It felt as if the collar of his shirt was too tight, even though the top button was free to let him breathe. Thea's hands kept poking and prodding at him, fixing the creases in his shirt, the placement of his belt, the way his hair fell. He tried not to let the toxic scent of cologne knock him unconscious.

"Thea," Matt started, "this isn't a date. You don't have to try so hard."

"Yeah, but this is your first little party! My baby nephew's growin' up," she cooed.

"Thea," he whined.

She stepped back to look at him, an amused grin on her face. The look was simple but affective: a navy-blue buttoned shirt, slim black pants, and his regular shoes to make the outfit casual too. Matt scowled and shifted uncomfortably in his spot.

"How do you feel?" she asked.

"Nervous," he replied. "This isn't helping."

"Don't worry so much," she said. "There's nothing wrong with looking nice, you know. If anything, it's an eye-catcher."

"Which is why it makes me nervous," he muttered. "I'm fine with Becca, but I don't want to grab other people's attention."

"Believe me, everyone will be too busy partying with their friends to care. I was like you once, standing in nice clothes all anxious for my first party. Your dad was in my place, and he helped my confidence a lot, so now I'm doing the same for you."

The black-haired woman came up and took hold of her dear nephew's face. The bruises around his blue eye had faded throughout the week, leaving only a faint discoloration of skin. Thea brushed his hair back and said, "Bien simpatico."

Matt laughed and took the compliment without protest.

"All you have to do is stay calm, have fun, look good, and then you'll be golden," she chirped. "You have one of those down. Now you need the rest."

When he didn't respond to that, she leaned close and whispered, "And as a bonus, I'll take you to that Korean restaurant you like and get you the supreme deal."

Matt's eyes shifted up to her with coy intrigue. "And dessert?"

"And dessert."

The anxious teen took in a deep breath and lifted his shoulders. "Okay. I can do this."

She shook his arms and added, "Remember: you're golden!"

"Golden. Golden...," he murmured the mantra under his breath.

The sudden buzzing of his phone in his pocket caught his attention and he found that Pizza Girl was calling him. He tensed up and hissed, "It's her!"

"Answer it!" Thea hissed back.

"What do I say?!"

"Just answer it! Quit making it difficult!"

"Agggh!" he groaned loudly, right before clearing his throat and answering the call. "Hello?"

"Matt! I'm here to pick you up," Becca stated.

"Right. That was a thing we were doing."

The melodic giggle that came through the speaker made his head tingle. Thea heard it from her spot and gave a very enthusiastic thumbs-up.

"I'll be right out," he said, then ended the call.

"Knock 'em dead, bud. And text me!" Thea said before they parted ways. As soon as the door closed, his anxiousness kicked in. Was he forgetting something? Is that just his nerves talking? It's probably just nerves. A lot of them.

Becca's car was visible from his floor and the trek down the stairs was like walking through a phase between reality and dream. Matt's instincts told him to turn back before what was too good to be true ended up just that, but the longing he had held for years begged him to push forward. Plus, he wanted to make up for the good deed Becca did back when they were younger, even though she didn't know him, even though the rumors other kids had spread should have scared her off. She believed in him when no other kid had, and he wanted to repay that kindness. 

Opening the passenger door felt like pulling on bricks, but to see Becca's smiling face was rewarding. Matt felt self-conscious about his outfit now. Was it too much? Becca looked nice, with a pastel pink blouse, white pants, and a cream-colored cardigan. Her hair was wavier than usual, almost curly, and it framed her face just right. She looked amazing. Matt thought, I look like a chump next to her.

"Hello, welcome to my car," she greeted.

"Cozy," Matt complimented before hopping inside.

As soon as he closed the door, Becca remarked, "You smell very nice."

"Oh, s-sorry. I know it's really strong. My aunt practically doused the bottle on me, haha," he said.

"I feel you. My mom did that to me one time, too. I felt so stupid...! Don't sweat it," she assured him. He appreciated it, yet he felt just a little more dumb.

"So this party's uptown, huh?" he asked in an attempt to make small talk once they started driving.

"Yeah. Quite a drive, but it'll be fun. We'll pick up my friends on the way," she said.

