Picture Perfect

We rolled to a halt in front of the booming house. Mitchell and I looked at each other once more before evacuating the car. Mitchell came around and opened the door for me, helping me out of the car like the gentleman that he is.

We strolled up the driveway to the party scene with linked arms. I went to knock on the door but as my fist brushed against the door, it swung open, flooding my eyes with the contents inside. There were giant stereos in the living room, kids were dancing wildly and I couldn't help but to think how ridiculous they looked. The whole scene wreaked of alcohol and it was stinging my nose.

I didn't happen to realize but Ed was the infamous door opener. He stood in front of Mitchell and I, staring at our linked arms. I could tell by the look in his eye he was going to try to change that by the end of the night, and I knew he could see in my eyes that I wasn't going to let him.

"Do you mind if I steal her away for a little bit, buddy?" He had sarcasm in his tone and it made me really mad. I looked to Mitchell and he was looking hard at the floor. After a minute of deliberation, he looked Ed right in the eyes.

"Yes, I would mind. Buddy," I giggled a bit, receiving a stern look from Ed but he just linked in with my other arm and led us into the kitchen.

"We're not drinking tonight, Ed," Mitchell told Ed in a firm tone. That sly look came back onto Ed's face, one I've seen before and clearly, Mitchell has, too.

"Then, here, take this one. Purely soda, I swear," He handed us both red, plastic cups. I saw the bottle right next to it, so after debating whether to drink it or not, I reluctantly took a sip. I didn't detect any signs of alcohol, so I took another sip. It tasted unusually good.

"What kind of soda is this?" I asked Ed whilst taking another sip.

"Oh, I don't know, some weird kind my friends brought from Maine," He answered confidently. I didn't hear any slip in his voice, so he must not be lying. Ed left us and by the time he came back Mitchell and I had downed our third drinks.

As the drinks went down, the party was looking more and more appealing. After I laid down my fourth and Mitchell laid down his sixth drink, the dance floor was calling my name.

"Do you wannnnna dance?" I said, realizing my voice was a little drawn out and slurred. It was weird but I couldn't exactly control it. Mitchell's eyes glowed and he enthusiastically grabbed my hand as we followed the thumping beat coming from the living room.

We jumped along with the other couples who were swaying to the fast pumping beats. The way Mitchell was looking at me made me extremely happy. We rubbed up against each other to the rhythm of the beat for quite some time. It wasn't how I usually acted, and I was starting to realize this, so I asked Mitchell if he wanted to get some water.

For some reason, this party was starting to look grosser and grosser as the time went on. When Mitchell and I approached the kitchen, I grabbed a water and he grabbed another soda.

I chugged my water and went to go grab another soda. I downed it, feeling a bit better again. Then I just wanted to be alone with Mitchell for a little bit. The music was giving me a headache and I couldn't hear anything Mitchell was trying to express to me.

"Do you want to talk upstairs?" I asked Mitchell and he grinned and nodded his answer.

I grabbed another red cup and tugged Mitchell up the stairs. The first door we tried was... unsuccessful, so we tried the next one and found an empty room.

We collapsed on the bed, drink still in our hands, which was now splattered on my shirt.

"Shit!" I mumbled, trying to shake the processing stain off of my shirt. After I was sure my shirt would come through in a clean manner, I laid back down next to Mitchell.

"Is your shirt okay?" He asked me and I smiled.

"Yes, my shirt is fine," I told him.

"Okay, good. I'm going to go get us some more drinks, I'm so thirty," He replied to my statement. I was so grateful to have such an amazing friend like him. I smiled and let him go on his merry way.

I laid there for a good twenty minutes, just thinking about a whole bunch of things. I was feeling groggy and I went to go pick up my cup to see if there was anything left. When I saw there was a little bit left, I went to go chug it down but then I took a big whiff of the fluid and scrunched my nose. I could clearly smell the vodka in it.

No wonder why I felt so good before, I was, if not drunk, quite buzzed. Thank god it was coming down, though. But then I remembered Mitchell was still drinking them and he was driving. We'd have to stay the night. He's way too smashed to drive and we live way too far away.

He then emerged into the room with a cup in his hands. I knew exactly what it was and he was tripping all the way to the bed.

"We're going to stay here tonight, okay?" I asked him, even though if he refused I would make him anyway.

"Sounds wonderful," He smiled, a grin stretching from one side of his face to the other. "I have to tell you something, Har," He finished. I was waiting for some stupid drunk nonsense to come out.

"I really, really like you," He smiled the most radiant smile I've ever seen. I didn't know whether he was saying this because of the alcohol or if it was really coming from his heart. What was I supposed to do?

Then I saw him leaning in. That's when it clicked in my head that I like him too. But I didn't want to do this while he was drunk and probably wouldn't even remember it. So I pushed him away.

"Wait, you don't like me back?" He asked with the most heartbreaking tone and when I looked him in the eyes, I felt like I just got punched in the gut. He had the saddest look in his eyes.

"It's not that, it's really not. Trust me. It's just that, you're drunk, and I'd like to try this again when you're sober, maybe?" I said, almost in tears.

"You don't have to make up excuses, Harlowe. Just tell me, please," He begged. I felt so horribly. I didn't want this to be happening right now. Not at all.

"Trust me, I like you, okay? Hopefully you remember that in the morning," I whispered. I laid down on my back and stared at the ceiling. He hovered over me and kissed my forehead.

"I'll remember," He whispered.