By around eight o'clock in the evening, half of the party is drunk.
I'm one of the sober ones, which, you know, makes sense, right?
Francis is still sober, too, which I find pretty surprising.
"Having fun?" he asks me.
"No," I say honestly. "Half of the group is already drunk, and it hasn't even been three hours, yet."
"Yeah, I can agree with that," Francis nods with an understanding smile. "Want to sit outside for a bit?"
"Sure," I agree. "It's getting hot in here, anyway, with everyone dancing and making out in corners."
Francis laughs, wrapping his arm around my shoulders once more as we walk out of his house and sit on the steps that I feel like we were just standing on, the two of us talking about why this house seems so familiar to me.
He still holds me close to him after we sit down, but I don't really mind it, now. It feels nice, and comforting, something that I haven't felt in a very long time.
I look up at the sky, surprised by how clear they are in the City's bright lights.
"The sky is beautiful tonight, no?" Francis wonders, and I can hear the smirk in his voice at my gazing.
"We're not dating, remember?"
"Aw, but can't I start a normal conversation?"
"Like what?" I question, looking at him with a raised brow for emphasis.
"Well," he chuckles lightly, "like...how modest you are, and loyal to your friends. You stood up to Elizabeta for us, even if she did stomp on your foot afterwards. Or, that day the four of us went out, and you and Alfred had such a nice conversation about being friends. Thank you, Arthur, for giving us a second chance."
"You're welcome," I reply, "but-hey! How did you know about our conversation anyway?"
"I have ears all over the school, you know~"
"Creep," I shake my head with a laugh.
"Call me what you want," he rolls his eyes with his smirk still on his face, "but I am not going to give up on you, Arthur. You'll love me. Eventually~"
"Ha, we'll see."
"Yes, we will."
~~~~~~
We go back inside after a few more minutes, and already everything is a mess.
"Aren't your parents going to be upset when they see this tomorrow morning?" I wonder, looking at him.
"Oh, they're out of the country until Tuesday," Francis explains in his carefree manner, "so it's okay. Besides, since it's Saturday tomorrow, we can just clean it up, then, can't we?"
"Well...I...suppose so," I reluctantly agree, "but won't the principal at the school be angry for all of us being late to our dorms?"
"Oh, no, they won't," Francis shakes his head. "They don't do dorm checks on the weekends."
"Why not?"
"Because they know people usually go out of the country during the weekend, so it would be unfair to do dorm checks at that time."
"Oh."
Before Francis can reply, Gilbert shoves a plastic cup of beer in my hand while Antonio does the same to Francis.
"Drinking contest, and...GO!" they cheer, and Francis chugs his cup in two seconds flat.
I just stare at mine, trying to find a good place to dump it out in. They look at me, utterly confused, and I chuckle awkwardly.
"You lost, you know," Gilbert says flatly, looking pretty annoyed.
"Yeah, I know," I reply nonchalantly. "I don't drink."
They gasp, but Francis nods with his understanding look again.
"4.0 student?"
"Something like that," I tell him, not wanting to get into the details.
"Come on," Gilbert tries to insist. "Just one sip. Please? For us?"
Peer pressure?
Pfft!
What a dumb move.
"No," I decline firmly, giving the cup back to him. "I don't want to, so you can't make me."
I walk off, then, but he follows me against Francis' wishes of him not to.
"What are we?" I scowl at him. "Grade schoolers?"
"Just try it!" Gilbert begs. "It's really good this time of year."
"How gullible do you think I am?" I answer, my voice a bit harsher than I want it to be.
He looks hurt, and I suddenly feel bad for making him upset.
Guess he's more sensitive than he looks and acts, I think to myself, sighing heavily.
I take the cup back, chugging it like Francis did. I grimace at the disgusting taste, but it made Gilbert happy again, so....
"Arthur!" Francis cries, holding onto my shoulders tightly. "Are you okay? You are petite! How could you drink it so quickly like that? You could die in a few minutes if you keep this up!"
"I'm fine, Francis," I assure him, but he looks at Gilbert with a look of anger.
"How could you?" he demands. "I thought you were above peer pressure!"
"You need to let loose," Gilbert smirks. "Both of you."
"Hand me another one, then," I smirk back, and Francis gasps in shock.
"Now we're talking!" Gilbert laughs.
Yeah, perhaps I do need to let loose, right?
~~~~~~
Francis' P.O.V.
The whole night just keeps getting worse and worse!
I look at the time, and it is already eleven-thirty PM!
Arthur should have blacked out by now!
"Arthur, please!" I beg him. "You've already had ten cups, so I think you should stop before you get alcohol poisoning or worse!"
"No, I'm...fine!" he hiccups before laughing maniacally.
"No, you are not fine!" I argue, but he doesn't listen to me as he drinks another one.
"Number eleven~" he winks at me before running off.
Ugh!
He's cute, he really is, but right now, he's being a huge pain in my back!
I try to think of a plan to make him stop, but he interrupts me by getting up near the DJ area and speaks into the microphone.
"This song is for someone that is very near and dear to me!" he announces, and everyone but me laughs.
Oh my goodness!
He's going to embarrass himself!
I quickly run up to him, hugging his tightly and dragging him away from the podium as everyone lets out cries of disappointment.
"Everyone, go home!" I order them angrily, focusing the words more towards Gilbert.
He sticks his tongue out at me, but I don't care! I'm more worried about Arthur than everyone else right now.
Once everyone is gone, I gently bring Arthur up to a guest bedroom. As soon as I close the door, I feel him pin me against it, his body on top of mine.
"A-Arthur!" I stutter, my face heating up. "Wh-what are you-"
I'm interrupted by a kiss, and then another one on my neck. Even though it feels good, his lips on my skin and his hands under my shirt, I know that I can't entertain him like this.
So, for the first time since I've known him, I push Arthur away from me and leave the room while Arthur lays on the floor unconscious.