PAPER CROWN [EUPHORIA]

three

There were two things Rio wanted out of tonight – not to leave sober and not leave without a hookup. Good drugs and alcohol were easy to find. They were in plain sight, just a hand grab away. A good fuck, however, was like trying to find a needle in a bunch of needles. It was damn near impossible but Rio was determined.

"I literally can't even believe him." Maddy was glaring at her ex. "Look at him, trying to make me jealous."

Nate was all over a random girl, kissing her and feeling her up. The random girl, unsurprisingly, was blonde. Whenever he and Maddy were on a break, he'd always be seen with a blonde girl. It was a recurring thing which made Rio wonder if Nate was actually into blondes.

Rio snorted, fiddling with her necklace. "I don't think he's trying."

Maddy irritably turned to glare at Rio.

"Look, he's just doing it to get a rise out of you," Rio told her. "And it's working. Ignore him. That way whatever he's doing won't work and he'll stop grinding on her. Reverse psychology 101."

Maddy, however, didn't listen to Rio's advice and stormed off to find a guy who could make Nate jealous. Nate wouldn't be jealous of the guy, not really. He'd be jealous that Maddy was all over someone else who wasn't him. The two of them had a vicious and toxic cycle that repeatedly ended up with them getting back together. Rio wasn't sure if they'd ever break up.

Rio didn't mind being single. She enjoyed the no strings attached relationships she had. All relationships she'd seen seemed to always be like Maddy and Nate's. There weren't really any healthy teen relationships that she ever saw – one that she could look up to and admire. Rio would rather be alone for the rest of her life than trapped in a toxic relationship. No guy would ever be worth staying in something like that.

Besides, why would Rio give up the chance to fuck all the guys she liked for one who'd never love her? Rio had always been unlucky in love and the guys she 'dated' were only with her because she was pretty. She was good looking, she was a good fuck and that's all that mattered to them. After a while, that was all that mattered to her too.

Looking around, Rio had no idea where Kat or BB were. She couldn't see Cassie either which meant she was with McKay. Maddy must've been fucking a random guy by now. That would definitely make Nate jealous. She'd do that sometimes when she wasn't dating Nate. How often though, Rio never knew. She was sure that Maddy didn't tell her the specifics all of the time.

"Great." Rio muttered to herself and took a long, long sip of tequila. She welcomed the burn down her throat, sighing in relief as she felt that familiar tingle. It wasn't like she was addicted. But her body needed a little drink every now and then.

Taking the bottle of tequila with her, Rio looked around for someone to hook up with. She wasn't picky and would be more than down after a few drinks – depending how they looked. If they weren't that good looking, she needed a few sips of Dutch courage but she'd sleep with them anyway. Needing a fuck trumped fucking a good looking guy or girl.

Rio's eyes landed upon Fez but even Dutch courage couldn't help her with that conquest. She was a little drunk now, the tequila finally hitting in her system, and that definitely wouldn't appeal to him. Her mood worsened when she saw him talking to Rue. They were always talking to each other, even before all the shit that happened with Rue. Fez seemed to have a soft spot for Rue which made Rio very, very jealous. Not that she would ever admit that.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Rio stepped towards Rue and Fez, curious to know what their conversation was about.

"Um no, not at all," Rue spoke up after an uncomfortable silence.