“judas, you have betrayed me with a kiss”

eli tutted, shaking his head in his own defense. “no way - i don’t steal. the baggie was just sitting here, unattended. and it’d been here for like, an hour. maybe an hour and a half. basically, i’m just doing what needs to be done.” he watches wesley for a moment before laughing. “hm. that’s a little cruel. understandable, but cruel.” luckily, elijah seemed to be safe from the apparent threats of a burly man - there was hardly a soul around. “how will it look when you’ve got a spliff in your hand, though?”

he sighs absent mindedly, rolling the joint between his fingers for a moment. eli knows their session is in the works by the stillness in his mind -- more than welcome at the moment. eli smiles back. “mhm. you know oli, i almost believe you. with that smile and an ass that just won’t quit, you’re almost charming.”

Dizzy laughed warmly and poke her tongue out at him briefly.  "You don’t have the right parts for me to be interested in showing you my bedroom eyes,“ she replied, eyes dancing with amusement.  "Such a pity for the both of us.”  She wrinkled her nose.  "Of course Twilight is pathetic, but it’s got that dramatic stare thing down.“  She thought about it a moment and then held her hand out for the joint, wondering if he’d share just a bit more.  "In for a penny,” she said with a shrug.  "It’s kinda nice to take a little mental vacation now and then.“

he laughed again. obviously. “what a shame. you’re missing out on something great.” eli teased, leaning back in his chair with a confident smirk. although secretly, he somewhat liked twilight, the fragile nature of masculinity kept eli from admitting it. “maybe. but that’s the only redeeming factor. i mean, what’s up with that casting? and the acting -- god. i’m cringing, look what you did.” he teased, putting the joint back in her hand. “now that’s something we can agree on. more and more lately, it seems.”

✧ ° ｡—— this guy was really starting to rub off on aflie. she liked his pleasantness and the sway of his conversation. by now only a few people had left and the level of tense had gone down a good amount. “i understand that….being a minority.” it would be a lie to say that afia’s race didn’t play a part but she tried to look at the better sides of things. as her mother would always say; when you change the way you look at things; the things you look at change. but that was a conversation for another day. maybe with some lemonade. “and what exactly are you doing then?” a warm smile followed just to show that she was only curious. she’d hate to make him feel like she was giving him the run-down.

her grin was contagious -- eli took note of that as he adorned a smile of his own. it was endearing really, even more so now that the number of people had dwindled. eli nodded in understanding, although he couldn’t relate personally. “yeah, but some people are just assholes.” he laughed, “does that make them a minority themselves?” eli sincerely hoped that wasn’t a bad joke (or at least offensive, as the humor was dry at best). he shrugged. “in the words of one wise miss hannah montana: life’s what you make it.” another smile followed, then a sigh that implicated a longer storer than the two had time for. “i’m not innocent, if that’s what you’re thinking - but i’m just looking for a good time, you feel?” he raised his eyebrow. “substances tend to make the police nervous.”

aiden glanced at the guy in front of him, his facial expression being one of disgust. not that he was against smoking as he does it himself occassionally, but it just bothered him that the guy had to do it right where he was eating. “no, i don’t want a hit. not now. i was just staring because it’s not really that inviting to keep eating when you keep blowing the smoke out in my direction.”

“well,” eli started, taking this as his invitation to put the joint out (at least for now), “for starters, we’re outside and it’s pretty windy - not like i’m trying to, but.” he tucks the now unlit spliff behind his ear. “sorry about the inconvenience. try eating inside next time. somewhere like...i don’t know, the cafeteria?”

Dizzy wanted to give Eli her best ‘haunted’ look, but she couldn’t pull a serious look for long and laughed, rolling her eyes.  "That was good,“ she said through giggles.  "I was trying to match it with my best Twilight saga level longing stare, but I couldn’t do it.”  She wrinkled her nose as she coughed the rest of the smoke from her lungs and nodded.  "Like this, yeah,“ she said with a grin, her eyes watering just a little.  "I knew a girl with a vaporizer over the summer,” in which knowing really meant occasionally made out with, though Dizzy didn’t think that was really relevant.  "It was much smoother that way.“

he snorted, busting out with a laugh at dizzy’s haunting stare. “hm. if that’s haunting, i’m not sure i want to be around to see your bedroom eyes.” another laugh, eli shaking his head. “yikes -- twilight saga level is just another way of saying pathetic, in my opinion, but...” he trailed off, blowing another thick puff of smoke from his mouth. “i guess i more concerned about this obvious choking hazard. you know, you don’t have to smoke if you don’t want to.”

he laughed at the accuracy. “haven’t we all?” eli could list off the gossip going around about wesley, about himself, about most of their friends. he couldn’t say he found much a reason to care - it was usually untrue and overrated, anyway. eli looked around the room at the remaining party goers; no one seemed to be looking for anything, much less weed. “hm.” he said, particularly unbothered. “is it considered theft if no one’s looking for it?”

