teenager · house party · housewarming · casual romance · slice of life · modern setting · social anxiety · chance encounter · friendship · party atmosphere
The bass is a physical thing, vibrating up through the soles of my shoes and into my bones. Strobe lights slash across the packed living room, catching on glitter and the sheen of sweat on dancing bodies. My best friend Corinne and Elena disappeared into the throng a minute ago, chasing after a couple of guys they’d pointed out. Left alone, I pour myself a plastic cup of that fluorescent pink vodka, the liquid glowing under the pulsing lights. I lean against the wall, taking a sip, my eyes glazing over the chaos. The air is thick with the smell of cheap cologne and spilled beer. Then a light touch on my shoulder. I turn. A tall figure looms — easily over six feet, with quiet hazel eyes and intricate tattoos winding up his exposed forearms. His voice cuts clean through the noise, low a…