"Do you want me to sit in the back?" he asked tentatively.

Becca shook her head, making her light-brown locks swirl. "No, enjoy the front. They won't mind. I'm their ride, after all. They're gonna put up with whatever I want."

Matt nodded in agreement. Whatever she wants? Does that mean she wants me up here with her?, he questioned himself.

It was five minutes into the drive when Matt acknowledged the silence in the car. He glanced at the radio and said, "Do you like to listen to music?"

Becca perked up and replied, "Yeah. You want music? Here, I've got an aux cord." Without taking her eyes off the road, she handed him the aux cord and he took it a bit clumsily.

"Um, I don't think you'll like my music..."

"Oh yeah? Try me," she challenged.

A smile met his lips as he plugged the audio jack into his phone and picked his tunes. Aside from 80s music, he enjoyed rock and a bit of rap. That stuff would have been a "safe" choice, but Matt was feeling a bit adventurous, craving his father's old jams.

The electric guitar and keyboard took over the previous silence and rocked the speakers. Becca smiled wide and asked, "What song is this?"

"Rebel Yell, by Billy Idol," he answered.

"Is he new? I've never heard of him."

"You're never heard of Billy Idol? He's from the eighties, a really well known rock musician. Also really popular with the ladies."

"Well, apparently not to me," she quipped.

Matt managed a smile. "It's alright. I tend to listen to a lot of eighties music. If you want, I can switch to something more contemporary."

"Keep it! I like the song." She turned up the volume on the radio to a level in which they'd have to raise their voices louder than normal, and that pleased Matt more than it should have.

They drove through the city, jamming out to 80s hits, and it was the greatest thing for him. To see Becca shake her head or sing along to the choruses of the songs was so satisfying. There's a special feeling to sharing something you like with someone and getting a positive response when you expected judgement. Matt bathed in this feeling. This definitely made Becca cooler than she already was in his eyes.

The car turned into a suburban neighborhood and they stopped in front of a house about a block in. The wait for Becca's friend didn't take long and a pony-tailed girl stepped out of the front door. There was the awkward moment when she had opened the passenger's side door only to be greeted by Matt, and the look of embarrassment and disappointment had flashed across the girl's features before she went for the backdoor instead.

"Matt, this is Melissa," Becca introduced them. Matt said hi and gave a casual wave.

Melissa was the kind of girl that you don't piss off, or else she would find an elaborate way to make you wish you didn't exist. Straightforward and fierce, she was a perfect fit for captain of the school's champion varsity volleyball team. Melissa has been a friend to Becca since middle school, always looking out for her like a momma tiger, and will maul anyone who dares to hurt her just like one too. Matt didn't take her into account of this night.

"It smells like the front of a Macy's store in here," Melissa remarked.

A blush creeped up on Matt's cheeks, but his embarrassment was deterred by Becca piping in, "That's me! I used too much."

"You used cologne?"

Becca shrugged. "Ran out of perfume. What if I want to smell good for the ladies?"

"Shut up and drive," Melissa chuckled and gently kicked the back of the driver's seat.

"Next up is Ailah," Becca announced.

"Let's hope she's ready to go and not stressing over her makeup again," Melissa retorted.

As they left the suburban scene and cruised back into the city, Melissa spoke up out of nowhere, "So, Matt, how do you know Becca?"

Becca chuckled nervously. "Mel, don't—."

"She just invited me for the bet," Matt answered despite himself.

"The pizza bet, remember?" Becca commented.

"Mhmm. Have you ever been to a party before?" Melissa went on.

Matt kept his cool, even though he could feel Melissa's intense glare from behind, and replied, "No, I haven't. This is my first time."

"Are you planning on getting drunk?"

"No."

"Gonna hook up with anyone?"

"No..."

"Are you sure?"

"Mel," Becca chided. Melissa stopped pestering poor Matt after that.

Next up, they stopped by a neighborhood of townhouse-style residencies to pick up the girl named Ailah. Matt knew about her, as did everyone within his grade level. She was junior council president, upbeat and determined, the perfect girl for the job (if it wasn't Becca). Matt probably could've crushed on her if he wasn't hopelessly stuck on Pizza Girl.

