Liv Watson

         he took the joint offered. it was a nice moment to just sit and wind down. grabbing the lighter from his pocket, he held the join gentle between his fingers and brought it to his lips, lighting the end until it lit, which he took a long, healthy breath in. he only remembered her name because of the name tag he saw on multiple occasions. they didn’t speak much, but she was nice, and pretty. in this moment, having her around was a breath of fresh air compared to what he had dealt with.  letting out the thick smoke past his lips, he was feeling better.   “ it’s exhausting. this isn’t really my scene to get drunk so i am most certainly sober. but it’s not really fun to be around a bunch of drunk people when you’re not. “   it’s just kind of sad. everyone’s messy and thirsty and it’s a real moment where he just shakes his head. he could be sleeping right now.   “ thank you for this, by the way, i really needed it. “   the sounds from the party were distant but still there. if he could be further, he would be.   “ have i ever told you my name ? “  have they ever introduced themselves to each other? he gave her a questioning look, mostly towards himself for being extremely socially unable to execute a simple introduction when they first met. he’s known to do that.

Liv pursed her lips at his question, humming to herself. She couldn’t, for the life of her, remember his name. “Yeah, I don’t think so. Do you know mine?” She asked, “It’s Olivia, by the way.. Or Liv, I guess. You can call me whatever you want.. Liv or, uh.. Olivia..” Her voice trailed off, once again making a fool out of herself in front of this guy. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but something about him made her edgy, which was definitely not something that happened often. “And yeah, no worries. I knew I’d need to end the night with a smoke, or two,” She explained, taking a long draw as she stared back over to the party. “Hopefully if you go back over people’ll be a little more manageable.. Because you’ll be stoned and all,” The girl chuckled. The party was getting less and less appealing the longer she sat at the edge of the beach with a person she barely knew, just enjoying the silence. 

the beach was noisy, overcrowded, and reeked of unhealthy food: it was certainly not a place blaise would imagine herself spending her night, especially with the addition of the fair-like qualities which were almost suffocating. yet, something in her still desired her attendance, as if there might be something to gain from the experience. however, when she felt a tap on her shoulder and heard the voice of her co-worker, the blonde had to groan as if unamused, even though beneath the surface she was glad to see this familiar face as opposed to others. “oh my… you know, that is just too bad because i’m over here with my good buddy jameson – and no, not the one that is our boss – and he definitely cost more than five bucks so… i guess we can’t drink together now,” she smirked, shrugging her shoulders as if completely satisfied with the idea. “oh hey, at least you don’t look like all the other basic bitches around her, in their bikinis and short-shorts, so congrats for that.”

“Well, I was this close to wearing a bikini with sequins on it, but decided it wasn’t worth the shit I would’ve copped,” The girl chuckled as she looked around at the people surrounding them. Definitely not Blaise’s number one place to be. “Ah, right, I forgot you’re too edgy for vodka or wine,” Liv smirked as she twisted the lid off her bottle, taking a quick gulp. Her hand covered her mouth as it travelled down her throat, sticking her tongue out moments later in disgust. “Actually, I’m surprised you’re even here, really. Aren’t you too cool for parties and fun?” Liv took another big swig of the wine, this time barely holding it down. “Fuck, that shit is like poison,” She spat, “But good news -- I’ve hidden like 3 more bottles in a bush around the corner so when we’re desperate for more booze, we have back-up!”

           he was having a night. that’s all he could use to describe it. nothing he’d like to relive again, but it seemed everyone was being so much more than they needed to be and he was caught in all of it. he didn’t come here to be the babysitter, and he didn’t come here to do damage control on blaise. yet he still hadn’t left. he had a feeling it would pull together at some point. the pièce de résistance to this whole tragic night. and just as he was having that thought, a soft voice came up beside him, and he looked down to see a familiar figure who was not falling over from just being on her feet. he sighed with relief. at this point, he was much too tired to be frightened or nervous by her. his night had been to much.   “ sure, i could use it. “   with that, he sat down on the sand, long legs crossed, hands over his knees.    “ tonight’s been quite the show. “

Liv watched the waves roll into shore, the cool breeze washing over her. The air was salty -- something she never failed to appreciate when she was near the coast. Relief overcame her as the boy agreed to sit with her, her nerves slowly dissipating as she reached into her pocket. She’d seen him around, and had a total of one conversation with him, but there was something about him that kept her calm. Something that reminded her of home, and being in this moment -- on the sand, the ocean breeze rushing past her -- it felt like home. “Here,” She said, handing him one of the rolled up parcels and a lighter. With her spare hand she let the sand run through her fingers, her eyes trailing over the boy before looking out to sea. “Crazy, really. Can’t say I didn’t participate,” She hummed, sighing at her still drunken memories. “I just got over dealing with all the people,” The girl mumbled, the joint hanging in between her lips as she lit it up. “Plus the beach should be quiet. That shit was not quiet.”

