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15 - Intoxicated

 Luke spotted Ki talking to a girl I didn’t know at one end of the room. We went over to say hi, but couldn’t have much of a conversation with her, partly because of the sound and partly because she was stoned as fuck and slurring over her words.

 “Let’s get something to drink,” Luke said in my ear, his hand finding the small of my back. I shivered, and attributed it to the…er, cold.

“Yeah.”

 We meandered through the people to the kitchen. The music was only a little softer in here. I grimaced when I saw a couple making out heavily against one of the counters (fuck, maybe Ki chops her vegetables there). Apart from them, there were two guys passed out in one corner (at nine o clock, freaking lightweights) and one plump girl rooting through the gargantuan fridge who left without giving us a second glance.

 “You want anything specific?” Luke asked, taking over after her. I shrugged, standing behind the door.

 “A beer will do.”

 He took out two cans of Heineken and passed me one.

 Half an hour later we were both pleasantly buzzed. I wanted to dance. Luke refused firmly.

 “No.”

 “Oh, come on.”

 “No way, I can’t dance, especially to this music. You go on, I’ll wait here.”

 I scowled at him but I pushed my way onto the floor anyway. The music was loud, bass echoing through the floors, the alcohol tinting everything rose in a pleasant way. I found a bunch of girls who were just sort of dancing with everyone who came their way so I joined them and soon we were dancing and laughing like old friends, not a word exchanged. I had the vague feeling I knew them from somewhere, but couldn’t really place their faces.

 The song changed to some David Guetta thing soon. I took the opportunity to catch my breath, looking around at the fringes of the crowd for Luke. I spotted him almost immediately. He stood leaning against a column, sipping on his beer (like it was freaking champagne or something). He was also looking straight at me. When I caught his eye, he grinned and waved like a dork.

 Or maybe he was just drunk, I don’t know. I waved back anyway and then turned back to the floor, aware that he was watching.

 A few songs later I was getting pretty tired. I turned to find Luke again but he wasn’t where I’d seen him last. Frowning, I started to push my way out of the crowd again, my eyes scanning the room from my pleasantly high vantage point (I was taller than most of the girls and quite a few of the guys). I couldn’t spot Luke anywhere so I assumed he was in the kitchen.

 The kitchen was empty.

 I groaned as I walked over to the fridge.

 I’ve lost him. Great.

 I took out another beer and then went back to the party. Then I saw him in the opposite corner, talking to Nick, who I hadn’t seen in ages, and Goose. I grinned to myself. I’d always liked Goose, he was a laugh. And Nick was like a brother.

 Walking towards them, I bumped into quite a few people. It was quite frustrating; everyone seemed to be walking in the opposite direction to me.

 “Whoops, sorry. I didn’t see you there.”

 I stepped back after colliding with someone particularly hard, apologizing for the hundredth time. I looked up so I could move forward, and then my blood froze in my veins.

 A smirk slipped onto his chiselled face, eyes boring into mine.

 “Long time no see, Maya.”