Introduction
1x1x1, closed.
Just when they thought things were getting a little out of control...
all signs of order disappeared.
all signs of order disappeared.
Brackenburg, Wisconsin. August 28th, 2012.
Every year, on the Saturday before school starts at the community college, a party is thrown up at Pontius, a ritzy castle-like mansion sitting upon the edge of a hill overlooking Lake Perry. The house is the winter home of a man named Richard Ericossen, the CEO of a large company in the region. The front entrance is dominated on both sides by two-story windows as wide as two grown men are tall, allowing for a perfect view inside to the grand spiral staircase and the surrounding "visiting area"--where most party-goers prefer to spend their night. The floor is decorated with plush off-white carpet and black leather couches. Walls of crimson are decorated with art that screams high prices and a pristine chandelier throws light into every corner. A baby grand piano with inverted keys fills one corner of the room, although a scarce few ever use it for more than a place to set drinks.
A kitchen can be found via a small hallway to the right of the stairs. Clean, sparkling wooden floors catch much of the viewer's attention upon first glance. However, there is much more to be seen--vast marble countertops and several eating areas, white cabinets filled with glassware (and different kinds of alcohol), and a pantry chock full of food are more exciting to the guests. Up the staircase, a visitor finds themselves presented with seven doors in a circle around them, with the staircase in the middle of the floor. Two doors on the North, West, and East walls and one on the Southern wall; the master.
The party started as a small group of about twenty college students, invited to the home by Mr. Ericossen's nephew. However, this year is the fifth anniversary and the attendance has grown to several hundred. The music is so loud in the front room that the grass outside is said to shake, and people spill out onto the vast front lawn to converse. It's relatively safe, everyone says. Of course, safety is a difficult word to use. This year, things will be different. This year, some people may not make it home.
This year, the night starts calmly.
People arrive.
And this year, chaos ensues.
Every year, on the Saturday before school starts at the community college, a party is thrown up at Pontius, a ritzy castle-like mansion sitting upon the edge of a hill overlooking Lake Perry. The house is the winter home of a man named Richard Ericossen, the CEO of a large company in the region. The front entrance is dominated on both sides by two-story windows as wide as two grown men are tall, allowing for a perfect view inside to the grand spiral staircase and the surrounding "visiting area"--where most party-goers prefer to spend their night. The floor is decorated with plush off-white carpet and black leather couches. Walls of crimson are decorated with art that screams high prices and a pristine chandelier throws light into every corner. A baby grand piano with inverted keys fills one corner of the room, although a scarce few ever use it for more than a place to set drinks.
A kitchen can be found via a small hallway to the right of the stairs. Clean, sparkling wooden floors catch much of the viewer's attention upon first glance. However, there is much more to be seen--vast marble countertops and several eating areas, white cabinets filled with glassware (and different kinds of alcohol), and a pantry chock full of food are more exciting to the guests. Up the staircase, a visitor finds themselves presented with seven doors in a circle around them, with the staircase in the middle of the floor. Two doors on the North, West, and East walls and one on the Southern wall; the master.
The party started as a small group of about twenty college students, invited to the home by Mr. Ericossen's nephew. However, this year is the fifth anniversary and the attendance has grown to several hundred. The music is so loud in the front room that the grass outside is said to shake, and people spill out onto the vast front lawn to converse. It's relatively safe, everyone says. Of course, safety is a difficult word to use. This year, things will be different. This year, some people may not make it home.
This year, the night starts calmly.
People arrive.
And this year, chaos ensues.
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Now this was more like it. Alec was smiling and laughing and cracking those cute little Alec-y jokes. He was officially loosened up. And Destin liked it. On top of it all, he admitted he was single. Which meant he was all hers for the taking. Well, actually...hold up that roller coaster ride. She wasn't going to pounce on him now that she knew he was single. Sure, she'd like to just see what it would be like to kiss those kissable lips and to hold his strong-looking, manly hands - conditioned from working away on that cube of his. Maybe he could teach her how to solve that one day, during one of their cute little dates. But, seriously, Destin focused more on the thought of him being her friend rather than anything else. She didn't recognize him earlier in the night, so why would he care to party it up with her when she acted like she completely and utterly forgot about him? Some girlfriend she'd turn out to be.
Anyway, Alec quickly gathered her attention when he started to speak - other than the "I'm single" announcement. (He had changed the subject so suddenly - maybe he recently went through a bad break-up too?) She gazed at him, genuinely interested in what he had to say. Destin, silly as she was, gave a small whoop when he cheered for the Badgers. She has school spirit, yes she "do"; she has school spirit, how 'bout you? At his admittance that he thought she was going out of state (or was that really what he was going to say?), she gave a weak smile. I guess it is my fault... Destin chided herself for not keeping in touch with Alec. He was a nice guy - sweet and funny, too. She didn't bother to tell him what her final college plans were and that made her feel like an awful person. In order to keep herself in good spirits, however, she told herself that Alec didn't seem to be too, terribly distraught that he hadn't known.
"We should...we should hang out some time."
This was her chance! She'd now be able to hang out with him again. At least still be friends, if nothing else. With her signature smile, she nodded agreeably and quipped, "You mean hang out outside of this awesome-tastic party we just so happen to both be at?" She laughed, pausing only slightly to reach into her back pocket. She wanted to get her phone out; maybe exchange some numbers. "Sure, Alec. I'd love to. What's your cell phone number?" Destin fumbled around with some of the keys on her phone, trying to access the address book so she could put in Alec's number in. She typed in his first name without issues, but then she tragically crashed and burned into a dead end. Oh god, what's his last name?! Good job, Destin. You knew him for several months. He's in your class. He tutored you for heaven's sake and you don't know his fucking last name? She remained cool on the outside, though she was internally frustrated with herself. Quickly, she skipped down to the mobile cell phone line as if he were watching every move she made (though he couldn't see her mobile screen), trying to pass it off as if she never put last names in. At that point, she glanced up at him, patiently awaiting his number.
Anyway, Alec quickly gathered her attention when he started to speak - other than the "I'm single" announcement. (He had changed the subject so suddenly - maybe he recently went through a bad break-up too?) She gazed at him, genuinely interested in what he had to say. Destin, silly as she was, gave a small whoop when he cheered for the Badgers. She has school spirit, yes she "do"; she has school spirit, how 'bout you? At his admittance that he thought she was going out of state (or was that really what he was going to say?), she gave a weak smile. I guess it is my fault... Destin chided herself for not keeping in touch with Alec. He was a nice guy - sweet and funny, too. She didn't bother to tell him what her final college plans were and that made her feel like an awful person. In order to keep herself in good spirits, however, she told herself that Alec didn't seem to be too, terribly distraught that he hadn't known.
"We should...we should hang out some time."
This was her chance! She'd now be able to hang out with him again. At least still be friends, if nothing else. With her signature smile, she nodded agreeably and quipped, "You mean hang out outside of this awesome-tastic party we just so happen to both be at?" She laughed, pausing only slightly to reach into her back pocket. She wanted to get her phone out; maybe exchange some numbers. "Sure, Alec. I'd love to. What's your cell phone number?" Destin fumbled around with some of the keys on her phone, trying to access the address book so she could put in Alec's number in. She typed in his first name without issues, but then she tragically crashed and burned into a dead end. Oh god, what's his last name?! Good job, Destin. You knew him for several months. He's in your class. He tutored you for heaven's sake and you don't know his fucking last name? She remained cool on the outside, though she was internally frustrated with herself. Quickly, she skipped down to the mobile cell phone line as if he were watching every move she made (though he couldn't see her mobile screen), trying to pass it off as if she never put last names in. At that point, she glanced up at him, patiently awaiting his number.
Maybe it was the party atmosphere, or maybe it was Destin beside him, but Alec could finally, finally feel himself loosening up. If the party was a pool, he had made it past the "Let me tentatively dip my toe in and test the water" phase and moved on to the "Okay, guys, I am actually going to step into this pool!" phase. Right now he was, oh, calf-deep? And he wanted to go deeper. He wanted to immerse himself in possibilities and people and all the best parts of being young. And he wanted to do it with Destin.
But she...she was a diver. He was a wader- a "take-your-time-er". A girl like her deserved a guy who could talk the talk and walk the walk, but Alec could do neither. He could only offer up his puppy love, his elementary skills in romance, and no girl wanted that. He needed someone to throw him into the deep end and say "Swim, dammit, swim!" Here he was, a perfectly smart, perfectly normal guy, and he was still doggy-paddling in the shallow end wearing his floaties. Pool analogies aside, the odds did not seem to be in his favor.
But he could at least try. No one could blame him for trying, right? The way she was looked at him, like she might actually be interested, that wasn't nothing. She had even cheered at the lame Badger comment! And it wasn't her fault if she thought he'd gone off to some random smart person college the way his family had intended. He was an Evans, dammit, and until his derpy self had come along, Evans had been practically synonymous with success and big business. Maybe the big business part was out, but he could still be successful, right? He could still be happy...right?
"What's your cell phone number?" Oh gosh, she'd taken out her cell phone and was actually asking for his number. It occurred to him that that probably should've been his line, but he was too excited to care. "G-great. (Insert phone number here :3)," he smiled, flipping open his own phone. "Yours?" He tapped her name into his phone: Destinie Whittaker. Destin Whittaker. It looked good either way. He admired the little black characters blinking against the bright white screen, trying to visualize scrolling through his contacts, clicking her name, and calling her. Making asking her out on a date? Or maybe just for coffee? Baby steps, Alec, baby steps.
The point was, there were now...possibilities. He'd been let down too many times before to get his hopes up exorbitantly high, but it was hard not to imagine himself with her. Let's be honest, he'd thought about it before. "You mean hang out outside of this awesome-tastic party we just so happen to both be at?" "Right, outside of," he made an encompassing gesture towards the mansion and the partying teenagers outside it, "this. I mean, not that I'm not having a great time," now that you're here "and I'm sure the booze is great," he said, making a joking reference to his still full can of beer.
But she...she was a diver. He was a wader- a "take-your-time-er". A girl like her deserved a guy who could talk the talk and walk the walk, but Alec could do neither. He could only offer up his puppy love, his elementary skills in romance, and no girl wanted that. He needed someone to throw him into the deep end and say "Swim, dammit, swim!" Here he was, a perfectly smart, perfectly normal guy, and he was still doggy-paddling in the shallow end wearing his floaties. Pool analogies aside, the odds did not seem to be in his favor.
But he could at least try. No one could blame him for trying, right? The way she was looked at him, like she might actually be interested, that wasn't nothing. She had even cheered at the lame Badger comment! And it wasn't her fault if she thought he'd gone off to some random smart person college the way his family had intended. He was an Evans, dammit, and until his derpy self had come along, Evans had been practically synonymous with success and big business. Maybe the big business part was out, but he could still be successful, right? He could still be happy...right?
"What's your cell phone number?" Oh gosh, she'd taken out her cell phone and was actually asking for his number. It occurred to him that that probably should've been his line, but he was too excited to care. "G-great. (Insert phone number here :3)," he smiled, flipping open his own phone. "Yours?" He tapped her name into his phone: Destinie Whittaker. Destin Whittaker. It looked good either way. He admired the little black characters blinking against the bright white screen, trying to visualize scrolling through his contacts, clicking her name, and calling her. Making asking her out on a date? Or maybe just for coffee? Baby steps, Alec, baby steps.
The point was, there were now...possibilities. He'd been let down too many times before to get his hopes up exorbitantly high, but it was hard not to imagine himself with her. Let's be honest, he'd thought about it before. "You mean hang out outside of this awesome-tastic party we just so happen to both be at?" "Right, outside of," he made an encompassing gesture towards the mansion and the partying teenagers outside it, "this. I mean, not that I'm not having a great time," now that you're here "and I'm sure the booze is great," he said, making a joking reference to his still full can of beer.
Destin's thumbs tapped away at the buttons that entered Alec's phone into hers, opening doors of potential phone calls and texts to last the two a lifetime. Of course, Destin nor Alec would know about that in this moment. All she knew was that she was here and he was standing in front of her. Right now. Talking to her. She saved Alec's number into her phone and put it back into her back pocket. Destin smiled when he asked her for her number, and she willingly gave it to him. Her cell seemed to burn a hole in her pocket since she replaced it there. There was something about the knowledge of having his number that made her anxious to call him up for the first time and get that awkward first phone call out of the way. Sure, she was talking to him right now, but phone calls give you a new experience with someone (namely, a guy ... namely, Alec) that makes you excited about them. It's like having your first sleep-over. Though sleep-overs won't happen any time soon with Alec (he was just too shy!), the idea still remains.
The rest of Alec's response made Destin giggle and roll her eyes. His sense of humor tickled her. She found it amusing and cute at the same time that he would comment on the taste of the booze when he's hardly had any. Though, that was (duh) his point. "Alec," she started, giving him a look that said something along the lines of a playful 'you-are-so-weird'. "Honestly, I'm more buzzed than you are. You don't get the right to say anything about any kind of booze." She laughed to let him know that she was only teasing him.
Before anyone had a chance to react from Destin's comment, someone emerged from the house and gave a slurred shout of Destin's name from the door. It was a girl - dressed very promiscuously at that. Her already skimpy shirt was ruffled up, showing her midriff, shoulders, and a good percentage of her bra. She was also wearing an incredibly short skirt that hinted some not-so-nice things about her. She clip-clopped precariously in her seven-inch high heels across the yard toward Destin with a strange-looking, gangster character following close behind. The girl sidled up close to Destin's side and glanced over Alec from head to toe and back up. In a thick accent (seemingly from New York), she spoke to Destin while keeping her eyes on Alec. "Oh, god, Destin, I thought we lost ya! Didn't want you bangin' some guy I didn't approve of. Who's this fella' you're hooking up with?"
Destin's eyes widened at the sight of the girl. Oh, lord. Not Carrie. Before she could give any warning to Alec other than a whispered, "Oh, shit." Carrie came teetering over to her side. She tried to make Carrie look less...slutty by picking at her shirt and making it so that she wasn't just popping out half of her boobs to the entire world (Alec, mostly. God, her roommate embarrassed her). "Well, this is my good friend, Alec. Um..."
