The Art of Falling in Love

Chapter Six

❝I have always liked quiet people. You never know if they're dancing in a daydream or if they're carrying the weight of the world.❞ -John Green

I don't remember what happened after Noah and I started dancing. Even before that, the moments are fuzzy and uncertain. I remember running into Mackenzie, dancing with Damon and attempting to take care of Noah, but at that point, I was already drunk.

I wake up on the couch with Noah's head leaning against my shoulder. As I look around the room, I see that everyone has also passed out in the living room. The only people currently not present are Jasper and Katia, and I assume that they're in one of the rooms since they didn't drink and actually made sane decisions last night.

Hunter is currently passed out on the floor, Damon practically on top of him while Thalia and Alyce are sleeping on the other couch.

Red cups, balloons and snacks litter the floors. The stereo had been turned off, but one of the speakers is currently knocked over. A headache is slowly settling on my head, making my entire brain pound.

Suddenly, Jasper steps into the living room with a pot and pan, banging them violently against each other. "Rise and shine, sleeping beauties."

Everyone wakes up at once, groaning at the sound and the sunlight spilling into the room. "We have to get this house cleaned up, we didn't let you stay over for nothing." Jasper grins as everyone stirs, mumbled complaints thrown his way.

Noah shifts beside me, finally lifting his head off my shoulder. I roll my shoulders, not realizing how bad my sleeping position had been. Everyone soon gets up and we begin helping clean up.

"Do you remember anything that happened last night?" I ask Noah as we pick up cups off the floor.

"Sort of," Noah yawns, stretching. "I remember dancing with you, Hunter and Alyce. And...that's about it."

"So you don't remember anything?" Damon chuckles, shaking his head. "I have to admit, all of you are entertaining drunk. Especially you, Thalia."

Thalia rolls her eyes, flipping him off. "Shut up, I remember everything. I wasn't that bad."

"You actually flirted back," Damon winks at her and she glares at him. "Maybe that's your subconscious telling you that you want me."

"Too bad Thalia was making out with Lauren for half the night," Alyce snickers. "Tough luck, Damon."

Damon's jaw drops. "You're gay?"

Thalia rolls her eyes. "Labels are stupid, but if you have to put me in a box, I'm bi."

Damon's face shifts into a devious grin. "So I still have a chance?"

Thalia scoffs, "You never had a chance."

"C'mon babydoll, are you really rejecting me? I'm hot!" Damon pouts teasingly, approaching her flirtatiously.

Thalia glowers at him. "Lauren's hotter than you."

Hunter shrugs helplessly. "No denying that, my friend."

We decide to split up into small groups to clean different parts of the house. Noah and I end up cleaning the second floor, where all the bedrooms are located.

We are currently in Thalia's room that had somehow gotten unlocked throughout the night. My guess is Thalia, in her drunken state, went to her bedroom at one point in the night and forgot to lock it.

Noah leans against Thalia's desk, analyzing the painting of Thalia I had done for her birthday a couple of years ago. She had been pestering me for months to paint her something, and I finally decided to paint her. The simple colours work well to accentuate her rose lips, grey eyes and sharp features.