It was Friday, and the buzz about Tommy Westwood’s party spread through the halls of Westwood High like wildfire. Posters of the invite were being passed around, texts flooded group chats, and excited whispers filled the air. For the senior class, this was the party of the year—Tommy’s house was practically a mansion, and the promise of no parental supervision guaranteed chaos.

For Leo Clarke, however, it sounded like a nightmare.

“You’re not going?”

Marcus leaned against the locker next to Leo’s, his eyebrow raised in disbelief. Beside him, Alicia crossed her arms, looking equally incredulous.

Leo shrugged, pulling a textbook from his locker. “Not really my scene.”

“Not your scene?” Alicia gawked. “Leo, it’s the Tommy Westwood party. Everyone’s going to be there. You can’t just stay home and—what? Study?”

“Sounds like a solid plan,” Leo said dryly.

Marcus groaned. “Dude, you’ve been at this school for, what, two weeks? You need to make an impression. A party like this? It’s a golden opportunity.”

“To do what? Embarrass myself in front of everyone?”

Alicia rolled her eyes. “No, to have fun. Trust me, you’ll thank us later.”

“I’ll pass.”

That evening, Leo was comfortably nestled on the couch in his sweatpants, half-watching a rerun of some action movie while scrolling through his phone. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Clarke, were in the kitchen, laughing softly as they cooked dinner together.

It was peaceful—until the doorbell rang.

Mrs. Clarke opened the door, revealing Alicia and Marcus, dressed to impress and grinning mischievously.

“Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Clarke!” Alicia chirped. “We’re here to pick up Leo.”

Mrs. Clarke tilted her head. “Pick him up?”

“For Tommy Westwood’s party,” Marcus added. “We promised we’d get him there.”

Before Leo could protest, Alicia called out, “Leo! Your parents said you can come!”

Leo groaned as he trudged toward the door. “I don’t remember agreeing to this.”

“You didn’t,” Marcus said, grabbing his arm. “But we’re doing you a favor, trust me.”

Before Leo could argue further, his parents chimed in.

“Go on, Leo,” his dad said with a smirk. “You could use some fun.”

“Have a good time, sweetheart,” his mom added.

Leo sighed, realizing there was no escape.

The moment they pulled up to Tommy’s sprawling house, Leo felt a pang of regret. Music boomed from the backyard, and the yard was packed with cars and groups of students laughing and chatting. The air smelled like grilled burgers, beer, and mischief.

“This is… intense,” Leo muttered as they approached the entrance.

“You’ll be fine,” Alicia said, looping her arm through his. “Stick with us.”

The party was everything Leo expected and dreaded. The basketball team and football team had taken over the pool area, while the cheer squad danced to the music blasting from giant speakers. Inside, people crowded around the living room, playing drinking games, laughing, and shouting over the noise.

Leo stuck close to Marcus and Alicia, clutching a soda as they made their way through the chaos.

It wasn’t long before they spotted Adrian.

He was leaning against the kitchen counter, dressed in ripped black jeans and a fitted gray shirt that somehow made him look effortlessly cool. A drink dangled from his fingers, and his signature smirk was firmly in place as he chatted with a group of guys.

When Adrian’s eyes landed on Leo, his smirk widened. He raised his glass in acknowledgment and sauntered over, ignoring the curious glances from his crowd.

“Well, well,” Adrian drawled. “Look who decided to come out and play. Didn’t think I’d see you here, Puppy.”

Leo groaned. “Stop calling me that.”

“What’s wrong? Doesn’t like his nickname?” Adrian teased, flashing that infuriatingly charming smile.

Alicia and Marcus exchanged stunned looks, and Alicia’s voice dropped to a whisper. “You know Adrian?”

“Uh… kind of,” Leo mumbled.

Adrian arched an eyebrow. “Kind of? That hurts, Puppy.” He turned to Alicia and Marcus. “I’m Adrian, by the way.”

“We know who you are,” Alicia said quickly, her cheeks flushing.

Adrian gave her a lazy smile before turning back to Leo. “Let me guess—your friends dragged you here?”

“Pretty much.”

“Good. You need to get out more.”

Leo glared. “Why does everyone keep saying that?”

Adrian laughed, the sound low and rich, and patted Leo on the shoulder. “Relax, Puppy. You might actually have fun.”

The Dance Floor

Later in the night, Leo found himself wandering toward the backyard. The party had grown wilder, and people were spilling onto the lawn.

That’s when he spotted Abby, Ethan’s girlfriend. She was trying to balance a tray of drinks while navigating through a crowd near the pool. Just as she reached the edge, someone bumped into her, and the tray wobbled dangerously.

Without thinking, Leo rushed forward, catching the tray before it spilled.

“Got it,” he said, steadying the drinks.

Abby looked up, startled, then smiled. “Oh, wow. Thanks! That was close.”

“No problem,” Leo said awkwardly.

Before Abby could say more, Ethan appeared, his arm sliding protectively around her shoulders. His eyes flicked to Leo, and his expression hardened.

“Abby, you okay?”

“I’m fine. Leo helped me out.”

Ethan’s gaze locked on Leo. “Of course, he did.”

Leo opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, another voice cut in.

“Well, isn’t this cozy?”

Adrian strolled up, his hands in his pockets and his signature smirk firmly in place. “You picking on my Puppy, Ethan?”

Ethan’s jaw tightened. “Stay out of this, Adrian.”

“Why? You gonna make me?” Adrian’s tone was light, but there was a dangerous edge to his smile.

Kai appeared then, stepping between Adrian and Ethan. His eyes darted to Leo, and his lip curled. “What’s your deal, Clarke? First lunch, now this?”

Leo blinked, taken aback. “I was just helping Abby—”

“Leave him alone, Kai,” Adrian interrupted, his voice hardening. “He didn’t do anything wrong.”

Kai sneered. “Why do you care, Adrian? Thought you didn’t give a damn about anyone.”

Adrian stepped closer, his smirk fading. “I care when assholes like you think they can push people around.”

The tension between the two was thick, and for a moment, it felt like the night might end in a fight.

But then Abby placed a hand on Ethan’s arm. “Let’s just go. It’s not worth it.”

Ethan hesitated, his eyes lingering on Leo before he turned and walked away with Abby.

Kai shot Leo one last glare before following.

Aftermath

As the crowd dispersed, Adrian turned to Leo, his smile returning. “You okay, Puppy?”

Leo sighed. “Stop calling me that.”

“Not a chance,” Adrian said with a wink.

Despite everything, Leo felt a small, reluctant smile tug at his lips. Adrian had stepped up for him, and while Leo didn’t fully understand why, he was grateful.