Word Count: 1319
The music blasting through the house was not the kind Millie enjoyed. In fact, it was the complete opposite and she hardly recognized any of the songs. She was squashed between Noah and Gaten on a couch in the lounge room. "C'mon Millie, just have one drink. It'll calm you down." Gaten persisted, holding the drink out to the unamused girl.
"I told you, Gaten, I'm driving tonight." She spoke slowly to her intoxicated friend as he grumbled some incoherent words in return. Millie wasn't sure what was up with him, but he was seemingly drinking excessively and possessing a constant frown.
They'd only been at the party for an hour or so, but Noah already looked bored. He wasn't much of a party animal, in fact, probably a lesser one than Millie. He was a social butterfly within his inner group of his friends, but if you remove him from there and place him with a bunch of other people in their grade, he was shyer. Millie was bored as well, but she was desperate to have a good time tonight. She hadn't been to a party in a while, so it was a nice change. She nudged Noah playfully, and he looked at her, a small smile on his lips.
He appreciated Millie's effort at always including him. She could tell when something was up with him and it made her sad to see him so down. She was about to say something, but he beat her to it, "I know we haven't been here long, but I think I might head home."
"What?" Gaten groaned, leaning forward and peering at Noah.
Millie frowned, her mood becoming a bit sadder, "oh, really? That's okay. Do you want me to drop you home?" She really didn't want to leave, but more than that, she wanted her friend to get home safely.
"I should be good, Mills. I'll just walk." He smiled softly, standing up and shaking Gaten's hand before walking off, being lost in the sea of dancing bodies.
"And then there were two," Gaten muttered, "I'm gonna go get a refill, you sure you don't want one?" Gaten playfully questioned.
Millie contemplated it, she didn't have Noah to drive home anymore... so she could just leave her car behind and find another way home. But, her sensible side got the better of her as she shook her head, "nope."
"Your loss, Millie Brown! Your loss." He shouted, walking back towards the kitchen and occasionally bumping into someone.
Millie just laughed at her crazy friend. She was only alone on the couch for a few moments before she felt a body sink into the cushion next to her, "Millie! You're here!" Sadie's excited voice rang in her ears and she engulfed her in a hug.
"Of course." Millie grinned and saw Gaten approaching with a red cup in his hand. Maybe the night wouldn't end up as bad as she thought it was going to. She had two of her friends on either side of her and that was all she could ask for.
She was optimistic until she heard the voice of a certain someone she was dreading seeing, "hey guys," Finn spoke, but he didn't really sound that keen to be there.
"Someone's a bit late!" Sadie drunkenly teased him, raising her leg to kick him. He grabbed it before it reached him, pulling her forward slightly.
A smirk was present on his face, "Sadie, I will pull you off that couch."
"Don't you dare!" She shouted at him, "I'll make Caleb beat you up!" She threatened, insincerely.
Finn laughed, dropping her leg. Millie was getting more and more nervous with him standing there. She glanced down at Gaten's cup, and before thinking grabbed it and took a large sip, "hey!" He protested, but it was too late. "I offered to get you one!" He whined, snatching the cup back. "Besides, I thought you were driving?"
All three teens were now looking at Millie, awaiting a response. She didn't say anything, instead, she just stood and walked into the kitchen to get her own drink.
"She can't drive home if she is going to drink," Sadie spoke, concern laced in her voice. "And Millie doesn't just have one drink, she either stays sober or drinks a lot."
"I won't drink," Finn stated, clearly. His eyes were glued to Millie who was in the kitchen, already finishing a drink she just poured. "I'll keep an eye on her, it's the least I can do for all the times she's picked me up from parties." Finn didn't know why he always called Millie when he needed to be picked up, she was just always so kind to him despite the fact they weren't too close. He also didn't know why he was so concerned about her having a bit to drink, she clearly didn't even want to be around him.
Sadie nodded slowly, "thanks, Finn. I'm gonna go see if she is okay because that sudden change of attitude was weird." She stood, walking to her best friend who was refilling her cup.
"Sudden change of attitude?" Finn questioned, peering at Gaten with furrowed eyebrows.
Gaten shrugged, "she was adamant about staying sober tonight up until you came. No offense, dude, but I think she is upset with you." Finn already knew this of course and was fully aware he had to apologize.
Sadie approached Millie, watching as she started drinking the second cup. "Hey, Mills. You good?" She questioned, she'd had a bit to drink but wasn't too drunk yet.
"Yeah, I'm good." Millie plastered a fake smile on her face, finishing the rest of her drink. She could tell Sadie didn't believe her and was concerned about how much she was drinking in such a short period, "lets dance!" She exclaimed with false enthusiasm, quickly pouring two more drinks - one for herself and one for her red-haired friend who was now smiling eagerly at Millie.
———
Millie was drunk. Very drunk. She'd danced with Sadie for a while but when Sadie spotted Caleb, she ran off to him. Millie had decided to get another drink and another. That was forty minutes ago and she was now dancing, well, stumbling with the rest of the drunk teenagers.
Finn has been watching her all night in an effort to make sure she is okay. He and Gaten, who was standing next to him, were leaning against the wall of the living room. Gates was still glum and Finn was in no mood to dance. "Finn, I'm gonna head outside for a smoke. You coming?" He began walking before Finn could reply.
He quickly glanced at Millie, who was currently dancing with a girl who he recognized from his math class and Sadie again. He decided it was safe to leave for a few minutes and quickly followed Gaten out the back of the house.
"Thanks," he mumbled as Gaten passed him a cigarette and the lighter he'd just used to light his own. Finn inhaled the cigarette deeply, and leaned against the cold stone wall, peering up at the sky.
There was a minute or so of peaceful silence before Gaten spoke, "I think I want to break up with Lilia."
Finn couldn't say he was too surprised, there was something up with Gaten all night and he was itching to ask, but he didn't want to be nosy. "Why's that?" Finn shifted his body to look at his friend.
"It's hard to explain, but the feeling just isn't there anymore." He spoke quietly, even though Lilia wasn't there tonight he didn't want anyone to hear.
Finn nodded slowly. He couldn't relate, but he trusted Gaten's judgment.
For a few moments, Finn felt completely relaxed. It was a lot quieter outside and the cigarette was removing the previous anxiety he was having. He'd completely forgotten about the drunk girl he was meant to be keeping an eye on who currently despised him.
A/N: so I have exams this coming week and I mightn't be able to update too much, but I'm gonna try pre write some more chapters. I have some written, but I don't like to post all of them and have none because then if I don't have time to update for a while I don't have anything to post. I dont know if that makes sense, it's 12:30am and I was just proof reading this. I'm exhausted.
Goodnight! Xx