“there are worse ways to be described.” eli shrugs. in his defense, it’s getting late and nearly all of the scragglers remaining at the party are wide eyed themselves -- but then again, most everyone left has been fooling around with some form of hallucinogen. he can appreciate, though, wesley’s eagerness in his hit, and eli feels like he’s smoking with himself for a moment. “cheers.” he repeats, taking the joint back. eli rolls it in his fingers for a moment before placing it between his lips. “ do you know who’s weed this is, anyway?’

he raises an eyebrow at gavin, amused by the sudden defensiveness of the conversation. eli first passes him the spliff before a sigh escapes him. “don’t take such offense to it -- wide eyes are beautiful eyes. maybe i was trying to compliment you, roswell.” eli laughs this time, trying to convince himself that he doesn’t feel awkward (he isn’t sure if it’s working yet). he watches the other for only a moment longer, thinking of how this is the first time he’s smoked in nearly a week - something so out of character for someone that typically breathes in more mary jane than oxygen. “but it’s okay, i’ll make that more obvious next time.”

“ YEAH, WELL. PEOPLE CHANGE, ”  he brushes it off, despite knowing the truth of eli’s words. it isn’t a topic he really likes his thoughts to linger on – the way he’s changed in such a seemingly short period of time. “ i’m more fun now, you’ll see, ”  he smirks a little as he says it, taking the blunt from the other with a little nod of his appreciation. the first drag always makes him a little dizzy, but still he savours the feeling of it burning the back of his throat, and when he exhales it’s through the nose, a smirk coating his lips. 

“is that change for the better, or for worse?” eli asks, somewhat wryly and somewhat knowing that he shouldn’t expect a serious answer. not yet -- neither of them are high enough for opening up over a joint, though admittedly, eli is getting there. “oh, well that settles it. there’s no such thing as too much fun.” it’s a bit bothersome to eli that this conversation has no real substance, but he keeps a straight face, taking the joint back. “as long as you don’t overdo it.”

Dizzy took the offered blunt and rolled it around in her fingers for a moment.  "You were worrying me for a second, E, I thought you were getting over my Bambi eyes nature,“ she teased lightly.  She wrinkled her nose and finally brought the thing to her lips, taking a puff off of it and letting out a frankly embarrassing cough.  "Jesus,” she replied as she handed it back.  "How do you do this all the time?“

he watched her with a set of keenly observant eyes - although nobody would compare eli’s to babmi’s, unlike dizzy’s. “how could i? they haunt me.” he said, emphasizing the haunt in a way that could only be described as overdramatic. “besides, you’re practically infamous for ‘em.” eli shrugged, but was pulled out of focus by her cough. “first time at the rodeo?” he asked, taking the spliff back. “tolerance. that, and it’s somewhat of an acquired taste. like american craft beer and gouda.”

✧ ° ｡——  “yes!” she blurted out way louder than she should have. a few eyes averted as did a lovely pink tint to her cheek.lately afia had been told off by so many people that it seemed like a chore to keep her happiness in check. her manicured hands flew up to her mouth just as she watched for a reaction. “sorry,sorry..that was loud.” once again, her enthusiasm didn’t fit the scenery and afia was left looking like a child. it wasn’t purposeful though. she’d just gotten just much merriment over the past year that it was a bit out of hand. so maybe a part of her was childish’ as many have told her. but nevertheless, her apology was placed with the slide of her french frie tray and she hoped that all was well. “sometimes they get forceful and it’s just like…no please. maybe they’re just bored with their lives.” aggressive behavior was not foreign in her life although it was apart of the past. nowadays it just settled into her heart with an excuse. “you don’t seem like the type to really run into campus police.”

although her outburst certainly prompted looks from all corners of the room, eli had to admit he was more amused with her reaction than he was embarrassed by the noise. he laughed, shaking his head in response. “it wasn’t even that loud. we’re just...you know, in public. people are bigger assholes in public, and that’s science.” he shrugged, still unphased by the lingering glances of a few. eli had an uncanny talent of caring very little about what others thought, particularly those he didn’t know. “i personally think cops have some sick fetish of getting people busted. they’re so desperate that they either go door to door lookin’ for a party or they resort to twitter - which is just sad, if you ask me.” eli’s experience with the cops had been less than eventful -- if you had a brain and manners they usually left you alone, especially if you were willing to slide the rent-a-cops a few bucks. “i don’t run into them, they run into me.” he said with a wink.

