#mmfdpara

The party hadn’t been successful to say the least. Just hours after returning home Finn started to sober up a little. But what was he to expect? The last party he’d had did end in disaster and this one he didn’t even want to be at. First there was Chloe, who didn’t show - as far as he was aware. At this very moment as he sat on his bed, spare hand attached to his banging head, he sent Chloe a message stating it was over. His bottom lip quivered as he read it back to himself, but forced tears back. A girlfriend who was never there, wasn’t a real girlfriend. He had to remind himself. Everybody else confirmed the way he’d been feeling was acceptable.

Then there was kissing his friend when he got home. He was drunk with no clue in the world what was going on. But he remembered and felt guilty. What if she reacted in the same way May had? Following on from that, May was the next thing. Finn didn’t know what he felt for her, but whatever he did feel was clouded by her dishonesty and the feeling of being betrayed. He still struggled with being who he was, and nobody. not even she seemed to understand. Knowing she’d moved straight on and kissed somebody else made it worse. Especially when knowing if she knew he’d done the same, he’d be in the shit. It was impossible to be happy and have others happy at the same time. Usually he chose the others, but that was perhaps why he felt so low himself all the time.

Then there was Summer. An event he should’ve expected but didn't. Death seemed frequent. Hailey’s was still on his mind. It was what had started his bad mood, when he’d remembered and he wasn’t coping with it in the slightest so handled it with alcohol. More-so than when he’d originally found out nearly a year ago. He didn’t know Summer well; didn’t really like her due to her brother, but he felt it was his fault, what with it being at his party. For once he found an ounce of respect for Stephen knowing he’d be dealing with it and how hard it’d be. He’d never cope with losing Mila.

Then finally, he’d gone and spent all his money in one night. On the most part on people he’d never met, or didn’t recognise. All of his money he’d saved up and got from his job, all of the money his Nan had left him. It was meant to go on his first house, but he’d thrown it all away. Now partially sober-though not entirely- he realised what he’d done. It broke his heart; scattered it into pieces. What would she think of him if she could see what he’d done? What would his Mum who he barely knew think of him? She wouldn’t be proud and Mila would be sure to tell her when she found out. He knew Mila wouldn’t be happy with it.

And there it was. He definitely didn’t have enough money left to survive, or to pay the rent. He couldn’t bear to face any of his friends or family, or any of the others in town. Rubbing his hands down his wet cheeks he reached for the bottle of vodka sat besides him. And he downed it. All the pain was gathering and it was so harsh, beating down on him like a pile of rocks. It was the only way to stop it. And he couldn’t stay in the flat, so he didn’t. He only felt hate for everything in the town. Maybe somewhere else would feel better. Finn grabbed only the bottle and headed out into the darkness of the early morning. He stumbled along the footpaths with no destination in sight. Past and across roads and roundabouts. Through trees and into the mist.

Stephen hadn’t really been treating the party like it was, well, a party. He’d spoken to Alexis and Imogen but that was about it really. He’d had a few drinks, but had decided parties weren’t really for him anymore. None of what was supposed to be scary was to him and everybody was acting much younger than he expected.

He’d spent a lot of time thinking instead of partying. The Emilia situation had really put things into perspective; it was almost like it was his final shot with a woman that wasn’t Imogen and he wanted it to be that way. And he enjoyed it, any man world would. The blonde was the perfect woman, in looks and he fancied the shit out of her. But he didn’t want to be with her. Being with someone was so much different; so much harder, yet rewarding. He didn’t think he’d ever be with someone after Louise. Chloe was a blip; another Emilia and Sofia was better off being only his friend, he wasn’t in the mind-frame when he was with the Spanish girl.

Knowing she was a lot younger than he, Stephen gave Imogen a lot of room at parties to go off an do her own thing; socialise with her own friends. After all, he’d get to take her home. They lived together, she could see him whenever she needed or wanted to, especially now she was home much more sure to being so pregnant.

It was a heat of the moment decision on the tip of his mind as he approached the brunette with a large, excited smile on his face. “Imogen,” he greeted, taking her by the hand and spinning her round in time to the music playing. Stephen didn’t need this to be public. He liked a fair bit of attention, as did he know Imogen did. But this wasn’t a time he felt was for everyone else. His eyes stared into hers; he hadn’t said anything since her name.