"Pleased to meet'cha." Carrie chirped, sounding like the type of girl that would spit out her words while smacking loudly on a chunk of bubble gum. She interrupted Destin, not having the patience to sit through the introduction she would give him. It just wouldn't do her justice. Instead, Carrie wanted to make her own. "I'm Carrie Tweed, and this is my boyfran', Neil. I'm Destin's roommate and fella' softball playa'."
Destin clenched her teeth, glancing over to Alec apologetically and mouthing, "She's a biiiiitch." She didn't expect him to get it, but she wanted to at least try to get the message across. Quietly, she mumbled an approving message, "Um...yes. This is...Carrie." Destin bit her bottom lip, hoping and praying to any and all gods out there that Carrie would leave very, very soon.
"Girl, you don't seem so happy to show me off. If he's 'yer good friend, how come you ain't never told me 'bout him?" Carrie tittered, leaning her head over to allow her boyfriend to suck face against her neck. He slid up behind her while she introduced herself and pulled her close to him, making everyone in the vicinity feel quite awkward.
The rest of Alec's response made Destin giggle and roll her eyes. His sense of humor tickled her. She found it amusing and cute at the same time that he would comment on the taste of the booze when he's hardly had any. Though, that was (duh) his point. "Alec," she started, giving him a look that said something along the lines of a playful 'you-are-so-weird'. "Honestly, I'm more buzzed than you are. You don't get the right to say anything about any kind of booze." She laughed to let him know that she was only teasing him.
Before anyone had a chance to react from Destin's comment, someone emerged from the house and gave a slurred shout of Destin's name from the door. It was a girl - dressed very promiscuously at that. Her already skimpy shirt was ruffled up, showing her midriff, shoulders, and a good percentage of her bra. She was also wearing an incredibly short skirt that hinted some not-so-nice things about her. She clip-clopped precariously in her seven-inch high heels across the yard toward Destin with a strange-looking, gangster character following close behind. The girl sidled up close to Destin's side and glanced over Alec from head to toe and back up. In a thick accent (seemingly from New York), she spoke to Destin while keeping her eyes on Alec. "Oh, god, Destin, I thought we lost ya! Didn't want you bangin' some guy I didn't approve of. Who's this fella' you're hooking up with?"
Destin's eyes widened at the sight of the girl. Oh, lord. Not Carrie. Before she could give any warning to Alec other than a whispered, "Oh, shit." Carrie came teetering over to her side. She tried to make Carrie look less...slutty by picking at her shirt and making it so that she wasn't just popping out half of her boobs to the entire world (Alec, mostly. God, her roommate embarrassed her). "Well, this is my good friend, Alec. Um..."
"Pleased to meet'cha." Carrie chirped, sounding like the type of girl that would spit out her words while smacking loudly on a chunk of bubble gum. She interrupted Destin, not having the patience to sit through the introduction she would give him. It just wouldn't do her justice. Instead, Carrie wanted to make her own. "I'm Carrie Tweed, and this is my boyfran', Neil. I'm Destin's roommate and fella' softball playa'."
Destin clenched her teeth, glancing over to Alec apologetically and mouthing, "She's a biiiiitch." She didn't expect him to get it, but she wanted to at least try to get the message across. Quietly, she mumbled an approving message, "Um...yes. This is...Carrie." Destin bit her bottom lip, hoping and praying to any and all gods out there that Carrie would leave very, very soon.
"Girl, you don't seem so happy to show me off. If he's 'yer good friend, how come you ain't never told me 'bout him?" Carrie tittered, leaning her head over to allow her boyfriend to suck face against her neck. He slid up behind her while she introduced herself and pulled her close to him, making everyone in the vicinity feel quite awkward.
He had her number. He actually, literally had her number in his possession, and he could call her. He could make plans, make conversation, even make dates. Maybe. Someday. In the future. If she was, you know, cool with that. But for now he returned his phone to his pocket beside his Rubik's cube and listened to the sound of Destin's giggle. On Alec's behalf, let me just say it was a very cute giggle. He found everything about Destin to be rather cute and/or pretty, gorgeous, insert-flattering-adjective-here. He nodded and laughed in response to her "buzzed" comment, looking down at his can of beer.
"Oh, god, Destin, I thought we lost ya! Didn't want you bangin' some guy I didn't approve of. Who's this fella you're hooking up with?" Alec's head shot up, his dark eyes widening in surprise. "Ohwe'renot-" he rushed to get out the words, fumbling over a tongue that seemed too big for his mouth, but Destin had it covered. Good friends. Yes, that was what they were. Wait, good friends? Score! :3
Alec went from pink, to red, to bright scarlet in a matter of seconds. His ears were particularly red, the tips visible through his dark hair, and he made a self conscious move to cover them. He was feeling awfully blush-y, all hot and embarrassed by the unwanted attention, and he ducked his head to inspect the dust that had collected on the toes of his shoes. If he'd been physically capable, he would have shrunk right up inside that grey tweed coat of his and just disappeared. This Carrie character had not taken her eyes off him, and our nerdy little Alec was getting very uncomfortable.
Carrie gave her crass introduction as Alec stood awkwardly by, wondering what exactly he was supposed to do in this situation. Offer a handshake? Give a "Yo, bro, what's good in the hood?" side hug to Carrie's boyfriend? Neither of those seemed like viable options, so he settled for standing there politely and looking cute (in his very shy, very awkward way). "I'm, um, pleased to meet you, too, Carrie. Hi, Neil." He gave an awkward little wave and took another sip of beer, because if there was ever a time to drink alcohol, it was now. Oh god, the pitch of Carrie's voice was literally grating. And what on earth was she wearing? Did girls really leave the house without pants? Was that some new thing he didn't know about? I mean, her boyfriend certainly seemed to appreciate it, so she had to be doing something right.
Too embarrassed by the large amount of skin Carrie was showing, Alec turned his eyes to Destin, looking to her in time to catch her mouthed message. Poor Destin. Did she actually live with this woman? But then, judgment was wrong, wasn't it? He himself had been labeled as a geeky, nerdy little dork for the majority of his life. Maybe this Carrie would turn out to be a perfectly intelligent, polite individual with a plethora of deep, meaningful thoughts to share. ...Maybe pigs would fly. Anything could happen, right?
Unfortunately, the thing that happened was that Carrie's boyfriend suctioned himself to her neck. Alec's dorky little brain saw this as the wimpier, leech-like male angler fish suctioning himself to the much larger and more aggressive female angler fish. That's actually how they reproduce, for those who don't know. The male just attaches himself to the female and becomes a little parasitic sperm-giver who floats around with her on her dark ocean adventures. :3 That's right, guys, Alec's brain is just one great big science documentary.
"Oh, god, Destin, I thought we lost ya! Didn't want you bangin' some guy I didn't approve of. Who's this fella you're hooking up with?" Alec's head shot up, his dark eyes widening in surprise. "Ohwe'renot-" he rushed to get out the words, fumbling over a tongue that seemed too big for his mouth, but Destin had it covered. Good friends. Yes, that was what they were. Wait, good friends? Score! :3
Alec went from pink, to red, to bright scarlet in a matter of seconds. His ears were particularly red, the tips visible through his dark hair, and he made a self conscious move to cover them. He was feeling awfully blush-y, all hot and embarrassed by the unwanted attention, and he ducked his head to inspect the dust that had collected on the toes of his shoes. If he'd been physically capable, he would have shrunk right up inside that grey tweed coat of his and just disappeared. This Carrie character had not taken her eyes off him, and our nerdy little Alec was getting very uncomfortable.
Carrie gave her crass introduction as Alec stood awkwardly by, wondering what exactly he was supposed to do in this situation. Offer a handshake? Give a "Yo, bro, what's good in the hood?" side hug to Carrie's boyfriend? Neither of those seemed like viable options, so he settled for standing there politely and looking cute (in his very shy, very awkward way). "I'm, um, pleased to meet you, too, Carrie. Hi, Neil." He gave an awkward little wave and took another sip of beer, because if there was ever a time to drink alcohol, it was now. Oh god, the pitch of Carrie's voice was literally grating. And what on earth was she wearing? Did girls really leave the house without pants? Was that some new thing he didn't know about? I mean, her boyfriend certainly seemed to appreciate it, so she had to be doing something right.
Too embarrassed by the large amount of skin Carrie was showing, Alec turned his eyes to Destin, looking to her in time to catch her mouthed message. Poor Destin. Did she actually live with this woman? But then, judgment was wrong, wasn't it? He himself had been labeled as a geeky, nerdy little dork for the majority of his life. Maybe this Carrie would turn out to be a perfectly intelligent, polite individual with a plethora of deep, meaningful thoughts to share. ...Maybe pigs would fly. Anything could happen, right?
Unfortunately, the thing that happened was that Carrie's boyfriend suctioned himself to her neck. Alec's dorky little brain saw this as the wimpier, leech-like male angler fish suctioning himself to the much larger and more aggressive female angler fish. That's actually how they reproduce, for those who don't know. The male just attaches himself to the female and becomes a little parasitic sperm-giver who floats around with her on her dark ocean adventures. :3 That's right, guys, Alec's brain is just one great big science documentary.
Carrie chortled and started speaking before Destin had any thoughts of if she should even respond. Destin could see how awkward Alec was feeling and she felt so bad for him; Carrie was too much for someone like him, and she wanted to help him. She wanted so badly to reach out and hold his hand and tell him everything was okay. Of course, she didn't mean to imply that she would treat him like a child; she only wanted to comfort him. To give him a hug and shelter him from Carrie. Carrie was like a hammer and Alec was a small, little fragile piece of glass in the middle of the hammer's path of motion. It was not a pretty sight, and she could already see the shattering effects on Alec through his eyes and body language. Oh, the poor, poor kid - not to contradict herself, but the slight fear in his eyes resembled that of a scared child. She felt helpless as Carrie overpowered her in her loud, obnoxious voice.
It's not that Carrie really held any power over Destin. Destin could stand her ground just fine against Carrie. It was just the fact that Carrie was so loud and obnoxious - and, honestly, quite scary with how promiscuous and thoughtless she is. Plus, just having Neil around made Destin feel incredibly uncomfortable as well. She's seen parts of Neil that she will never unsee again. The sad part was, he didn't seem to care. He was too wrapped up in pleasing Carrie and bringing ... Neil-like joy to her world. Though, I digress.
"So, honey, since Dest' hasn't told me shit 'bout you, guess you gots some talkin' to do." Carrie slurred, showing a surprising amount of interest and intense focus for a drunk person. "Where're 'ya from?"
At this point, Destin felt the need to interrupt. She couldn't bear to watch her poor Alec get shattered into a million more tiny pieces. "We went to high school together, Carrie. He was my lifeline to continuing to play softball." She stepped away from Carrie and moved to Alec's side, unable to stand being too close to Neil and Carrie's intimacy. Her dorm bed was already too close to it, and she wasn't going to stand to stand right next to it when she had the power to move away.
"I don' get the fuck what that means," Carrie's face squirmed into an expression that was supposed to represent confusion. Though, with her drunkenness, who even knows what it actually looked like. Maybe a cross between an ogre and a thousand-year-old president's wrinkle, coated with cellulite. "He practiced with you?"
"God, no, Carrie. Look, just...didn't you and Neil have plans for tonight?" Destin shuddered at the thought, stepping ever so slightly closer to Alec so her shoulder was touching him. That was her small way of holding his hand, or protecting him from the Carrie hammer. Just touching him, another, sane, human being, calmed her down slightly. Carrie was too much for even her to handle sometimes. This was one of those times. Carrie embarrassed her, dang it! She wanted to spend time with Alec in peace. She wanted to be known as the fun girl that he tutored a while back, not the girl that had the ... unexplainable roommate.
Carrie gave another one of her strange ... laughs. She added in a scoff, as if Destin asked the most stupid question anyone could ever ask. "Well, yeah, but I wanna meet your new boyfran'. Wanna see if this is the guy you been home running. I mean, you just been sittin' in the bench for too long. Need to get 'yerself back out there." She gave a wink to Alec, hoping he would start talking. She hadn't heard his voice since she saw him.
It's not that Carrie really held any power over Destin. Destin could stand her ground just fine against Carrie. It was just the fact that Carrie was so loud and obnoxious - and, honestly, quite scary with how promiscuous and thoughtless she is. Plus, just having Neil around made Destin feel incredibly uncomfortable as well. She's seen parts of Neil that she will never unsee again. The sad part was, he didn't seem to care. He was too wrapped up in pleasing Carrie and bringing ... Neil-like joy to her world. Though, I digress.
"So, honey, since Dest' hasn't told me shit 'bout you, guess you gots some talkin' to do." Carrie slurred, showing a surprising amount of interest and intense focus for a drunk person. "Where're 'ya from?"
At this point, Destin felt the need to interrupt. She couldn't bear to watch her poor Alec get shattered into a million more tiny pieces. "We went to high school together, Carrie. He was my lifeline to continuing to play softball." She stepped away from Carrie and moved to Alec's side, unable to stand being too close to Neil and Carrie's intimacy. Her dorm bed was already too close to it, and she wasn't going to stand to stand right next to it when she had the power to move away.
"I don' get the fuck what that means," Carrie's face squirmed into an expression that was supposed to represent confusion. Though, with her drunkenness, who even knows what it actually looked like. Maybe a cross between an ogre and a thousand-year-old president's wrinkle, coated with cellulite. "He practiced with you?"
"God, no, Carrie. Look, just...didn't you and Neil have plans for tonight?" Destin shuddered at the thought, stepping ever so slightly closer to Alec so her shoulder was touching him. That was her small way of holding his hand, or protecting him from the Carrie hammer. Just touching him, another, sane, human being, calmed her down slightly. Carrie was too much for even her to handle sometimes. This was one of those times. Carrie embarrassed her, dang it! She wanted to spend time with Alec in peace. She wanted to be known as the fun girl that he tutored a while back, not the girl that had the ... unexplainable roommate.
Carrie gave another one of her strange ... laughs. She added in a scoff, as if Destin asked the most stupid question anyone could ever ask. "Well, yeah, but I wanna meet your new boyfran'. Wanna see if this is the guy you been home running. I mean, you just been sittin' in the bench for too long. Need to get 'yerself back out there." She gave a wink to Alec, hoping he would start talking. She hadn't heard his voice since she saw him.
