When Flying Feels Like Falling

The party was a complete suckfest. For me, anyway. After we had arrived at Matt’s place, it didn’t take long for it to become completely crowded. I mean the place was swarming with strange people left and right.

I myself had nothing to do, except sit in a corner with a cup of soda in my hand. Liam and Eric had disappeared with the guys a few minutes ago, leaving me on my own. It was nice to know how much they cared.

I took a sip of my Coke, watching all the random people dancing around to the beat of the music, talking like there was no tomorrow. I wanted to leave so bad.

I sighed, setting my cup down next to my feet since there was no table nearby. I began fidgeting with the sleeve of my hoodie, wondering how long this torture would last. And as my eyes wandered around again, that’s when I saw him. A familiar face. He was heading my way, smiling.

"Loreh!"

I immediately stood up, smiling too. "Tom! You have no idea how glad I am to see you!" I didn’t even think before embracing him in a bone crushing hug.

He laughed, hugging me back. "Wow, I wasn't expecting this reaction from yeh."

I pulled away from him. "I don’t know any of these people."

"Where are the others?" He questioned.

I shrugged. "They disappeared."

"Oh. Well, don’t worreh. Tom’s ‘ere." He grinned widely.

I laughed. "Why didn’t you go to the concert?"

"I was busy. But I told Matt I’d be coming to his parteh. I didn’t know yeh’d be ‘ere."

I pursed my lips. "Me neither."

He laughed. "Yeh look bored."

"That’s cause I am."

"Well, then let’s go do somethin’!" He grabbed my wrist, leading me out of the crowded main living room. Next thing I knew, we were in the backyard, where shockingly, there wasn’t a single soul.

"What are we doing?" I asked curiously. Tom just smiled and continued leading me further into the yard, until we reached a swing set.

"Ohh, swings." I grinned. I walked over to the red swing and sat myself down. "It’s nicer out here. No voices and annoying music."

He laughed, sitting on the swing next to mine. "I agree."

I smiled at him and started moving back and forth slowly.

"Don’t mean to make yeh embarrassed or anything but…" He paused. "Yeh look well pretteh today."

I looked down, laughing quietly. "I'm in a hoodie and ripped jeans."

"So?"

I shrugged. "Nothing pretty about that."

"Yo' wrong." He grinned and began swinging faster. I tried keeping up with his pace.

"Evah tried touching the sky befo’?" He asked, staring up at the starry night.

I laughed. "When I was a kid, yeah."

"I do it all the bloodeh time!"

I smiled. "You’re such a child, Tom."

"So I’ve been told, love."

We continued swinging higher and higher in an impossible attempt to touch the starry sky. I laughed, seeing how childish we must’ve looked, but no one else was there anyways. At least, not for long. We suddenly heard voices just a few feet away and I could recognize two of them being Liam’s and Eric’s. And then I noticed another voice. One I didn’t want to hear.

"Oh no," I muttered to myself, slowing down on the swing.

"What is it?" Tom questioned, slowing down as well.

"Nothing. It’s just…there’s this guy. I really don’t like him." My jaw tightened.

"Which guy?" He asked.

Liam, Eric, Matt, Matty, Lee and Oliver were now within our view, but they didn’t seem to notice us on the swings.

"Tattoo boy." I pointed to Oliver, who now had his back to us.

Tom stopped swinging entirely before suddenly bursting out in hysterical laughter.

I narrowed my eyes in pure confusion. "Why are you laughing?"

"I see yeh’ve alreadeh met Oleh."

"Huh?"

He snickered. "He’s my brotha."

My eyes went wide. I mean, so wide they nearly fell out of my sockets. "Oliver is your brother?!"

He couldn't stop snickering. "Yes."

What the….? Brother?! As in, related?

"B-B-But you two are so different! He’s so……and you’re so……" I couldn’t even put together a damn sentence out of shock.

"People always say that." He waved his hand.

"He’s just so obnoxious and conceited and..….ugh!"

"Yep, that’s Oleh. My oldah, bettah looking rockstar brotha."

I shook my head. "Damn. This makes no sense at all."

He laughed. "Yeh seem genuinely surprised."

"You think?!"

He grinned.

Before I could say anything else, Eric had suddenly spotted Tom and I on the swings. "Oi, Loreh! There yeh are!" That caused all the other boys to turn around and look at us.

"Lori, where you been? We’ve been looking for you," Liam said.

I rolled my eyes. "No you haven’t."

He made a face.

"Oi, Tom. I didn’t know yeh were ‘ere alreadeh." Matty laughed.

Tom just shrugged. "I’ve been out ‘ere with Loreh for a while."

I noticed Oliver staring blankly at us before pulling a cigarette out of his pocket and turning his back at us to light it.

Freak.

"Why are yeh guys out ‘ere? The parteh’s inside." Eric laughed. pointing towards the house.

"It’s better out here," I answered. "Too much noise inside."

I heard Oliver snorting before taking a long drag of his cigarette.

"Do yeh not like parteh’s, Lorelai?" Matt asked with a laugh.

"No, it’s not that. I’m just a bit tired."

