TEDDY BEAR, ethan landry

one. the party

✧ — act i. blinding lights

CHAPTER ONE — the party

    TARA AND HAYDEN linked arms, spinning each other around while they swayed their hips along to the beat of the music. Hayden - who also dressed up as a pirate, placed her hands on Tara's shoulders to steady herself.

"I need another refill," Tara laughed as she tipped her red solo cup over. Hayden nodded her head and followed closely behind her friend. The two girls used each other as a sort of support as they made their way through the mob of people.

"Oh, shit. I'm sorry," Hayden apologized as she lost her balance, bumping into a group of people in the centre of the living room.

"How you doing, guys?" A voice called to Tara and Hayden. The girls paused as they approached the keg stand, taking a glance back at Anika and Mindy who were cuddled up together on a couch. Hayden handed Tara her cup and practically jumped on the couch beside Anika. Resting her head on the girl's shoulder.

"Hey, Hayden," Anika cooed as she ran her fingers through the girl's blonde locks. "Is everything okay?"

Hayden hummed in response, pushing herself off Anika. "I think all this alcohol is starting to kick in," she chuckled and took a deep breath in. Mindy was about to say something but closed her mouth. Tara re-entered the living room with a guy towering over her. Frankie - another college student who has a reputation for taking advantage of girls.

Anika sprung into action taking hold of Tara's arm. "Hey! Wanna call it a night?"

"No, uh- I think that I'm actually still gonna hang but you guys go. You don't have to wait for me."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of her," Frankie smirked down at Anika, then at Hayden who now stood behind her friend. "I'm Frankie."

Hayden, narrowed her eyes at the boy as Anika bit back, "And we're spectacularly uninterested in knowing anything about you."

Anika slowly backed away from her friends and rounded the corner to get help, sensing that Frankie was not going to give up so easily. Hayden and Mindy stayed, doing everything in their power to keep Tara downstairs.

"Hey, T! Stay down here with me," Hayden begged.

Tara shook her head, hanging onto the railing of the stairs. "Go find Ethan."

Hayden mumbled under her breath and thankfully, Chad came to the rescue.

"Hey, partner!" Chad called out to Frankie, gaining his attention, "Tara's good down here."

Hayden shifted her gaze to the doorway where Ethan stood and perched her lips into a thin line. He made his way over to his girlfriend and held onto her hand. The anxious knot in her stomach began to untangle and she clung to his side.

Frankie scoffed and took a step down the stairs, "Sorry bro, I didn't catch that."

Chad laughed but there was no humour behind it, "Yeah, I think you did."

"No, Chad. It's fine. I want to," Tara stated as she held onto the green bandanna that hung around Chad's neck.

Frankie took a couple more steps down the stairs towards Tara, "See Chad, she wants to." Frankie spoke in a low voice that sent chills down Hayden's spine.

It was when Frankie gripped onto Tara's forearm, attempting to drag her up the stairs that Chad lost it. He yanked the boy off the stairs, "Why don't you get your fucking hands off of her!"

Hayden offered Tara some assistance as she climbed down the stairs.

"Hey! Guys, stop it!" Hayden yelled out towards the boys who were pushing each other around. Hayden was about to intervene when Sam - Tara's older sister stepped up and stood in the middle of Chad and Frankie.

"Guys, guys! Yeah, sorry to interrupt," Sam turned towards Frankie, "but I'm going to tase you in the balls real quick." She held out a taser and Frankie dropped to the floor, hollering in pain.

Ethan turned away from the scene and eyed Hayden instead. Hayden could not help but be entertained by the state of Frankie on the floor, he deserved it.

Sam turned to face Tara, who stood with a shocked expression on her face, "Are you fucking kidding me?!" Tara hissed towards Sam, "You're stalking me now?"

Tara stormed out, pushing past her sister. Someone in the crowd called out, "Holy shit! It's that psycho girl!" Hayden snapped her head round towards the guy in the crowd and stuck her middle finger in the air at him. Ethan reached up and pulled her hand down. Sam met Hayden's irritated gaze before she too stormed out.

Anika nodded for the rest of the group to follow and as Hayden exited the room she kicked Frankie in the stomach, feeling quite amused by her actions. Ethan on the other hand had to pull Hayden away from the boy before she made another move.

✧

Authors Note: Chad is so underrated! I love how protective he was over Tara. I am super excited to write the friendships in this fanfic to just then kill them off.
- ghost

word count: 857

published: 30/3/2023
edited: