reunited

[NotWho]

A little something I’ve been working on. Mostly character building in this part.

——

I just have to survive a few hours at this party. Sounds easy enough, right? Boy was I dead wrong…

I walk up the concrete steps leading up to the little blue frat house, wondering why I even agreed to come in the first place. I’m not a party person, hell, I’m not even a people person. But Colin insisted I come and enjoy the “college party experience,” whatever the hell that meant.

Taking a deep breath, I knock on the door, fighting every instinct to run. After a moment, the lock clicks and I’m greeted by the familiar face of my childhood friend. “Ramos, so glad you made it!” He says happily as he lets me inside. “You’re a little early, but that’s okay. You can help me finish setting up.” I sigh, following him.

“Bentley, you came!” A cheerful voice calls from the living room as we walk by. I turn in the direction it comes from, smiling a little when I see Azalea. “Hi Azzy,” I say, willing myself not to blush as she hugs me. “You two can catch up later,” Colin says, pulling my arm as Azalea opens her mouth to say something.

I feel so out of place among the dancers and the loud music, the whiskey I’m sipping on not helping me quite yet. I find myself leaning against the balcony railing, wishing I could be half as carefree as the rest of the partiers below. 

“Hey stranger,” a voice interrupts my thoughts, startling me, “see anything worth looking at?” I smile at the owner of the voice, sweet Azalea, and scoot over. “Beth’s completely destroying Tommy at beer pong, Sam and Ash are lovey dovey on the tire swing and Chad is getting rejected by damn near every girl here.” She laughs, standing next to me and I find myself grinning, feeling lighter than air.

We hung out on that balcony for hours, catching up but mostly talking and laughing about nothing and everything. I offer to get her another drink, mine having ran out and she politely declines, telling me she’ll wait for me. I give her a salute before making my way through the crowded hallway. I take a couple shots with Colin, who eagerly insists, feeling my head spin before I refill my empty cup. I return to Azzy on the balcony, struck by how beautiful she looks at this moment. I resumed my previous place beside her, both of us watching the activity below. I catch a whiff of weed in the cool breeze, wrinkling my nose in disgust at the skunky odor, feeling a light tickle start. “You alright?” Azzy asks, resting a hand on my back as I lean on the balcony railing, exhaling a deep sigh. “Yeah, I’m fine,” I say, trying to hide my discomfort, “never been better.” 

“Bentley, you don’t look so good,” she murmurs, touching my elbow. I wave it off and tell her I’m alright, trying to fight off the increasing tickle in my sinuses, but it gets too strong to keep back. “h’gxtch’hiew…h’gxtch’hiew…heptch’hiew!” I sneeze, cursing silently as I realize it's because I’m on my way to getting drunk. “Bless you,” Azzy says with an amused smirk.

We continue talking for a while with my sneezing interrupting us periodically until the breeze gets too strong for Azzy, who asks me to walk with her back to her dorm. I agree, the whiskey and the wind doing a number on my allergies.

She leaves me on the front porch to grab water and say bye to Colin. The girl next to me gives me a wink before approaching me. “Hey cutie,” she says, getting very close, “you look a little lonely.” My nose prickles even more as I catch the strong scent of her perfume. Shaking my head, I try to tell her that my friend is coming, but she doesn’t care. Wrapping an arm around my waist, she pulls me close, she starts to drag me away from the door, closer to the shadows for some privacy. Her perfume engulfs my nose, so strong it reaches the back of my throat. I pull away, fighting a cough and she looks hurt, pouting as she loops her arm around mine. Before she can say anything, someone loudly clears their throat, and we turn around startled. 

“Excuse me, but I’d like him back,” Azalea’s voice says with an icy coldness to it, “so if you wouldn’t mind letting him go, that would be greatly appreciated.” The girl swallows hard, letting me go. Handing me a cup of water, Azalea grips my arm hard, pulling me down the steps and away from the building, her nails digging into my skin. I stumble trying to keep up with her in my drunken state. She lets me go when we reach her dorm and she tells me to stay there as she enters. I swallow hard as I take a sip of the water she gave me. I feel red hot shame flushing my cheeks, although it could also be from the perfume scent lingering in my sinuses. “I’m sorry,” I apologize quietly when Azzy returns, having changed out of her party clothes into a hoodie, still looking as beautiful as she did before. She stops suddenly, wheeling around on her heels and I’m surprised to see confusion on her face.

