Chapter2

#Chapter2

LIAM SCOWLED AT the loud music as he and Evan weaved their way through the massive crowd of sweaty bodies dancing way to close to each for comfort. It reminded him of the sole reason why he distasted parties and mass gatherings all together: the people, not the alcohol.

/"Where did you say we were supposed to meet him and his friend?/" Liam shouted over the loud music so his friend could hear him.

Evan said something in return that Liam didn't quite hear. Instead, Liam just followed his friend after seeing how pointless it was trying to talk. They reached what looked like the dining room which had been turned into a make-shift bar after a lot of shoving and nudging.

/"There he is,/" Evan said turning to his friend with a smile before strolling towards where the coffee shop guy stood. He was dressed in tight black ripped jeans with a white button shirt and red solo cup in hand.

/"Hey!/" Evan said once they were near enough for the coffee shop guy to hear him.

The guy's eyes lit up as he saw Evan and he smiled in response. /"Hey!/" he said as a small blush crept across his features.

Evan smiled back and the two looked at each other as if they were the only ones in the room until Liam coughed, pulling their attention to him. Evan finally seemed to notice that he had forgotten all about his friend and smiled sheepishly. /"This is Liam, Liam meet Josh./"

Josh extended his hand and smiled in return. /"Nice to officially meet you./"

/"Likewise./"

With that being said, Evan and Josh got talking leaving Liam standing there all alone and forgotten by his best friend. /"I'll go grab myself a drink from the kitchen or something,/" he said but it was as if his words fell on deaf ears. /"Awesome party by the way,/" he muttered under his breath as he manoeuvred his way to the kitchen where he was a 100 percent certain all the hard alcohols would be kept.

It didn't take him long to find it and when he did, he instantly poured himself a red solo cup and downed its contents all in one goal before taking another and then another, downing each one with the same ferocity. But still, it felt like they weren't doing anything to numb the massive pain in his chest. The pain he was so desperately trying to get rid of.

Liam grabbed a vodka bottle instead and took a long swing from it, letting the contents burn his throat. The imagines of Nicole still played in his mind. He could still picture her smile and the way her eyes lit up whenever she laughed at his corny jokes. He took another swing from the bottle.

/"Whoa! Hold up on the liquor,/" a voice said from behind him. /"Some of us might also want a shot at the vodka ya know./"

Liam turned around only to be met by the most captivating guy he'd ever led eyes on. He had light brown hair with hazel eyes that were hidden behind his large black rimmed glasses.

/"We can always share,/" he offered with a small smile after staring at the guy for what felt like an inappropriate amount of time. Yeah, the vodka was starting to get to his head, he thought.

/"If I didn't know any better,/" the stranger began as he slowly advanced toward Liam with purposeful strides. I'd say you were trying to drink your sorrows away,/" the guy said in a thick American accent. /"I'm Jake by the way and you are?/"

/"Liam./"

Jake took the bottle from his hands and placed it on the counter top. Liam continued staring at Jake and slowly, Liam leant in and kissed him. Jake's lips were soft and plump, the way he pictured them to be. They both froze and Liam quickly pulled away realising his mistake. /"I-I, I'm sorry, I don't-,/" Jake cut him off with a charming smile on his face.

/"It's cool dude./"

A blush crept on Liam's face and he couldn't explain what had compelled him to do such a thing. He wasn’t gay and that he knew for a fact.

/"Well Liam,/" Jake said as he stared at him amused, the kiss having been forgotten. /"You should take it easy on the alcohol before your liver stops functioning and you die all together. Unless that is what you want./"

/"I think that's better than having your girlfriend damp you on your three-year anniversary./"

The amused smile on Jakes face fell as he processed what Liam had just said. He didn't know what to say to that. So instead he kept his mouth shut and watched as Liam took a beer from the refrigerator and took a gulp from it instead.

Liam sent him a tight lipped smile, one that never reached his green eyes or remotely convinced Jake. /"Happy now?/" he asked taking a huge gulp from his beer bottle. The contents slightly cooling his burning embarrassment.

/"Just a little./"

He downed four more bottles within the next twenty minutes as Jake stood there, just watching him with slight amusement and sympathy playing in his eyes. /"Okay! I think that's enough drinking for one night,/" he finally said as he took the bottle from Liam’s now shaking hands.

But Liam shook his head in protest. /"Can't I just drink until I can't remember anything?/" he slurred to which Jake just shook his head. /"I mean, that is the only reason I came to this stupid party in the first place. Because my best friend, who also happened to abandon me, said it would help numb the pain. But nothing is happening, I still feel it./" He pointed to his chest and stared deep into Jake's eyes, noting their hazel colour.

/"Your best friend is obviously on some very strong drugs because that, that’s the dumbest and worst advice I've ever heard in my life,/" Jake responded with a chuckle. /"C'mon, let's get you sat and some fresh air./"

Jake led him outside, away from the sweaty drunk people and thumping music and took a sit on the front stairs of the house. /"You know,/" he began, /"drinking doesn't fix anything./"

Jake wondered why he had agreed to come to this party in the first place. He was never one for parties, and the ones he had attended in high school were only made moderately better because he always had his best friends with him. But now, now they weren't here. He looked up at the night sky and its many glinting stars.

Liam hummed in response. /"It's better than sitting around mopping./"

/"Not truly,/" Jake spoke, turning his gaze towards him. /"Crying is human nature and studies show that it helps in the healing process, albeit, it's mostly not considered manly. Do you want to talk about it?/"

Liam gazed in Jake's eyes once more before he turned to look away because he suddenly felt himself having feelings he wouldn't normally be having, the alcohol was beginning to affect the normal functioning of his brain, he told himself once more that night. That would also explain the kiss. /"I don't think it's wise telling a complete stranger about my not-so-love-life,/" he replied with a slight tilt of the head that made his blond curls fall over his right eye.

/"Fair enough./"

They sat there in silence, each too engrossed in their own thoughts. The music inside barely audible where they sat. Everything felt right even though it wasn't by a long shot. Liam couldn't stop thinking of the kiss and how it made him feel.

/"Your girlfriend isn't worth you getting sick over,/" Jake said after the initial peaceful silence. He stood up, dusted imaginary dust from his dark jeans and offered Liam his hand. /"Need a ride back home?/"