Fuel to the Fire.

“What can I get you?”
“Can I get a Thai Jasmine tea”, I said smiling at the guy standing behind the counter.
“Size?”
“Just a medium.”
“Coming right up, and your name beautiful?” he asked coming a little too strong for my taste.
“Dylan.”
“That’s a beautiful name, I’ll tell you what give me your number and I’ll give it to you on the house.”
“I rather just pay”, I said feeling awkward.
“4.75”, he said with a defeated look on his face.
I gave him the money and stood off to the side waiting for the drink. Once I heard my name called I grabbed the tea and took a seat in the corner with my stacks of applications. I placed my headphones in my ears and hummed along to the songs that appeared on my shuffle. I started filling all the applications in my stack, from that coffee shop to the million of restaurants that were in the area. I suddenly felt the table move and the chair in front of me being pulled up. I looked up and saw John standing there with a smile, moving his lips but I couldn’t hear over the music. I pulled the headphones off and smiled at him.
“Sorry I couldn’t hear you.”
“What you listening to?” he asked with a grin staring at the stack of papers I had in front of me.
“Death Cab for Cutie”, I said simply watching his smile grow bigger.
“Now the answer to this question is really important, our friendship is now on the line. What album?”
“Transatlanticism.”
“And you are by far the most amazing person I have ever met.”
“Thanks”, I said blushing slightly but hoping he didn’t notice.
“You are very welcome. So I can’t stop running into you lately. What are you doing here?”
“Filling out applications”, I said pointing to the stack in front of me. “You?”
“I’m on my break.”
“Nice.”
“I think so. So I should get going, before they dock my pay. They keep finding ways to torture the young and starving college student”, he said getting up with a tea in hand.
“Those bastards.”
He just laughed and waved at me. I put my headphones back in my ears until I felt someone poking my shoulder. I looked up and saw John standing there smiling down at me. I took off my headphone and gave him a look.
“Sorry to interrupt once again, but we’re having a party next door and you need to be there.”
“I don’t know-“
“I’m not taking no as an answer.”
“Parties aren’t really my thing.”
“They’re everyone’s thing, see you at 9!” he said.
Before I could argue anymore he walked out with a hand in the air. I couldn’t hide the smile that was on my face as I continued with the applications. After I dropped them all off I walked back home.
“Dylan!”
“Yeah?” I asked putting down my book and looking up at my door opening up.
I looked up and saw Jared standing there with another guy I didn’t know. I sat up and looked over at him weird.
“We’re here to drag you to the party.”
“Jared.”
“I barely know you but if I have to I will pick you up and throw your skinny ass over my shoulder and take you over there”, he said throwing me off at how he was acting towards me. Like we were lifelong friends, something I wasn’t use to.
“Fine, fine. Can you hand me my shoes?” I asked pointing to the vans up against the wall.
Jared handed them over to me and they stood there as I shoved my feet through and got up.
“You’re not going to like get ready?” Jared asked looking confused and the nameless boy had the same look.
“Do I not look good?”
“No, no no! It’s just I’m use to girls taking hours to get ready.”
“Not me, is that bad?” I asked feeling kind of insecure.
“That’s actually really good, I’m kind of impressed”, he said with a laugh.
“Oh yeah, this is Kennedy.”
I got closer to the guy who was holding out his hand. I took it in mine and shook it politely. He was definitely good looking.
“Nice to meet you”, I said smiling.
“You too.”
I followed them out the door and heard Jared and Kennedy rant on about all the beer and liquor that was there. I didn’t really care much; I wasn’t much of a drinker. I got drunk once in high school, ended up throwing up in my front yard waking up my Dad and got grounded for about two months. Ever since then, I stayed away from the stuff, sip here and there but nothing to the extent of what was being drank right in front of me.
“Beer?” Kennedy asked with a smile.
“Sure”, I said not wanting to turn him down, embarrassed.
I stood there alone looking around at everyone, I felt very uncomfortable. I’ve never been in a place where I wasn’t friends with anyone. This was definitely something new, and I wasn’t sure if I liked it.
“I told you I wasn’t taking no as an answer.”
I looked over and saw John standing there with a smile. I looked down at his black vans, tight jeans and plaid shirt. His dark green eyes looking straight into my bright greens, but I couldn’t stop looking at that adorable smirk he always had on.
“I know.”
“Yo Johnohh, some bitch is throwing up in your bathroom.”
“Oh fuck, well enjoy yourself. Grab a beer, enjoy the college life. I’ll be back”, he said running off.
I stood there awkwardly before Kennedy handed me a beer and stood there with me chit chatting about anything that was on our mind.
“Dylan!”
“Hey”, I said smiling as Eric grabbed me into a hug.
“This is my friend Nick, Nick this is Dylan. The girl next door”, he said with a wink making me kind of uncomfortable but I laughed at how obvious it was that he was drunk.
“Nice to meet you”, Nick said shaking my hand.
“You too”, I said as they both were dragged off by some girl.
I stood there just listening to Jared talk to Kennedy. I held on to my cup, not even drinking. I was really quiet and a tad bit awkward. I looked around the room for the first time in a while. I saw John standing there being center of attention. But then I saw some pretty blond girl sit on his lap, then I watched as they kisses. For some reason my heart broke a bit, there was a tab bit of jealousy built up in me.
“That’s his on and off again girlfriend for about a year.”
“Huh?” I asked looking over at Jared.
“I saw that sad look you got when you saw them kiss.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about”, I said continuing with this dumb talk.
“I’m sure”, he said with a laugh before looking over at his friend. “Just try not to fall for the JohnOhhhh charm.”
I looked over at him with a questioning look before looking back at John kissing up on that blond once more. I stood there quiet once again looking around the room, feeling awkward every second someone got more intoxicated.
“Not your scene I’m guessing.”
“How did you know?” I asked looking over at Kennedy with a smile.
“You’ve been babysitting that beer for about three hours now.”
“That obvious?” I asked with a laugh.
“Well to the sober eyes, yes. But the rest of them have no idea. Your secret is safe with me.”
“Thank you”, I said before letting a loud yawn come from my mouth.
“Tired?”
“Very much so”, I said putting down the full cup of beer on the counter.
“I think I’m going to head home”, I said smiling at him.
“I’ll walk you.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I want to, plus it’s only next door”, he said with a laugh.
“Okay”, I said smiling and then looking around the room and back at Kennedy. “Should I say bye?” I asked.
He just shook his head with a laugh. “They’re too drunk to even notice.”
I just nodded my head and followed him out the door, the hot Arizona hitting our skin once more, but it was way fresher than the hot air in the apartment. We got to my door and I reached for the knob and of course it was open. I looked at Kennedy with a smile.
“It was nice meeting you.”
“You too”, he said with a grin.
“Thanks for helping me through this new college experience.”
“No problem”, he said with his hands in his pocket.
“Goodnight.”
“Night”, he said as I walked in the door and straight to my room.
I slipped out of my clothes and slipped out of my clothes and through myself in bed. I could hear the loud music next door, and all of them screaming. But my mind went back to the scene that was being played over and over in my head.
“He’s just a boy.”