Ashlan.

Some sort of techno music was pounding off of the crème colored walls, and vibrating the house. I could feel the bass to every song being played coursing through my body, and making my chest pound.

People were collapsing all around me from too much intake of alcohol. There were bodies smashed together on the very few couches in the room. Faces were unrecognizable as they were attacking another person’s face. People were dancing on the makeshift dance floor with the cliché red plastic cups in their hands.

Occasionally, a too drunk guy would come up to me and slightly grab my rear before toppling over. After every repeat of that, I finally decided to pull down the too short skirt that Suzan and her friend Becky had made me wear and then sit down.

I was alone, crushed between a couple fiercely making out and a boy who would not stop chugging beers. Everything here disgusted me, and I desperately wanted to go home, but Suzann was my ride and I just couldn’t seem to find her anywhere.

I looked behind me, squinting my eyes to see if I could find a face I recognized. I was manly looking for Suzan, Mathew, Becky or Curtis, seeing as they were the only ones I felt comfortable around.

My search ended up fruitless, so I was stuck on the two-seater couch with the couple that had decided that oral sex in public was necessary, and the drunk boy that was now vomiting his guts out.

//

“Becky!” I yelled, trying to catch her attention before she disappeared into the backyard.

I figured she didn’t hear me as she shuffled out the door with a crowd of people. Sighing deeply, I leaned back against the counter. This night wasn’t going in my favor at all.

“Hey,” a voice whispered from beside me. Jumping, I moved back, fearful that it was another pervert who wanted to try and pull a move on me.

“Mathew!” I exclaimed excitedly, causing a few people to look in my general direction before continuing with what they were doing.

“Hey,” he repeated again, a small smile on his face. “Yeh look amazin’,”

“Thanks,” I blushed before awkwardly pulling on my skirt.

We stood there in silence for a bit, him looking around the kitchen nervously and me studying him.

His face was a little scruffy with stubble, his hair was wavy and flowing in different directions with the breeze that kept coming in from the open door and his eyes were slightly glazed over, showing that he was either high or drunk.

“So…are yeh 'avin’ fun?” he questioned awkwardly, his hand coming up to rub at the back of his head.

“Not really,” I replied quietly, my eyes now on the kitchen floor.

“Oh…sorreh,” he replied just as awkwardly.

We stood there for a few more minutes. I was just enjoying the company, while I think he was severely bored. I admit, I wasn’t that exciting of a person.

“Kean!” someone called from the other side of the kitchen where they were setting up cups and a small net.

He turned to look at them, smiling slightly. “Yeah?”

“Come play beer pong!” a different person replied while another one lined the cups up in a 2-D pyramid and proceeded to fill them with beer.

Mathew shot me a smile before saying “come play!”

I quickly shook my head no. I knew what beer pong was, and I wasn’t about to get drunk for some silly party game.

“Please,” he persisted, instead of answering him, I turned and walked away, getting lost in the sea of bodies in the living room.

I walked to the front door, slowly stepping out of it and letting the cool summer air whip at my face.

I shut the door softly behind me before heading in the direction I guessed my house was in. I really should have asked for directions before I left.

I walked with my head down and my phone out just in case I needed to call someone for an emergency.

I felt my head collide with something soft yet hard. I quickly backed up and looked up, my phone ready in my hand.

“Sorreh, di’n’ see yeh there,” the person said, a cigarette between their lips. I recognized the person as Oliver, Mathew’s friend and also one of the perverts from the super market.

I nodded my head before walking around him and continuing my trip home.

“Where yeh goin’?” he asked, I turned around to look at him before softly mumbling “home” to him.

“Need a ride?” he asked sweetly. I contemplated it before softly shaking my head no. My mom always told me to never take rides from strangers, and he pretty much was one. I haven’t properly even had a conversation with him, hell I didn’t even know his last name.

“Yeh sure?” he asked, walking closer to me. In response I took steps back.

I nodded again, really wanting to get away now.

Light drops of rain started coming down. It wasn’t full out raining, but sprinkling and I knew if I kept walking that by the time I got home, I’d be soaked. Oliver seemed to think the same thing as me.

“Still sure yeh don’ wan’ that ride now?” he asked with a smirk dancing on his lips. I kind of wanted to just say no so that I could wipe that smirk off his face, but if I kept up walking, I’d most likely catch a cold from being out in the rain.

Slumping my shoulders, I sighed in defeat, slowly walking back towards him.

“Will you give me a ride home?” I asked quietly, my legs and arms already wet from the light rain.

If possible, his smirk grew even more before he nodded.

//

“Where do yeh live?” he asked from the driver’s seat as he pulled out of his driveway. I didn’t understand how he could leave his house with a bunch of people in there.

I quickly and quietly told him my address before letting my head fall against the window. He started driving in the opposite way of where I was heading, chuckling quietly to himself.

I quirked an eyebrow at him, silently asking him what was so funny.

“Yeh were headin’ the wrong way,” he replied, shooting a quick smile at me. I didn’t smile back, instead placed my head against the window again and pulled my loose sweatshirt closer to my body and shivered slightly.

“Yeh cold?” he asked after a few moments of silence. I nodded slightly, my eyes still watching the scenery as we passed by it. He fiddled with the heat for a minute before warm air started slowly flowing out of the vents.

When we finally reached my house, I pretty much rushed to get out of the car.

“Thanks,” I whispered to him before slamming the door shut. He didn’t pull away until I had stepped foot into my cozy, warm home. Before he was fully off my property, he honked, and then sped off.