Alec was starting to remember why all those days in the library had seemed so pleasant- you didn't have to talk to anyone. Well, I mean, you talked to people, but you didn't flirt with them, which was great, because girls were scary. Okay, not scary, but complicated and overwhelming for certain. Perhaps he had spent so much time stuffing his brain with angler fish facts that he failed to allow the normal "guy" part of his brain to grow- the part that would tell him exactly how to handle this slutty, giggling Carrie character. Maybe if he'd spent a little less time taking notes in classrooms and a little more time conversing in the halls, he'd be more game and less...lame. Yes, maybe...
But for now, he was stuck with what he had, and what he had was a pair of wide, deer-in-headlights eyes, a set of lips that refused to work, and a body that was incredibly fidgety. Oh god, how do people do this? (By "this" he of course meant the act of speaking to other human beings.) Well, he had been talking to Destin just a moment before, but Destin was different. Sure he was nervous and weird and said the wrong things, but it all seemed right, in a way. He felt like she could forgive him for it. This Carrie...she was relentless.
"Where're 'ya from?" Alec heard Carrie's question, but he couldn't answer right away. He was too caught up in the way that Neil was suctioned to Carrie, hanging all over her like she was some sort of...some sort of...words fail me. Did girls actually like that? I mean, he knew that girls like to touch and cuddle and all that, but that just looked downright uncomfortable. At this rate he was going to bruise her skin and leave some kind of mark. (Our poor darling Alec didn't realize that this was the whole point of the endeavor, and that Neil was indeed trying to give Carrie a hickey.)
"Um, Pennsylvania," he managed to stutter, tearing his eyes from Neil's kissing, slurping mouth. "Harrisburg, originally, but now I live-"
Thankfully Destin chose to step in at this point, saving him from further blushy embarrassment. There were some guys who might be bothered, even annoyed, by a girl taking control of the conversation, but Alec was not one of them. No Sir, he was completely and totally relieved to have Destin step in. And then, wonder of wonders, she came to stand next to him. Cue the mental happy dance. (And by mental I mean that it happened inside his head, not that he's crazy. Although he is a little odd, if we're being honest.)
And then...she touched his shoulder! Or rather, her shoulder touched his, but it all amounts to the same thing- they were touching. Somehow this made him feel both safe and protective at the same time, and, through some bizarre urge of bravery, he managed to say:
"We have not been 'home running' or sitting on benches or anything of the sort. Besides being friends, we are also i-intelligent people" (here his confidence starting to waver), "who have the common decency not to engage in bizarre physical intimacies in public. Now if you will excuse us, Destin and I have a party to get back to."
That was certainly more than he'd intended to say. Perhaps it was really too much. And this Neil fellow...he was awfully big. Alec had faced bullies of Neil's size before, and the end result had never been pretty. He sent Destin a mental apology and reached for her hand, lacing his fingers through his. Hopefully she wouldn't mind being pulled away from her room mate, as their escape seemed to be the only thing that would prevent Neil from smashing in Alec's skull. He didn't want to run away, that seemed awfully childish, but he certainly set a brisk pace, walking back towards the house and the safety of numbers.
But for now, he was stuck with what he had, and what he had was a pair of wide, deer-in-headlights eyes, a set of lips that refused to work, and a body that was incredibly fidgety. Oh god, how do people do this? (By "this" he of course meant the act of speaking to other human beings.) Well, he had been talking to Destin just a moment before, but Destin was different. Sure he was nervous and weird and said the wrong things, but it all seemed right, in a way. He felt like she could forgive him for it. This Carrie...she was relentless.
"Where're 'ya from?" Alec heard Carrie's question, but he couldn't answer right away. He was too caught up in the way that Neil was suctioned to Carrie, hanging all over her like she was some sort of...some sort of...words fail me. Did girls actually like that? I mean, he knew that girls like to touch and cuddle and all that, but that just looked downright uncomfortable. At this rate he was going to bruise her skin and leave some kind of mark. (Our poor darling Alec didn't realize that this was the whole point of the endeavor, and that Neil was indeed trying to give Carrie a hickey.)
"Um, Pennsylvania," he managed to stutter, tearing his eyes from Neil's kissing, slurping mouth. "Harrisburg, originally, but now I live-"
Thankfully Destin chose to step in at this point, saving him from further blushy embarrassment. There were some guys who might be bothered, even annoyed, by a girl taking control of the conversation, but Alec was not one of them. No Sir, he was completely and totally relieved to have Destin step in. And then, wonder of wonders, she came to stand next to him. Cue the mental happy dance. (And by mental I mean that it happened inside his head, not that he's crazy. Although he is a little odd, if we're being honest.)
And then...she touched his shoulder! Or rather, her shoulder touched his, but it all amounts to the same thing- they were touching. Somehow this made him feel both safe and protective at the same time, and, through some bizarre urge of bravery, he managed to say:
"We have not been 'home running' or sitting on benches or anything of the sort. Besides being friends, we are also i-intelligent people" (here his confidence starting to waver), "who have the common decency not to engage in bizarre physical intimacies in public. Now if you will excuse us, Destin and I have a party to get back to."
That was certainly more than he'd intended to say. Perhaps it was really too much. And this Neil fellow...he was awfully big. Alec had faced bullies of Neil's size before, and the end result had never been pretty. He sent Destin a mental apology and reached for her hand, lacing his fingers through his. Hopefully she wouldn't mind being pulled away from her room mate, as their escape seemed to be the only thing that would prevent Neil from smashing in Alec's skull. He didn't want to run away, that seemed awfully childish, but he certainly set a brisk pace, walking back towards the house and the safety of numbers.
Destin was baffled. What Carrie had said to her completely blew her mind. It wasn't what she said, really, that bothered her. It was just the thought of even being considered Alec's girlfriend that shocked her. Destin knew that Carrie would know if she had a boyfriend; Destin'd spend hours babbling on and on about random nonsense regarding the guy. Yes, Destin was a tomboy-ish girl, but she was still a girl. Having a lover was something that excited her - it got her girly side working. She couldn't help it. So, when Carrie labeled Alec as "the guy she'd been home running" she stood there, wide-eyed (almost as much as Alec was a moment ago) and...baffled.
Her mind spent several beats trying to process the thought and to either come up with a comeback or to deal with it in some other proactive way. For some reason, the first thought that came to her mind was, "What would Carrie think if I ended up actually dating Alec?" That thought took up brain power as well. Carrie wouldn't be very encouraging, that's for sure. Carrie was the type to think that nerds were nerds and every one else deserved to date each other; the nerds should be shunned from the gene pool. Neil explained it very much. Just look at him. His oversized, chunky pants were riding low on his hips (practically down to his knees!) and the wife-beater tank he was wearing gave off a humble impression, didn't it? Destin couldn't imagine herself dating someone like Neil; she just wouldn't like it. Alec, however.... Ugh, but wait. The mind is still processing. Would he even want to?
Before Destin could get in any sort of mumble jumble that resembled a denial, she could feel Alec's hand lacing into hers. Almost instinctively, Destin's hand tightened around his as well, though she didn't plan for it to do so. They were holding hands, and he was tugging on her arm. Why? Neither her ears nor her brain seemed to work, for she was halfway across the yard back to the house before she could process what Alec somewhat boldly remarked. He denied what Carrie said and...oh? He poked fun at Neil's act of sucking off Carrie's skin. Ha, ha, that was cute. She let out a snort, starting to laugh directly after. Her laughter was quiet, but it still was clear. Did he really just run away?
She couldn't blame him. If Destin had any say in the matter (or if she could) she would have done the same thing. Running away from Carrie was something she'd always wanted to do. That girl was just too much...everything for her to handle. She always felt compelled, though, to stay and be a friend to Carrie despite any internal rejections. If not for Alec, she would have been stuck hanging around Carrie and Neil all night long. For this, she was yet again eternally grateful for Alec existing. Of course, she hadn't a clue that Neil was the one he primarily was running from. If she had, she would surely tease him for this. Like the male angler fish, Neil was pretty harmless to a normal, little "fishy" like Alec. Carrie was the one with the bark and the bite, while Neil just stands there in the background, supporting her and, well, fertilizing her.
Suddenly, it really hit her. It really, truly hit her. Alec was holding her hand. And...the strange part was...that it felt...comfortable. She didn't feel like she needed to let go. She was holding his hand and they were walking back into the party house that she had led them out of not too long ago. His hand was firm yet gentle, and she couldn't help but muse over how much she, admittedly, liked holding his hand. The last time she felt like this was when she was with...well...never, really. She never felt this confident in anyone's hand holding ability, quite frankly. Whether this was a sign, Destin didn't know. But she may as well roll with it. For right now, however, she felt like she had to address what he said.
"So..." Destin finally managed to coyly say, after they were out of Carrie's earshot, "if we're not home-running, nor sitting on benches...then what are we doing, exactly?" Her question was entirely meant to tease him. The sly smile and accompanied giggle made it obvious. She wasn't sure if he understood the hidden messages behind the words, considering he was more of a recluse than someone that would know about all the different uses of softball terms. According to Carrie, "home-running" was, of course, "going all the way" while "sitting on the bench" meant "going through a time period where the person being talked about is single". She didn't expect Alec to know this, though if he did, she'd be impressed. That would make his answer to her question even more difficult to discover. Basically, she was asking him what they were doing if they weren't sleeping around or being single. Plus, he never denied being her boyfriend. Her girly brain, of course, felt the need to question this part. She knew she was over-thinking things, but she didn't quite care:
So...is he implying he wants to be my boyfriend by not denying it? Or is he just too nervous to admit it, so he figures not saying anything about it would be a way to avoid the subject?
Her mind spent several beats trying to process the thought and to either come up with a comeback or to deal with it in some other proactive way. For some reason, the first thought that came to her mind was, "What would Carrie think if I ended up actually dating Alec?" That thought took up brain power as well. Carrie wouldn't be very encouraging, that's for sure. Carrie was the type to think that nerds were nerds and every one else deserved to date each other; the nerds should be shunned from the gene pool. Neil explained it very much. Just look at him. His oversized, chunky pants were riding low on his hips (practically down to his knees!) and the wife-beater tank he was wearing gave off a humble impression, didn't it? Destin couldn't imagine herself dating someone like Neil; she just wouldn't like it. Alec, however.... Ugh, but wait. The mind is still processing. Would he even want to?
Before Destin could get in any sort of mumble jumble that resembled a denial, she could feel Alec's hand lacing into hers. Almost instinctively, Destin's hand tightened around his as well, though she didn't plan for it to do so. They were holding hands, and he was tugging on her arm. Why? Neither her ears nor her brain seemed to work, for she was halfway across the yard back to the house before she could process what Alec somewhat boldly remarked. He denied what Carrie said and...oh? He poked fun at Neil's act of sucking off Carrie's skin. Ha, ha, that was cute. She let out a snort, starting to laugh directly after. Her laughter was quiet, but it still was clear. Did he really just run away?
She couldn't blame him. If Destin had any say in the matter (or if she could) she would have done the same thing. Running away from Carrie was something she'd always wanted to do. That girl was just too much...everything for her to handle. She always felt compelled, though, to stay and be a friend to Carrie despite any internal rejections. If not for Alec, she would have been stuck hanging around Carrie and Neil all night long. For this, she was yet again eternally grateful for Alec existing. Of course, she hadn't a clue that Neil was the one he primarily was running from. If she had, she would surely tease him for this. Like the male angler fish, Neil was pretty harmless to a normal, little "fishy" like Alec. Carrie was the one with the bark and the bite, while Neil just stands there in the background, supporting her and, well, fertilizing her.
Suddenly, it really hit her. It really, truly hit her. Alec was holding her hand. And...the strange part was...that it felt...comfortable. She didn't feel like she needed to let go. She was holding his hand and they were walking back into the party house that she had led them out of not too long ago. His hand was firm yet gentle, and she couldn't help but muse over how much she, admittedly, liked holding his hand. The last time she felt like this was when she was with...well...never, really. She never felt this confident in anyone's hand holding ability, quite frankly. Whether this was a sign, Destin didn't know. But she may as well roll with it. For right now, however, she felt like she had to address what he said.
"So..." Destin finally managed to coyly say, after they were out of Carrie's earshot, "if we're not home-running, nor sitting on benches...then what are we doing, exactly?" Her question was entirely meant to tease him. The sly smile and accompanied giggle made it obvious. She wasn't sure if he understood the hidden messages behind the words, considering he was more of a recluse than someone that would know about all the different uses of softball terms. According to Carrie, "home-running" was, of course, "going all the way" while "sitting on the bench" meant "going through a time period where the person being talked about is single". She didn't expect Alec to know this, though if he did, she'd be impressed. That would make his answer to her question even more difficult to discover. Basically, she was asking him what they were doing if they weren't sleeping around or being single. Plus, he never denied being her boyfriend. Her girly brain, of course, felt the need to question this part. She knew she was over-thinking things, but she didn't quite care:
So...is he implying he wants to be my boyfriend by not denying it? Or is he just too nervous to admit it, so he figures not saying anything about it would be a way to avoid the subject?
Alec wasn't so sure about his decision to, for all intents and purposes, drag Destin away from her, um, friend, but as they were already halfway back to the house, he figured he might as well keep walking. He veered a little to the left, still keeping a wide berth from the rest of the crowd, and settled on a quiet-ish spot towards the outer edge of the grass. Destin's fingers were still intertwined with his, and he took this as a good sign. I mean, she was okay with it, right? She must be, or she would've pulled away by now...right?
Was it weird that he just liked holding her hand? He liked her fingers, which were longer and bonier than the rest of her, but in a good way. He liked the firm warmth of her palm, and the faint calluses formed from gripping bats and throwing softballs. He liked the way she held his hand back, gripping his palm as though it meant something. Or maybe he was just reading way too much into things, as he always did.
The problem was: he really liked Destin. Really liked her. This was a problem, of course, because Alec was Alec and Destin was Destin. One need only review their high school history to see why things would not/could not/should not work. They were opposites in athletics, academics, social standing- everything. They look petty on paper, these labels and categories, but you'd be surprised by the power they have over you after you've lived with them for 18 plus years. It shouldn't have mattered at this point, how different they used to be, or still were, but it did. It mattered a lot.
