probably his fourth girl of the week, after already having agreed to weekend dates with another three.