House parties in concept seemed like a good idea. House parties in execution always failed. Always.
Daehyun’s first house party experience consisted of too much heat and too many egos. He was a freshman then, he didn’t have much of an ego but didn’t have much knowledge of what it could get him. Cramped spaces and suffocation. Tight throats and soft words. It’s not as pretty, only in the few moments when everyone is pressed up and all they see is strobes behind their eyelids. At that time it was fun, at that time he thought wow this must be what college is. Then things closed, cramped and squeezed everyone out. In a frenzy or a downpour, kids spilling out the door like ants.
At that time it’d been because some loud mouth posted a picture of them drinking with friends.
This time it’s not different, different sell out but same outcome.
House parties were nothing but ego ego ego and so much ego once the person hosting the party inflated enough, they got sloppy, sloppy like upstairs with a date or wasted on the floor. Then someone fucks up and everyone is either fucked or getting the fuck out. Daehyun was getting the fuck out. To begin with he’s not supposed to be here so he tries to ghost himself out with a hoodie and a simple outfit, simpler than his usual. But he’s noticed in seconds, hood off in minutes and having a good time in five. That’s when it happens and that’s how he ends up slipping out the back, thoughts of a practice probation and a long ass lecture in his mind.
Because one, no way he could swim tomorrow with a killer hangover and two, no way could he show up to his parents’ place high as hell and explain why he’s being escorted by police ( because wouldn’t the police love to plaster their so-called model son on every headline ).
He’s getting by pretty good, good on his feet and good on his appearance. Pretty good when he runs into the fence, pretty confused when he registers the girl before him. Familiar but everything’s a little blurry and a little too glaring for him to fully understand. Things like police sirens and a girl that should set off some kind of siren for titles or statuses.
“I can’t crash at home,” is all he says before offering her his hand and bracing his body for the lift he’s about to do “my parents are probably sending someone there to make sure I’m not here so, I get you out, you get me out, deal?” Even if she says no, even if he helps her over and gets grabbed he’s not thinking that far ahead, could be the weed blurring everything together, pats present, future. Could be the fact that he could probably care less how this turns out. That could be the weed too.