Bates & Landon [Wattys2015]

BATES

Bates

I nervously gripped the end of my long sleeves, pulling it over my hands as I entered the house. It was the long sleeve that Landon bought for me.

The music was loud, very loud. The lights were dimmed and I tried to look for Jessie or Jonas. They should be somewhere, at least. After all, this house was kinda big. I saw two people, hand in hand, going up the stairs to do some very unholy things that I didn't wanna know about. I tried not to shudder.

I walked further into the crowd of people, all dancing or making out. Man, why did I agree do go here? I managed to squeeze myself through the bodies without any harm, luckily. This party was insane -- and it kind of excited me. Maybe it was because of the loud music or the air full of freedom that made me grin slightly and keep walking forwards.

I stood by the stairs, arm resting on the railing as I looked around the crowd of everyone dancing and talking and drinking. It was all overwhelming.

But I was rarely one for things being calm, at times.

I felt a hand slap me on my back. Instantly, I knew it was Jonas. "About time you made it, man! When did you get here?" He yelled over the music, walking in front of me.

"Not long ago. You?"

"For maybe an hour or so. Jessie is here, he ran off to go get him a drink."

"Alcohol?"

"No, not tonight. He's driving, so he can't drink." He explains, smiling. "But I sure can." He takes a long swig from his red cup. "Anyways, have you seen your lover girl?"

"Who?" I ask, knowing exactly who he was talking about.

"Landon, duh!" He punched my shoulder.

"Oh, um, no. I haven't, have you?" I ask him, glancing around and pulled downwards on my long sleeve again.

Jason shakes his head. "Nope. I'll tell you when I do though. I'm gonna go get another friggin' drink."

I send him a nod and he walks towards the kitchen to get him a friggin' drink, leaving me alone. Some girl walks up to me, smiling politely, and shoves a red cup full of alcohol in my hands and walks away. I look down at it. Yep, it's liquor. Probably the same alcoholic drink my mom drinks when she parties.

Great.

I looked around the room. I spot Jessie leaning against the wood frame to enter the kitchen. I walk towards him, he sees me and smiles.

"Hey man." He greets me, grinning at me.

"Hey Jessie," I wave to him.

"You'll never guess who I just saw," Jessie gushes to me. He doesn't wait for me to reply before telling me. "I saw your crush, Landon and her friend Alice."

"Really? Where are they?" I ask, looking around quickly.

"Where everyone is dancing, they are on the outside."

"Oh okay." I say, looking to the direction he was talking about.

"Mhm," he grins a little, "let's go talk to them."

"What -- I, uh, I don't know."

"Yes, you do." Jessie rolls his eyes at me. It's not that I didn't want to see her, hell, I did want to see her. At this moment, I'm getting nervous and queasy. "It won't be bad, come on."

"Wait! Does my hair -- Does my hair look, uh --"

"It looks fine." He said after I run my fingers through it quickly. "Ready?"