You see, Alec had tried with Destin before. Well, almost tried. In their long days at the library, Alec had developed something of a crush on Destin. He liked tutoring (he could have talked about gravitational symmetry for hours), but he particularly liked tutoring Destin. He had loved every minute spent in the dusty back corner of the library, trudging through chapter upon chapter of notes and sneaking in personal questions in between. He made her laugh when she was discouraged, listened to her when she needed to talk, made her try again when she was frustrated...he had wanted to be there for her. One day, when she had done particularly well on a quiz, she had run into the library and thrown her arms around him, proclaiming she couldn't have done it without him. Careful and cautious as Alec was in social situations (and romantic ones in particular), he couldn't help but be excited by this. Senior prom was two weeks away, and he got it in his head to ask her to go with him. Ya know, like, a date and stuff. :3 It had taken him awhile to get up the courage, but he had finally taken the plunge and bought her a bouquet of daisies and poppies (two of her favorites), to do it properly. He had intended to do it Friday afternoon after their tutoring session, but Friday morning Destin herself had cheerfully told him she had accepted an invitation to prom, and he had hastily tossed his flowers into a trash can and tried to forget the whole thing.
He wasn't crushed, exactly, but he did recall being rather put out for the next couple tutoring sessions and being somewhat stand-offish when asked about his own plans for prom. (For the record, he did end up going with a very nice girl from his calculus class, except that halfway through the night she had insisted they drive to a bar she knew to do Jell-O shots and also smoke some "rad dope". That was the end of that relationship.)
Long story short, he wasn't entirely sure where he stood with Destin, and didn't want to push it. Apparently Destin wasn't too sure where they stood, either, because she then asked "If we're not home-running, or sitting on benches...then what are we doing, exactly?" And that...that was an excellent question. She was teasing, he could tell, but she did seem to want an answer. The "sitting on benches" didn't seem to be something to take literally, and with his amaz-za-zing analytical skills he figured he could deduce the meaning of "home running". The answer that came immediately to mind was "Whatever you want to be doing", but that seemed weak, and also sort of forward and/or weird.
"We're..." come on, Alec, don't screw this up, "getting to know each other again. I'm…" spit it out, man! "I'm really glad you're here tonight, Destin." There, that was as far as he could go. He wanted to put himself out there; he wanted to look her straight in the eye and say "Destinie Whittaker, I like you. I like you a lot. Hell, I might even love you." But he couldn't do it. This was not the sort of thing that Alec was capable of. If he had tried to tell her exactly how much he liked her, there's a good chance he would've passed out on the lawn.
Was it weird that he just liked holding her hand? He liked her fingers, which were longer and bonier than the rest of her, but in a good way. He liked the firm warmth of her palm, and the faint calluses formed from gripping bats and throwing softballs. He liked the way she held his hand back, gripping his palm as though it meant something. Or maybe he was just reading way too much into things, as he always did.
The problem was: he really liked Destin. Really liked her. This was a problem, of course, because Alec was Alec and Destin was Destin. One need only review their high school history to see why things would not/could not/should not work. They were opposites in athletics, academics, social standing- everything. They look petty on paper, these labels and categories, but you'd be surprised by the power they have over you after you've lived with them for 18 plus years. It shouldn't have mattered at this point, how different they used to be, or still were, but it did. It mattered a lot.
You see, Alec had tried with Destin before. Well, almost tried. In their long days at the library, Alec had developed something of a crush on Destin. He liked tutoring (he could have talked about gravitational symmetry for hours), but he particularly liked tutoring Destin. He had loved every minute spent in the dusty back corner of the library, trudging through chapter upon chapter of notes and sneaking in personal questions in between. He made her laugh when she was discouraged, listened to her when she needed to talk, made her try again when she was frustrated...he had wanted to be there for her. One day, when she had done particularly well on a quiz, she had run into the library and thrown her arms around him, proclaiming she couldn't have done it without him. Careful and cautious as Alec was in social situations (and romantic ones in particular), he couldn't help but be excited by this. Senior prom was two weeks away, and he got it in his head to ask her to go with him. Ya know, like, a date and stuff. :3 It had taken him awhile to get up the courage, but he had finally taken the plunge and bought her a bouquet of daisies and poppies (two of her favorites), to do it properly. He had intended to do it Friday afternoon after their tutoring session, but Friday morning Destin herself had cheerfully told him she had accepted an invitation to prom, and he had hastily tossed his flowers into a trash can and tried to forget the whole thing.
He wasn't crushed, exactly, but he did recall being rather put out for the next couple tutoring sessions and being somewhat stand-offish when asked about his own plans for prom. (For the record, he did end up going with a very nice girl from his calculus class, except that halfway through the night she had insisted they drive to a bar she knew to do Jell-O shots and also smoke some "rad dope". That was the end of that relationship.)
Long story short, he wasn't entirely sure where he stood with Destin, and didn't want to push it. Apparently Destin wasn't too sure where they stood, either, because she then asked "If we're not home-running, or sitting on benches...then what are we doing, exactly?" And that...that was an excellent question. She was teasing, he could tell, but she did seem to want an answer. The "sitting on benches" didn't seem to be something to take literally, and with his amaz-za-zing analytical skills he figured he could deduce the meaning of "home running". The answer that came immediately to mind was "Whatever you want to be doing", but that seemed weak, and also sort of forward and/or weird.
"We're..." come on, Alec, don't screw this up, "getting to know each other again. I'm…" spit it out, man! "I'm really glad you're here tonight, Destin." There, that was as far as he could go. He wanted to put himself out there; he wanted to look her straight in the eye and say "Destinie Whittaker, I like you. I like you a lot. Hell, I might even love you." But he couldn't do it. This was not the sort of thing that Alec was capable of. If he had tried to tell her exactly how much he liked her, there's a good chance he would've passed out on the lawn.
He was still holding her hand.
Eep!
It surprised Destin that Alec would hold her hand even after he stopped walking. The only reason he would need to hold it, realistically, was because he wanted to drag her away from Carrie. She wasn't complaining, honestly, because his hand was soft and strong in just the right ways. It was a nice change from the calloused and rough hands of the jocks she used to date. All the memories of the (relevant - the ones that lasted a month or less didn't count to her) guys she used to date came flooding into her mind after she decided she was happy holding Alec's hand. Destin thought of all those times she ever held any of her ex-boyfriends' hands; Jacob, Chris, Darrel, Marcus, Sean (her most recent ex) and even that small time with Tyler counted toward the memory. Their hands were all clearly familiar with being used in various, heavily tasking things. Holding Alec's hand was like having vanilla ice cream after continuously getting only a bowlful of sprinkles. Sure, the sprinkles were sweet, but you kind of want something soft and smooth instead - something better.
She could remember a particular conversation with Sean about this very issue not too long before they broke up. Destin was putting some lotion on her hands and Sean felt the need to ask about it.
"Why don't you put scented lotion on? Isn't that the only reason why girls even put lotion on in the first place? To smell good?"
Destin could remember laughing at the thought of wearing those flowery, perfume-filled lotion and shook her head. She didn't wear it for the smell; that's what her body wash was for. She used lotion to moisturize. At that point, she brought up the fact that Sean should moisturize his own hands as well. She took his hands and smothered her lotion-caked hands over them, playfully forcing him to moisturize. "You should use lotion too, Sean." Destin teased, "Maybe it would help it feel nice when we hold hands for once."
It felt nice now, with Alec. And though she didn't want to, Destin felt compelled to let go of his hand. He surely never intended to continue holding his hand, right? People get used to things like this, or maybe he was just taking his time. He needed a breather from the encounter with Carrie - which she could understand - and letting go of Destin's comforting hand wasn't on top of his list. That's surely it; that is positively, absolutely why he was still holding her hand. Erm...maybe. She moved her hand (with the other one following suit) to rest behind her, a finger casually looped through the belt loop. With both hands rested comfortably, she crossed her right leg in front of her left, keeping her legs close together so that they weren't crossed over with space between them - because that's just weird. This was a pose she constantly found herself in when engaging in conversations where she was standing up. It was comfortable for her to stand like that, and it showed that she was comfortable in front of Alec. He was a comfortable and fun person to be around - that's that.
He was also humorously cute when he was obviously feeling awkward and didn't know what exactly to say as he was saying it. Destin finally managed to compose herself and responded after getting her laughter out of her system. "I'm glad you're here tonight, too, Alec. Though... Speaking of being here," She paused, trying to figure out how to word her question in the best way possible. "I mean, I don't want to come off as rude or anything, but I never took you as the party-goer. Never thought you were, um, a party guy." Destin's bold smile turned into that of a weaker one. She hated insulting people and she sincerely hoped Alec wouldn't feel insulted. In all honesty, Alec wasn't a party-goer nor would he ever seem to become one. "Like, I only got that from noticing that you still haven't finished your beer." She laughed weakly. This was true. Parties and beer go hand-in-hand, so... "Anyway, I mean, Did you have a specific reason for coming, or are you like me and decided to come just for the heck of it?"
Eep!
It surprised Destin that Alec would hold her hand even after he stopped walking. The only reason he would need to hold it, realistically, was because he wanted to drag her away from Carrie. She wasn't complaining, honestly, because his hand was soft and strong in just the right ways. It was a nice change from the calloused and rough hands of the jocks she used to date. All the memories of the (relevant - the ones that lasted a month or less didn't count to her) guys she used to date came flooding into her mind after she decided she was happy holding Alec's hand. Destin thought of all those times she ever held any of her ex-boyfriends' hands; Jacob, Chris, Darrel, Marcus, Sean (her most recent ex) and even that small time with Tyler counted toward the memory. Their hands were all clearly familiar with being used in various, heavily tasking things. Holding Alec's hand was like having vanilla ice cream after continuously getting only a bowlful of sprinkles. Sure, the sprinkles were sweet, but you kind of want something soft and smooth instead - something better.
She could remember a particular conversation with Sean about this very issue not too long before they broke up. Destin was putting some lotion on her hands and Sean felt the need to ask about it.
"Why don't you put scented lotion on? Isn't that the only reason why girls even put lotion on in the first place? To smell good?"
Destin could remember laughing at the thought of wearing those flowery, perfume-filled lotion and shook her head. She didn't wear it for the smell; that's what her body wash was for. She used lotion to moisturize. At that point, she brought up the fact that Sean should moisturize his own hands as well. She took his hands and smothered her lotion-caked hands over them, playfully forcing him to moisturize. "You should use lotion too, Sean." Destin teased, "Maybe it would help it feel nice when we hold hands for once."
It felt nice now, with Alec. And though she didn't want to, Destin felt compelled to let go of his hand. He surely never intended to continue holding his hand, right? People get used to things like this, or maybe he was just taking his time. He needed a breather from the encounter with Carrie - which she could understand - and letting go of Destin's comforting hand wasn't on top of his list. That's surely it; that is positively, absolutely why he was still holding her hand. Erm...maybe. She moved her hand (with the other one following suit) to rest behind her, a finger casually looped through the belt loop. With both hands rested comfortably, she crossed her right leg in front of her left, keeping her legs close together so that they weren't crossed over with space between them - because that's just weird. This was a pose she constantly found herself in when engaging in conversations where she was standing up. It was comfortable for her to stand like that, and it showed that she was comfortable in front of Alec. He was a comfortable and fun person to be around - that's that.
He was also humorously cute when he was obviously feeling awkward and didn't know what exactly to say as he was saying it. Destin finally managed to compose herself and responded after getting her laughter out of her system. "I'm glad you're here tonight, too, Alec. Though... Speaking of being here," She paused, trying to figure out how to word her question in the best way possible. "I mean, I don't want to come off as rude or anything, but I never took you as the party-goer. Never thought you were, um, a party guy." Destin's bold smile turned into that of a weaker one. She hated insulting people and she sincerely hoped Alec wouldn't feel insulted. In all honesty, Alec wasn't a party-goer nor would he ever seem to become one. "Like, I only got that from noticing that you still haven't finished your beer." She laughed weakly. This was true. Parties and beer go hand-in-hand, so... "Anyway, I mean, Did you have a specific reason for coming, or are you like me and decided to come just for the heck of it?"
He let her pull her hand away. I mean, it wasn't as thought he had any reason to be holding it; he just enjoyed hand-holding. Well, actually, that wasn't true. He didn't particularly enjoy public displays of affection of any sort, and some might consider hand holding to be, well, affectionate. And while most of the people around them were too drunk to notice or care, they were technically still in public. I mean, it wasn't that he found PDA to be overwhelmingly awkward or rude or anything...
...Or maybe it was. Maybe he had too often been the on-looker, the one watching the kisses and hugs and other physical intimacies. Maybe he was just jealous. Because Alec isn't asexual, you know. He is attracted to females *cough cough, Destin*, and he would very much like to be in a relationship. The problem is not the desire, but the ability to translate said desire into say, a proposal. A "Would you like to go with me?" or even a "Would you like to get coffee?"
Any who, he didn't like hand holding that much, but he liked holding Destin's hand a lot. But as he did not yet know whether Destin reciprocated his feelings (wait, what were his feelings, exactly? They seemed to be developing unbeknownst to him. His analytical, logical brain was very troubled by this.), he returned his hand to his side and left it there, twitching against his coat pocket. Now that he was a) no longer holding Destin's hand and b) a little anxious over the whole Destin business, he was itching to work out his nervous energy, and the only way he could think to do it was to pull out his Rubik's cube and do some fiddling. But that would be awkward, and he still had to hold this stupid beer can. Destin, being a normal person capable of normal conversation, was able to fill the awkward, post-Carrie lapse in conversation with a question- a question that caught Alec a little off guard.
"Did you have a specific reason for coming, or are you like me and decided to come just for the heck of it?" He wondered if the answer could be both. He could not, in his geeky little brain, work out his exact reasoning for coming, which made his decision seem almost spontaneous. At the same time, there seemed to be some subconscious decision making a work- some definitive motive that explained his presence.
"It was...an experiment." He fidgeted a little, uncertain how to proceed. "It seemed like a good idea, you know? I mean, I'm really not a party-goer, and I thought...I thought I should try it, I guess. It's a problem I have. Not trying things. Not saying or doing things. I thought might be able to fix it." To fix me, he added to himself.
