Treading Water- tsitp fanfic

Bonfire

"Holy shit, are you okay?" A boy ran up to me.

"Well I don't know let's take inventory, I'm sitting here crying with my top undone, so what do you think?" I said in a snarky tone. Only then did I look up to find the boy from earlier, "Huh, just my luck, beer boy, or no no no, should I say boob boy, what you come for another show?" 

"What- no, no, no. Look, I'm so sorry about earlier, but can I please help you?" he exclaimed.

I paused before taking a breathe, "Fine you can help me by tying my top and getting me another drink." I say as I stand and turn my back to him so that he can fix my top. Despite my state, I feel my breathe hitch as his fingers graze the skin on my back.

He clears his throat, "All done."

I slowly turn to face him, "thank you," I say with my arms crossed, suddenly very aware of how exposed I was.

He seems to take notice as he takes off his sweatshirt, "here take this."

I look up at him with a look of uncertainty, "Ya know, your'e not so bad boob boy," I say with a small smile.

He grimaces, "Please, for the love of God, call me Wally."

This time I full out laugh, "What, like the fucking Pixar movie?"

He tries to look unfazed, but I see a look of amusement in his eyes at the sound of my laugh, "Honestly I wish, more like Walter Edgar Thatcher the Third," he says with a posh accent.

My eyes widen, "God, you're right, that is so much worse," I say laughing.

"And you are?"

"Natalia Eloise Fisher, but you can call me Nat."

"Ok, so Nat, if you don't mind me asking, are you- are you gonna be ok? Cause I don't know the whole story but context clues are telling me there's some guys' ass I need to beat."

"Few things, one, it's actually a girl's ass that needs beating , although I'd be surprised if she's not passed out from all the alcohol," I scoff looking at the shock on his face when I said girl before continuing, "and by that look on your face it seems I need to inform you I lean both ways," I see a look that I could almost say is relief on his face, "and two, while I appreciate the offer, I am very capable of completing my own ass whooping's, and three, ask me if I'm ok again after another drink?"

"Deal," he says and I began to walk away only to notice he stays put.

"Yo, dude, you coming?" his face breaks out into a smile as he runs to catch up with me. 

Four drinks later and Wally and I are sitting by the fire sloshed out of our minds and giggling like fools. I see Belly off in the distance fighting with Steven before falling in the sand. I tell Wally to stay put while I go see what's up. I run up just in time to hear Conrad call Belly a brat. "Connie, why would you say that, our belly button is NOT a rat," Belly looks at me in thanks before I continue, "she's a feral alley cat remember," I see before breaking into a fit of laughter. Conrad and Belly are no longer fighting as they are both now looking at me with confused looks on their faces. "Look, I've gotta go hangout with my new buddy, but Belly you have fun, and Conrad you let her have fun," I say as I drunkenly stumble away from them, "Love you both so so so much." I return to Wally who appears to have watched that entire interaction and holding back a laugh. "What?", I say, egging him on to say whatever it is that's on his mind.

"You are absolutely plastered," I fell to the ground in a fit of giggles beside him.

"No, you," at this we break into another senseless fit of giggles. 

We lay in comfortable silence beside each other looking at the stars, "Wally?" I questioned.

"Nat?" he answered.