Fireflies & Wishes.

The first room, Dakota dragged me into was the kitchen. Eager to get an alcoholic drink in my hand, I turned around to give Leia a beer too but she wasn’t there. I rolled my eyes, so much for moral support. And before I know it, Dakota was dragging me out of the kitchen claiming the party wasn’t good enough in there. We were in a rather large living room that had bodies all over the place, grinding and moving to the deep bass beat. I could spot Leia surrounded by many boys, and a few girls. She was drinking like a man.
Dakota thought it would be a good idea to go to them.

And so we did.

I downed the rest of my beer, placing it to the side before joining them. Shying by Leia’s side, trying not to meet anyone’s gaze, being an affectionate drunk she is. Leia wrapped her arm around my waist. I rolled my eyes, and tugged her arm off me.

“Leia, people will think we are lesbians.” I muttered under my breath, trying to untangle her.

Leia burst into laughter, holding onto her sides as if I just said the funniest thing ever.

I rolled my eyes, edging away from her. I caught my heel on her foot, this evolved into me falling into someone, who so gracefully caught me before I could shamefully fell flat on my face.

“Well, hello Miss Summers.” A familiar attractive boy said.

I furrowed my brows. “How do you know my name?” I asked, and why did he call me Miss Summers? I was captivated with his green eyes, so memorable.

“Sure you don’t remember me?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.

I walked with him to the kitchen, he passed me another beer. I took a swig, before realizing.
“You’re Stella’s and Joey’s uncle.” I said, my eyes widening with realization. But one thing I didn’t forget was that he was a douche.

“I am so flattered that you remembered me. After all, I had to go home with them, listening to how they thought you were so cool.” He smirked at me as he leaned against the table, watching me.

I felt heavy under his stare, and the alcohol. I felt a smirk twitch on my lips. “Jealous much?”

A surprised chuckle escaped his mouth. “Yes, really did put a downer on my heart.”

“Don’t you mean ego?” I retorted, wondering where the hell this confidence was coming from.

“We need to be on a first name basis before you could openly diss me.” He smirked, as he moved closer to me.

I raised my eyebrow, finishing off my beer. I moved away from him, grabbing another bottle. I felt awkward in this situation, but as I screwed open the lid I caught a glance at my heart tattoo, then a smile rose upon my face. Heart on my sleeve, I repeated in my head.

“Ivy-Leigh, but call me Ivy.” I said, as I met his green eyes again.

“Nice to meet you, Ivy.” He smirked again.

I tried my hardest not to fall to my knees, did he know he had this effect on girls? Of course he did what a stupid question. I then made a risky decision to walk away from him. I could hear him protesting but suddenly I was lost in a crowd of bodies all dancing together, it felt like I was forced to join along with them, to dance.

At least for two hours I was dancing, every time my drink was empty. It was somehow refilled. It would be the greatest understatement to say I was a little bit drunk. Dakota found me, but she was no help since she was just as drunk. We giggled as we made it outside, to where Leia was sitting on the grass. Dakota sat me beside Leia, and she started laughing loudly.

“My gorgeous wonderful, book nerd! Where have you been?!” Leia shouted, before attacking me with a hug.

I laughed with her, being just as drunk as she was. I hugged her back.

“My Princess, I was dancing!” I whispered in her ear, as if it was a dangerous secret.
She started giggling then she got up and sat in a boys lap. He was too drunk to object, then she started making out with him.

Thankfully, Dakota distracted me before I could shout a rude comment to Leia, which would probably be unforgivable in Leia’s mind.

“Remember Kenny? Ivy.” Dakota said, gesturing to the man beside her.

I smiled and nodded. “The dude... man who owns this house!”

Kennedy laughed, and nodded. “Yes, I am. Have you met my friends?”

I shook my head, as my eyes wandered across the many male faces. All the faces were mixing together as one. Feeling incredibly dizzy, I sighed, inhaling more fresh air.

Kennedy gave me an encouraging smile. “Well this is Pat,” a boy with long hair waved at me, I returned the wave, “and this is Joel,” another boy waved at me, I waved back, “this is John.”
My eyes landed on John, and a surprised gasp came out of my mouth and he smirked as the familiar green eyes dazzled with amusement.

“Don’t worry Kenny, we’ve met before.” John said, winking at me.

My cheeks flushed, and I rolled my eyes.

Dakota nudged me, with a surprised gaze. I just shrugged, and took a sip of my drink, fiddling with my lace dress. Then someone lit up a joint, and took a drag before passing it along. Dakota took a long drag before passing it onto me, I took a quick glanced at John who was watching me intently.

I sighed shakily, and brought it to my lips, taking a deep drag before passing it on. I took a breath out, trying not to cough. My head felt more woozy and light headed, I tried to keep a tether on my sanity. But before I knew it, it was gone.

John was still watching me, I could feel his gaze. But as the crowd we had, started to minimize. Dakota walked off with Kennedy, practically having eye sex. And others wandered off to where the party seemed to have more action. It was only Joel, John and me in the end. I was still sat on the grass, feeling dizzier than before. I could hear Joel and John talking, it was drunken banter.