"And I will finish this beer," he laughed, lifting the can to eye level and staring at it challengingly. "Maybe. Eventually. On my deathbed, perhaps. To take the edge off."
...Or maybe it was. Maybe he had too often been the on-looker, the one watching the kisses and hugs and other physical intimacies. Maybe he was just jealous. Because Alec isn't asexual, you know. He is attracted to females *cough cough, Destin*, and he would very much like to be in a relationship. The problem is not the desire, but the ability to translate said desire into say, a proposal. A "Would you like to go with me?" or even a "Would you like to get coffee?"
Any who, he didn't like hand holding that much, but he liked holding Destin's hand a lot. But as he did not yet know whether Destin reciprocated his feelings (wait, what were his feelings, exactly? They seemed to be developing unbeknownst to him. His analytical, logical brain was very troubled by this.), he returned his hand to his side and left it there, twitching against his coat pocket. Now that he was a) no longer holding Destin's hand and b) a little anxious over the whole Destin business, he was itching to work out his nervous energy, and the only way he could think to do it was to pull out his Rubik's cube and do some fiddling. But that would be awkward, and he still had to hold this stupid beer can. Destin, being a normal person capable of normal conversation, was able to fill the awkward, post-Carrie lapse in conversation with a question- a question that caught Alec a little off guard.
"Did you have a specific reason for coming, or are you like me and decided to come just for the heck of it?" He wondered if the answer could be both. He could not, in his geeky little brain, work out his exact reasoning for coming, which made his decision seem almost spontaneous. At the same time, there seemed to be some subconscious decision making a work- some definitive motive that explained his presence.
"It was...an experiment." He fidgeted a little, uncertain how to proceed. "It seemed like a good idea, you know? I mean, I'm really not a party-goer, and I thought...I thought I should try it, I guess. It's a problem I have. Not trying things. Not saying or doing things. I thought might be able to fix it." To fix me, he added to himself.
"And I will finish this beer," he laughed, lifting the can to eye level and staring at it challengingly. "Maybe. Eventually. On my deathbed, perhaps. To take the edge off."
"To take the edge off." That's exactly what everyone needed. And, of course, "everyone" is really only applied to Destin and Alec. It was most likely that they were the only people on the property of this mansion that weren't under the influence of alcohol. Sure, they were capable of making rational decisions and good judgements, but where was the fun in that? Parties were for letting your hair down and forgetting about the bastards that dumped you to go off and sleep with random hookers. (On a side note, Destin did explicitly express that she hoped Sean got an STD from those Las Vegas prostitutes.) Parties were for throwing those thinking caps of yours up high into the air, forgetting about them as they floated away. Parties were for making mistakes that caused you to wake up in the morning regretting it. Well, wait.... Hating yourself and holding regret for doing something at a party didn't really sound very fun. Then again, she felt she wouldn't regret a thing if Alec was involved. Regret flew out the window when he was near; he was fun to be around. Yes, Alec is fun. We get it, Destin. She mercilessly chided herself for thinking that exact phrase roundabouts 800 times that night.
Destin watched his eyes glare at the beer can oh, so daringly. He was like an alpha lion prepared to take on any challenger; he was prepared for battle. Budweiser wasn't necessarily that large of a threat, but it was humorous how Alec handled the situation like it was. Alongside the tackle, Alec mentioned that the party was an experiment - a term she wasn't surprised a scientist like Alec would use. She laughed for the umpteenth time that night - because of Alec - and pulled a hand from its comfortable perch behind her. She gestured to the can, tilting her head and raising her eyebrows as if doubting he would willingly finish it. However, she watched excitedly, hoping he would give a memorable reaction. "Don't worry, I have trouble trying things out too, so I know where you're coming from. That beer, though..." Destin smiled, lowering her arm and just letting it hang there. "it helps if you just chug it down. Don't stop. I honestly didn't like it that much either."
That was the truth. The beer tasted like barf times the taste of the smell of a spoiled diaper. ...Okay, maybe that was an exaggeration, but still. Destin definitely had better alcohol than that. It was a given that one would taste better alcohol in her lifetime if she was roommates with Carrie. Carrie, a go-hard partier, brought home various drinks every weekend. It wasn't Destin's fault if the vodka, whiskey, beer, or wine was just sitting there on her desk, taunting her, in the midst of stressing to study for her classes.
"But, hey, it takes the edge off." Destin brought us full-circle by quoting Alec. She was mentally excusing her behavior for drinking late at night instead of studying, but - at the same time - she was trying to reassure Alec. What he said wasn't too crazy; it made sense. Maybe acknowledging and approving something of his would help him relax and just live life inhibition-free. Well, maybe not life, maybe just live through the party. Alec was too cute with his inhibitions for her to want him to rid of them forever. Alcohol was just the temporary fix she felt he needed to become more comfortable talking to her. I mean, come on. Even Stevie Wonder could see that the wild and a-little-over-the-top surroundings of the party were making him shy and reserved. Those times in the library where the two were alone brought out some of the best moments she had with him; if the beer didn't help him come out of his shell, then she didn't know what would.
Destin watched his eyes glare at the beer can oh, so daringly. He was like an alpha lion prepared to take on any challenger; he was prepared for battle. Budweiser wasn't necessarily that large of a threat, but it was humorous how Alec handled the situation like it was. Alongside the tackle, Alec mentioned that the party was an experiment - a term she wasn't surprised a scientist like Alec would use. She laughed for the umpteenth time that night - because of Alec - and pulled a hand from its comfortable perch behind her. She gestured to the can, tilting her head and raising her eyebrows as if doubting he would willingly finish it. However, she watched excitedly, hoping he would give a memorable reaction. "Don't worry, I have trouble trying things out too, so I know where you're coming from. That beer, though..." Destin smiled, lowering her arm and just letting it hang there. "it helps if you just chug it down. Don't stop. I honestly didn't like it that much either."
That was the truth. The beer tasted like barf times the taste of the smell of a spoiled diaper. ...Okay, maybe that was an exaggeration, but still. Destin definitely had better alcohol than that. It was a given that one would taste better alcohol in her lifetime if she was roommates with Carrie. Carrie, a go-hard partier, brought home various drinks every weekend. It wasn't Destin's fault if the vodka, whiskey, beer, or wine was just sitting there on her desk, taunting her, in the midst of stressing to study for her classes.
"But, hey, it takes the edge off." Destin brought us full-circle by quoting Alec. She was mentally excusing her behavior for drinking late at night instead of studying, but - at the same time - she was trying to reassure Alec. What he said wasn't too crazy; it made sense. Maybe acknowledging and approving something of his would help him relax and just live life inhibition-free. Well, maybe not life, maybe just live through the party. Alec was too cute with his inhibitions for her to want him to rid of them forever. Alcohol was just the temporary fix she felt he needed to become more comfortable talking to her. I mean, come on. Even Stevie Wonder could see that the wild and a-little-over-the-top surroundings of the party were making him shy and reserved. Those times in the library where the two were alone brought out some of the best moments she had with him; if the beer didn't help him come out of his shell, then she didn't know what would.
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If you haven't gathered from his life as a social outcast, Alec is not terribly susceptible to peer pressure. He doesn't like to be left out anymore than anyone else, but he's not the type to leave his morals at the door for the sake of fitting in. This means that, on top of being a lonely little derp, he also has an outstandingly boring track record that does not include sex, getting arrested, doing drugs or underage drinking. He simply does not care enough about these activities or the street cred that comes with them to want to risk destroying his future and all that jazz (though, as we've already mentioned, Alec isn't all too happy with the way his future is turning out, and neither are his parents, so really, what's there to destroy?). Anyway, Destin wasn't pressuring him, she was encouraging him. On top of that, she was helping him to succeed in his experiment in party-going, which meant that he now had two reasons to consume this one measly can of beer (1. Enjoying a party in a normal person-type fashion and 2. Convincing Destin he wasn’t a total loser).
"It helps if you just chug it down. Don't stop." Alec looked at the can once more, swirling its fizzy contents. It wasn't all that different from soda, right? I mean, it was bubbly, and it came in a can. Sure, the alcoholic content was a little different, but that was the whole point. How bad could it be? (Having tried a sip or two, he knew exactly how bad it could be, but he was trying his best to forget those first attempts in the hopes of a.) completing his social experiment by way of b.) loosening up and c.) impressing Destin in some childish, frat boy way.)
"Bottoms up", "YOLO", "here goes nothing"...there were hundreds of cliché phrases he could have thrown out at that point, but, being Alec, he said "Carpe diem!" (because Latin is sooo not a dead language, you guys) and brought the can to his lips.
And then, miraculously, he was drinking. Or rather, chugging, as Destin had instructed. He went through a series of very odd facial expressions, made a couple of disconcerting noises, stomped his foot once for emphasis, and finally settled into a jerky drinking rhythm. And my was it awful. The taste was foul, the aftertaste was even more so, and the flavor was generally lacking in...well, everything. Beer, Saki, vodka...why were people so fascinated by the concept of turning non-liquids into liquids? Obviously the disgusting taste indicated that barley, rice and potatoes should be left well enough alone. In any case, he got through it. The whole endeavour took him about thirty seconds (though it felt much longer), and when he lowered the can he was looking a little shaky.
"Veni, vidi, vici," he said with a small smile. (More Latin: "I came, I saw, I conquered." Said by Roman emperor Julius Caesar after defeating Pharnaces II of Pontus, for those seeking a history lesson. Thanks, Alec. -_-) Well, that was one hurdle cleared. He had actually consumed beer, for like, the first time ever. The actual drinking part hadn't been fun at all, but the warm tingle currently spreading throughout his body was sort of pleasant, as was the feeling of lightness that followed. Well, what do you know, people actually drank beer for a reason! Wondrous stuff, this alcohol.
"Wow." He looked at the can once more to see if magic was, perchance, among the ingredients. "Wow," he repeated. I mean, it wasn't like the heavens opened up or anything (he was still a dork, just a slightly buzzed dork), but he felt like they could open up. Maybe. If he was lucky. He felt less nervous, more comfortable, less fidgety...so far, so good. "I think I get it now," he said, looking to Destin. "Why people drink it, I mean. Wow." The other side effect of the beer was that it made him want to talk. Especially to Destin. He wanted to tell her all the things he'd never told her, share everything he'd been too quiet to say...but loose lips sink ships, right? Best not to let anything slip just yet. He may be riding the high of his first beer, but he wasn't about to let his one chance with Destin go to hell over a cheap can of booze.
"It helps if you just chug it down. Don't stop." Alec looked at the can once more, swirling its fizzy contents. It wasn't all that different from soda, right? I mean, it was bubbly, and it came in a can. Sure, the alcoholic content was a little different, but that was the whole point. How bad could it be? (Having tried a sip or two, he knew exactly how bad it could be, but he was trying his best to forget those first attempts in the hopes of a.) completing his social experiment by way of b.) loosening up and c.) impressing Destin in some childish, frat boy way.)
"Bottoms up", "YOLO", "here goes nothing"...there were hundreds of cliché phrases he could have thrown out at that point, but, being Alec, he said "Carpe diem!" (because Latin is sooo not a dead language, you guys) and brought the can to his lips.
And then, miraculously, he was drinking. Or rather, chugging, as Destin had instructed. He went through a series of very odd facial expressions, made a couple of disconcerting noises, stomped his foot once for emphasis, and finally settled into a jerky drinking rhythm. And my was it awful. The taste was foul, the aftertaste was even more so, and the flavor was generally lacking in...well, everything. Beer, Saki, vodka...why were people so fascinated by the concept of turning non-liquids into liquids? Obviously the disgusting taste indicated that barley, rice and potatoes should be left well enough alone. In any case, he got through it. The whole endeavour took him about thirty seconds (though it felt much longer), and when he lowered the can he was looking a little shaky.
"Veni, vidi, vici," he said with a small smile. (More Latin: "I came, I saw, I conquered." Said by Roman emperor Julius Caesar after defeating Pharnaces II of Pontus, for those seeking a history lesson. Thanks, Alec. -_-) Well, that was one hurdle cleared. He had actually consumed beer, for like, the first time ever. The actual drinking part hadn't been fun at all, but the warm tingle currently spreading throughout his body was sort of pleasant, as was the feeling of lightness that followed. Well, what do you know, people actually drank beer for a reason! Wondrous stuff, this alcohol.
"Wow." He looked at the can once more to see if magic was, perchance, among the ingredients. "Wow," he repeated. I mean, it wasn't like the heavens opened up or anything (he was still a dork, just a slightly buzzed dork), but he felt like they could open up. Maybe. If he was lucky. He felt less nervous, more comfortable, less fidgety...so far, so good. "I think I get it now," he said, looking to Destin. "Why people drink it, I mean. Wow." The other side effect of the beer was that it made him want to talk. Especially to Destin. He wanted to tell her all the things he'd never told her, share everything he'd been too quiet to say...but loose lips sink ships, right? Best not to let anything slip just yet. He may be riding the high of his first beer, but he wasn't about to let his one chance with Destin go to hell over a cheap can of booze.
Once upon a time, Destin was a bad girl.
Okay, maybe she wasn’t bad, but she definitely wasn’t the best behaving person either. In her high school days, she spent her socializing time with the so-called "wrong crowd". The majority of her friends were the preppy, popular people that obviously focused on certain types of intimacy and illegal substances rather than school. Granted, she was no stranger to sex and drugs, but that did not mean she was worse than specific people (*cough* Carrie). Ever since her softball team won their first game her freshman year, she was a regular partygoer. However, she forced herself to dedicate time to her schoolwork. This was the whole reason why Alec and Destin came to meet, the reason why their paths crossed in their fateful lives. After all, her coach was strict about the “if-you-are-failing-any-classes-then-you’re-off-the-team” rule. Destin was sad to see many a good softball player leave the team because of this very rule. Nothing stopped her, obviously; otherwise, she wouldn’t have been on a full-ride athletic scholarship to a college. ON TOP OF THAT, this wasn't just any college; this was the college that Alec went to as well!
How exciting was that?!