After five attempts of her friends calling her cellphone, Ailah hurriedly came out of her house, the click-clack of her boots on the pavement still audible through the car. She opened up the backdoor and immediately said hello with a big smile.

"Finally, you came out," Melissa said.

Ailah flipped her black, twisted braids over her shoulder and responded, "There's nothing wrong with looking like a queen."

"Yeah, but I bet you're gonna be sweaty by the end of the night, so all that contour and highlight?—down the drain. Psssssssh."

"Whatever. I feel good like this and that's all that matters. Anyway, hey, stranger."

It took him a moment to realize Ailah was addressing him, but Matt eventually turned and greeted her. The look she gave him was much more friendlier than what Melissa bore. Then again, he thought, maybe she also doesn't want me here and is just hiding it way better than Melissa.

"We're all set?" Becca questioned.

"Let's get to that party already...!" Melissa cheered (the change in her mood was significantly better). Matt looked over at Becca and the two of them shared a smile. It was time to go.

During the remainder of the car ride, the girls went on to chat while the soft whisper of music played underneath. Matt paid attention to his tunes mainly, taking comfort in it, even if the volume was quiet. His peace was disturbed when Melissa unexpectedly exclaimed, "Let's have Matt settle this!"

He turned with a confused frown. "What?"

Ailah grabbed onto his seat and asked, "Matt, when is it okay to use the tongue emoji?"

"The...The what?"

"You know," Becca added, "the tongue emoji. It's just a tongue."

"In what context is this question coming from?"

Ailah tossed her hair back again and explained, "So, say this guy is flirting with you real good, and he's saying all this cute shit, like 'you're sweeter than candy', but then he says he wants to eat you up like a candy and uses the tongue emoji. Now, is that supposed to be cute or serious, as in sexually serious?"

"Ummm..."

"Obviously, he's just playing," Melissa replied.

"Nah, but that's the thing—boys don't play around with their damn emojis!"

"It seemed like an innocent sentence," Becca argued.

"Yeah, but then the tongue makes it not innocent."

Melissa groaned. "Without the tongue, the sentence would look dirty and creepy."

"It's still dirty either way," Ailah complained.

"Matt, what do you think about this dilemma?" Becca asked lightly.

Hesitantly, he answered, "I think...it can go either way. If he uses the emoji, it'll be playful and cute. Without the emoji, the sentence is still weird. And even though the emoji amplifies the weirdness of it, in that context, it's necessary. It's a matter of preference; do you like the emoji or do you not like it? To him, using it seemed like a preferable choice than not using it, for the sake of not sounding creepy as the other option suggests. Or...um...s-some shit like that—I don't know." Wow, analyzing emojis was one thing Matt never expected to do tonight.

Ailah hummed in thought. "You have a point."

"Can't believe we spent seven minutes arguing about that stupid emoji," Melissa said.

"There's just some things you need to question," Becca remarked in an insightful tone.

Matt hid a smile behind his hand, amused by the girls' banter. This car ride isn't so bad.

Soon enough, they were coming up on their destination. The line of cars on the sides of the road was indication of that. The closer they got, the more they saw people hanging around outside and the thrumming music seeped into the car. Ailah was practically bouncing in her seat in anticipation, meanwhile Matt was the opposite, tensing up in his seat as they got closer to the house.

Once they found a space to park, they got out. The girls led the way while Matt followed behind them. Becca sauntered in front of him and looked back at him with a smile. That eased his nerves and he loosened his shoulders a bit.

The moment they stepped foot into the house, the pulsing music reached the soles of Matt's feet through the floor; he could feel the bass in his chest. The beat of the music rattled his head, a gentle throbbing that synced with the rhythm. Someone immediately bumped into him, and then another, and another, and he maintained his cool. The dim lighting in the house made him lose sight of Becca, but after standing around idly looking around for her, he felt someone grab his wrist. He was pulled through the foyer, through the living room, and into what looked like a lounge room, where he stopped and bumped into Becca's side. She remarked, "Don't get lost on me now." He just smiled and nodded.

In the lounge, there was a table of teens playing cards. The guy running the game stood and greeted Melissa with a big hug. "Mel! My cousin, you made it!"

