Seasons.

John wasn’t here yet. I began to feel uncomfortable as the music became louder, and more people began to pile into the house. The one person I did not want to see, didn’t walk through the door yet though, so I was fine with that. But, a lot of other people did enter the house, screaming at the top of their lungs. I guess this is what an average American teenaged party looks like.

For some reason, I haven’t seen anyone that I know this whole party. I was talking to Stephen, but he had gone to find Hannah. I saw Josh, but he was busy talking to other people. I had no idea where Jess, Brian, Carson or Taylor were. I guess this was the feeling of being left out at a party like those ‘freaks’ at parties in the movies.

My feet were pressed on the step and I just sat there. Staring at the white door. I waited for John to enter, but the minutes past, and still no John. I think me staring at the door was beginning to freak people out. They’d walk in, and see me looking at them, when I didn’t mean to be looking at them at all. It was more odd because practically no one in this house right now knew who I was.

John promised me that there would be no party. He’d be here before anyone even arrived and we’d be back at his house for a romantic evening in his room with crappy junk food and a book case full of movies. That wasn’t what was going down right now though. Practically the whole house was full of people and I was alone.

The thirst in my throat was getting worse. I was not going to wait here on the step for John that much longer. I needed to get something to drink. When he comes here, he can come and look for me. I got up from the step and walked down about four stairs. I turned a right at the end of the stairs and looked down the hallway.

It was weird looking at all these people. Some people were against the wall talking to other’s with red cups in their hands. A roar of laughter coming from people. The music was following me as I walked down the hallway. People looked down at me and I just ducked down as I walked slowly over people’s feet. It was an awkward situation.

Finally, I stumbled into the kitchen. I noticed Taylor sitting on top of the counter, red cups lined up on the island. People stood around with white plastic balls. Taylor chucked one and it plopped into a cup. He cheered and the guy at the other end of the table scoffed. I stood there awkwardly, looking for something I could take a drink of.

Taylor hopped off the cupboard when he saw me standing there. Off the side of him, he grabbed an empty cup and some vodka. He walked over to me and just stood there with a grin on his face. I knew he wanted me to take it, but I just shook my head. I couldn’t. As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t. I’m supposed to be waiting for John.

“Anything non-alcoholic?” I asked him.

“Dude,” He groaned. “Are you one of those light weights, that hates drinking?”

I shook my head. “Most defiantly not. I just need to wait up for John.”

Taylor let out a giggle. “C’mon. Who cares about John? It’s a party! You’ve been attached to his hip this whole time. Just come and have some fun. Just a couple of drinks until John decides to show up.”

“No,” I shook my head. “Taylor, I really shouldn’t.”

“C’mon.” He smiled. “I bet you could out drink me.”

“I bet I could too. . .” I nodded with a smirk appearing on my face.

“See!” Taylor pointed at me. “Let’s get you a drink!”

I stood there and just watched as Taylor walked back over to the island in the kitchen. He grabbed some pop and put the cup in his hand on the table beside me. He looked up and smiled at me before opening the bottle of vodka that was half done. Taylor pretty much filled up the cup with vodka, putting a little tiny bit of pop in there. I didn’t care though. I knew I could take that as a champ.

It’s weird how you could walk into a kitchen, looking for a drink - then, you end up taking drinks with Taylor Juwig. He’s one of the people that has been the rudest to me ever since I got here, but I don’t know. There’s a part of me that says that he’s a good guy. I knew I had to believe that. If they guys and Jess could put up with him, I guess I could too. He wasn’t that bad of a guy if you thought about it. It’s either that, or he’s being nice now because he’s a little on the tipsy side.

Taylor looked up at me with a huge smile on his face. He gave me the drink. I took it in my hands and jugged it back. I slammed the cup on the table. “That was nothing.”

“Wow.” Taylor said. He looked impressed. “Let’s get you doing some shots! Outside!”

He began to walk around the island in the kitchen, and I just followed. People were still playing beer pong. I could still hear the music perfectly as we became closer and closer to the door. It was open, and the lights were on outside. Taylor walked out of the kitchen, and I just followed him. I don’t know why, but drinking felt so good. I was so used to doing it to relieve pain. Doing it for fun feels so much better though.

John wasn’t on my mind right now. I don’t know what he was doing and why he wasn’t here. He may be here looking for me, but it wasn’t one of my biggest thoughts right now; I didn’t know why either. I just followed Taylor out onto the deck where the shot glasses were set around the whole table.

Then I noticed some people. Josh, Carson, Jess, Brian, Hannah and Stephen all sat around the table. It was weird how they were all here. Then I heard conversations about the tradition or something. I’m guessing Hannah and I were new at this. Taylor just looked at me and smiled. I stood there awkwardly. I didn’t know what was going on.

“John!” I heard someone scream.