"Do yeh want me to take yeh home?" Tom asked.

I shook my head. "No, that’s fine."

"Can we please go back inside? It’s gettin’ bloodeh cold out ‘ere," Oliver complained, rolling his eyes impatiently.

I glared at him and he just took another long drag of his cancer stick before turning around and walking back into the house.

"Hmm. We’ll see ye guys lateh?" Eric asked.

I just nodded and so did Tom. Eric turned around and the others followed him inside. I rolled my eyes and began swinging slowly again.

Tom laughed. "Sure yeh don’t wanna go home? Yeh don’t look too happeh."

I made a face.

"It’s Oleh, isn’t it?"

"Bingo."

He laughed. "Just ignore him. He tends to get on people’s nerves. It’s normal."

I rolled my eyes. "How do you put up with this guy?"

"He's my brotha. I have to put up with him."

I grunted in response.

"Come on," Tom uttered, jumping off the swing. "Let’s go get something to drink."

"You mean actually go inside?" I whined fakely.

He laughed, taking my hands in his and pulling me off the swing. "Stop whining."

I followed Tom inside the house and we made our way through the massive sea of humans. We then reached the kitchen area.

"Yeh don’t drink, do yeh?" He asked, lifting a brow.

"How do you figure?"

He laughed. "Yeh just don’t look the type."

I shrugged. "I only drink on some occasions. Never at these types of parties, though."

"Responsible." He grinned. "I like it."

"Someone’s gotta be, right?" I laughed.

"True."

He handed me a cup of soda. We both sat on the counter, just watching all the drunken people interact.

"Why are you hanging out with me?" I questioned, toying with my now empty plastic cup in my hands.

"What do yeh mean?" Tom asked, giving me a puzzled look.

I laughed a little. "You’re at a party where all your friends are and you’re hanging out with me instead."

He smiled. "What’s so wrong about that?"

"I’m not saying it’s wrong. I’m just saying it’s…..odd?"

He laughed. "Yo’ a bit bonkers, yeh know that?"

I stuck my tongue out and looked back down at my cup. Tom’s arms suddenly rested on my shoulders, causing me to feel a few chills.

"Whoa, why are yeh so tensed up all of a sudden?" He snickered.

"I’m not," I said coolly.

He laughed. "Let’s go to the living room. It doesn’t look as crowded as befo’."

I simply shrugged in response. We both made our way to the living room, sitting down on an empty three-seat couch.

"That guy looks like he’s about to pass out any minute." I laughed, pointing to some dude who was having difficulties in staying still.

Tom snorted. "Yeah, that bloke’s arse-over-tit."

I raised an eyebrow. Generally, I understood most of the British slang, but this one I just couldn’t quite understand.

Tom noticed my quizzical stare and laughed. "Means drunk."

"Oh!" I shook my head. "Gotta remember that one."

He laughed again. Soon, his arms were around my shoulders again. I gave him a small smile before shyly looking away from him.

Not that I didn’t like it. I did. I just felt a bit awkward. The way we were sitting looked like we were a couple. Tom, however, seemed cool with the whole thing.

We sat in a comfortable silence and I suddenly spotted Oliver stumbling into the living room. The guy was seriously wasted. He blinked a couple of times and looked around the room. That’s when his eyes fell on Tom and I.

Oh great.

He blinked again, running a hand through his perfect hair. All of a sudden, I noticed a pair of arms snaking around his waist and a blonde head peaking out from behind him. Oliver turned around, and the girl was now in full view.

She was wearing a ridiculously tight blue shirt with a mini skirt and blood red stilettos. Her hair looked as fake as her tanned skin. Her hand traced up Oliver’s tattooed arm before resting on his cheek. She then took him by the hair and crashed her lips wth his and they started making out ferociously.

I cringed. "Ugh."

Tom looked at me and then followed my gaze. He laughed once his eyes landed on the gross couple. "Oleh and SJ."

"SJ?" I seriously wanted to vomit.

"His girlfriend."

He has a girlfriend? And yet he had no trouble hitting on me? That douche.

"Wow. He actually has a girlfriend?" I laughed humorlessly.

"Yep. I was surprised too at first. I mean, my brotha is quite the man whore." He laughed. "It’s different seeing him with an actual girlfriend."

"I can imagine."

Man whore. Ha. Perfect word to describe Oliver Sykes.

I looked at them, utterly disgusted. Oliver’s tongue looked about halfway down this girl’s throat.

"This is too gross." I made a gagging sound. "Can we please get out of here?"

"Sure thing. It’s grossing me out too."

He took my hand and we both exited the living room, passing by Oliver and the girl, who of course didn't notice since her platinum blonde head was plastered to his face.

I don’t think I had ever been so disgusted.

The girl looked his type, anyway. Because that was what guys went for these days. Big boobs, fake blonde hair, mini skirts and fake skin. How lovely.

Tom and I spent the rest of the party just talking outside. Soon, Liam, Eric and I had to leave and we said our goodbyes. Of course, Oliver was no where in sight. and I was quite thankful for that. I couldn’t look at him without feeling repulsed. I was just glad Tom wasn’t anything like him.