Liv was exhausted. She’d spent most of the night on her feet, either dancing or running around greeting strangers and friends alike. Alcohol enhanced all of her traits - she needed to be friends with everyone, and always wanted to be in the middle of the action. Her stomach was churning, the liquor, beer and wine causing her to retreat from the crowds and wander along the coast. With the crashing of the waves slowly drowning out the shrieks and laughter behind her, she aimlessly moved further away from the party and towards a dark figure nearby. She paused as she begin to decipher the features of the boy -- it was the guy from her store. With alcohol urging her on, she came up beside him. “Mind if I sit?” She asked, “I, uh.. I have a coupla’ blunts if you want one.”

Turning his head, he looked at the brunette, shaking his head at her words. “You’re really hurting my heart…” He trailed off, gripping his chest in dramatics. From the moment Thomas had set his eyes on Liv, he had been addicted. It had been forever since he felt so comfortable but so nervous at the same time. He felt butterflies around the girl, and unlike normal, the alcohol in his system was settling any of those. “Oh, I can’t feel half of my body.” Running a hand through his hair, the man’s fingertips trailed up down the woman’s waist. “Really? My beer was fuckin’ expensive, isn’t even that good, but I’m also very drunk, ya lightweight.”

Liv giggled at the boy’s antics, hiccuping as she stopped to catch her breath. The alcohol had made her beyond woozy, and everything he said seemed to send her into a fit of laughter mixed slightly with nerves, although the alcohol was beginning to turn the nerves into something a tad less innocent. “You can’t feel halfya’ body?!” She asked, placing her hand just above his leg. She squeezed softly, scratching her fingers into his skin just a little. “Which half can’t ya’ feel? Didya’ feel that?!” She asked, scratching lightly as she travelled up the tiniest bit. Her nails trailed along his skin before resting in the middle of his thigh. “It’d suck if ya couldn’t feel the bottom half of ya’ body..” She hummed, enjoying his hand on her waist. Just his fingers running along her skin sent tingles all over, like an electric shock coursing through her. “Why’d ya buy expensive shit? Rookie error. It’s the cheap shit that gets ya to where I am,” She smiled, “Although I doubt you’d wannabe’ ‘ssdrunk as me.”

Though it was nearing 1 am, the bonfire was still going strong. The beach was littered with empty beer bottles and drunk stumbling college kids. Jase had been enjoying his evening, his inebriation beginning to fade into something just above a buzz, when he saw a familiar tall, dark-haired Australian running crookedly in his direction. He couldn’t help but huff out a laugh, exhaling sharply as Liv knocked into his back. His arms instinctively reached back, hands lowering to cover Liv’s much smaller grip. “Liv, Liv,” he mocked, peeling her arms from his side and turning to face her. Just drunk enough to humor her antics, Jase held the bottle up, feigning an investigation as he looked it over. “Let’s see,” he pondered, “I’m gonna guess cheap beer.”

Liv laughed at his mocking, rolling her eyes as she removed her arms from around his waist. The bottle was a concoction of the cheapest wine she could find at the store, mixed with the beer leftover from her previous bottles -- a deathly mix destined to get her to beyond a reasonable level of drunk. She watched, her eyes alight, as Jase examined the bottle. “Hmm.. Close,” She sung. “Why don’t you take a sip and find out?” Liv was only teasing, but put the offer out there incase Jase would be game enough to follow through. “I’ve been drinking it and I’m fine,” She laughed, stumbling slightly as she stood with her arms on her waist.

“hey!! pick that up. don’t litter. i’ve called the cops on people for doing that shit – plus, that’s glass! don’t you see all these people running around sloshing all over the place barefoot? you really wanna be the reason someone loses a toe tonight? please, liv.” it started with a lecture and ended with a sweet plead. “don’t be that person. i don’t want to have to defriend you for this.” a smile tried hard to peak through his stern jaw. “ugh–” he coughed slightly, reacting to a bottle behind shoved into his chest. “this isn’t whiskey. i don’t drink wine, girlfriend.” the boy shook his head, loose curls bouncing all over. jamie hesitated for a moment, as he watched the girl and her happy eyes bearing into him… waiting for him to pop open the bottle. with a swift twist, the cap was off and so that littering wasn’t an option, he shoved it into his pocket and took a hefty swig. “happy?” he swallowed, pushing the bottle back at her.

Her cheeks flushed a deep red at the boy’s reprimanding, her eyes trailing back down to the sand beneath her. She grabbed the bottle and held it tight in her hand. “Okay, you’re right.. I guess,” She rolled her eyes, admitting defeat. “But surely you’ll have some with me. I mean, I spent my hard earned cash on this bottle for us to share?” Liv was only half joking -- the wine was intentionally purchased for her, but she was never going to say no to getting Jamie drunk. Her eyes widened at his big gulp, nodding her head as she took the bottle out of his hands. “Have ya’ seen the fire? It’s bloody huge,” She hummed, “I could see it from my cousin’s house.” Liv grabbed Jamie’s hand as she swallowed some of the wine, grimacing as it travelled down her throat. “Fuck, that’s terrible. Like, actually horrendous. Please tell me we have a back up.”