“good,” he murmured rather absent mindedly, watching the wheeze of smoke rise above the pair for a moment. eli didn’t particularly care for the aesthetics of smoking, as some others did, but coming from oliver’s mouth, it looked some how more artistic than his own. eli returned the grin easily. “oh, sure. i bet you say that to all the girls.”

“you think friends don’t fuck when they’re lonely and just want someone to hold them?” she knew that feeling all too well - loneliness to the point where a random hook up had her feeling whole again. even if it were her own doing. “are you kidding me, eli?” their summers together were different - much different than any on the telly or in films. it wasn’t a group of friends going off on a road trip to spend a season together with freedom and no cares on their side. it was him and her - the duo. “i’d have to be in love with you first for the last to even apply to this situation,” her words were thick with bitterness - even a hint of regret.

that hurt. really hurt. he felt himself physically close off as she continued to talk - although it was closer to spitting venom than speaking words. “we’ve been doing whatever this is for literal years, and you’re going to try to pull the lonely card? good one, maddi.” he rolls his eyes again, keeping what he really wants to say concealed. he wonders what could he have done to get her to act like this - maddi never pulled this shit on eli unless she had reason. and she’d certainly never claim to not love him. never. but now, eli’s eyes were glued to the floor. “hm. tell me how you really feel, mads.”

Dizzy stared at the joint, her eyes narrowing slightly.  She wasn’t some goody two shoes, even if she had that sort of reputation.  "I thought everyone liked my wide eyed staring,“ she murmured, almost a pout on her lips.  But she held her hand out for the blunt anyway, curiosity overcoming her initial hesitance.  "Hand it over if you’re going to be moody about it.”

laughing softly, he handed over the blunt with minimal hesitation. “oh stop, you know i'm only kidding. your wide eyed staring is the signature look. you just looked like you wanted something - and i try to be polite.” he shrugged, leaning back in the cheap camping chair situated around the fire. “although moody empowers polite, i guess.” he teased.

JOSHUA WATCHES HIM with a slight quirk to his lips, expression near unreadable aside from the smallest gleam of amusement in his eyes. he’s never been a smoker, not until recently, but nowadays the habit seems to be cropping up more and more often in his life ; he supposes that will happen if you continually party your nights away. he’s smoked a few blunts, but never enough to crave it, or to go out of his way to experience it again. still – with it sat right here in front of him, studying the relief on eli’s face as he takes the deep drag of acrid smoke, he can’t help but feel he’s missing out. “ thought you’d never offer – i’d very much like a hit, ”  he mocks, and now he’s full on smirking at the other lad. 

he passes the blunt with nothing but anticipation. he’s never smoked with joshua before - mostly because he seldom saw the other smoking. eli supposed that’s what college did to you; made habits out of disdain and prompted people to the elusive lifestyle of a partier. eli could only assume, watching joshua with an impish grin. “i’d have offered sooner if i’d known you were into it. this is the first time i’ve seen you show interest.”

friendship. what they should’ve stayed as from the beginning and hadn’t fallen under the pressure of their friends who thought they were the right match for one another. who knows who she’d be today or who she’d be with if it hadn’t been for eli and their friends. “isn’t that what this is. friendship.” had to be - couples didn’t go weeks without speaking unless there was trouble in paradise. and perhaps that was this was. trouble in their own manipulated paradise of arguments and tears. with minor happy moments here and there. maddi couldn’t quite tell what she wanted - her aunt liked to say the girl had intimacy issues. “there’s a difference between want and need.”

now, his blood was no longer boiling with jealousy, or anger, or some vile combination of the two emotions, but eli did shake from the realization that he was losing control. “no.” he said simply, clenching his jaw in an effort to hold on to something. “friends don’t spend entire summers together. friends don’t have sex, don’t sleep in the same bed.” he shifted his gaze to the floor. “friends don’t fall in love.” but it was too late - eli could feel it in maddi’s hesitation. “oh.”