inferno • lrh (ON HOLD)

thirty - if walls could talk*

techno music wound its way around the group as they entered the nearly packed nightclub. it seems like the advertisement had circulated through many of the harvard students, if the crowds inside and the huge line outside were anything to go by.

"i. love. this." zara squealed gleefully over the throbbing bass of the music. her hands had wound a death grip around ashton's bicep, something the red haired male didn't seem to even notice.

of course zara loved this, it was exactly her scene. loud music, swarms of people and flowing alcohol were things that made zara thrive.

they didn't exactly do the same for mal.

while she did enjoy these events as much as the next person, they never brought out a hidden side of her like they did zara.

"she looks like she's about to piss herself." calum mused into malory's ear as they watched ash and zara disappear in the direction of the bar, the blond girl chattering away excitedly to her smiling boyfriend. "she really is a party animal."

"you could say that again."

thankfully for malory, luke had disappeared the moment that the group had passed through the security protected doors, probably to find his conquest of the night.

she was glad that she didn't have to deal with him tonight. maybe tomorrow she would finally contact him so that they could get back to their usual bickering ways.

"woman, get out of your fucking head." feeling a soft punch hit her bare shoulder, malory finally came back to reality, her eyes shooting to meet calum's once again. "stop overthinking."

"i was not overthinking."

"uhuh, and i'm a world famous bassist." rolling his eyes, calum began to steer them towards the bar where she could distinctly see ashton and michael's heads bobbing above the crowd. "now let's get a drink, yeah? tonight's about having fun."

leading them over to their friends, calum ordered a drink for both of them, smiling sweetly at the female bartender that served them. malory just knew he would end up flirting with her for half the night, which was good to see. calum deserved to have some fun.

he hasn't had a lot since he dumped his lying, cheating ex.

turning away from calum so that him and the now giggling bartender could have some privacy, malory smiled at jessa and michael. their hands were interlocked as they waited for their drinks. "i forgot to say how amazing you two look!"

jessa grinned happily when she noticed malory, her cheeks heating up with the compliment. "it was all mike's idea. i couldn't think of anything to save my life."

"the costumes are from one of your favourite anime's, yeah?" michael nodded proudly, his eyes sparkling in excitement. it was nice to see him so comfortable and happy around someone other than their friend group.

"you two are definitely the hottest couple here." zara commented as her and ashton joined the group, a gin and tonic clutched firmly in her hand. "closely followed by ash and i, of course."

"i think you're both tied." malory chuckled at her best friend, bumping her hip against hers playfully. "but that might just be my biased opinion."

"you could be part of a hot couple too if you had just invited that guy." zara took a sip of her drink all the while not so subtly shooting mal her infamous 'i know best' look.

eyes widening, jessa grabbed malory's arm. "there's a guy and you haven't said anything? what the fuck mal?"

"there's no guy!" an exasperated huff left malory's lips as she shot a glare at her best friend, who only smiled in return. if she didn't love her so much she surely would have killed her right then and there.