"Nice party, Kyle. There's more people here than the last time," she remarked.

"Way to rub salt into the wound," he muttered. Kyle gave Becca and Ailah gracious hugs, then stopped right in front of Matt.

Becca commented, "Kyle, this is Matt. He's here for that bet."

"So you actually pulled off bringing a guy here. You're moving on up in the world," Kyle jested. He and Matt shared a handshake and he questioned, "Are you new to Oak Ridge High? Haven't seen you there before."

Matt maintained his smile and replied, "Nope. I've been there."

Kyle clapped his shoulder. "Well, good to have a fresh face anyway. Help yourself to whatever you want—not counting the girls, haha." Matt laughed along even though he wasn't that amused. The synced throbbing in his head came back.

Melissa went ahead and led the way to the drinks, and Ailah said hello to her fellow peers along the way. Someone brought their dog for whatever reason and Becca spent about five minutes giving the pooch belly rubs (that dog must be in heaven around so many people), which Matt found adorable. It wasn't long until the girls had a cliché, red, plastic cup in their hands with some sort of alcohol sloshing inside as they moved through the house. Matt didn't take anything, for the fear that Thea would come out of nowhere with la chancleta in hand (#1 reason why he never argues with her for something stupid he did).

Matt placed his focus on Becca's back as he followed her around, standing idly while she conversed with other people who were either students at Oak Ridge HS or acquaintances from other schools. He felt out of place in this environment—unwanted, even. There was no one for him to talk to and the throbbing in his head was picking up speed now. It's barely been thirty minutes and he already wants to leave.

"Matt, c'mere!" Ailah's voice called to him. The boy snapped out of his trance and set his sights on the junior class president.

She was standing by the table in the dining room, where other teens were playing a game of beer pong. Ailah waved him closer and when he was within arms reach, she yanked him right next to her. Multiple eyes were on him now as the bubbling beauty said to him, "I need you to play for me!"

"Not fair," another guy said, Ailah's opponent.

"You never said anything about getting help. Now, Matt, do you know how to play?"

"Get the pong in the beer, yeah."

"If he plays, he has to drink!" the opponent hollered.

"I'm drinking for him," Ailah retorted, "while he plays for me."

The opponent groaned and surrendered to Ailah's logic. The girl placed a ping-pong ball in Matt's hand and said, "Annihilate him. I owe him thirty bucks that I don't have."

Matt stood at the end of the table, facing a random guy who looked dead set on getting his pong into the cups and his thirty bucks. Everyone around the table whooped and cheered for the side they favored, and all the attention made Matt's heart race. The throbbing in his head came back and he grit his teeth to endure it. He groped the ping-pong ball in his hand before raising it and aiming. Then he tossed. There was a tap from the ball hitting tabletop, before it plopped into a cup in the middle. Some people whistled, and Matt spotted Ailah giving him a thumbs-up out of the corner of his eye.

The next fifteen minutes were spent playing beer pong for Ailah. It turns out that Matt is pretty good at getting pong into beer. A few times, he had missed his shot, but he redeemed himself with the next. The throbbing in his head lessened the more he focused on the game. He's actually having fun..!

They were on the third and final round of beer pong. Ailah was already over the line of tipsy but still cheering Matt on with that bubbly attitude of hers. He and his opponent only had one cup left each. With every shot they missed, the tension grew higher. Teens weren't cheering anymore but watching in wait for a final winner. Matt was feeling the rush of his streak thus far. He had to win this, especially so that he didn't fail Ailah, which would mean failing Becca, and he couldn't have that.

He raised his hand, causing people to twitch and lean forward. All eyes were on him. Pong in beer. Pong in beer!

With a deep breath, he tossed the ball forward and he could feel everyone hold their breath with him. Although it took only a second, it was an agonizing, thrilling sensation to watch the ping-pong ball's journey. It soared above the table in all of its ping-pong glory, followed by the splash of beer in the cup as Matt made his game-ending shot. Ailah practically screeched in his ear as she jumped on him for a celebratory hug. People who had rooted for him cheered and laughed, and his opponent begrudgingly chugged down his final beer.

