I had spent the last couple of days moping around, barely going to class, and chatting with Hunter over text. I learned that Hunter is a psychology major who works for a LGBTQ+ overnight hotline, which is why he was out so late the night that we met. Honestly, I think it is commendable that he works so hard talking to people who just need to talk.

I had just gotten done texting him back when Tommy entered my room without knocking and just stood in the entrance of my room with his arms crossed.

“What? Can’t you knock for once? What if I was doing something dirty?”

“Egh, it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve caught you “doing something dirty,” he said, hand quoting the ‘doing something dirty’ part. I could see his face scrunch up in disgust as he remembered the past transgressions.

“Well maybe if you knocked, you wouldn’t be scarred for life now would you?”

“Whatever dude, party tonight. Get dressed.” 

With that, Tommy left my room, conveniently leaving the door open indicating that this was not something that I would be able to get out of.

“Damn it…” I whispered to myself. I sat there for a minute before getting up with a sigh. I walk over to my closet and look at my clothes. Then shrug as I pick a pair of faded skinny jeans, a black t-shirt, and a plaid button down. I quickly get dressed, grab my phone, and leave the comfort of my room.

***

I hate parties with a passion. I am currently glued to a wall so tightly that it would take six quarterbacks to get me off. I have a red solo cup full of crappy beer that I sip on every minute or so to keep the buzz going without getting completely black out. 

People are dancing all around me, mostly in couples that are glued together even tighter than I am glued to my wall. Most of them are playing tongue hockey so hard that I am not sure how any of them have the time to breathe. Did I mention that I hate parties?

I can’t believe Tommy dragged me all the way here just to ditch me the first chance he got. I should have seen it coming, but it still sucks. I can’t find him in the crowded dining area that has now been converted into a dance floor. Honestly, he is probably up stairs in one of the brothers' rooms playing hide the pickle with Jessica.

I am about to call it a night and walk back home to my apartment when I feel a presence enter my delicately established space.

“Hey dude, what’s up?”

It’s Jackson freaking Choi ladies, gentleman, and non-binary friends. 

“Just watching the mating habits of the brother’s of XXN like it’s a nature channel special.” I replied back. I don’t understand why I said what I said, but it sounded better in my head. I scrunch up my nose in disgust at my own words.

Jackson laughs and I fall in love all over again. His laugh is contagious and just so happens to be my Achilles heel.

The laugh ends with an awkward silence as neither of us know what to say. We haven’t really socialized in like a year or two. I tried keeping our relationship strictly business since the library incident.

“I-”

“So-”

We both try to speak at the same time, making the already awkward situation even more so. I am dying on the inside and I wish I would have drinken a little more than I had so that I didn’t have to remember this conversation.

“Sorry, I interrupted you, what were you going to say?” He asked.

“Nothing really. What were you going to say?”

“Oh, I was just going to ask if you were excited about tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow?” I ask completely blank on what he is talking about. My plans for tomorrow are to sleep and sleep. Nothing more nothing less.

“You know? Volunteering at the retirement home?”

“Oh yeah, old people that’s right.”

He laughed again. I swear if he laughed one more time, my knees would give out. 

“Yeah, old people.”

“I forgot to be honest, but I will be…” I didn’t get to finish my sentence when another, more hostile presence entered my space. 

Rebecca…

“Jackson there you are baby! I was looking all over for you,” she says, her words slurring. She smells like an entire liquor store was dumped on her. “Oh hey Willy! You fix your vibrator yet?”

“Obvi not Rebecca. I wouldn’t be here if I did,” I snarkily reply back.

“Anyways, Jackson! Come on baby. We have to go do something.”

Jackson just waves goodbye as he is pulled away by the siren and I nearly barf with all of the imagine that just flooded my pure innocent brain. My night is ruined. I quickly guzzle down the rest of the liquid in my cup before starting a search for something harder that can erase what I just heard.

***

The next thing I remember, I am chest first on a swing with the lower half of my body in the sand and my arms hanging down over the swing seat. I focus on the sand below me and realize that it is not the color that it is supposed to be. I then further realize a pile of throw up is in the sand and my arms are dangerously close to swinging into it. I do the only thing that one does in this situation and start screaming at the top of my lungs.

“Dude, stop screaming!” Someone says in front of me. I look up and see Hunter staring at me, an amused expression plastered on his face like he is having the best night ever.

“Can you please help me?” I ask, now completely sober except for the searing pain in my head that I know is going to be even worse tomorrow. Hunter laughs before coming around behind me and grabbing the back of my shirt, helping to lift me up without falling in my own vomit. He is surprisingly strong for a tall skinny guy.

“There you go.”

“Thanks,” I say before walking over to a bench and sitting down, leaning over, and putting my head in my hands. Hunter follows me and sits down. He then rubs my back gently which feels way too good.

“Rough night?”

“Was it that obvious?” I ask jokingly before asking, “aren’t you working?”

“I’m on break. Just getting some fresh air.”

“Mnn” I reply, his hand still rubbing my back, sending electricity down my back.

“Hey, I live around here. If you aren’t feeling good you can come stay at my place.” 

“Yeah, that would be nice,” I say without thinking, distracted by his hand.

And that my friends is how I went home with basically a complete stranger who I met in a park.