Car

I can smell the smoke before we even enter the gates to the parking lot. Not going to lie I'm a little excited, but I make sure not to make it show to Louise or she'll give me shit for it for the rest of my life.

I've never been one for parties like this. Nothing about  drinking contests and dancing and hooking up with strangers interests me. I'd much rather chill, talk, listen to music, maybe share a beer or too. These parties are repulsive.

We reach a group of people surrounding a small table with alcohol on it. Someone immediately hands me a cup with what smells like cherry cola. Being the idiot I am I take a big gulp thinking it's just cherry cola. It takes all I have not to spit it out.

"You better finish that." Louise looks at me suspiciously.

"I will," I fake a smile.

"Do it, then"

"Huh?"

"Chug it," she narrows her eyes at me and crosses her arms.

"I uh, I'd rather take sips."

"Come on, Alex! Live a little"

Another guy notices Louise's outburst and starts chanting,

"Chug it, chug it chug it!"

Soon everyone around me is chanting and looking at me expectantly. I roll my eyes. No backing out of this one. I take a sip of the strong drink and Louise tips my cup and holds it so I have do drink it if I don't want any to get on my shirt. When it's finally finished everyone cheers and pats me on the back, like I've made a huge accomplishment.

Almost immediately I can feel the fuzziness in my head, but I actually want another drink. I refill my cup and tell Louise I'm going for a walk.

I've only ever been to the beach once. It was my little sister's sixth birthday and she forced me to take her so she could run in the sand with our dog.  She looked so happy and asked me to go again for her next birthday. Instead I promised that we would go every weekend. She died a week later, and I never went back.

But look at me now, half drunk with a half empty cup in my hand, walking along the shore. Everyone else is long behind now, and it's probably a bad idea for me to stray away like this, so near to the water when I can't swim. But right now I couldn't care less. I lay my jacket down on the sand and sit down. After a while I feel myself slowly start to sober up. Finally.

"Not enjoying the party?" A voice asks from behind me.

Greene. Smirking at me.

I quickly stand up and pick up my jacket. I knew he'd be here. Why am I so surprised? Why is my heart beating so loud? What the fuck is in this drink?

"I uh, no. I just needed to get away."

He hums and puts a hand in his pocket. "You shouldn't be this far from everyone," he nods his head to the general direction of the party.

"Yet you're here," I tilt my head to the side. He's wearing a grey t-shirt under a black zip up hoodie and black beach shorts. His black, curly hair looks disheveled from the strong wind blowing past us.

"From a far you look like another drunk guy who wandered off and passed out." He says matter of factly. "I wanted to check if you're okay." I shrug my shoulders and look away.

"Let's head back," he nods his head to the party again.

I want to say no. I want to tell him to go away. But part of me is so happy he's finally talking to me, and even more of me is ecstatic he wants to walk with me. He did say, 'lets', which is collective.

I try to act normal and just start walking without responding, but I don't miss his low chuckle as I walk past him.

"Don't like parties, huh," he says, shoving his hands in his hoodie pockets.

"Not these types."

"And what type is that?"

I shrug, "Sweaty, drunk teenagers who only came in hopes of getting laid,"

I hear Greenes full on laugh for the first time and I don't think I'll ever get the sound out of my head.

"Some of that is true," he says, when he recovers.

As we walk I steal glances at him, watching him kick at the sand with his hands shoved into his pockets.

"Did you sell anyone videogames lately?" I ask, remembering the box under Andy's bed.

"Yeah. How'd you know? You stalking me?"

I roll my eyes but my heart is still speeding. "That was my little brother."

He looks at me. "Shit. My bad."

"Yeah, he's gonna have to give those back."

"Why?" He asks. What do you mean, why?

"They're pretty violent. And graphic."

"And?"

"They're 18+."

"And?"

Is he serious?. "And he's 10."

"He'll be 18 soon enough." Greene shrugs. "Might as well show him now."

"That's terrible logic-" I begin, but am interrupted.

"Oh shit." Greene slows down and eventually stops walking.

