Marley // J.K.

THREE

Squeezing your left thumb between your right and your index finger, Hitch keeps her arm hooked through yours as you step through the door of the frat house you arrived at. It was loud and hazy, layered waves of light and smoke smoothing over each other through the air. You went to a party once in high school, and you that night that maybe being a homebody wasn't so bad. The whole night you simply sat in a corner eating cold pizza and watching your "friends" get trashed and have fun without you. After the experience, you decided that you didn't see too much fun in it, and made no effort to attend one until now.

Hitch brushes her nose against your cheek as she speaks into your ear, "Hey, you okay babes? Do you wanna just go?"

You squeezed her arm, scanning her face as a churning guilt brewed in your stomach. You knew Hitch wanted to come, she was more of a party girl than you could ever be, but that's not saying much. Shaking your head you force a smile on your face, "Don't worry, I'm fine!" You press up on your toes to peek over the noisy heads scattered around you. A strained noise pulls in your throat as your iris' flow through the humid atmosphere, "Hey, the kitchen seems less crowded, what do you say we get a drink?"

Hitch tosses her hair and fans her face with her delicate pink fingers, "Ugh, yes please, it's a sauna in here!"

She was right. As you wove through the scattered and unfamiliar figures, your skin was met with a damp heat that made your nose scrunch with distaste. As you emerged into the overwhelmingly messy kitchen, you found that you were in contrast far more underwhelmed. It wasn't dirty or repulsive, just messy and tousled. Driving the two of you into a corner, a dry cough comes from your throat, "Fuck, how do people live like this?"

Hitch carries herself toward the stacked solo cups and grabs two, "Don't sound so surprised, it's a frat house, they come with built in roaches."

Hitch laughs and you guess that maybe you should too, but your face still drains pale in horror, "That's horrid!"

Hitch howls out a laugh, "You're so funny," she extends the red cup your way, not filled with an unknown red substance, "come on, drink up. Couple of these and you'll forget all about the roaches."

Reluctantly, you take the cup, holding it to your chest and peering down, "Doubt it..." you murmur.

[play: imgonnagetyouback - Taylor Swift]

"Y/N, you're here!"

Both you and Hitch curiously look up at the sudden voice. Eren is sauntering in with an empty cup in his hand and his dark hair unkempt, falling out of his small bun. His cheeks are flushed and his dashing smile could simply blind you.

He draws closer, "I was looking for you!"

You know he wasn't. Deep, deep deep down in the depths of your stomach you scream with frustration for pathetically smiling back at him, "I saw your game, you were amazing!" The voice in your stomach grows louder, furious at how desperate you sound.

His smile grows, "Thanks! I've been working really hard since I'm the new team captain, guess it's been paying off!"

"What was with the entourage?" Hitch skeptically pitches in.

Your throat goes dry. Eren rubs his hand along the back of his head, "Ah, that's nothing, just some big college hockey fans."

He almost sounds humble. Almost. But there is an unmistakable glimmer in his eyes that shine with pride. Hopelessly, you sip your drink, trying not to wince at the bitter taste of vodka mixed with fruit punch. Eren looks back at you with a lingering smile, his lips parting with waiting words of small talk. Looking past him quickly, you catch sight of Sasha and Connie, allowing a wave of cool to flush over you, "Sash, over here!" you bring yourself to your tip-toes in order to wave their way.