We rang the doorbell, drinks in hand, waiting for someone to greet us, but it wasn't anything like that. Kari just opened the door to see tons of teens standing in unorganized groups talking and a few "pick me" girls dancing for the approval of the boy in attendance.

" Well, this is nothing like the movies. The music is loud, but the scene is dead." I said while looking around at the preoccupied minors staging TikToks and taking Instagram selfies to disengage from the crowd altogether. Kari didn't mind, though. She could make do with any situation.

" Go find a comfortable corner and watch this," she says, speaking right into my ear, sending tingles down my spine. I know she just wanted to be heard over the music but after the cliff. I was a bit more on edge. I watched as she disappeared into the hoard of body spray abusers. It didn't take long for the music to cut off everyone looked up from their blue screens to see what happened to their ambiance. The sound of a microphone being tugged around filled the house, and people were getting more confused,

" Where the hell are the jams?" shouted one of the "pick me" girls, understandably eager to drown out those pubescent insecurities with extra bass and a catchy hook.

" Okay." Kari starts to speak on the mic, having finally gotten out of the hands of some nerd, " This party is kinda dead. Let's spice things up some, huh?" some of the guys started to get excited, wondering what she was up to.

" Alright, we're gonna play a little game called ' get the fuck down, here's how you play: everyone who wants to play stand in front of the DJ set up so I can see you when the music starts, you dance and when it stops you stop, but if you're still moving then you're out-"

" Yo! That's just musical chairs without the chairs." a guy nagged from the shadows of the crowds.

" Well, you dick. I wasn't finished! When you're out. You also have to strip and lay on the floor.

The crowd started to get more excited. Boys pressured their lady friends, and girls egged on their guy friends, insinuating they were afraid of not being big enough. It didn't take long for a sizable group of pressured peers and fragile egos to join the game.

" ALL RIGHT YOU FUCKERS, LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!" the crowd cheered as on-lookers pulled out their phones to capture this moment of voyeurism and CP, they were kids, and most of them weren't going to college anyways, so what's a sex offender charge? I'm joking, of course, they shouldn't have been filming, but it was too late to stop. Kari started the music.

" I better not see any of you half-assing any dance moves. If you don't try, you're out! KYLE! I SEE YOU, BITCH! GET RID OF THOSE CLOTHES, BABY!" she pointed to a guy in a polo shirt and khaki pants with awful loafers that looked like he stole them from a homeless man that used to run a hedge fund. He looked a little apprehensive and made a fuss,

" Come on, man! We just started, and you just came up with that rule." The crowd looked at Kari. Wanting to know if she'd accept his complaint. She didn't even hesitate,

" NOPE! STRIP 'EM BOYS!" a group of 'chads' all cheered while grabbing this poor sucker, so we can add sexual assault to the many laws this party broke. While everyone was getting into this game, I walked to the kitchen to get myself a drink. I needed something to numb my beating heart from the anxiety, but what would you know- Mr. Captain was also there talking with a group of girls about something- I didn't quite catch the conversation due to all the commotion Kari had started.

" TAKE YOUR CLOTHES OFF, LOSER!" I hear her shout from the other room, followed by guys screaming,

"TITS! TITS! TITS"

" I guess some chick got out." I snickered.  I grabbed a red solo cup and glanced at a bottle of wine.

 " Wine? that's kinda high brow for a high school party, don't you think." I say a bit louder not realizing I caught the eye of Mr. Capitan.

" Yeah, my friend Jordan brought that. His family owns a vineyard out in the country, and one of the bottles they produce." he slowly walks up to me, speaking sweetly but loudly. I thought maybe he'd be more aggressive but I hadn't been able to find a red flag yet- to be fair, it's been about 5 seconds since he spoke to me.

