The Price of Popularity (BoyxBoy)

{21}

Beth really must have thought that Asher would come around to the party idea if her house was any indication. Low music was sounding through the house as he walked through the unlocked front door and knowing her, he was sure that playlists were already loaded up and ready to go. He walked into her kitchen on heavy feet where he noticed that the fridge was filled with eighty percent beer. A sigh of relief sounded its way through him and he knew that there was no way that he was going to have any fun at this party sober. A large cake sat amongst the bottles and Asher was sure that Beth wouldn't have planned to eat it on her own. Then again, he should know better than to underestimate that girl.

He closed the fridge door with a beer in his hand.

'I knew that you would change your mind,' Beth smirked from behind him.

'That's apparent.' Asher turned with a smile to see his friend standing in the doorway. She was all ready to go with her signature skinny jeans and low cut top with black pumps against the hard wood floors. Her hair was flowing around her shoulders and her lips were a pretty shade of peach. 'Looking gorgeous,' he commented as he twisted the cap off the beer bottle and threw it carelessly across the kitchen counter.  

'Why thank you,' she smiled. 'It seems that you didn't put much effort into your outfit.'

Asher looked down to see that he was still wearing the same jeans and green shirt he had been wearing all day at school. He briefly considered going home to change but that just seemed like a terrible idea. This was his last night before the walls around him started crumbling and he was going to prolong it as much as he could. He wasn't going to risk running into Danny.

Danny. Just his name caused guilt to swirl around his gut and he had to forcibly pull Danny's face from his mind.

'When is everyone coming?' he asked, leaning against the counter top.

'Texted everyone while you were on your way. They will be here soon I'm sure,' she told him. His friends must have also assumed that this party was going to happen.

'Good,' he muttered. Asher took a long swig of his drink and Beth gave him a pointed look.

'"Here's to alcohol, the rose coloured glasses of life",' Asher declared, taking another gulp of beer. He wished that he could down an entire bottle of vodka about now but he knew that Beth would probably freak out since it wasn't even dark outside.

'What?' Beth asked, her head tilting slightly.

'It's F. Scott Fitzgerald,' he explained.

'Celebrating a little early, aren't we?' she asked, only a twinge of judgement in her tone.

He shrugged, past the point of caring already. 'It's never too early to drink.'

Beth gave him this look and he would swear to god that it said; 'You sound like an alcoholic,' but the words didn't leave her mouth, they stayed in her expression only. He suspected that perhaps if it wasn't his birthday the words would have been said, but for now she kept her thoughts to herself and he was grateful.

'It is your birthday,' she said in reply, furthering his suspicions. 'Tonight is your night, do whatever you want.'

'I will,' he told her while bringing the bottle to his lips again.

Her slightly concerned expression was interrupted when a knock sounded against the front door, echoing throughout the room. Asher walked behind her as Beth answered the door. Chad was the one to step over the threshold, a giant grin over his face.

'And I had been sure that you really didn't want a party,' he said, his eyes connecting with Asher's.

'Changed my mind,' Asher said in somewhat of an explanation.