I turned around with my whole body to see John standing near the door. He was wearing tight black skinny jeans with a blue v-neck now. On top of his blue v-neck was a black American Apparel sweater. He still had his corky glasses on, but even from afar, John looked gorgeous. I smiled appeared on my face as he looked at me with that smile. I’m guessing that I had to go right now? I don’t know.

“John!” Taylor screamed. “Your girlfriend’s a champ!”

John chuckled. “Why?”

I watched as John became closer to the table. He stood there near me and pulled me close with his hand on my hip. I wrapped my arm around him and smiled. I stood there, waiting for what Taylor had to say. “She can take drinks.” Taylor smiled.

“I had one. . .” I said. “And it had pop in it.”

“That’s why you’re going to be in our tradition.” Taylor said to me.

“What tradition?” I asked, looking up at John since he was taller than I.

“Well,” John smiled. “It was usually a tradition for the band and the crew to do this shot game where it’s like domino thing. I don’t know. I’m guessing we’re doing it right now but you and Hannah are going to be added to the game.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Because you’re like family.” Taylor laughed. I could tell he was getting wasted. “Now, sit down at the table because I want to do this!”

I grabbed a hold of a white chair and sat down beside Stephen, Hannah on his other side. John pulled out the chair on the other side of me and sat down. I looked across the table to see Jess and Carson sitting beside each other, Brian on the side of Carson. Josh sat down beside Brian and Taylor on the other side of Jess. Some person I didn’t know circled around us with a trey of shots. The person set down three in front of all of us.

“This is how it works,” Taylor said. “When Blake over there says go, I’ll go first. I’ll drink my shots as fast as I can. Then Jess, then Carson, then Josh, then Brian, then Hannah, then Stephen, then Jordan, then John. Let’s see how this goes.”

“Woah,” Jess laughed. “That hurt my head.”

“Oh sweetheart,” Taylor giggled. “It hurt mine more then it hurt yours.”

“Ready?” I’m guessing it was Blake, said.

“Yes!” Everyone at the table said.

“Go!” Blake screamed.

Taylor was the first to take his three shots and he did them fast. I looked around to see all the people surrounding us. Then I noticed someone that I didn’t want to see. Near where Josh was sitting was Miranda. She stood there, looking more like a slut then she did when I saw her earlier today. I sighed, looking back at the table. Carson took his last shot and then it was on to Josh. He downed down his first, then second.

It was getting closer and closer to me and everyone kept watching. Brian took his last one and Hannah picked up hers. I could tell by her face that drinking straight vodka wasn’t her favourite thing to do. She took back her second one, and then managed to get the third one down. “Come on, Hannah!” Stephen cheered beside her.

She finally finished her last one, and it took longer then the rest of them. Stephen downed his first, then second. He was drinking the third and I slowly put my hand on the shot glass. When his glass hit the table, I quickly picked up mine and shot it down. When I picked up my second I could see Carson smiling. He knew I was good at this.

When my last shot glass hit the table there was a big cheer. I knew I could do it faster then everyone else and I didn’t think that to sound conceited. Drinking faster then other people isn’t something to be proud of. Then I looked over, the head spinning beginning to stop. John took his shots and then Blake screamed. “End!”

I noticed that he had a timer in his hand. “Well, I think Jordan won.”

“Dude,” Stephen said. “You were so fucking beast at that.”

“I know.” Carson piped in. “She’s a champ right?”

“You’d never let me play that game John. . .” I heard the sly voice of a snake chime into the conversation.

I knew that everyone was looking back at Miranda. John turned around and looked at her blankly. I just sat there in my spot, looking at the table. There was no way that I was going to cry or get upset in front of these people. I reached to the middle of the table and listened to the sexual comments that Miranda tried to smooth down John’s throat.

“You need to leave.” Josh said. “I didn’t say you could come in my house.”

“Hey, don’t be so bitter.” Miranda laughed. “I just wanted to come and catch up with John if his dumb little girlfriend doesn’t want to go and cry a fucking sea.”

I grabbed the vodka bottle and took the cap off quickly. I filled up one of my shot glasses and shot it back. I put the shot on the table and grabbed John tightly by his shirt. I roughly attached my lips to his. It was the only thing I thought that I could do to get her mad. Something that is probably busting her top is that John is kissing back right now.

I pulled away and then I looked over to my left. Miranda wasn’t there anymore. I looked back to see the crowd of people moving for her to stomp through. They all began chanting and laughing. They cheered as she cried her little way through the kitchen door and out of the party. There was no fucking way she was raining on my parade.

Turning back around, I noticed John looking at me. He moved in and passionately kissed me on the lips. I could feel him smiling in the kiss which was the best feeling ever. “I like this rough sexy side of you when you’re buzzed.”

“Wait till you see when I’m smashed.” I laughed.

John smiled. “I can just picture it. . .”

I laughed. “I bet you could.”