Before Everything [Book 2.5]

Chapter Three: Irish Coffee

"Okay, so these are the last ones, right?" Mark asked, readjusting the box he was holding onto with a grunt.

"Hey, that's not even heavy, so don't do that," Dean replied and hugged his dad goodbye. They watched him drive off and turned to the dorms. "This is so weird..." Dean muttered under his breath.

"Oh, come on, this is going to be awesome!"

"Well, yeah roomie, but still... I never thought I'd end up studying here. Or anywhere actually," Dean said.

"But you are. And at the right fucking time that is. Reese only moved away a few weeks ago and with Sam, in Paris, I'm in a dire need of a friend..." Mark said as they passed a group of girls. Mark couldn't help but note their gazes and hushed whispers as they passed. He rolled his eyes.

"Are you still not talking to her?" Dean asked, snapping his attention back to him. Mark shrugged.

"She needed time three months ago and she still hasn't reached out to me, so yes, I'm still not talking to her," Mark said.

"I can't really blame her..."

"What?" Mark asked as he pushed the door open and let Dean walk inside the building. Dean's box was way heavier. It was filled with books.

"I've been there. Sometimes, you just... can't talk to people..." Dean muttered. Mark frowned for a moment and then nodded.

"Hi there..." a guy said, stopping right in front of Dean, affectively making him come to a halt. Mark also stopped a few steps ahead and looked back.

The guy was about a year older than Mark, with messy brown hair and very broad shoulders. Mark wondered whether he was some sort of athlete. Despite his height, Dean had to actually look up to see him in the eyes.

"Hi..." he hesitantly replied.

"I'm Jake. Sophomore swimmer. You new here?" he said with a southern drawl.

"Yeah, I'm just moving in. I'm Dean."

"There's a party later at Alpha Pi Sigma. You should come, Dean," Jake went on, winked at Dean, and just walked off.

Dean was left looking partially horrified at no one and Mark had to push him softly to snap out of it.

"The fuck?" Dean managed to mutter.

"And that, my friend," Mark started, "is the wonderful thing about being attracted to all while in college. You're gonna have a lot of fun tonight..."

"Wait, we're going?" Dean asked louder than he intended. Mark unlocked their dorm room and they walked inside, setting the boxes down, finally.

"Don't you wanna get to know Jake?" Mark asked him thrusting his hips forward and laughing.

"You know, not really," Dean replied with a chuckle.

"Either way, Alpha Pi Sigma throws great parties. We should go. And if you want, we can leave early," Mark said, opening up the box and seeing a bunch of Dean's t-shirts. Dean started putting his books on the bookcase next to the wardrobe and then his eyes drifted on the rainbow flag that was hung over Mark's bed.

"Isn't that like a sorority?"

"Frat house," Mark corrected. "A hormone-filled frat house..."

"Great... we are so leaving early," Dean said and shook his head.

When Mark and Dean reached the frat house, Dean needed one second to take in the scene and regret coming. He was never really a party animal, but this... he couldn't help but wonder how people managed to enjoy this kind of party. The music was way too loud, a trashy band playing in the corner of the living room. The air smelled of alcohol and smoke and vomit. Everyone was either dancing or trying to hold a conversation, resulting in absolute chaos. It was a little too much.