Chapter 3 Party.

The hall was just as loud as he expected it to be.

He had to stop back home for a change of cloths and was just glad hs neighbors had no business outside at that period. Now he was at the party and they all seemed like they were enjoying themselves, making him wonder how many people would last for the after-party.

He sighted Kira, Dory and Tristan, another committee, at a corner with a cup each in hand. Kira was the first to sight him as she gave him a slick look from all 90 degrees.

"Heyyyy, if it isn't the hot chick across the street. Give me a little turn around!" she chuckled loudly through the noise.

"Hey guys,"

No way he was doing the turn around. He had barely put in much thought into my cloths. Just a white denim, black hood 'cause he felt the cold slowly building up, black jeans and one of his best sneakers collection.

"Hey!" Dory leaned in despite her voice already being at its loudest, "Great job organizing. The Drama major would get so mad about this tomorrow!"

"But its not fully a success yet!" it became his turn his yell.

"Oh plllease, they barely went five minutes before their props started giving out!" Kira waved. "And their DJ was just a total nutjob, I mean who goes for a Billie right after Jackson?!"

"Hey, Billie's a classic!" Tristan shrugged.

"Totally, and so is Jackson!" she agreed and frowned. "But then again, Jackson?!"

They all laughed.

"Hey, I know you just came but I think someone's been aching to see you around!" Dory sighed.

"Huh?!"

She gave a nudge to look behind him and when he did, his dead eyes took over at the sight of Casper heading in their direction with two cups in hand. He had on the new varsity jacket, a white top and jeans, he seemed to have put in a lot of thought into his hair 'cause now for some reason, Dylan could find himself being drawn in.

"Hey!" he spoke as soon as he got close enough, then he stuck out a cup. "I see your hands empty, so I grabbed you a drink."

"I don't like alcohol so if it's not juice then I'm out!"

They all watched him stare inside the cup for a moment, then his face came back up in a light flush as he chuckled. "You're right, who needs a drink anyway?"

He dropped the cups and heaved out a sigh, his eyes finally taking note of the others. "So you guys having a great time?"

"A blast." Dory said.

"Splendid night." Tristan nodded.

"Just be straightforward." Kira shrugged and Dory gave her a light nudge.

Dylan didn't understand what that last one was all about, and he also didn't notice the nervous wreck who got the message beside him.

Casper suddenly turned to him, "Dylan, why don't we grab something to eat over there? I saw some really tasty looking treats."

Food? Now that sounded like a great idea... hold on just a second!

His whole system paused as his eyes picked up on somethng on the other far end of the hall. He must be mistaken, the people passing by everynow and then must have made his vision build up a different image.

"Dylan?"

"Shhh," he hushed Casper while his eyes remained glued to the price.

Brown hair, that build, that height... no way.

"No way," he muttered as the person slowly spun around, the moment he turned around from the group that had his attention a minute ago, their eyes and Dylan almost lost his shit.

His eyes widened as he took note of his hot crush giving him the classic head tilt that said *Hey, I recognize yo- oh!*. In a snap, he pulled Casper to his front and froze up with his eyes chest level.

"W-what, what's wrong?"

Dylan's eyes went up to meet Casper's but all he could say was, "Hold still."

After a quick coundown of 3, his head slowly leaned to the side and when he had one eye out to take a peek, another face peeked down from behind and flashed him a smile.

"I was right."

"AH!" he jumped, his heart beating hard in his chest for various reasons.

All attention got turned to the new person who joined them, and as he stepped out of Casper's shadow to bring his full body in, Dylan saw himself falling for him even more.

"Hey neighbor." his smile perfect.

The next music that came after toned down a lot, making their voices a lot more audible without having to scream out their throats.

Dyaln blinked "H-hey."

"I saw you from over there and thought you looked familiar, but when you hid I was sure it was you."

"Hide? Why would I hide?" he chuckled nervously.

"Exactly what I'd like to ask."

Dylan didn't have anymore to say, he'd been caught. Watching his hot crush look over at his friends, he quietly drowned himself in the lovely smell of his cologne.

