WE STILL EXIST

Chapter Three- The Party

NOAH BLAKE

The party is in full swing here at the West College campus student housing. It has only been an hour since we got here and I have lost my ride and my best friend.

People are stacked up against the walls of the living room, kitchen, and basement area. I have tried to search for Maddie, but I keep seeing everyone and their mom except her. She is probably in some room hooking up with a random boy.

The flashing lights are a bit blinding and the music is going to rupture my eardrums, but this is pretty cool. There are drinking games, which I am not going to participate in, people gossiping about the next it couple, and rowdy students flirting while dancing.

Right now I am leaning up against the wall outside in the backyard. There is not much out here, a fire is going on with some people standing around it and some people drinking in the grass.

The storm is getting closer and the party just keeps going. No one seems to care that there will be rain and lightning with strong winds there can tear down a tree with one push. Storms are dangerous, the last one destroyed civilization.

However, these are college kids we are talking about. They don't care about shit and they show that too.

I hear a girl giggle from where the fire is located, "that is soo funny!"

"If you really think I am funny, you should meet my friend." A guy wraps his arm around Maddie and guides her away from the fire, "I think you need another shot."

Maddie reaches her gaze once she gets closer to the back door, "Noah!"

"Girl, where have you been?" She asks me like I was the one who ran off to the kitchen to get drinks and never came back, "you were the one that left me, remember?"

Her eyes widen, "shit. I am sorry, I forgot to get the drinks."

"It's alright, I just wanted to make sure you were alright." It seems to me that she is sober enough the make clear decisions on her own, "this is my friend Jess."

I nod, "hi Jess."

"Hey," he sounds a little annoyed but is trying to be polite.

Maddie takes his hand, "we are just gonna grab some drinks. Do you want to join?"

"No-" I was about to tell her I was just thinking about maybe bunkering down before the storm, but I was interrupted by Maddie's brother. "You will not be grabbing any drinks."

His stature holds at six foot two and his muscles pull his shirt in all of the right places. Tanned with black sleek hair and I crisp smile is what he wears.

Coden James is a brooding man who, I won't lie, is very handsome in many different ways. However, he is an asshole waiting for a fight to happen.

"Coden, I am eighteen. I can do whatever I want," Maddie says to him. "Besides, I and Noah just got here."

He glances at me and then brings his attention to the guy standing awkwardly next to Maddie with his hand in hers. Feeling the intense stare from the other side of them, it seems he got the hint from Coden. Jess takes his hand away from Maddie's hand while opening the back door.

"I will see you later, Maddie," then Jess walks into the loud house.

My friend rolls her eyes, "Coden, what the hell?"

He doesn't say a word. Grabbing bother her and my arm, he brings us around to the side of the house, so no one sees us I am guessing.

I yank my arm out of his grasp rubbing it from where he was holding it. He must have had a drink or two because he was being kind of rough. My arm feels a bit sore from him grabbing it so hard.