#2016lyfe

Ian hadn’t meant to get as high as he was. He never really meant to, not when Rowan was around. Rowan, Thea’s boyfriend, and more importantly, the realest friend he’s ever had since 3rd grade, kept passing the blunt back to him. And, knowing him, he’s not the type to turn it down either. The noise buzzed in Ian’s skull, warm at first, then too loud, too close. His high crept up on him all at once, like a wave he hadn’t braced for. He needed a minute. Just a minute.

He pushed off the couch, muttering something about the bathroom. Thea called after him, voice bright and teasing over the music, “Use mine, not Lily’s!” He lifted a hand in acknowledgment, hood half up, eyes heavy-lidded as he drifted down the hallway.

He didn’t make it to the bathroom. He stopped, dead still in his tracks. Music.

Soft, muffled through a door. Liliana’s bathroom door. At first he thought it was just something familiar from her playlist. She always had good taste. Weird, moody stuff he secretly liked. But as he stepped closer, the familiarity sharpened into something impossible. It was his song. His music, his beat he had perfectly formatted during a late night when he couldn’t get his brain to shut off. And if that wasn’t enough to get his heart racing, he could hear her. Singing along. Lightly, but not shy.  She knew the lyrics. Every word. Every cadence. Her voice was steady, and smooth enough to make his high sharpen instantly. He wasn’t sure if he was just too high, or that her voice actually fit the song, like it belonged there. 

He swallowed, suddenly very aware of how hard his heart was beating in his ears.

He’d been standing at her door for a minute now. Listening. He shouldn’t be, she could walk out any second. He knew that, but he didn’t move. He couldn’t even if he wanted to at that very moment. 

His mind drifted to how she looked earlier in class, makeup-free and her braid falling over her shoulder as she focused on that paper too intently. The way she pretended to not  be flustered when he leaned in too close, and the sweet, vanilla of her perfume. How tired she looked walking in the door after work, and how guilty he felt for his comments about her. He regretted it as soon as it came out of his mouth, and now she was in the shower singing his lyrics like they were second nature to her. 

He dragged a hand over his face, “Shit,” he muttered under his breath. 

He liked it. He liked it too much, and that terrified him. 

It was too much. 

He pushed off the wall, suddenly too aware of the heat coming from behind the door and how her voice wrapped around him like a curse. He slipped into Thea’s bathroom, shut the door behind him, but didn’t bother to turn on the light. He just stood there, hands pressed to the cold, porcelain sink, listening to the faint echo of her voice through the walls. 

She sang his music like she understood him. 

He was too high to hide from the truth, the truth that he wanted to hear more, and he liked that she was singing his music without her knowing the artist was sitting in her living room the entire time. 

⟡₊ ⊹ . ✦ . ⊹ ₊⟡

“I know you heard, and that’s okay. He’s just a dick.” 

Thea announces this like it’s breaking news, waving her hand dramatically as she flops onto the couch beside me. “Don’t let his comments get to you. You know you’re a bad bitch. I tell you that shit alllll the time.”

I want to believe her. I really do.

But the words sit heavy in my chest, like they’re stuck somewhere between my ribs.

“I know,” I sigh, sinking deeper into the cushions. “I just wish he would be… I don’t know. Kinder? Or at least neutral. We’re stuck with each other until the end of the semester. And he’s here all the time with Rowan. You’d think he’d at least try to be civil.”

Thea gives me a look, the kind that says she’s about to say something I won’t like.

 “I guess it was silly for us to even just be friends,”  I added quietly.

Thea sits up straighter, eyes narrowing like she’s offended on my behalf.

“Okay, first of all? No. Second of all? Bitch, you should’ve seen the way he looked at you last night when you walked in the door.”

I blink. “What?”

“Like he was fighting a war in his head,” she says, wiggling her eyebrows. “Like he was trying not to stare but also couldn’t stop staring. It was giving internal crisis.”

I stare at the blank TV screen, fiddling with the rings on my fingers.

I don’t believe her. She knows I don’t believe her.

“If he liked me, he wouldn’t act like that,” I mumble.

Thea snorts. “Oh please. Men act stupid when they like someone. It’s their default setting.”

I nudged her shoulder. “You can’t deny he’s super fucking hot.”

She cackles, delighted with herself. “Oh, babe, I know. But he’s not my type. He’s your type.”

“My type?”

“Yes. Your weird SoundCloud rapper type. The ones who dress like they’re about to drop a mixtape in a gas station parking lot.”

I groan, burying my face in my arms as my ears heat up.She’s not wrong.

That’s the worst part.

“And,” she continues, “me and Ro are fighting. He ditched me for some lame-ass frat party tonight.”

I lift my head. “You guys will be fine.”

“Obviously,” she says, waving it off. “But I’m still gonna show up looking hot as hell so he remembers who he’s dealing with.”

I laugh, because that’s Thea, so dramatic, chaotic, loyal to the bone.

Then she pauses.

Her eyes widened.

I can practically see the lightbulb flick on.

“Lils…” she says slowly. “Are you doing anything tonight?”