" So, I don't think I've seen you around before. Are you like a party crasher or did I just not see you in the halls at school." I take a sip of my cup forgetting that I never poured the wine into it, " If you'd like I could pour you the wine, or do you just like the taste of air?" He says jokingly, flashing a charming smile. I was getting a little frustrated because I started to know why Kari liked him. He's nice, witty, and handsome- I hate it.

" Could I ask you something?" I just needed to find a flaw with this guy, what I was about to do was a little under the belt but I needed to see how he would react, " What's your body count?"

He looked stunned but smiled and leaned in to say it into my ear, " About three or four, if you count repeated encounters, why?" I thought my heart would stop, I didn't think he'd be honest or this forward. I didn't know how to respond so I said,

" My friend thinks you're hot. I wanted to see what the fuss was." still gripping that empty cup, I panicked internally. I didn't have a buffer or a distraction.

" I SEE YOU CHARLES! YOU CAN'T RUN FROM ME, BOYS GET HIS ASS!" Kari shouted from the other room, just then a kid ran through the kitchen with the group of "chads" pursuing him. Mr.Capitan sits up straight, popping open that bottle of wine. He looks at me offering to pour me a cup desperate to lose my senses I nod, extending my cup.

" Do you want to find a quiet place to chat?" he asked, speaking into my ear a second time. I didn't get that gross feeling as I would with most guys who'd ask that plus I couldn't stand the thought of that guy running back through the kitchen naked. So I nodded and followed his lead, he took me to the drawing room- locking the door behind him.

" You can sit, and make yourself comfortable." He struts over to a cabinet that has more alcohol, pulls out a bottle of scotch, pours himself a glass then plops down in the seat across from me.

" So, what's your name?" swirling his drink, his voice changed to a more seductive tone.

" Uh, Kimberly but friends call me Kimmy."

" Could I call you Kimmy? Or maybe Kim."

I didn't know how to react so I just said, " Kim is fine, I guess." taking a sip of my wine. The air filled with painful silence.

" Well, aren't you gonna ask for my name?" he laughs.

" Oh, right. So what is your name?" my sip turned into a gulp, I was getting worried about where this conversation might lead.

" You don't have to be nervous, you know." He saw right through me like I was purified glass, I just froze, " My name is Damion but most people call me 'D' you can also call me that. So that you know, I wouldn't do anything without your consent."

" What do you mean?" setting my cup in my lap, taking the time to trace the rim with my finger, I just needed something to focus on besides this guy's pretty face.

" S-so, Kari says you're the captain of some sports team or something."

" sports? No, robotics." he smiles proudly.

" That's kinda nerdy, you don't look like-"

" Like I'm smart? Yeah, people never think that, I work out for the fun of it and most girls only hear the word, 'Capitan' so It's hard to have a real conversation but you get used to it.'' The first time he looked down at his cup to take a sip, he was more affected by it than he was letting on but I didn't want to say anything.

" Wow, you're not what I thought you were. So is there anyone you like? Cause you know, my friend said she liked you."

He smiled at me, regaining that confidence.

" Your friend. She's the girl yelling at all my guests right now, right?"

I nearly choked on my drink when I laughed,

" uh, yeah. She's always been the life of the party and I love her for it." I stare off into the distance, D took notice and smiled,

" So is she just your friend or is there something deeper than that?"

" what? No, we're just friends. I've known her forever and we're just super close is all." I smiled, playing with my cup again, D smiled as though he knew something before I did.

" Well, I don't have a crush on anyone at the moment but I would like a friend that can have intelligent conversations, you know other than the people on the robotics team." We both chuckled while looking at each other. I was worried he'd be trouble but he seemed cool. Meanwhile, Kari had to wrap things up because a few toxic criminals were getting out of hand. Of course, our school is full of assholes but the girls were getting scared. Kari came looking for me, asking around and one guy told her where I was. D and I were still talking about life and other things when we heard a bang on the door, he goes to unlock the door and Kari walks in,

" Hey, you look cozy." she never even stopped to look at D. She came right to me- right to me! "