He smelt so good.

"Hey guys, sorry, didn't mean to intrude."

"Oh, it's totally fine," Dory waved off. "We're more concerned about why Dylan hasn't introduced us to such a hot snack like you."

Dylan's rader shot up in guard.

"Dylan?" his crush turned back to him with an amused smile and Dylan felt his heart skip a beat. "Well, Dylan, couldn't have done that because he doesn't even know my name. I just moved in with my family today and we only saw in passing."

"Ohh, now we get it." Kira squinted a smile in Dylan's direction.

"How's your head by the way? That seemed like it hurt." he turned his way.

Shit, he saw that.

"Oh, it's fine now." he shook it off despite the slight throb he could still feel.

"But, aren't you stressed out from moving and all, how are you able to be here?" Dory laughed lightly.

"Please, I'll pick a good college party over any stress." his crush rolled his eyes and they all agreed.

"I'm with you on that one." Tristan nodded.

He turned back to Dylan to stretch out his hand. "I'm Theodore, you can just call me Theo."

Theodore.

"Oh, I'm- you already know mine." Dylan took his hand and as he watched his hand disappear into the big firm veiny hold of Theodore, it only took a second for him to have dirty thoughts that dried up his throat.

He swallowed hard.

"Well," he turned to the others, his hold still on Dylan. "Don't let me interrupt you any further, I shall leave you to the night."

"You can hang with us a little longer."

"I'll take you up on that next time." he looked like he meant it. Then he turned back to Dylan and gave him the softest smile he'd seen all night. "I'll see you around, Dylan."

All he could do was nod dazedly and watch Theodore head back to the group he had previously left. This is crazy, he thought.

He was in love.

"Cool guy." Dory noted.

"Smooth talker," Kira chipped in.

"Definitely a ladies man." Tristan concluded.

"I don't know, he irks me out." Casper frowned and every eyes turned to him. Dylan included. "What? I thought you were all giving opinions?"

Dylan rolled his eyes, "Whatever."

"You can't trust guys like that, I bet he's the type who hits on five girls at a time." Casper squinted.

"I don't think you need to bet on that." Kira held her stare far away from them. "Well, at the very least he doesn't look single."

"Huh?"

All eyes followed her gaze and Dylan felt his heart sink as he saw his love come to an end before it even started. Cuddled in his arms, with his hold around her waist and his lips on hers, he held her like she was the most precious gift he ever had he buried her in a deep kiss.

"I was right." Casper scoffed. "Wait, isn't that Melody?"

"Damnn, he knows what's good." Tristan nodded.

Dylan turned away and he wet his lower lip, feeling his mood take a drain.

"You good?" Kira's question caught him out of the blue.

"What? Yeah, 'course I am," he shrugged, trying to play it off. But he could barely keep his eyes settled on one thing.

It hit him...like real hard.

"I need a drink." he made his way off before anyone could pick up on his messed up mood. Catching on to Casper's call from behind, he threw back audibly. "Don't follow me, Casper."

Why didn't he think about that? That the man of his dreams could be straight. He simply ticked him as a catch immediately he saw him and assumed it would somehow work out.

How could he loose him already?!

"Haaa," he let out a huge sigh. Then decisively, he stared at the collection of shots, grabbed a bigger glass and became the latest bartender.

Now the secret about the shot table was the fact that each cup held a shot mix, and each glass had a mix of three different drinks. Dylan clearly knew this, yet went ahead to pour six random cups into his big glass, adding even more till it was filled to his satisfaction.

Like they say, alcohol's the best remedy for any pain. Even a heartbreak is nothing next to it. so he was going to drink up his sorrows in one go and hopefully things can't get any more worse than it already has.

"I hate you, Melody."

In one gulp, he chugged the whole thing.

But what Dylan wasn't aware of was another saying that went thus, a sip of alcohol below your threshold is soft, between your threshold is calming, on your threshold is a warning. Then what comes after your going way above your threshold?

It's quite simple.

A messed up life.