She’d been having fun, Mila; felt like those days where she’d only sit and read in the background of parties were so long ago. Now she’d mingle, make friends, even dance. She’d come so far. But there were still many barriers blocking happiness, one of which burst into bright light in her mind as soon as she caught sight of Roxy. Mila knew she should’ve been there for the blonde after the babies had been born. Even Finn had seen them far more than herself. But it was difficult and even the thought of them pumped her blood quicker than usual, with jealousy and rage. There was still a part of Mila believing she as more deserving of children than her blonde friend. It was who she was; someone who sometimes, not always, but sometimes thought she was better than others in ways. Not all others. But Roxanne was one, due to the mistakes the blonde had made in the past; most of it stemming from Roxy sleeping with her brother Dean and almost becoming pregnant by him. It was a feeling she wanted to shake off all the time, but couldn't no matter what.

In a happier mood then usual, Josh strolled along to Elsa’s house, with nothing but a couple of flowers. He wasn’t very good at romance but figured he owed her a lot after what he’d done to her and to everyone else, but told her about. Just a few buildings down was a small children’s park. It was small with only a couple of swings, a slide and a roundabout. The other side of the gate there was a small child. Probably around two or three, though Josh didn’t really know how to judge small children’s ages. He’d never been near any since he was that age and he could barely remember that. There were no parents around, nobody else in fact, the child was alone. Still, Josh being Josh chose to ignore it and continued walking. Though it was soon after that he heard the rustling of small footsteps behind him. The kid had got out of the gate and started to follow him.

Josh turned around slowly to view it, his facial expressions as if the kid was about to kill him. “You can’t come with me," he explained, starting to panic. “Go back to the park where you belong...small child.” He turned his eyes around again, trying to walk on without feeling guilty. But that was when, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the child heading for the road. “No. No you’re not a car,” he said, reaching behind to hold the child back on the footpath.

Rent was building up and the autumn days felt only colder as they headed for winter. Despite having a job at the bar, it was barely enough for the rent and bills, let alone everything else he needed to survive. His flat was bad enough before the cold fluttered in, damp along every wall, the sound of every neighbour in the building, the wallpaper hanging off, the emptiness. There was no way he could live there much longer now Samara had left him to pay for everything alone. That was flatmate number two gone. Maybe it was time to search for someone else, who he could move in with, for a change.

Coughing and sneezing constantly from the cold and dust the flat had caused, Josh made his way to the local corner shop, ready to put a sign in the window. And it was there he saw Alyssa putting up one of her own, the other side of the large glass window. He recognised her, having met briefly once or twice before. His eyes glanced at her writing.

After her unfortunate run-in with Alexis, Chloe had been biding her time before heading back over to Finn’s. Of course she was desperate to see him but part of her wanted to surprise him. She knew she hadn’t been around a lot lately, especially with the last minute trip with her parents but she was here now and she was ready for them to be together. Even when they were trying not to let people get in between them, it always seemed to happen. That’s why she figured turning up unannounced would be perfect, because nobody would be there to get in the way. Escaping the controlling demand of her mother, Chloe grabbed her things and checking herself in the mirror before she left, making sure she looked extra cute, she left the house with a smile.

Gem had been drinking quite a lot throughout the night, his flask never empty as he continuously topped it up with the endless bottles of vodka he’d brought along with him in his backpack. Sitting by the camp fire until there was only a few stragglers left and the sky was beginning to get a little brighter. With a push on his knees and a small groan, Gem got to his knees and headed towards his tent. 

He’d been avoiding it all night, shoving his sleeping bag and other necessities inside when he’d arrived and not returned since. He could see her brown hair escaping the top of her sleeping bag, her eyes closed as she slept peacefully in their small tent. His eyes never strayed to Alexis as he took off his shoes and stepped inside the tent, zipping it up behind him. He could barely breathe as the close quarters made his head spin, the vodka leaving a blurry shine over his eyes. He, as quietly as he could, unrolled his sleeping bag and sat on top of it, watching her. His eyes watched her sleeping bag move up and down slowly as she breathed in and out, she looked so peaceful. Next, his gaze found her familiar face, every feature that was already ingrained into his mind still there as he remembered. With a content smile, he unzipped his sleeping bag and lay inside, the side of it still undone as he shuffled as close to her as he could.