The Art of Falling in Love

Chapter Five

❝Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here, shall we dance?❞ -Jeanne C. Stein, Blood Drive

Within the first hour, pretty much everyone in our senior class who could make it has shown up. People are dancing to the loud music, clearly drunk out of their minds, with others playing beer pong in the backyard, very well on their way to being drunk.

Suddenly, a red cup is offered to me from the one and only Noah, who had arrived a half hour ago with Hunter and Damon. "I'm ready to get drunk." Noah says, giving me the cup which I take breezily, laughing at Noah's eagerness. Hunter, who is already wasted, and Damon, who seems sober, cheer with him like frat boys.

"You should slow down on the alcohol, Noah," I tell him as he downs another cup of his concoction. "You don't want a hangover."

"Oh, sweet, innocent, naive Diana," Noah says, laughing. "The secret to not having a hangover is waiting for the dizzy feeling to pass before you fall asleep. I got this, I'm an experienced drinker."

"For some reason, I don't doubt that." I reply dryly, sipping the drink that Noah had gotten me. It tastes like fruit punch with some vodka, but I can't tell for sure.

Hunter's eyes grow wide as he sees Alyce on the dance floor with a boy in my Socials class. Hunter points at her, jumping up and down beside Damon. "Look at her! She's so pretty."

"Yes, she is," Damon says, smirking at his friends' current states. He shoulders Hunter encouragingly. "Make a move, champ."

Hunter slaps a hand on Damon's shoulder, looking at his friend with bright eyes. "You are such a good friend, Daniel."

Damon frowns and slowly peels Hunter's hand off of him. "I'm Damon. D-a-m-o-n, you dumbass. There isn't even a Daniel in our grade."

Hunter stares at Damon, perplexed, as if trying to register his words. Suddenly, he starts laughing, "You crack me up, Daniel."

With that, Hunter makes his way to Alyce, easily sliding a hand on her lower back and shifting her in his direction. Either drunk Hunter is extremely smooth, or his player ways are embedded into his personality even while drunk.

"Come on, Diana, you have to catch up," Noah says, putting a shot glass for me on the table as he downs another shot easily. "Don't make me look like a loner."

Without hesitation, I take the glass from Noah and take the shot, the burning liquid running down my throat, leaving a subtle tingle and warmth. I chase the feeling away with more of Noah's drink, but Noah quickly grabs the cup and pulls it away from me.

"Slow down," Noah laughs. "The drink you're using to chase the shot is alcohol, too."

"Good." I frown, grabbing the drink from him and finishing the satisfyingly sweet beverage.

The music shifts to another upbeat song and Damon offers me his hand with a sly grin. "Would you like to dance, Diana?"

I take his hand, smiling as he drags me to the dance floor and starts spinning me and moving with me on the beats. It is hard to forget that Damon is an attractive guy; girls would always steal small glances his way, dancing in wonder at the boy before them. Damon proves to be one of the most fun guys I have ever met.

With my back pressed against his chest, I feel the rumble of his laugh as Damon holds me close to him. "I told Jasper that I would stay sober with him," Damon says in my ear as the slight buzz of alcohol hits my body in waves. "So as much as I would love to get drunk with you, I am a man of my word."

I stick out my tongue like an immature child, "Men and their pride."

Damon chuckles, a sound so soft that it is hard to hear over the music.