Anyway, absolutely none of her party-going memories surfaced while being here with Alec. Instead, he was writing on a new page of Destin’s book of memories (though it was technically in the same chapter of the Dalec-y goodness). His virginity for alcohol was broken, and Destin felt glad to be there to see it. Not that that sounded weird…. Besides, Alec was a strange one, too; I mean, what was with all that Latin (was it even Latin?)? Whatever it was, it was one of those… nerdilicious things he did. Destin’s redundancy made itself known as she thought (for the thousand-millionth time) that he was cute and funny and funny and cute. The difference this time, though, was that she dared to say it aloud. “You’re cute, Alec.” She accompanied her words with a laugh, clapping once for an excited effect.
“Now that you finally made that conquest of yours, what say you we get out of here? I can totally tell parties aren’t your thing and – honestly – I just want to get away from Carrie. It's like I can feel her eyes burning into me.” Without waiting another beat, Destin leaned forward to take Alec’s hand. Yes, she purposefully took his lovely, soft, perfect hands so she could hold them again. Excitedly, she gave a slight skip before pulling him along with her toward the parked cars. “I’ll drive, seeing as I’m not freshly buzzed.” She giggled, walking to her car with Alec’s hand still intertwined with hers. Her free hand dug around in her pockets for her car keys, pulling them out and pushing the automatic unlock button as they neared the silver Ford Focus.
It was a beautiful sight to see. If not to anyone, then at least to Carrie it would be. Let’s paint a picture. Destin is smiling, laughing, and holding Alec’s hand while heading to the cars. Not only was Destin leading Alec to her car, but they looked like they had serious chemistry. Anyone in the whole world could just feel the romantic tension leaking from the two. It was like they were ready to pounce on each other, with a shout of, “will you please go out with me already?!” If only one of them had the courage to actually do something about it.
Well... if you want to count Destin’s brave remark. about how they should leave, “the next step up” in their relationship, then sure…. Congrats to the lovely couple, what’s the name of their firstborn?
Okay, maybe she wasn’t bad, but she definitely wasn’t the best behaving person either. In her high school days, she spent her socializing time with the so-called "wrong crowd". The majority of her friends were the preppy, popular people that obviously focused on certain types of intimacy and illegal substances rather than school. Granted, she was no stranger to sex and drugs, but that did not mean she was worse than specific people (*cough* Carrie). Ever since her softball team won their first game her freshman year, she was a regular partygoer. However, she forced herself to dedicate time to her schoolwork. This was the whole reason why Alec and Destin came to meet, the reason why their paths crossed in their fateful lives. After all, her coach was strict about the “if-you-are-failing-any-classes-then-you’re-off-the-team” rule. Destin was sad to see many a good softball player leave the team because of this very rule. Nothing stopped her, obviously; otherwise, she wouldn’t have been on a full-ride athletic scholarship to a college. ON TOP OF THAT, this wasn't just any college; this was the college that Alec went to as well!
How exciting was that?!
Anyway, absolutely none of her party-going memories surfaced while being here with Alec. Instead, he was writing on a new page of Destin’s book of memories (though it was technically in the same chapter of the Dalec-y goodness). His virginity for alcohol was broken, and Destin felt glad to be there to see it. Not that that sounded weird…. Besides, Alec was a strange one, too; I mean, what was with all that Latin (was it even Latin?)? Whatever it was, it was one of those… nerdilicious things he did. Destin’s redundancy made itself known as she thought (for the thousand-millionth time) that he was cute and funny and funny and cute. The difference this time, though, was that she dared to say it aloud. “You’re cute, Alec.” She accompanied her words with a laugh, clapping once for an excited effect.
“Now that you finally made that conquest of yours, what say you we get out of here? I can totally tell parties aren’t your thing and – honestly – I just want to get away from Carrie. It's like I can feel her eyes burning into me.” Without waiting another beat, Destin leaned forward to take Alec’s hand. Yes, she purposefully took his lovely, soft, perfect hands so she could hold them again. Excitedly, she gave a slight skip before pulling him along with her toward the parked cars. “I’ll drive, seeing as I’m not freshly buzzed.” She giggled, walking to her car with Alec’s hand still intertwined with hers. Her free hand dug around in her pockets for her car keys, pulling them out and pushing the automatic unlock button as they neared the silver Ford Focus.
It was a beautiful sight to see. If not to anyone, then at least to Carrie it would be. Let’s paint a picture. Destin is smiling, laughing, and holding Alec’s hand while heading to the cars. Not only was Destin leading Alec to her car, but they looked like they had serious chemistry. Anyone in the whole world could just feel the romantic tension leaking from the two. It was like they were ready to pounce on each other, with a shout of, “will you please go out with me already?!” If only one of them had the courage to actually do something about it.
Well... if you want to count Destin’s brave remark. about how they should leave, “the next step up” in their relationship, then sure…. Congrats to the lovely couple, what’s the name of their firstborn?
This is about how Alec had expected his evening to go:
1. Arrive at mansion at approximately 10 PM (which was neither unreasonably early nor fashionably late. Actually, it was right in the middle of when 90% of people were arriving, so he could be sure he would blend in with the masses swarming the party)
2. Refuse to consume alcohol, though he was sure it would be offered
3. Stand awkwardly against the wall and/or wander aimlessly through the house, depending on whether his legs needed stretching
4. Continue to refuse to consume alcohol
5. Eventually run into a person he knew and strike up a 2-5 minute conversation consisting of mindless chatter, drunken slurs (not on his part, of course) and numerous awkward pauses
6. Part ways with temporary party companion and find his way to some dark corner of the house, where he would bide his time by solving his Rubik's cube
7. Realize it was getting rather late (*le gasp!* Five minutes after midnight!)
8. Slip out of party, still refusing to consume alcohol
9. Return home to celebrate minor achievement of attending party by reading a good book and/or watching re-runs of "Big Bang Theory"
He believed this to be a solid plan, and had intended to follow it to the letter. He was somewhere between steps 2 and 3 when he bumped into Destin, and the night had gotten considerably better since she'd crumpled up his plan and tossed it into the metaphorical waste basket. This girl...she was just...so awesome. Like, if he were to classify her via Latin terms, she would be: Homo sapiens awesomesis. All the repressed feelings of puppy love resurfaced, demanding to be shared, and Alec literally bit his tongue to keep them down. BUT THEN!
She called him cute. Ohmygodshehadcomplimentedhim! And she had laughed! Oh. Oh wow. He felt his blush returning and ducked his head until the flushing subsided, hoping the tops of his ears weren't as red as his cheeks. But wait! It gets better. Could it really get better? She suggested that they leave the party...together. Destin and Alec. Alec and Destin. Leaving zeh parteh. Because college parties are like, so overrated and shiz. Driving off with your wifey-to-be is where it's at. (Shhh, don't tell Alec that last part; he doesn't know.)
Her hand was in his hand again. Is it wrong that he wanted to give a rather girl-ish "Eep!" as this happened? I'm sorry, but Alec is not particularly well-versed in the field of courting/wooing/impressing women, unless spelling bees, Mathletes, and long games of chess happen to be turn-ons for them. He allowed himself to be pulled along, stumbling through this glorious haze of good things. At that moment, Alec would have shot right up to the moon if Destin had asked him to. He vaguely recalled something called inhibitions...he used to have those. But not anymore! He was a CHANGED MAN (or a lovesick boy, depending on your viewpoint.) And our changed man was not at all concerned with the practicalities of real life. (For instance, what he was supposed to do with HIS car, or where he and Destin were going, or if he was dressed properly for the occasion). Hell, he had his Rubik's cube in his pocket and the love of his life (or at least of his high school) on his arm- he could conquer the world!
Just now finding his tongue, Alec scrambled to throw out something that would communicate the joy/happiness/OMG-ness of the moment. "Areyousure? I mean, yeah, let’s go! Let’s…wow. Wow.” He fumbled all over himself, as usual, and paused to take a breath. “I mean, I’d love to get out of here.” He didn’t ask where they were going. It was a continuation of the experiment, you see. He was going to go with it. He was going to ride this amazing train as far as it went and see where it ended up…hopefully it’d be somewhere good.
1. Arrive at mansion at approximately 10 PM (which was neither unreasonably early nor fashionably late. Actually, it was right in the middle of when 90% of people were arriving, so he could be sure he would blend in with the masses swarming the party)
2. Refuse to consume alcohol, though he was sure it would be offered
3. Stand awkwardly against the wall and/or wander aimlessly through the house, depending on whether his legs needed stretching
4. Continue to refuse to consume alcohol
5. Eventually run into a person he knew and strike up a 2-5 minute conversation consisting of mindless chatter, drunken slurs (not on his part, of course) and numerous awkward pauses
6. Part ways with temporary party companion and find his way to some dark corner of the house, where he would bide his time by solving his Rubik's cube
7. Realize it was getting rather late (*le gasp!* Five minutes after midnight!)
8. Slip out of party, still refusing to consume alcohol
9. Return home to celebrate minor achievement of attending party by reading a good book and/or watching re-runs of "Big Bang Theory"
He believed this to be a solid plan, and had intended to follow it to the letter. He was somewhere between steps 2 and 3 when he bumped into Destin, and the night had gotten considerably better since she'd crumpled up his plan and tossed it into the metaphorical waste basket. This girl...she was just...so awesome. Like, if he were to classify her via Latin terms, she would be: Homo sapiens awesomesis. All the repressed feelings of puppy love resurfaced, demanding to be shared, and Alec literally bit his tongue to keep them down. BUT THEN!
She called him cute. Ohmygodshehadcomplimentedhim! And she had laughed! Oh. Oh wow. He felt his blush returning and ducked his head until the flushing subsided, hoping the tops of his ears weren't as red as his cheeks. But wait! It gets better. Could it really get better? She suggested that they leave the party...together. Destin and Alec. Alec and Destin. Leaving zeh parteh. Because college parties are like, so overrated and shiz. Driving off with your wifey-to-be is where it's at. (Shhh, don't tell Alec that last part; he doesn't know.)
Her hand was in his hand again. Is it wrong that he wanted to give a rather girl-ish "Eep!" as this happened? I'm sorry, but Alec is not particularly well-versed in the field of courting/wooing/impressing women, unless spelling bees, Mathletes, and long games of chess happen to be turn-ons for them. He allowed himself to be pulled along, stumbling through this glorious haze of good things. At that moment, Alec would have shot right up to the moon if Destin had asked him to. He vaguely recalled something called inhibitions...he used to have those. But not anymore! He was a CHANGED MAN (or a lovesick boy, depending on your viewpoint.) And our changed man was not at all concerned with the practicalities of real life. (For instance, what he was supposed to do with HIS car, or where he and Destin were going, or if he was dressed properly for the occasion). Hell, he had his Rubik's cube in his pocket and the love of his life (or at least of his high school) on his arm- he could conquer the world!
Just now finding his tongue, Alec scrambled to throw out something that would communicate the joy/happiness/OMG-ness of the moment. "Areyousure? I mean, yeah, let’s go! Let’s…wow. Wow.” He fumbled all over himself, as usual, and paused to take a breath. “I mean, I’d love to get out of here.” He didn’t ask where they were going. It was a continuation of the experiment, you see. He was going to go with it. He was going to ride this amazing train as far as it went and see where it ended up…hopefully it’d be somewhere good.
Destin stopped in front of the left side of her car, letting Alec hop in the passenger side. She waited until he walked all the way around him and until her arm was outstretched before she let go of him. She giggled foolishly, as if slightly embarrassed that she wouldn't have let go of his hand. "Alright. We're going." Her words were definite; there was no going back now. All it took was for her to walk over to the car door she would enter and to turn the car on before the couple would zoom away. Far, far away. As Nellie Veitenheimer sings in her song, Lights, "Six-seventy-one million miles an hour we'll run." AmIrightoramIright? Excitedly, Destin skipped around to her side of the car and hopped in. "We are. Going." Destin clarified, in case any of the passengers in her car were unsure of if they would leave or not. Being a responsible driver, Destin buckled herself in and started the ignition, glancing over at Alec.
Woah, woah, woah. Was this deja vu?
The last time Alec got in her car, she drove him home. His car broke down in the school parking lot and she willingly gave him a ride. She could remember how stressed he looked. Walking out of the school building with a group of friends, Destin noticed that, five cars down from hers, Alec's vehicle's hood was up and there was poor Alec, trying to figure out what was wrong. Someone in her group pointed him out, "Hey, look, the nerd's got car trouble. Wonder if his street smarts are as good as his book smarts." Though that comment got several giggles, Destin felt the anger boiling up inside her. How dare one of her so-called friends mock Alec? Though the group was obviously out of earshot from Alec, she still wondered if he ever heard her when she stood up for him. "Right, Shayla, because being an auto-mechanic is all the rage. Oh, wait, I just can't see you doing that because wouldn't the oil mess up your manicure?" Promptly, Destin walked away from the group and up toward Alec to save his day. At least, she hoped she made it better.
Back in the present, Destin gave him a wide smile. "You have an idea where we should go or should I just drive?" At the last word, drive, Destin pushed on the gas, letting her car roll forward onto the winding driveway. Her eyes shifted back to watch where she was driving, though her smile lingered longer. Alec was in her car again, why shouldn't she smile?
Woah, woah, woah. Was this deja vu?
The last time Alec got in her car, she drove him home. His car broke down in the school parking lot and she willingly gave him a ride. She could remember how stressed he looked. Walking out of the school building with a group of friends, Destin noticed that, five cars down from hers, Alec's vehicle's hood was up and there was poor Alec, trying to figure out what was wrong. Someone in her group pointed him out, "Hey, look, the nerd's got car trouble. Wonder if his street smarts are as good as his book smarts." Though that comment got several giggles, Destin felt the anger boiling up inside her. How dare one of her so-called friends mock Alec? Though the group was obviously out of earshot from Alec, she still wondered if he ever heard her when she stood up for him. "Right, Shayla, because being an auto-mechanic is all the rage. Oh, wait, I just can't see you doing that because wouldn't the oil mess up your manicure?" Promptly, Destin walked away from the group and up toward Alec to save his day. At least, she hoped she made it better.
Back in the present, Destin gave him a wide smile. "You have an idea where we should go or should I just drive?" At the last word, drive, Destin pushed on the gas, letting her car roll forward onto the winding driveway. Her eyes shifted back to watch where she was driving, though her smile lingered longer. Alec was in her car again, why shouldn't she smile?
