∆Till My Lungs Give Øut∇ Jøshler

Stone Cold Sober

The house shook with bass as a random band was blaring through speakers placed all around the huge house. Infamous red solo cups littered the floor, tables, couches, and hands as they held an array of alcohols.

It's not exactly Josh's scene, but his friend, Issa, had promised him this party was one he couldn't miss. A guy by the name Brendon Urie was apparently the host and his parents were away on some vacation, or something like that.

Issa was now out of sight and Josh was drowning in the sea of sweaty bodies grinding up against one another as alcohol sloshed from their cups and all over the floors and themselves. If he was going to be at this party, he was going to party.

He managed to push himself though the crowd and into the kitchen as he grabbed a clean looking cup and poured some of the Jack Daniels sitting in front of him. He gulped it down quickly as his throat started to burn and his chest grew warm as he went into a coughing fit.

After he was done coughing he reached for the clear bottle on the opposite side of the table and poured the vodka into his cup while walking out of the back door and sitting on the grass. The wind was considerably chilly, but the alcohol coursing through his veins protected him from the harshness as it blew his blonde hair in any way it pleased.

The yard was still filled with people playing beer pong, standing in circles passing a joint, and some were just passed out, but the atmosphere was calmer out here. Out here he could breathe and look up at the stars until he drank so much they blurred together.

He laid in the grass for awhile as he propped himself with his arms and sipped on the vodka in his cup. He was relaxing and letting his anxiety slowly fade. He thought it was nice to let loose a little and live.

"Hey man, wanna hit?"

Josh looked over at the direction the voice came from with furrowed eyebrows, he couldn't see who it was because of the dark of the night, but he realized soon enough they were asking if Josh wanted to smoke with them.

He's never smoked before, but since he pledged to himself that he'd let loose and live like a rebellious teenager he agreed and clumsily climbed to his feet.

The shorter man reached him a rolled up joint and a lighter as he instructed Josh on the basics and stood back and watched Josh take a tentative hit. He started spluttering and coughing as he choked on the smoke filling his lungs.

Everyone seemed to laugh at him, and his cheeks heated up and turned pink as he handed the joint back to the previous owner.

"Like this dude," The man laughed as he put the joint back up to his lips and inhaled deeply before pulling it from his mouth and hesitating before releasing the smoke into the night air.

Josh nodded before copying the man's actions and inhaling deeply. The smoke still burnt his lungs, but he fought off a cough as he slowly released the toxins and handed it to the man beside him.

As they continued passing the joint around the circle, Josh learnt he was smoking with a couple guys named Pete, Frank, Brendon, and Matty.

"Oh shit, dude. This is your party!"

Josh was a giggling mess as Brendon's eyes widened in shock, "Oh shit, you're right."