Unlikely // Tate Langdon (AHS)

• Chapter 4 •

Tate is sat at his parents' table in the corner of the function room. It's your classic elderly birthday party in a function room with peeling pink walls and a dusty red patterned carpet that does not match. There is a single 80 birthday banner on each wall and one 80th birthday balloon next to the DJ booth. Tate had already inspected the buffet table and discovered the classic grandma food of sandwiches and sausage rolls was being served. He wasn't judging, he was actually relieved. He had hoped it would be simple food he would want to eat and not some fancy crap. After grabbing 5 sausage rolls and a coke, Tate retreated back to the table and stuck his headphones on. He may be impressed by the food but the music was not his taste at all. He was especially traumatised when the DJ began playing the song "sex on the beach" and all the elderly members of the party flocked to the dance floor to dance. Tate was still at the buffet table when this occurred and one old lady on her way to the dance floor asked him if he would come dance with her to the song and he had to hold the vomit in his mouth as he shook his head in a firm no.

So there Tate sat, nodding along to his own music in the corner of the room. His mother was working her way around the room as usual, Addy plastered to her side, speaking to as many people as she could. She gestured in his direction several times and he knew she was talking about him. Constance attempted to wave him over several times but Tate continued to scowl from a distance. His father was standing at the bar with a group of men. Tate watched as a younger waitress sped past carrying empty glasses and a few of the men looked her up and down before nodding in agreement. Of course his piece of shit father was one of them.

Unfortunately for Tate, enjoying his own company didn't last long as his grandma arrived and, after speaking with Constance and learning his whereabouts, she made a beeline for her grandson.

"Tate, dear, do you want to come speak to Petunia with me over there?" His grandma offered pushing his headphones off his head and ruffling his curls.

"Eh, no grandma I'm fine over here thanks." Tate replied flashing her a fake smile while rubbing his forehead. He hadn't seen his grandmother approaching and so was startled when he felt his headphones being ripped off and his hair pulled about.

"What are you being all antisocial for? If you won't stand with your granny, why don't you go on and ask a lovely young lady to dance?" His grandma beamed as she scanned the room for a dancing partner for Tate.

"Honestly, grandma, I'm fine here thanks." Tate replied bouncing his leg anxiously. His grandma was drawing attention to them with her loud voice and Tate just wanted to sink into the shadows and remain unseen.

"What are we talking about over here?" Constance questioned as she made her way toward her mother and son.

"I was just telling Tate that he should ask a young lady to dance!" Tate's grandma informed her enthusiastically in her southern drawl.

"I think that's a mighty fine idea, mother." Constance agreed with a smile as she looked towards Tate knowing full well how much her son would hate that idea. Tate scowled back at his mother knowing now that Constance was involved, he had lost this fight. "If you don't ask one of these girls to dance, you can stay in tonight with your father and I and watch a film. And I know you said you had those plans you just couldn't get out of!" Constance threatened giving him a satisfied look.

As the two women began talking, Tate let his head drop back against the wall behind him as he scanned the room for any women under the age of 70. To his surprise, he noticed his neighbour, Heather, sitting at the other side of the room with her family. What was she doing at his Uncle David's eightieth birthday party? Giving the room another quick sweep, he realised she was the only young girl here that he actually knew. She would have to do, Tate thought.