Her hand was still holding his as they stopped at the car, and she waited until the last possible second before letting go. Even after her fingers had disentwined from his, he could still feel hers where they had been, like an imprint, or a promise. She giggled, which made him giggle (except giggling is what girls do, so his was more a masculine chuckle. JK, it was definitely a giggle), and then she told him that they were going. She announced it, stated it, proclaimed it- she gave the words a sort of meaningful finality that released a flood of adrenaline into Alec's already fidgety body. He got into the car and looked across at her, sitting confidently in the driver's seat, ready to pilot them on their great adventure.
Holy crap. Was that his heart making that loud, pounding sound? It sounded like it was trying to hack its way out of his chest with a freakin' pick ax. That couldn't possibly be healthy. He wondered if she remembered the last time they'd been in a car together...
That had sucked. Not the driving with Destin part, but the oh-noes-my-car-is-broken-and-smoke-is-coming-from-under-the-hood-and-I-am-really-worried-it-is-going-to-explode part. His parents had offered to get him a nicer car (and by nice we're talking in the $20,000 range. That was when he was still planning on going to Stanford and they still liked him), but he had insisted on buying himself a car, which is how he gotten Wilma. Wilma was a beat-up grey Chevy with mysteriously stained backseats, a permanent pine air freshner-mixed-with-fish guts odor, and a habit of breaking. A lot. Wilma also had a way of breaking down in very crowded, very public places, because the cranky old vehicle seemed to have a special fondness for humiliating him amongst his peers. Luckily, Destin was there to save our gentleman in distress, and he had called a tow truck for Wilma.
Destin's question brought him back to the present. Driving. They were driving, and she had asked him where they should go. The world was their oyster! "Just drive," he said, trying to sound confident and suave. A chill wind came in through the cracked windows, brushing against Alec's cheek. Behind them lay the party, and before them lay a dark and infinite world that brimmed and bubbled and practically boiled over with possibility. Because tonight was going to be a good night. Oh yes, tonight was going to be a good, good night. XD
Holy crap. Was that his heart making that loud, pounding sound? It sounded like it was trying to hack its way out of his chest with a freakin' pick ax. That couldn't possibly be healthy. He wondered if she remembered the last time they'd been in a car together...
That had sucked. Not the driving with Destin part, but the oh-noes-my-car-is-broken-and-smoke-is-coming-from-under-the-hood-and-I-am-really-worried-it-is-going-to-explode part. His parents had offered to get him a nicer car (and by nice we're talking in the $20,000 range. That was when he was still planning on going to Stanford and they still liked him), but he had insisted on buying himself a car, which is how he gotten Wilma. Wilma was a beat-up grey Chevy with mysteriously stained backseats, a permanent pine air freshner-mixed-with-fish guts odor, and a habit of breaking. A lot. Wilma also had a way of breaking down in very crowded, very public places, because the cranky old vehicle seemed to have a special fondness for humiliating him amongst his peers. Luckily, Destin was there to save our gentleman in distress, and he had called a tow truck for Wilma.
Destin's question brought him back to the present. Driving. They were driving, and she had asked him where they should go. The world was their oyster! "Just drive," he said, trying to sound confident and suave. A chill wind came in through the cracked windows, brushing against Alec's cheek. Behind them lay the party, and before them lay a dark and infinite world that brimmed and bubbled and practically boiled over with possibility. Because tonight was going to be a good night. Oh yes, tonight was going to be a good, good night. XD
"Yes, sir." Destin chirped, happily applying a bit more gas to the car as it rolled down the driveway. Her car carted her and Alec away from the pounding mansion and toward whatever was to come. She donned a smile, turning down her radio further so that the station wasn't an irritable background rabble. She wanted to hear Alec's charming voice. It was smoother than music to her, and, quite honestly, she could listen to him talk about anything all the merry day long. His voice had that charm that could make even Organic Chemisty sound interesting.
As her car quietly (and somewhat slowly) rumbled down the gravelly driveway, she glanced over at her passenger, curiously examining his expression. "So, Alec, do you like anything from that diner up on thirty-third street? I was thinking we could pig out on late-night pancakes as we caught up on our latest happenings. It's like IHOP, but a trillion times better. They give you extra sausage links." As she spoke, she glanced back to the road and sped up slightly, maneuvering around the winding passageway impatiently. It seemed to take longer leaving the property than it did when she arrived. Although, soon enough, the road came into view and she slowed to a stop at the edge. Being a responsible driver, she looked both ways and pulled onto the road. It was official; Alec and her were away. She quickly sped up to the speed limit, 35, and drove down the lonely street.
As her car quietly (and somewhat slowly) rumbled down the gravelly driveway, she glanced over at her passenger, curiously examining his expression. "So, Alec, do you like anything from that diner up on thirty-third street? I was thinking we could pig out on late-night pancakes as we caught up on our latest happenings. It's like IHOP, but a trillion times better. They give you extra sausage links." As she spoke, she glanced back to the road and sped up slightly, maneuvering around the winding passageway impatiently. It seemed to take longer leaving the property than it did when she arrived. Although, soon enough, the road came into view and she slowed to a stop at the edge. Being a responsible driver, she looked both ways and pulled onto the road. It was official; Alec and her were away. She quickly sped up to the speed limit, 35, and drove down the lonely street.
It was safe to say this was one of the more epic and idyllic parts of Alec's teenage life. Because this is how it's supposed to work, right? The boy gets the girl and they drive into the sunset- er, moonlight- and all is well. (Beyond well, actually, more like...magnificent? Sensational? One could debate the proper choice of adjective for hours.) Except that Destin was the one who had gotten Alec, and they had not quite embarked on the fantastical journey that (hopefully) ends in kisses and whispered "Iloveyou"s. But they were well on their way, and that was good enough for Alec.
He looked over at her- a shy, stolen glance- and he could not help but feel an aching want in his chest. Maybe it was a puppy love- the sad, desperate sort that is never quite requited- but he did hope that she looked at him and saw more than an awkward boy in a grey tweed coat. He wanted to be so much more than that. Not just for Destin, but for himself. He didn't want to be his parents' Stanford superstar or the football team's punching bag or the nerdy kid everyone takes advantage of or the friend who is never more than a friend...he wanted to be...special. People had always told him it was his brain that made him special, but it seemed his brain had done more harm than good. He'd gladly have traded in his awards and honors medals for a solid group of friends, but that was all just wishful thinking. He was who he was. However, there was good news, and the good news was this: Destin actually seemed like him for, well, him. He wasn't really sure why, but at this moment it didn't particularly matter.
His weird, Alec-y thoughts were (thankfully) interrupted by Destin, and he couldn't help but smile as she spoke. It didn't even occur to him that getting food together (especially at 11 something at night) was sort of a date; his dorky little brain wouldn't let him get that far. They were just two friends who happened to be driving together to enjoy a delicious plate of pancakes and catch up on the latest events in each other's lives (which might pose a problem, as Alec's life had been largely uninteresting since leaving high school, but he would cross that bridge when he came to it.) "Right, I've heard of that place. Pigging out sounds good to me; I'm starved" (which was very true. No one ate at college parties...the beer was plenty filling, but as we know, our Alec is alcoholically challenged). And then, because he is Alec, he added "did you know that the largest pancake ever cooked was over 3 tons and contained 2 million calories?" He blushed as he said it, unable to help himself from spouting another useless fact. But hey, if you're going to share a pointless bit of trivia, you can't go wrong in talking about a beloved American breakfast food.
They turned onto the main road, which was deserted, and Alec looked over his shoulder a final time. This felt like a step in the right direction.
He looked over at her- a shy, stolen glance- and he could not help but feel an aching want in his chest. Maybe it was a puppy love- the sad, desperate sort that is never quite requited- but he did hope that she looked at him and saw more than an awkward boy in a grey tweed coat. He wanted to be so much more than that. Not just for Destin, but for himself. He didn't want to be his parents' Stanford superstar or the football team's punching bag or the nerdy kid everyone takes advantage of or the friend who is never more than a friend...he wanted to be...special. People had always told him it was his brain that made him special, but it seemed his brain had done more harm than good. He'd gladly have traded in his awards and honors medals for a solid group of friends, but that was all just wishful thinking. He was who he was. However, there was good news, and the good news was this: Destin actually seemed like him for, well, him. He wasn't really sure why, but at this moment it didn't particularly matter.
His weird, Alec-y thoughts were (thankfully) interrupted by Destin, and he couldn't help but smile as she spoke. It didn't even occur to him that getting food together (especially at 11 something at night) was sort of a date; his dorky little brain wouldn't let him get that far. They were just two friends who happened to be driving together to enjoy a delicious plate of pancakes and catch up on the latest events in each other's lives (which might pose a problem, as Alec's life had been largely uninteresting since leaving high school, but he would cross that bridge when he came to it.) "Right, I've heard of that place. Pigging out sounds good to me; I'm starved" (which was very true. No one ate at college parties...the beer was plenty filling, but as we know, our Alec is alcoholically challenged). And then, because he is Alec, he added "did you know that the largest pancake ever cooked was over 3 tons and contained 2 million calories?" He blushed as he said it, unable to help himself from spouting another useless fact. But hey, if you're going to share a pointless bit of trivia, you can't go wrong in talking about a beloved American breakfast food.
They turned onto the main road, which was deserted, and Alec looked over his shoulder a final time. This felt like a step in the right direction.
Destin's laughter flooded the silence in her car as if it became the air and gave it enlightening life. The silence that seemed to linger in the background (which was probably due more to the fact that the road was so lonely in the middle of the night) didn't seem so stifling now. I suppose that intertwines hand-in-hand with the awkwardness of how Destin and Alec just met for the first time in a year or so and, well, are experiencing that initial "we ran out of things to talk about, so, um, yeah..." feeling. However, Alec's quirky chirp lightened the mood considerably.
"I've gained ten pounds just listening to that!" Destin leaned back in her seat, glancing over at Alec. She gave him a relaxed smile, one that clearly showed how comfortable she felt around him. "I suppose it doesn't really matter that much, though, I've gotten so out of shape this summer. I feel bad; my body is going to kill me once I start working out again for softball. Seriously, the only exercising I've really done this summer was sleeping with my--"
Way to go, Destin. She bit her lips together, locking her eyes on the road. Whatever excitement was in the air vanished; it was left behind at the street sign they passed a few seconds ago. She inhaled sharply and felt it necessary to clear things up, "...with my ex. Oh, geez, I'm sorry. I just made life totally awkward. I didn't really mean to say that, Alec."
Way to ruin any chances you have with him, Destin. Momentarily, she glanced over at the poor guy sitting next to her. She didn't doubt that he may feel shockingly friend-zoned after what she just said. After all, what girl goes around telling guys about her life with other guys unless they're friend-zoned? Destin felt hopeless, locking her eyes back on the road and slowing down to turn onto the infamous 33-rd street with the pancake house.
Way to make the rest of the night extremely awkward, Destin. With a sigh, Destin sped up to the speed limit on the busier road. And, impatiently, she agonizingly waited for Alec's response.
"I've gained ten pounds just listening to that!" Destin leaned back in her seat, glancing over at Alec. She gave him a relaxed smile, one that clearly showed how comfortable she felt around him. "I suppose it doesn't really matter that much, though, I've gotten so out of shape this summer. I feel bad; my body is going to kill me once I start working out again for softball. Seriously, the only exercising I've really done this summer was sleeping with my--"
Way to go, Destin. She bit her lips together, locking her eyes on the road. Whatever excitement was in the air vanished; it was left behind at the street sign they passed a few seconds ago. She inhaled sharply and felt it necessary to clear things up, "...with my ex. Oh, geez, I'm sorry. I just made life totally awkward. I didn't really mean to say that, Alec."
Way to ruin any chances you have with him, Destin. Momentarily, she glanced over at the poor guy sitting next to her. She didn't doubt that he may feel shockingly friend-zoned after what she just said. After all, what girl goes around telling guys about her life with other guys unless they're friend-zoned? Destin felt hopeless, locking her eyes back on the road and slowing down to turn onto the infamous 33-rd street with the pancake house.
Way to make the rest of the night extremely awkward, Destin. With a sigh, Destin sped up to the speed limit on the busier road. And, impatiently, she agonizingly waited for Alec's response.
Alec gave an internal fist pump as his pancake remark prompted the next bit of conversation. Generally these random facts and blurbs had the adverse effect (that is, they tended to create very long, unbroken stretches of uncomfortable silence), but for once he was with someone who could take his awkwardness in stride. He listened with a sort of ridiculous grin on his face as she went on about softball and getting in shape, thinking to himself that she did not need to lose one single pound because she possessed the sort of perfect beauty that really should not be fucked with in any way.
In fact, he was so distracted thinking about the all-around loveliness of his driving companion and fellow party escapee that he nearly missed the part where she mentioned having sex with her boyfriend. Unfortunately, he was Alec Benjamin Evans, and he could not have missed a word she said even if he'd wanted to. As she was apologizing, his illusion was shattering. It happened internally with very little outward evidence, but it happened all the same. You see, while most people suffer from violent explosions of emotion that are very easily seen by those around them, Alec had an arguably more terrible affliction, which was a sort of crumbling implosion where in everything inside him collapsed inwardly, as though sucked in by some all-consuming black hole of doom.
The fact that she'd labeled him as an "ex" made very little difference in Alec's mind. To him, all relationships had a sort of permanence, and the fact that she'd mentioned this ex seemed to suggest she had not yet moved past whatever intimacy they had shared. This sense of disappointment was made worse by the embarrassing (and slightly troubling) fact that he himself was still a virgin. It wasn't that he hadn't tried to...well...you know...it was just that in addition to the inward implosions of emotion, crippling awkwardness, and several other social diseases, he also suffered from chronic virgin-itis. The closest he had come to losing his "v-card" (you know, as the kids call it...) was at the start of the summer with Kathy Grundell, an old flame from the high school chess team.
