Life of Ives ✔️

Eighteen

IVES

The party is fun. I've been dancing with Josie for the past hour, and still haven't finished my first drink. I'm learning, luckily, and this is going to be a very good night. I just know it!

I'm also watching my cup very closely after what Max said to me in the kitchen. I'm not too worried, but it's good to keep an eye out, just in case someone slips something into it. I've heard a lot of horror stories about that kind of thing from Ray, and I don't think he had to exaggerate that much to scare me.

I feel a pair of hands on my hips and I look at Josie, gesturing with my head down to my hips. The good thing about her not having disappeared with Grayson yet, is that she can help me get away if someone tries something. She looks down at my hips, and then up to see who is behind me.

Her eyes widen and she lunges forward, pushing me aside to hug whoever is behind me. I turn around to see Josie hugging Alex so tightly it's almost making me afraid that they're not breathing.

Alex grins at me after Josie lets her go, and I take a step closer to give Alex a welcoming hug, too.

She smiles at me. Her hair is full of blue and green glitter at the roots, and her makeup is really glammed up with blue and green, too. She looks beautiful, and I admire her skills. Maybe I should ask her to do my make-up from now on. Every day. So that I can look beautiful and feel like a queen.

The three of us dance together, and we're laughing at our, or mostly my, weird dance moves. I'm not that used to partying this way yet, but it's fun, and I try my best to fit in with the rest of the crowd. I follow along with some moves I see around the room, and we end up dancing for another half hour before our drinks are empty and it's time for a refill.

I've been better so far. Last time I downed three of these cups in the time I've had one today, and I really feel the difference. I feel better, I'm having more fun, and I'm able to keep up with what's happening around me. It's a very welcome change.

I make a mental note to thank Max for helping me get used to this later.

"How're you doing?" Alex asks us as we step into the kitchen together.

"Great! It's so much fun to let loose and just dance it out!" Josie says, and then she squeals, and runs away from us through the kitchen.

She jumps into her boyfriend's arms, and they exchange a few heated words, with both their eyes filled with adoration for one another, before they are making out like crazy.

They fit each other so well, but I still find myself rolling my eyes at them. Whenever they're together it's like I no longer have a best friend. She's completely and utterly Grayson's girlfriend whenever he's around.

"So... That's Grayson, I presume?" Alex asks me, as we approach the keg together.

Alex fills her cup up with beer, and I turn towards the counter to fill mine with more of the mixture Max helped me discover.

The kitchen is busier than before with both familiar and unfamiliar faces all around me, and as soon as I'm done filling up my cup, I stay close to Alex.

"Yes," I say, and smile at her. "Aren't they just perfect together?"

"Definitely. I can't even think about how hot their sex is," Alex says and waves a hand in front of her face, like she's getting hot by just watching the couple kiss.

"Oh, don't even start..." I say, intending to continue with the story of when they got together, but I trail off as I see Dean enter the kitchen.

He sends me a sweet smile, and I smile back.