I shivered, a trail of goose bumps left behind on my naked arms.

“Ivy, you wanna go in?” John asked caringly, his voice sounded distant.

I didn’t know what I did next because darkness suddenly descended over me.

***

I didn’t know what hurt more when I woke up. My head or my feet. I groaned in audibly, and burrowed into the duvet even more, before the distinct smell of men’s cologne flooded my nostrils. I sat up automatically then groaned as I felt even more disorientated as I was.

“You may need this.” A voice said from the corner of the room.

The body came closer towards me, with a glass of water and two tablets that I recognised was Ibuprofen. I mumbled incoherent thanks before taking the tablets with a swig of water that I downed in no time.

I closed my eyes, then opening them again.

“John?” I said, recognising him, as he sat on the bed.

He gave me a half smile.

“Where am I?” I groaned, falling back into the bed, not even caring if it’s a boy’s bed.

“In my bed.” John said, with a smirk.

I froze slightly, the fact it is his bed, changes everything. My head felt like it has been smashed against a wall several times. No hangover has even been this bad.

“Not in the mood John.” I glared at him, too tired to cooperate with this flirty banter.

“Not going to thank me for my hospitality then?” He retorted, quickly his playful mood vanished.

I bit my lip, feeling like a bitch. It wasn’t his fault that I drank too much and passed out.

“Sorry, John. Thank you for letting me sleep in your bed.” I whispered, not daring to meet him in the eye. My cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

John smiled softly. “Yeah, well whilst you hogged the bed, I had to sleep on the floor.” He teased.

I pulled the duvet over my head, feeling more and more embarrassed. Maybe it was the fact that it was John who had to ‘nurse’ me, the boy who was so captivatingly attractive and I made a sore eyes fool of myself.

“Stop making me feel so guilty!” I groaned loudly.

I could feel the weight of the bed shift and move. He must have been leaning over me, my assumption was right, because he was trying to pry the duvet off my head and out of my grasp. He was laughing softly, tugging as hard as he could. I pulled just as hard, feeling nice and cosy, no way was he going to take it from me.

“C’mon Ivy, you will have to come out sooner or later!” John sang tauntingly.

I couldn’t grasp on what has happening next. All I heard was a door opening, then a girlish laugh. And John protesting loudly, he was still on the bed with me. This honestly lit up my curiosity; I wriggled around and lifted the duvet off my head. John threw his hands in the air with accomplishment. I rolled my eyes, and slapped his arm.

Then my eyes landed on the girl, I have not yet been introduced with. But she was devastatingly pretty, natural blonde hair that seemed flawless, deep green eyes, a tan that screamed native of Arizona and a slim figure. I tried not to come across, as gawking with envy. Especially at how relaxed and at ease she was with John, I think I may be jealous.
She didn’t seem fazed, with my gawking. She just smiled friendly, and waved slightly.

“I don’t think we’ve been introduced yet.” She grinned. Even her smile displayed utter beauty, no wonder John was so happy around her.

I shook my head, and returned a meek smile.

“This is Ivy-Leigh Summers you might recognise her as Stella and Joey’s teaching assistant with Mrs Anderson.” John said with a smile, as he met my eyes confidently. “And this is my amazing older sister, Amanda.”

“Call me Mandy though, and so you must be the one who Stella and Joey constantly talk about, they idolize you.” Mandy laughed.

I suddenly felt more awkward and more self conscious, lying in bed with John, me recovering from a horrendous hangover, probably looked like a disastrous mess. I didn’t feel much like an idol if I was in this situation. I felt regret towards last night. But then a flashback of the pain I went through for my tattoos, I ran a finger over the word ‘Regret’, such nonsense.

So I returned a not so fake grin.

“They are good, keep me amused.” I admitted honestly.

John sighed loudly. “Mandy, you have said hello, can you go now?” He stared at her with a pissed off expression.

Mandy giggled quietly. “Of course, Johnny, but the guys wanted me to remind you, they are cooking breakfast!” She shouted, as she walked out of the door.

John gave me a smirk as he glanced at me, I felt as if I was naked under his stare, a blush crept on my cheeks.

“You will need to get changed, if you’re planning on coming downstairs to have breakfast.”
I looked at him dumbly. “I don’t have anything to change into.”

John nodded his head, and jumped off the bed, heading towards a door which must lead to a closet. I got up, stretching as I stumbled out of the bed. Actually taking notice of his bedroom, the walls were a dark blue, with the occasional posters of Talking Back Sunday and then Tom Petty. It made me smile. The floor was oak wood, nice and cold underneath my bare feet, I noticed that a brown rug placed at the end of the bed, but there was a sleeping bag and pillow on the floor. I bit my lip. He must have slept on the floor. I felt bad mentally calling him an arrogant douche yesterday, he seemed to actually be a nice considerate person.

John walked back in, and threw a pair of basketball shorts and a Kurt Cobain shirt at me. By my quick reflexes, I caught it smoothly.

“You can get changed here. It’s no problem.” John smirked, waggling his eyebrows.
Remember what I said about him being nice and considerate, forget I said that.

I flipped him off before walking into his en suite.