⟡₊ ⊹ . ✦ . ⊹ ₊⟡

I don’t party.

I’ve never claimed to be a partier. I’m the kind of lightweight who gets tipsy off half a cider and starts apologizing to furniture. But after Thea begged, literally on her knees, hands clasped like she was praying to the gods of mischief, I caved.

Honestly, I needed a break.

This week had been a blur of work shifts, syllabi I pretended to read, and trying not to think about Ian’s stupid comments in the lab. A night out with my best friend didn’t sound terrible. Maybe I needed to feel like a person again instead of a walking to‑do list.

Plus, Thea wanted to get “pants‑droppingly hot” to show Rowan what he was missing after ditching her for some frat party. And if I happened to get a little confidence boost in the process, well. I wasn’t going to complain.

Our couch was starting to get permanent dents from how often our asses are planted on it watching horror movies and screaming loud enough to get angry texts from the neighbors. Maybe it was time to leave the apartment for once.

I kept my outfit simple, or what I thought was simple.

Black skirt.

Black frilly top.

Converse.

Hair down in its natural waves.

A little eyeliner and highliner to make my eyes pop under the shitty LED lights frat houses always have.

When I walked into Thea’s room, she was finishing her makeup and pregaming with Fireball.

“Thea,” I groaned. “Of all things.”

She grinned at me through the mirror. “It builds character.”

“It builds stomach ulcers.”

“Same thing.”

She capped her eyeliner and turned to me, eyes sparkling with mischief.

“You ready, babe? We’re gonna get you a man tonight. Maybe Ian will be there since he and Rowan are attached at the hip.”

I rolled my eyes so hard I swear I saw my brain.

“He doesn’t have a crush on me. Can we not do this tonight?”

She gave me a look, the kind that said she knew something I didn’t, but she didn’t push it. Instead, she grabbed her jacket and we headed out.

The night air was cold enough to bite at my legs. Thea suggested riding her bike, but I told her we were not biking under the influence unless she wanted to die on a curb. So we walked. Thankfully, the frat houses were only a few blocks away.

We heard the party before we saw it. Bass thumping through the ground, laughter spilling into the street, someone yelling “BROOOO” like it was a mating call. The porch was a disaster. Someone was projectile vomiting into the bushes, and the steps were slick with… something I didn’t want to identify.

Thea squeezed my hand and dragged me inside like she owned the place.

The house was packed. Bodies everywhere. The air smelled like sweat, beer, and cheap cologne. Lights flashed in random colors, and the music was so loud I could feel it in my ribs.

Thea shoved a cup into my hand.

“Cheers to our girl’s night out!”

I clinked my cup against hers and downed it.

It burned all the way down, leaving a trail of fire in my chest.

And just like that, the night began.

⟡₊ ⊹ . ✦ . ⊹ ₊⟡

Ian and Rowan spotted the girls before the girls saw them.

He and Rowan were leaning against the wall, drinks in hand, pretending to be invested in a conversation with some guy from Rowan’s econ class. But the second Liliana and Thea stumbled into the kitchen, the whole room shifted.

What Rowan didn’t know though, was that he wasn’t the only one watching both the girls as intently as he was. 

Rowan was a protector. He didn’t come from much, and since Liliana was Thea’s family, she was his too. Them being absolutely plastered worried him, but he was trying to give them space. 

But Ian, Ian was watching Liliana the whole time. 

He tells himself he was just making sure that his best friend’s girl didn’t fall on her face, but his eyes kept drifting to Liliana. The way she tucked her hair behind her ear, the way she hid her smile behind her cup, the way she swayed slightly to the music like she didn’t even realize she was doing it. 

Thea was hollering profanities at the bald guy that just bumped into her, while Liliana was failing to hide her giggling in her cup, when Liliana notices the eyes on her from across the room. She sees Ian, suddenly with a girl approaching him confidently with her hand rubbing down his chest like she owned the rights to his body.

 “Hey Ian, you wanna come to the bedroom with me?” She purred. “We had so much fun last time.” Normally, he would go for it. His eyes flick past her blonde hair to see Liliana. She was swaying dangerously close to the edge of a table, looking away from him now, her expression shuttered, her earlier brightness gone like someone had flipped a switch.

The blonde leaned in closer.

Ian stepped back.

“Not tonight,” he muttered, brushing her hand off.

“But you’re already hard—”

“That’s my gun,” he snapped.

⟡₊ ⊹ . ✦ . ⊹ ₊⟡

Liliana only sees the first half. The girl touches him, and in her drunken state, Ian looks like he is enjoying it. She looks away quickly, suddenly shifting her focus to Thea, rambling. 

“It doesn’t matter. They look cute together. I just didn’t know he had a girlfriend. you know like yeah I guess we are just lab partners but whatever,” She slurs, not even sure why she is saying what she is saying. 

“Baby you are my lab partner,” Thea slurs, pointing at her. “And you are sooo pretty. Oh he is looking at you right now.” Thea waves at Ian. He points his eyebrows, confused.

