university | lrh

05 - luke

Elise Halder
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"Dude, no. You can't be shitfaced before we even get to the last frat!"

Ashton grabbed the bottle of cheap vodka from a laughing Michael and waved his fingers at his tipsy best friend. "Stick to the plan, Mikey, we wait to get plastered until we get to Sigma, got it?" Michael nodded aimlessly, trying his hardest to focus on a sober Ashton.

Even I had giggled at Ashton's worrying along with Cassie, feeling the slight effects of the alcohol I'd consumed earlier in the night. We had just left the fourth frat on our list, but I wasn't complaining. The past two house parties had been lamely thrown together, with nothing but cheap beer, bad edm music, and way too many dudes.

Ashton had wanted to save the Sigma house for last, as he had heard the best parties were always thrown there. So, now, our little group wanders slowly down Greek Row, in search of the famous frat.

"I'm fucking hungry, mate." Calum tugs on Ashton's arm. Ashton doesn't even bother with a response before grabbing a granola bar tucked underneath his belt and shoving it in Calum's hands.

Cassie laughs hysterically at this and let's out a drunken snort. "You're such a dad, Ash." Ashton's irritated mood lifts at this and he grins proudly.

"I know, child." He smiles and pats the top of her fading blue roots.

I can't tell how long we've been walking, or how far we've managed to go, but I do know that it's very late and the wedges I made the mistake of wearing are starting to hurt. I don't have to wonder for long, though, because Ashton suddenly stops walking and ushers us up the stairs to the Sigma house.

I'm a bit disoriented as I try to take in my surroundings, and all I manage to determine is that it's dark, crowded, and I'm already sweating in the mass of bodies.

The boys spot their friends from the fraternity quickly, but I'm in no mood to watch their overly masculine greeting, so I tug Cassie's arm to pull her out of the packed room and into the kitchen. There's only a few people in here, and I decide that I need some water if I'm gonna make it through the night. Cassie mumbles something about needing to find Michael again and I wave her off.

As I'm gulping the clear liquid I poured from the tap, I'm interrupted by a clammy hand on my shoulder.

"You wanna drink?" A slurred voice asks me. I look up to see a clearly intoxicated boy, pushing his dark brown hair back under a backward SnapBack. I cringe slightly before I respond.

"I'm good, I've had enough." I hold up my cup filed with water at him.

His face contorts in annoyance and I have a feeling he isn't going to leave it at that.

"You've has enough?" He scoffs. "What are you, a fucking prude? It's a party, drink." He commands and steps closer. The alcohol in my veins is making me feel funny and I know I should say something, anything, to get him to back off, but tipsy me can't form the right words.

So I say nothing, and try to squeeze past the space between him and the counter. My reflexes aren't good enough, apparently, because he stops me with a hand on my waist, trapping me between him and the countertop.

He's laughing, but it's a humorless laugh. "Stop being a bitch, holy shit, just calm down and have a drink, yeah?" He's still gripping my side and I lean away from him in discomfort.

Say something, Elise, do something god damn it.

I finally catch up with my mind in its inebriated state and put a palm on the boy's chest to push him away. "No, just leave me alone, alright?" I look past him for any sign of my blue haired friend, but she's already long gone.