The bright red mixed with the orange lit up the night sky, some stars shining off in the distance as the ocean tide rose and fell. Sighing, Thomas strolled down the ocean side before eventually settling to sit away from the sand, letting the drink that as comfortably set in his hand take a break from constantly swinging back into his mouth. The blonde had already had a significant amount to drink, his body starting to feel the alcohol slowly reside in his empty stomach. Suddenly, he saw a figure settle beside him, slinging their arm around him. Turning his head, he heard Liv’s familiar voice, a smile appearing on his face. “Really?” Thomas asked, surprise evident in his voice as he wrapped his arm around the girl’s waist. “Funny, cause I was lookin’ for you earlier. Glad you found me.”

The girl let out a sigh as she looked out over the ocean. The edge of the earth, as she liked to call it. The party was going on in the distance. She could still hear shrieks of laughter and music interrupting the sound of the waves crashing up against the coast. “Well,” She smiled, “I wasn’t exactly lookin’ for ya’ specifically..” The alcohol flooding her brain as she continued, “But there’s no one else I’d rather’ve ran into.” Liv had been attracted to Tommy from the second she saw him across from her at the bar, his cheeky smile winning her over -- after he’d settled down about his son, of course. “Ya’ drunk yet?” She questioned, showing him her half full bottle of wine. “This was only 5 bucks, ya know? And ‘ssgetting me pretty wasted.”

Say My Name - Peking Duk “Gonna put your head in the clouds.”

Rocket Man - Elton John “And I’m gonna be high as a kite by then.”

Heatstroke - Calvin Harris “Tell me how you feel right now.”

Teenage Crime - Adrian Lux “We don’t sleep when the sun goes down.”

Gimme More - Britney Spears “Like no one else in the room.”

Cocoon - Catfish and the Bottlemen “Like a drunk, who’s been on it all morning.”

Bullshit - The Dune Rats “Everything you say, is bullshit, and everything you do, is so sick.”

Hoops - The Rubens “I got good things, I got you.”

Fix You - Coldplay “And I will try to fix you.”

Vienna - Billy Joel “Slow down, you crazy child.”

Resolution - Matt Corby “You could be my resolution.”

All Night - Chance the Rapper “Last girl she ride on the seat, she fart on the seat.”

Absolutely (Story of a Girl) - Nine Days “This is the story of a girl.”

Kiss the Breeze - Sticky Fingers “I kiss the breeze and let your rhythm flow out.”

What if I go? - Mura Masa “Wherever you go, I’m going with you babe.”

Put your Records On - Corinne Bailey Rae “Show me your favourite song.”

Cocoon - Milky Chance “And I don’t know how to get along.”

Under the Bridge - Red Hot Chili Peppers “Take me to the place I love.”

American Idiot - Green Day “Where everything isn’t meant to be okay.”

Better Days - Pete Murray “I’ve seen better days.”

Forrest Gump - Frank Ocean “I know you wouldn’t hurt a beetle.”

Settle - Vera Blue “Makes me realise, I am alive. And I won’t settle.”

All the Small Things - Blink 182 “Turn the lights off, carry me home.”

Wetsuit - The Vaccines “Slow it down, go easy on me.”

One Dance - Drake “I have powers taking ahold on me.”

Fuck it - The Dune Rats “I never liked you much, fuck it.”

Sitting, waiting, wishing - Jack Johnson “Must I always be waiting, waiting on you?”

Place your hands - Reef “Run your fingers through my soul.”

Breathe life - Jack Garratt “Believe me, I owe it to her.”

Stranger - Peking Duk “Stranger could you walk me home?”

“oh liv,” jamie cooed, wrapping his arms around her tiny waist and whisking her up off the ground for a moment. “how many of those have you had tonight, hm? you know the cheap stuff makes you sick.” disappointing in what seemed to him as a last minute pickup at the liquor store, jamie shook his head, pulling the bottle away from the girl. jameson quickly examined the label before handing it back over. “yeah, that’s definitely going to make you sick. and guess who’s not holding your hair while you throw up this time… that’s right. this guy.” he dramatically waved his index finger in the air before sticking it in his own face. “not this time, pal.”

Liv laughed as the boy picked her up, rolling her eyes at his comments. “Y’know, I expected this,” She pointed at his chest as he dropped her to the ground again. “I’m only gonna tell ya’ one more time -- there is absolutely nothing wrong with cheap wine.” Liv had one plan and one plan only, and that was to make Jamie as drunk as possible so she finally had some dirt on him. It always seemed to be her that ended up passing out somewhere or vomiting into a bush, but tonight was about to change all that. “Uh, yeah, well I’m not even drunk..” She sputtered, “And I can handle cheap wine. The question is, can you?” She pushed the bottle into his chest, gulping the last of her open beer before dropping the bottle on the floor. “Open it, I want some,” She gleamed.