"You're a life saver, Matt!" Ailah slurred happily.

"Are you okay? You drank, like, a shit ton of beers," he said.

"Psssh, I'm not a baby! I'm fine!" she said as she stumbled in her place despite having made no attempt to move at all

When Matt returned to Becca's side, she smiled up at him and said, "Congrats, ping-pong master."

"Thanks, although I'm worried about your friend, you know, since she downed nearly eighteen cups of beer," he said.

Becca waved the concern off. "Don't worry. Melissa will stay glued to her. Even when drunk, she can kick someone's ass."

Ailah and Melissa started roaming about the house, conversing with people and cracking jokes that made them crank out hysterical laughter. Becca watched them casually, taking delight in their good fun. Matt was back to following behind her, watching her back, the rush of beer pong left behind for no one but him to remember after this night. Although he wandered with the girls, his mind was elsewhere. Where, he did not fully understand. All he knew was he was spacing out hard.

It didn't occur to him that he must have looked like a creep following Becca's every move, until Melissa nudged him and hollered over the music, "Try talking to other people. You're like a lost puppy."

It was a good thing the lighting wasn't bright in the house, or else she would have seen the mad blush on his face. Hand in his pockets, he replied, "Do you count?"

Melissa merely spat a laugh and shoved his shoulder, spilling some of her drink on the floor. That was all she did before walking away. He took that as a no.

Reluctantly, he tapped Becca's shoulder and said next to her ear, "I'm gonna get something to drink."

He disappeared through the living room to find the kitchen, where he heard the drinks and food were. The throbbing in his head was back. He hoped there was water and not pure alcohol to serve here. If not, there was always the sink...

Upon entering the kitchen, there was a howling between the boys as they watched one guy funnel. While they were busy with each other, he came up to an observer and asked, "Is there any water?"

The girl pointed to a large container off to the side and remarked, "They're not cold though." Of course they wouldn't be, but warm water was better than no water.

As he stood around with his water bottle, he surveyed the kitchen. Among the pent-up teens and couples giggling over each other, the girl beside him was the only option he had. Casually, he stepped closer and began, "Enjoying yourself?"

She smirked at him and responded, "Not the craziest party I've been to, but it's fun. How about you, navy blue?"

Matt chuckled at the clever quip over his shirt and said, "My first time. I've gotta say, it's exactly like how I expected."

"How so?"

He shrugged. "Alcohol, people screaming and dancing, silly games, loud music, and the occasional drunk crier."

Off to the side a big guy was sobbing on his friend's shoulder, waving his beer around as he lamented his woes.

"Ah, the crier. Fun times. But you're missing something."

"What?"

A playful grin met her colored lips. "The hook-up."

"Hook-up?"

"You know, hooking up with someone. You get drunk, maybe flirt around like an idiot, and somehow there's someone who likes that and you two hook-up. It's bound to happen."

"Well, this is my first time, so I doubt it."

"Oh, please. Those clothes say otherwise. You don't come here looking like that unless you want to impress someone."

Matt nodded slowly. "You have a point..."

The both of them took a swig of their drinks at the same time, sharing nonchalant silence for a brief moment.

"So is there someone?" the girl suddenly asked.

Matt faltered his words as thoughts of Becca came to mind. Her stylish clothes, the content expression on her face as she watched her friends, the cute smiles she gave him, came flooding back. For the longest time, there was something about their interactions that told him to keep hoping—hoping that he had a chance. But there was always that lingering doubt that came with every joyous moment—there's no way he had a chance. Plus, he didn't want to ruin anything that was in place now. Things were balanced, and he felt safer keeping it that way instead of tipping the scales.

"No," he answered a bit demurely this time. The girl nodded in some sort of agreement that Matt doubted she understood.

Another round of hollering as someone pulled off a perfect funnel again. In the midst of the wild howling, the girl stepped so close that Matt felt her warmth against him. Her hand slipped behind the small of his back, fingers tugging on his belt. She looked up at him with sultry eyes and purred, "Maybe I could help with that."

Matt clutched his water bottle and inched away. "Oh, um, that's very nice of you and all, but—."