I look back to see him staring near the bonfire which is now only a couple of feet away. "What?"

"I need to go," he quickly starts walking backwards.

"There he is!" A girl in a blue bikini shouts and starts walking towards us. She's followed by two other girls and one beefy looking guy. At first I think they're just some friends who want to say hi until I focus on the guys face. He looks really angry.

I don't know if it's the alcohol, or just my stupidity, that compels me to say, "follow me," and start running towards the parking lot.

I curse Louise for parking so far away as Greene and I dash past the other cars with our heads ducked. I can hear the girls shouting Greene's name along with some colourful curses from the guy. They definitely don't want to just say hi.

Finally we make it and I unlock the car as quickly as I can. Greene jumps in the back and squeezes himself in the space between the front and back seats. I throw my jacket over him and duck down myself.

They get pretty close to our car but luckily, they don't see us. We wait for their footsteps and voices to fade away until it's just our heavy breathing in the car. When they're finally gone I sit up and tell him the coast is clear.

He sighs heavily and runs his fingers through his hair. "Thanks."

All I can do is nod until I properly catch my breath. "Who were they?"

"It's complicated."

"Try me."

He sighs. "I slept with all three of them and dumped them afterwards. That was one of theirs brother who was probably planning on beating me up."

I stare at him for a moment before bursting into laughter.

"Glad you find this funny," he says, but with a smile on his face.

"I'm sorry, it's just, that's not what I was expecting."

"That I'm a playboy?" Everybody knows that."

"Not me. I barely know anything about you."

"That's because we never talk. Louise won't shut up about you, though."

That lying bitch! She does talk to him about me. I swear I'm going to kill her.

"Mind if I come to the front?" He asks. I unlock the door for him and try not to stare as he makes his way to the passenger seat. He sits back with a sigh, then leans forward again to switch on the radio. Saturday nights starts playing on Bluetooth. I can't seem to get away from this song.

"So, Alexander. Tell me about yourself."

"There's nothing to tell."

He reclines the seat and rests his hands behind his head. "Now, now. Don't lie. Why'd you move to Bridgewood? "

I'd never actually told anyone why I moved, not even Louise. But for some reason right here, right now, I want to spill everything to this boy.

"I lived in Denver. Almost two years ago my little sister died. I wanted a change of scenery, so I forced my parents to move."

"Fuck, I'm sorry. It's a long way from home."

"Yeah. I needed to get away."

"You seem like you always need to get away," he turns to face me.

"What do you mean?"

"From the party, from home, from this car." That's a little judgemental.

"I don't want to get away from the car-"

" You're practically leaning against the door like you're trying to escape. Scared?"

"Of what?"

"Me, of course." He sits up and slowly leans forward.

"That's ridiculous-"

"Is it, Alex? I see the way you look at me in class."

"The way I look at you? What about how you stare holes into my back every other day," my voice is shaky despite me trying to sound serious.

" I look at you because you look at me," he simply says. Now he is practically leaning over me.

"Why are you leaning away, Alex? Are you scared?"

"I'm not."

"Prove it then." He suddenly pulls back. He sits sideways, his back to the door .

"What?"

"Prove it. Come here."

"You're not serious-"

"Do I look like I'm joking?" He stares at me with one hand slung over the seat and the other casually on his thigh. He's got to be joking.

"I'm not gay." I say. It comes out more like a question.

He laughs. Actually laughs. "Even you don't believe that. Get on me, Alexander."

I stare at him as the half of me that wants to forces my brain to give in. Before I give myself time to fully think about it, I recline my seat to give me more space to move as I swing one leg across the gearbox over to his side. Immediately Greene grabs me and pulls me to him until I'm straddling him.

"See now that wasn't so hard, was it?" He smirks and leans back.

"You've never done this before, have you?"

I shake my head. I've obviously been with a couple of girls in my lifetime but I never allowed myself to explore with guys, despite my... interest. Not that my family would approve.

"I can teach you," he whispers in my ear. Just as Saturday nights enters the chorus, he pulls me closer, if that's possible, and without hesitation, he kisses me.

...