Liliana sighs, “No he’s not,” with red cheeks, for reasons other than the alcohol flushing through her system. 

“He’s got those boy eyes… those boy.. .thinking eyes..like he’s thinking things” Thea mumbles, trying to get another shot, and nearly falling over in the process.

“Alright babe, that’s enough philosophy for the night I'm taking you home,” Rowan appears, grabbing Thea under her armpits. Ian is tailing behind him, stepping in when Liliana stumbles. 

“You good?” Ian asks, grabbing her by her elbow. 

“No” She grumbles. “Your girlfriend is totally going to beat my ass.” Liliana says. “What are you talking about?” Ian asks, eyebrows furrowed in complete confusion. All Liliana does is grumble in response, suddenly too tired to voice her opinions. 

Thea is too gone to fight Rowan’s embrace, in fact welcomes it with open arms. 

“Hey man, will you help me get them home? I can’t carry them both.” Rowan asks. 

⟡₊ ⊹ . ✦ . ⊹ ₊⟡

The walk home was absolute chaos. 

Liliana and Thea kept “whispering” to each other about how Rowan needed a haircut because he looked like a caveman, but they were practically yelling. They were holding hands walking, unstable, in front of Rowan and Ian, until they saw a bunny.

And took off. 

Rowan groaned. “I swear they get worse every time.”

“Because you let them drink,” Ian muttered.

“I didn’t let them do shit.” Fair.

Both girls got low to the ground and crouch-ran towards the bunny making chittering noises and calling it a sweet baby. 

“Our baby!” Thea cried, reaching out like she was summoning it.

“Come here, little dude,” Liliana whispered, crouching down and clicking her tongue like she was calling a cat.

Meanwhile, the guys upgraded from a leisurely walk to a fast walk to catch up to the drunken Steve Irwin wannabes, not refraining from expressing their grumpiness. 

The bunny hopped away in self-defense and in sadness, the girls decided they were done walking at that point. 

It didn’t take long before Thea was passed out in Rowan’s arms, drooling onto his shoulder, while Liliana was awake, unbeknownst to Ian. She was so quiet, he thought she was asleep, until the quiet giggle that bubbled out of Liliana alerted him to her consciousness. 

Liliana, out of nowhere, steals his hat, and puts it on her own head. It was his favorite hat, the brim was way too big, dipping over her eyes.

“Yoooo, I am Ian. I am cool. I like to smoke weed and drive my BMW, " she says, doing a drunken impression of him.

He mutters to himself, “Jesus Christ,” trying to hide the warmth in his ears from her weird behavior and hikes her up in his arms walking up the stairs of their apartment.

She giggled again, pleased with herself, and leaned into him like she didn’t even realize she was doing it. Her head rested against his shoulder, his hat crooked on her head, her hair brushing his jaw.

He swallowed hard.

Rowan, carrying Thea, looked over and smirked.

“Oh yeah. You’re fucked.”

Ian ignored him.

Mostly.

⟡₊ ⊹ . ✦ . ⊹ ₊⟡

Rowan lowered Thea onto the couch like she was a sack of flour. She immediately rolled onto her stomach and started snoring into the throw pillow.

Ian had a much more delicate situation.

Liliana was still wearing his hat, quiet now, still warm and soft against him. He lowered her onto the couch beside Thea, guiding her down slowly so she didn’t hit her head.

She curled into the cushion instantly, hair falling across her cheek, the brim of his hat dipping over her eyes. Her leg flung haphazardly over Thea’s back.

He grabbed a blanket from the back of the couch and draped it over both girls. Liliana stirred, mumbling something incoherent, then tucked her hands under her cheek and sighed.

Rowan watched Ian watching her.

Then, casually, like he was commenting on the weather, “That girl you’ve been fucking with is gonna be mad you ditched her for your lab partner.”

Ian didn’t even blink.

“Let her.”

Rowan’s smirk was immediate.

“You are down bad for her.”

Ian frowned. “What?”

“Nothing, man. Nothing.” Rowan waved him off, already heading toward the porch. “C’mon. I need a blunt after all that.”

Ian followed him outside. They smoked in silence, the night air cool against their overheated skin. The chaos of the party felt far away now, replaced by the quiet hum of crickets and the soft glow of the porch light.

Neither of them said it out loud, but they both knew:

The night had only been interesting once the girls showed up.

When they finally walked back inside, the living room was dim and peaceful. Thea and Liliana were curled up together under the blanket, limbs tangled, breathing soft and even. Liliana’s hat, his hat, was still crooked on her head.

Rowan pulled out his phone and snapped a picture.

“Oh, I’m absolutely using this against them later.”

Ian rolled his eyes, but he didn’t stop him.

For now, the girls were asleep. Safe. Tonight, they were just two drunk girls sleeping off a wild night.

authors note - I can't tell if I hate this part or not go easy on me, kinda filler part..? but has some silliness. I literally wrote this at like 3 am and was chuckling to myself soo hard but now I reread it and I think I was just slightly losing my shit that night anyways bye luv ya c u soon