Kiss Cam

Ch. 12 - Romeo and Juliet

yo I usually never say these types of things, but if you guys could not ONLY comment "update" I'd appreciate it. I like reading comments on my story, not ones that rush me. I really love writing this story, but I lose motivation when I see things like that.

please & thank you

I always loved parties.

Family parties.

The ones where all of your closest friends and family members would come over to celebrate a holiday or a birthday or some sort.

Sometimes, if the celebration is really popping, all the adults will be drunk. It always amused me in some odd way. I think it was really just because I got to see over twenty adults acting like ten year olds.

With the feeling light-hearted and the night seeming forever young, I never had a care in the world. I felt comfortable and welcomed, sharing the night with people who loved me.

But the party Asher invited me to tonight is nothing like the family parties I loved. This party is nowhere near light-hearted, and I just want it to end at this point.

My stomach feels sick as I look around at all of the strange, drunk people. I don't know what they're thinking, what they might do.

Worst part of it all? I lost Asher.

"Hey. Riley, right?"

I turn my head to see one of the people I met at his sister's party, Ari. He has shaggy black hair and a few piercings on his face. His style is really punk rock, just as Asher described them. He smells like beer.

"Hi," I say softly.

He sits down next to me on the smoky-smelling couch. "Where's Asher?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know? Isn't that like the purpose of a girlfriend?" he asks jokingly.

I laugh awkwardly. It's not like I want to come off this way, but I know I'm being introverted. I'm just new at this and kind of feel like Asher threw me into a pack of wolves.

"You're a junior, right?"

"Yeah." I nod and avert my eyes from an odd couple in the corner humping each other. "Same as Asher."

"You know, I met Lainey when I was a junior." He takes a sip of his beer. "We would've been voted cutest couple if we hadn't dropped out."

I just smile, not quite knowing if he's actually proud to be a high school dropout.

"I think it's cool that Asher is staying in school." His smile fades a little as he thinks on it. "He's really proving himself."

"Yeah," I agree.

"Don't let him dropout. Can you do that for me?" he asks, a serious look on his face.

I open my mouth, but no words come out. The response was simple, just say yes. But I think my hesitance is directed mainly on the point that Ari is expecting me to be the one to keep Asher in school, as if I'm the influence in his life.

"He respects you," Ari says, practically reading my mind. "You're the thing shaping his life right now."

I raise my eyebrows. "Me?"

"No, the other person sitting on this couch," he chuckles.

Glancing at the empty spot next to me, I realize it was just a joke and begin to laugh with him. "Right."

"I like you, Riley," he says with a nod of his head. "You seem like a nice kid."

"Thanks," I say slightly unsure of myself. "I like you too?"