Band-Aids On Bruises

Flower Crowns and Fruity Drinks

After receiving the car keys from my mum and a lecture about being 'responsible' and 'safe', I walk outside to the blue truck parked in the driveway. I hop in, start the engine and drive for one minute to Dustin's house.

When I arrive, I hear Dustin's voice coming from an open window "The door's open." Chuckling I approach the front door and, like Dustin said, it's open so I wander in the neat house and up the stairs to where Dustin's room is.

"So what's this 'one condition' that will make you come with me?" I say as I walk in.

Dustin has his back turned to me, and is sitting at his desk where his computer is. He's not on the internet, is he?

Suddenly he sits up and turns towards me "Close your eyes." he replies with a smirk.

"Okay?..." I close my eyes.

Then I hear Dustin walk over to me, and place something on my head. It's not too heavy, but is firm around my head. "Don't tell me this is..." I groan.

Dustin giggles and I open my eyes. Yep, it is. "Honestly Dust? Flower crowns?"

He's wearing one with light pink and white flowers, and as I shift mine around, I can see mine is light blue.

"Yes, flower crowns." he tells me sassily "Would you like me to explain?" he says and fixes mine after I had been messing with it.

"Please do."

"Well, we're going to a party thrown by the best party throwers, so there is going to be a ton of people." I motion for him to continue "And most likely, we are going to be separated more than once, and even though we're both freakishly tall, I probably won't be able to tell where you are or who you are, and the same goes for you."

"And the flowers help why?"

"Think about it. How many people do you think will be wearing flower crowns? Not many right, maybe even zero! So, if we need to find each other really quickly, we just look for the crowns."

I nod, this makes sense and it's also a pretty good idea. But there is no way I'm going to tell him that. "But we're going to look like idiots." I complain to him.

"I'm fine with it, and if people call me gay, well I am so..." he smiles "And you always look like an idiot." he walks past me "Come on, let's get this over with."

I grumble, jogging after him "Always have to get the last word, don't you?" and he just laughs.

We go outside, and I start the truck while Dustin locks the doors, then he climbs in the vehicle with me. The drive is silent for the most part, and I can tell that Dustin is nervous. He is just looking out the window while I focus on the road.

At one point, I put my hand on his shoulder, and when he looks over I tell him "It's going to be alright . Don't worry. You're going to be fine D." he gives me a small smile and resumes looking out the window. 'We're going to be fine' I tell myself, over and over.

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We hear the party before we can see it. When I turn onto the street that Tyler told me it was on, we can hear the music blaring from farther down. The street is straight, and I can understand why everybody likes come to these parties, the house is one of only three on the street and the spacing between each lot is massive.

"They must be pretty rich." I mumble to Dustin, and I see him gulp as he stares at the house that is growing closer ans closer.

We finally get close enough to park, and I'm left to park on the street. The house's driveway is flooded with cars, and they fill parts of the street as well.