They had reconnected at a local chess tournament and gone out for dinner afterwards, which had brought them back to Kathy's apartment. She had had two wine spritzers with dinner and he had had a beer (yes, ONE WHOLE BOTTLE of beer) and they were both feeling a little frisky. Unfortunately, their unpracticed fumblings had amounted to nothing (he had even managed to break her glasses), and after the hazy glow of alcohol had worn off and they were both fairly drowning in their shared awkwardness they decided to diffuse the tension in the only way two nerds know how...they watched four episodes of "Dr. Who" and played a game of chess.
Anyway, as Alec was thinking of Kathy Grundell and as they were turning onto 33rd Street and as Destin's last words were hanging in the air, it occurred to him that he really ought to say something. He looked to her and gave her what he hoped was a confident, "hey, it's okay!" smile and said "Oh, hey, yeah, no worries. I mean...everyone needs...exercise...in some form." He brightened as some random factoid appeared in his head. "You know, men who exercise vigorously are only one third as likely to experience erectile dysfunction as men who exercise very little or not at all," he said, before he fully realized what he was saying. When it did register, he turned several shades of red, experienced further inward implosion, and briefly considering tucking and rolling out of the car. Good God, was the awkwardness of what she'd shared really not enough? Did he really have to add to it with a comment about ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION?! OHMYGODNOWONDERHEWASSTILLAVIRGIN!
"Oh. Wow. I...I really didn't mean to say that. You just surprised me and I didn't know what to say and for some reason I came up with... that." Finally they pulled up to the pancake house, and Alec made one last, desperate attempt to set things right. "So... you still hungry?"
In fact, he was so distracted thinking about the all-around loveliness of his driving companion and fellow party escapee that he nearly missed the part where she mentioned having sex with her boyfriend. Unfortunately, he was Alec Benjamin Evans, and he could not have missed a word she said even if he'd wanted to. As she was apologizing, his illusion was shattering. It happened internally with very little outward evidence, but it happened all the same. You see, while most people suffer from violent explosions of emotion that are very easily seen by those around them, Alec had an arguably more terrible affliction, which was a sort of crumbling implosion where in everything inside him collapsed inwardly, as though sucked in by some all-consuming black hole of doom.
The fact that she'd labeled him as an "ex" made very little difference in Alec's mind. To him, all relationships had a sort of permanence, and the fact that she'd mentioned this ex seemed to suggest she had not yet moved past whatever intimacy they had shared. This sense of disappointment was made worse by the embarrassing (and slightly troubling) fact that he himself was still a virgin. It wasn't that he hadn't tried to...well...you know...it was just that in addition to the inward implosions of emotion, crippling awkwardness, and several other social diseases, he also suffered from chronic virgin-itis. The closest he had come to losing his "v-card" (you know, as the kids call it...) was at the start of the summer with Kathy Grundell, an old flame from the high school chess team.
They had reconnected at a local chess tournament and gone out for dinner afterwards, which had brought them back to Kathy's apartment. She had had two wine spritzers with dinner and he had had a beer (yes, ONE WHOLE BOTTLE of beer) and they were both feeling a little frisky. Unfortunately, their unpracticed fumblings had amounted to nothing (he had even managed to break her glasses), and after the hazy glow of alcohol had worn off and they were both fairly drowning in their shared awkwardness they decided to diffuse the tension in the only way two nerds know how...they watched four episodes of "Dr. Who" and played a game of chess.
Anyway, as Alec was thinking of Kathy Grundell and as they were turning onto 33rd Street and as Destin's last words were hanging in the air, it occurred to him that he really ought to say something. He looked to her and gave her what he hoped was a confident, "hey, it's okay!" smile and said "Oh, hey, yeah, no worries. I mean...everyone needs...exercise...in some form." He brightened as some random factoid appeared in his head. "You know, men who exercise vigorously are only one third as likely to experience erectile dysfunction as men who exercise very little or not at all," he said, before he fully realized what he was saying. When it did register, he turned several shades of red, experienced further inward implosion, and briefly considering tucking and rolling out of the car. Good God, was the awkwardness of what she'd shared really not enough? Did he really have to add to it with a comment about ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION?! OHMYGODNOWONDERHEWASSTILLAVIRGIN!
"Oh. Wow. I...I really didn't mean to say that. You just surprised me and I didn't know what to say and for some reason I came up with... that." Finally they pulled up to the pancake house, and Alec made one last, desperate attempt to set things right. "So... you still hungry?"
The agony of the silence gnawed at Destin’s self-confidence and entire being. The words replayed over and over in her head: “I really didn’t mean to say that, Alec.” Her hands gripped the steering wheel like no tomorrow; stressing out was evident. Not only did she make herself utterly embarrassed, but Alec probably was disgusted with her. After all, what potential dating partner wants to hear about previous sexual escapades? Granted, Destin never went into gruesome, steamy details, but the discomfited feelings she experienced made it feel like each and every aspect of her “getting laid” had spilled out into the open air for all to hear. The flashbacks haunted her.
Sean, her ex (the very one that dumped her for Vegas prostitutes), liked to be in control and would take advantage of each adventure in the bedroom for some light dominating. He still cared for Destin and would never put her into a situation where she felt uncomfortable and therefore was satisfied with having being on top be his method of control. On special occasions like Valentine’s Day or her birthday he’d let her be on top if she wanted. However, that’s beside the point. All Destin could see now was a dim apartment room, Sean’s face, and sweaty (unmoisturized) skin. More or less, she was watching a new Saw trailer play in her mind. Every memory she had with Sean now scared her. Then again, who wants to remember the heartache that came with past flames?
In fact, her fear for thinking of Sean but being lost in thought regardless scared her to the point that when Alec spoke, she jumped ever so slightly. Her heartbeat picked up and she rapidly blinked her “deer-in-headlights” glare away at the reassuring “Oh.” With a deep exhale, Destin forced her hands to relax as she focused on Alex’s words.
“…only as one-third as likely to experience erectile dysfunction as men who exercise very little or not at all.”
Blink. Blink.
Blink.
Destin tilted her head to the side, her ponytail cascading toward gravity (wouldn’t Alec’s physics-y mind be proud—we incorporated physics!), as she took in the little blurb Alec used to provide comfort. Her mind took a minute to register, finding it necessary to repeat a small tid-bit of what he said. Let’s join Destin’s mind: “…experience erectile dysfunction as men….” This is the point where Destin’s smile reemerged from what seemed like endless suffering within her mortification. Visions and thoughts of Sean faded out and Alec appeared with a handful of the type of strange humor he possessed that assuredly made her laugh. Her burst of amusement started with small fits of giggles before it erupted into full-blown laughter.
Destin led her small car into a parking space, put it into park, and turned it off as she rest her forehead on the top of the steering wheel. Perhaps resting her head was a tool for balance, for it was undoubtedly true that Destin would have fallen over due to her giggling; but regardless, Destin shed all of her stress as she laughed like she had so many times back in the ol’ library.
With a relaxing sigh this time, Destin rolled her head along the steering wheel to look at her study buddy. She donned a wide smile, and waited a moment before finally speaking, “Thanks for being awkward along with me, Alec. It makes it so we’re even now.” She lifted her head up and moved to step out of her car. She then had a thought, because why not, and stood leaning her front against the frame of her car-–with her head rested against the hood. At that point, she waited until Alec exited the car as well before blurting on top of her smile,
“And, well… then is it fair to say you’re exercising vigorously?”
Sean, her ex (the very one that dumped her for Vegas prostitutes), liked to be in control and would take advantage of each adventure in the bedroom for some light dominating. He still cared for Destin and would never put her into a situation where she felt uncomfortable and therefore was satisfied with having being on top be his method of control. On special occasions like Valentine’s Day or her birthday he’d let her be on top if she wanted. However, that’s beside the point. All Destin could see now was a dim apartment room, Sean’s face, and sweaty (unmoisturized) skin. More or less, she was watching a new Saw trailer play in her mind. Every memory she had with Sean now scared her. Then again, who wants to remember the heartache that came with past flames?
In fact, her fear for thinking of Sean but being lost in thought regardless scared her to the point that when Alec spoke, she jumped ever so slightly. Her heartbeat picked up and she rapidly blinked her “deer-in-headlights” glare away at the reassuring “Oh.” With a deep exhale, Destin forced her hands to relax as she focused on Alex’s words.
“…only as one-third as likely to experience erectile dysfunction as men who exercise very little or not at all.”
Blink. Blink.
Blink.
Destin tilted her head to the side, her ponytail cascading toward gravity (wouldn’t Alec’s physics-y mind be proud—we incorporated physics!), as she took in the little blurb Alec used to provide comfort. Her mind took a minute to register, finding it necessary to repeat a small tid-bit of what he said. Let’s join Destin’s mind: “…experience erectile dysfunction as men….” This is the point where Destin’s smile reemerged from what seemed like endless suffering within her mortification. Visions and thoughts of Sean faded out and Alec appeared with a handful of the type of strange humor he possessed that assuredly made her laugh. Her burst of amusement started with small fits of giggles before it erupted into full-blown laughter.
Destin led her small car into a parking space, put it into park, and turned it off as she rest her forehead on the top of the steering wheel. Perhaps resting her head was a tool for balance, for it was undoubtedly true that Destin would have fallen over due to her giggling; but regardless, Destin shed all of her stress as she laughed like she had so many times back in the ol’ library.
With a relaxing sigh this time, Destin rolled her head along the steering wheel to look at her study buddy. She donned a wide smile, and waited a moment before finally speaking, “Thanks for being awkward along with me, Alec. It makes it so we’re even now.” She lifted her head up and moved to step out of her car. She then had a thought, because why not, and stood leaning her front against the frame of her car-–with her head rested against the hood. At that point, she waited until Alec exited the car as well before blurting on top of her smile,
“And, well… then is it fair to say you’re exercising vigorously?”
- 46 posts here • Page 2 of 2 • 1, 2
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View All » Add Character » 6 Characters to follow in this universe
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Korey Philo
The wise guy whose mistakes have made him strong. Ever heard of a level-headed party boy?
Destinie "Destin" Whittaker
A pretty tomboy that can be considered "one of the guys" with how much she prefers to hang with them.
Alec Evans
Quiet, geeky dork who happens to have an obsession with Rubik's cubes. What's not to love?
Cameron A. Kennedy
Just your average indie, hipster, artsy, nerdy, *cough* slutty New York gal
Avenue Macabë
Understated city girl, possessing a model-esque body and an elusive personality. Often defined as mysterious and desirable, yet hard to get.
Trending
Korey Philo
The wise guy whose mistakes have made him strong. Ever heard of a level-headed party boy?
Avenue Macabë
Understated city girl, possessing a model-esque body and an elusive personality. Often defined as mysterious and desirable, yet hard to get.
Destinie "Destin" Whittaker
A pretty tomboy that can be considered "one of the guys" with how much she prefers to hang with them.
Alec Evans
Quiet, geeky dork who happens to have an obsession with Rubik's cubes. What's not to love?
Cameron A. Kennedy
Just your average indie, hipster, artsy, nerdy, *cough* slutty New York gal
Most Followed
Korey Philo
The wise guy whose mistakes have made him strong. Ever heard of a level-headed party boy?
Destinie "Destin" Whittaker
A pretty tomboy that can be considered "one of the guys" with how much she prefers to hang with them.
Cameron A. Kennedy
Just your average indie, hipster, artsy, nerdy, *cough* slutty New York gal
Alec Evans
Quiet, geeky dork who happens to have an obsession with Rubik's cubes. What's not to love?
Avenue Macabë
Understated city girl, possessing a model-esque body and an elusive personality. Often defined as mysterious and desirable, yet hard to get.
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46 posts · 6 characters present · last post 2013-06-11 03:56:47 »
Pontius Owner: TheCoriProject
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Fullscreen Chat » Create Topic » Pontius: Out of Character
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Pontius
by TheCoriProject on Sun Jul 29, 2012 8:28 pm
- 13 Replies
- 939 Views
- Last post by InvisibleSoul
on Tue Aug 07, 2012 11:27 pm
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Pontius
Most recent OOC posts in Pontius
Re: Pontius
TCP, we MISS YOU! D: Like, a lot.
Although we are having lots o' fun building our little Dalec romance. XD
Although we are having lots o' fun building our little Dalec romance. XD
Re: Pontius
XD He's such a loveable dork.
My - ahem, I mean Destin's - kids are going to think he's so weiiiird. But I - gosh, brain... DESTIN - love(s) him anyway.
;)
My - ahem, I mean Destin's - kids are going to think he's so weiiiird. But I - gosh, brain... DESTIN - love(s) him anyway.
;)
Re: Pontius
Bahaha, yes, he would be. XD Destin would be all "Alec, the kids are crying", and Alec would be all "It's okay, just give them a Rubik's cube." XD
Re: Pontius
LAWL! I'm just imagining Alec as a father. XDD He'd be such a derpy one. BAHAHAHA! I love him so much, though. XD
Re: Pontius
What is thiiis? I was totally unaware there was an OoC conversation happenign without meh. XD
And yesh, Invisi, we shall make beautiful Dalec babies, and they will be awesome. :3
And yesh, Invisi, we shall make beautiful Dalec babies, and they will be awesome. :3
Re: Pontius
Haha, I understand that. XD
After all, "This year, chaos ensues." *dramatic, suspenseful music*
I have so many guesses over what may happen and such. XD I'm sure they're all wrong, though.
After all, "This year, chaos ensues." *dramatic, suspenseful music*
I have so many guesses over what may happen and such. XD I'm sure they're all wrong, though.
Re: Pontius
This is so exciting. C:
I have a lot of crazy drama planned for later, by the way--it's not just partying the entire time. xD Things get really serious.
I have a lot of crazy drama planned for later, by the way--it's not just partying the entire time. xD Things get really serious.
Re: Pontius
♪Chaaaaaaaaaa!♪
We are now underwaaaaaaaaaay! :3
We shall make wonderous Dalec babies, Luv. I cannot wait.
Haha, and I'm sure we'll do something together, TCP.
We are now underwaaaaaaaaaay! :3
We shall make wonderous Dalec babies, Luv. I cannot wait.
Haha, and I'm sure we'll do something together, TCP.
Re: Pontius
How are you two coming with your forms? I'm just editing in Ave's history and I'm ready to go... I'm so impatient to start. xD
Re: Pontius
Oh, sorry, Grrbot. :c I'm making this into a 1x1x1. I meant to put that in the description in the beginning! D: So sorry!