“Bents, why are you sorry?” She asks, looking at me confused. “I don’t…I don’t know,” I stammer with a sigh, hanging my head, “it’s just…I feel like I fucked up.” She frowns, guiding my chin to look up at her. “You have nothing to apologize to me for,” her eyes meet mine and I find myself getting lost in them again. I nod, about to say something when my sinuses prickle.

Fuck, not here, not now. I curse to myself, rubbing my nose aggressively with a thick sniffle. It burns, tickling all the way to my throat. I turn away, coughing lightly, trying to get rid of it, but it refuses to budge. “Thanks for bailing me out,” I reply, my voice sounding strained, turning back to her and she nods, offering me a half-smile. “Anytime,” she smiles, “at least let me walk you to your dorm?” I agree, coughing again.

By the time we get to my dorm, I’m still woozy and my face is still on fire with an itch. “Are you okay?” Azzy asks as we walk up to my apartment room. I nod with a thick sniffle, rubbing my achy nose in a circular motion. “Yeah, I’m g-g-good,” I lie, unlocking my door and letting myself in, “you can come in, if you’d like.” Azalea nods, following me in.

I turned around, coughing again as my eyes water. “Bentley,” she murmurs, taking a step closer, “what’s wrong?” I sniffle, rubbing my nose again, trying to keep allergy tears at bay, but they roll down my cheeks. “Need sdhhhee...sdheehh...hehhh...sdheeze...” I struggle, my nose threatening to explode. “Oh you poor thing,” she murmurs, drying my cheek, “go take a shower, try to get it out of your system. I’ll wait for you.” I nod, my heart melting as I feel her give my elbow a light squeeze.

I step out of the shower far from sober and still itchy as fuck. The steam brought out itchy coughs and a sneezing fit that left me dizzy and breathless. “Better?” Azzy asks as I make my way into the kitchen. “Considering I am anything but sober and having an allergy attack,” I offer her a fake grin, “I’ve never felt this fantastic in my entire life.” She offers me a pity smile, giving me a sympathetic look. She opens her mouth to say something, pausing when I hold up a finger. “h’extch’chu!…heh’ehxtch’chu!…heh…heh…heh’eptch’hiew!” I sneezed into my hoodie sleeve, using the counter to steady myself, caught off guard by how strong those sneezes were. 

“Bless you,” Azzy says, and I thank her shyly while blushing, embarrassed. I grab a cup of water, offering her one but she politely declines. After a few sips, I rummage in the cabinet for my antihistamines, knocking a couple back.

“Did you want to stay?” I ask, joining her on the couch. She shrugs, scooting over to make room for me. We decided on a movie, which we tried to watch over my coughing and pseudo-sneezing fits, the sneezes always seeming to evade me, instead replaced by mini cough-sneezes. “Bentley, you poor thing,” Azalea says, frowning at me, “what set you off this badly?” I shrug, clearing my throat. “The outdoors, the booze,” I replied, coughing, “the chick with the perfume also wasn't helping.”

Her jaw flexes as she nods; resting a hand on my knee while I rub my eyes and nose vigorously. She scoots closer to me resting her chin on my shoulder and I don’t know what came over me, but I find myself pulling her closer until our lips touch. A spark lights a flame between us and we kiss with such intensity, we’re gasping for air. “I’m so sorry—” she cuts me off with a single tender kiss. “Don’t you dare apologize for that, Bentley.” She warns, her face dangerously close to mine. I nod, pressing my forehead against hers before kissing her again and again and again, the flame between us growing stronger.

[RipleyToo]

More please! This is good!

[Catsgotyourtounge]

I agree more please