Turns out college parties are not that different from High School parties. There is always one drunk guy in the corner talking to a lamp, a desk or in this case a portrait photo of what looked to be the owner of the house. I was sure Mrs Whatever-her-name-was would not appreciate it. There were a few kids in another room smoking pot because that's what college kids do apparently and in the room I was in, a lot of drunk people were trying their luck on Kol. But he wasn't having any of it. 

Kol grinned at me and leaned over Lana,  shouting over her head he yelled at Joanna who was confused about whatever he was saying. I watched him scream ‘ice cream and rum’ for the third time and Joanna just nodded. It was hilarious Kol did get like that every time he got drunk. He yelled bits and pieces of ideas to all his friends. 

Kol flopped into the seat beside me and handed me his red plastic cup, "here have a drink. You look sad." 

"Can't, I am working tomorrow," I said, taking the cup from him. 

Kol hooked his arm over my shoulders and drew me closer to his body, "Your boss is my dad. He won't mind." 

"He will," I said, taking a sip to appease him. 

Kol smiled and settled into the couch. He looked up at Lana and Joanna and continued yet another random story. I laughed at his childish glee and utter confusion when his friends didn't understand what he was saying. 

College parties were pretty chill for me compared to high school parties. That's probably because a lot of High School kids knew me so at High School parties everyone was always trying to get me to drink something, dance with them or even make out with them. Even kids that didn't go to my school knew me. But for college parties it was tricky, a few people knew me as Kol's friend, others as West Kinsley High's Soccer star and others had no clue who I was. That alone made college parties feel like a surprise party where you didn't know how everyone was going to react once they saw you. 

Today was the kind of party where the only people who knew me were Kol and his close friends. So I didn't venture into the house, instead I just hung out on the couch with them as Joanna and Lana used me to settle some debates between people they thought were attractive.

"Ok," Joanna said, drawing my attention.

"Baring look here," Lana said, pulling my focus from Joanna. 

"Come on Lana, you know that's not fair." Joanna sulked from her bean bag chair. 

Lana laughed and shrugged her bare shoulders showing off her dark skin, "All is fair in love and war, baby." 

I laughed at the two and said, "Come on you two play nice or else Kol will continue to tell us about his invention." 

Kol looked affronted and glared at me, "et tu Brute?" 

"Nah. Not me. I love your drunk inventions." I answered, laughing at Lana and Joanna's faces. 

Kol huffed and grabbed his drink back, "You don't deserve this." 

From the corner of my eye, I noticed a cheery redhead sidle up against Kol. She smiled at him and tried to put the moves on him. Joanna and Lana rolled their eyes at the interaction and went back to their argument. 

I tried to stand up but Kol kept his arm over my shoulders and smiled at the girl with a sinister look looming in his eyes, "Can't you see I am talking to Baring." 

The girl looked over to me and rolled her eyes.  Her voice sounded bitter when she replied to Kol, "What? Is he your boyfriend or something?" 

Kol smirked and said," he could be. If you left me alone."

The girl frowned and stood up leaving us together. I rolled my eyes and elbowed Kol in the ribs, "You have to stop joking like that or you will chase away potential suitors for you." 

Kol simply shrugged and stood up, "I am going to get another drink. You want one?" 

"Nah. I am going out for some air," I replied. 

I went out through the front door and jumped over a couple of college kids that had already passed out. It was barely after nine and to see this many passed out people wasn't shocking to me anymore. 

I leaned against the wall and stared out into the road. The party was being held in Kol's neighbourhood which translated to the rich suburbs. Most of the houses in Kol's neighbourhood were always empty especially on weekends so there were fewer chances of police coming to break up the party. 

I looked over the parked cars and sported a car that didn't exactly belong. The car wasn't old or cheap but I had seen enough of Kol's party friends and their cars to know what didn't belong and what did. The car was a black ford ranger pickup truck and judging by the scraps of mud on the rims and the suspicious-looking art on it. It belonged to someone who preferred being in the wild than at a boring college party. 

I was about to dismiss the car as one of those odd things that happened every day when I noticed something else that didn't belong. A familiar curly head and a face that seemed curious and judgemental. I smiled and sauntered over to the truck. It was Josiah. The small silent boy from the infirmary, what were the odds of that happening. 

I leaned over the driver's open window and smiled at the boy. Josiah looked startled before he quickly shut whatever book he was holding in his hands. 

"Hey," I said leaning over into the open window. 

The white boy in the passenger seat looked at me with the same look he had when I met him: like he couldn't figure me out. A small smile appeared on his lips and he did a weird thing where he waved and then realised waving was stupid halfway so it just looked like he was wiping the air. 

"This doesn't look like your scene. Which would explain why you are sitting in the car all alone. Do you want to ride home? I could take you if your friend is taking long. I am assuming that's what you are waiting for?"  I said pointing at my red mustang that coincidentally, was parked in front of the truck. 

"I am a great driver and if you are worried about giving me your address you don't have to ..." My sentence was cut off when a gruff voice startled me. 

"What do you think you are doing?"