D-Day

It was the day of the party, Ethan and Alice had prepared every possible scenario, for any kind of emergency that might arrive. They have locked all three bedrooms, only the outside bathroom was open. They called their parents just to be sure they wouldn't be coming back anytime soon, they had their speakers and lots of food and drinks ready.

What was left, was just to see if anyone would show up. Although they gave 8 pm, the first sign of a living soul was even after 10, guess that was the usual party time. David came around then too, with all of Ethan's class and at least ten more people, and from then on, the party finally started.

The music was a little louder than Ethan's taste but after a glass full of apple juice, with just a little vodka, he loosened enough to dance a little. 

With the loud music, beer cans on every available space, and David's amazing dancing skills, Ethan couldn't help but laugh and enjoy. He tried copying David's dance moments but after falling down twice trying to do a cartwheel, he just went with easier steps.

The music grew louder, but still, when the door opened and Joshua walked in, Ethan couldn't help but follow him with his eyes, the way he said hi to all the people he could recognize, the way Oliver trusted a can of beer in his hands, the way Joshua looked around as though trying to find someone and the way he smiled brightly when their eyes met. And the way he started coming over to Ethan, wait, he is coming over, shit what is Ethan gonna do, damn.

"Hi Ethan, great party. Sorry I was a little late, had some errands to run." Joshua shouted over the loud music.

"It's alright, thank you for coming. Drink, enjoy, and ask if you need anything, except for alcohol that you would have to ask David." Ethan shouted over the music.

Joshua smiled and opened his mouth to say something but the music suddenly changed and everyone started cheering loudly, drowning his voice. He just sighed and tipped the bear in his mouth, drinking it all in one go. Ethan looked at him concerned, but he just waved it off as nothing. 

"Do you drink?" Ethan asked after the cheering went down.

"I have, not much but on some occasions." he replied, opening another can of beer. "Do you?"

"Not really, but Alice and I sometimes drink secretly just to see if our parents will catch us or not." Ethan explained.

"And do they catch you?" 

"Just once, they thought we tried it for the first time and reflected on their parenting. They thought their drinking made us curious about drinking in general." Ethan reminisced, laughing.

"Your parents are not devout Christians, are they?" Joshua asked, a little scared.

"No, not like that but they believe in Jesus and a simple life filled with good deeds, they don't pray much." Ethan said, trying his best to explain the unique mindset of his parents.

"Oh, my parents were devout Christians, the one who goes to church every Sunday, talk about sins and heaven, pray and everything." Joshua said, drowning another can.

"Oh, I think you should eat something before drinking that much," Ethan said, concerned.

"If it ain't killing me then what's wrong." Joshua said, his words slurring a little.

"Waking up tomorrow will tell you what's wrong, come eat some pizza before drowning in alcohol." Ethan said, pulling Joshua towards the kitchen. 

Thanking David in his heart, that he bought some extra food too, Ethan made Joshua sit and finish two slices of pizza before he could do anything else.

"It's not a big deal, my uncle used to give me lots of alcohol on an empty stomach, I can take it." Joshua said, trying to get up.

"I don't know what your uncle was on but that is dangerous, I am not saying don't drink, just eat a little will you?" 

Joshua ended up eating nearly the whole pizza while sneakily having gulps of beer in between.

"You know my uncle was a jerk, he gave me my first beer when I was nine, can you believe it?" Joshua slurred, drinking his fifth can of beer.

"Why would he do that?" Ethan slurred, slurping his third can.

"I told you he was a jerk, my parents would leave me for days with him, and when I would fuzz he would give me some beer to make me knock out."

"What kind of fucked up family you got." Ethan said, sneaking Joshua and some cans of beer into his room.

"Welcome to my humble abode, this is where I sleep." Ethan said, jumping over his bed. "This is where I study." he pointed towards his desk and chair. "I don't have much furniture, I like my room clean, and that is my wardrobe." 

"Your room is so cool, I had one room too, you know my room had lots of furniture. I don't know but I break things easily so I had many fixed and broken things lying around my room, it was never clean." Joshua said, slumping on the bed and pouting.

Ethan laughed at his antics, tickling Joshua's sides to make him smile. Joshua was never ticklish but as Ethan tickled him on his stomach, he couldn't help but laugh. Joshua quickly caught Ethan's hands on his own to stop his torture.

"What happened to your room then?" Ethan asked, his hands woven with Joshua's.

"My parents kicked me out, so I don't know." Joshua explained, playing with Ethan's hands.

"Why would your parents kick you out?" Ethan asked, shocked.

Joshua took his time, looking at Ethan's face, threading their fingers together as he answered.

"I was in love with a guy."

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