"C'mon, navy blue. Let me help you with your first hook-up," she giggled. The smell of alcohol was strong on her hot breath. This was a bad idea.

"Hey!" a voice interjected. One of the boys from the crowd of funnelers came up to Matt and the girl. A look of confusion and annoyance crossed his features as he glared at the two of them. The girl immediately let go and said, "Hey, babe."

"Babe?" said Matt.

The angered boy squeezed himself between Matt and the drunken girl. "Yes. Babe."

"Look, man, I didn't know—."

"So that's supposed to be a good enough excuse for you to touch on my girlfriend?" he growled.

"No, she was the one who started touching me," he explained. It was the truth, but it was a mistake.

"You're accusing a drunk girl for touching on you while your ass is drinking some fuckin' water?" the boyfriend growled. This suddenly became a terrible idea.

"Look, buddy—."

"Don't 'buddy' me!"

"—this is a misunderstanding. We were just chatting and I honestly didn't know. I'll leave you two be."

"You better get your ass out of my sight, pervert," he hissed. It was obvious he was drunk as well, but Matt wasn't about to risk it with this one. He slipped past him without another word, clutching his water bottle tight in his hand. That exchange was awful and it rendered Matt into a piss poor mood. So much for talking to other people.

As he walked through the house again to find Becca, the throbbing in his head came back again. Coupled with his aggravation, it rattled his head worse than before. At first, he thought it was his nervousness getting the better of him, but this was too much. What was wrong with him?

Then he realized it the moment he heard...

Hey, take it easy and breathe...

Oh no.

Matt clutched at his head, remembering that he had forgotten something before leaving for the party—his medication. He's never missed a dose but somehow it slipped his mind this time. It's been so long since he's been off of it that without it, the effects of his illness came in hot and overwhelming.

Matt, you need to breathe...

"Stop talking to me," he huffed.

A girl next to him frowned and said, "Huh? I didn't say anything."

"N-Not you," he said and walked on.

Focus on my voice for now. You're stressing out...

"You are what's stressing me. Get out!"

"The hell is your problem," a guy muttered to him.

"Not you either! Agh!"

Matt...!

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" he snarled. Next to him, the card-playing teens looked at him in unison, setting his nerves more on edge. With their silence came everyone else's. Eventually, the whole lounge room went quiet as eyes bore into him. Matt's breath hitched, nearly choking him. His heart slammed itself against his rib-cage, and it wasn't long until he was hyperventilating. So he dropped his bottle of water and ran.

It didn't matter where his feet took him, as long as it was far from people. Matt found himself rushing past the sliding backdoors and out into the open. It was such a drastic change from warm, crowded rooms to outdoor openness, and fresh air filled his lungs. He took a seat on a patio bench and recuperated. This wasn't enough. He needed to get away from here, return home where it was just him and Thea. He needed his meds, he needed comfier clothes, he needed his Walkman, he needed security—he needed to leave.

And yet he stopped himself from grabbing his phone and calling his aunt. Despite his better judgement, he couldn't bring himself to leave Becca without saying good-bye. But there was no way he was willing to walk back inside to find her, not with all of those people who just witnessed the scene he made. Texting felt inconsiderate, but what more could he do? Nothing sat well with him. He felt utterly sick.

"Why did you have to come back now?" he muttered as he smacked his palms against his head, hoping the feeble attacks would get rid of the voice somehow. It didn't. The voice remained a whisper below and yet above the sounds of teens chatting and laughing, of music pulsing through the floors and walls, of teens squealing with laughter and delight the likes of which Matt couldn't feel as he sat hunched over, rocking back and forth, begging for silence.

There were still people hanging out outside, and he could hear them whispering—every word, every hiss. They talked about him. Their eyes were on him. And yet he couldn't tell if they actually were, if his illness just made him hear their snide remarks and feel their eyes on him. Maybe no one cared for him at all. Maybe he was just making himself go crazier and crazier by the second as he stayed here. This was a nightmare.

Several minutes later, Matt heard footsteps approach him, followed by Becca's voice saying, "There you are. I was looking for you."

Becca took a seat next to him on the bench. In her hand was a red cup, but Matt doubted she drank a lot. She was driving after all.

It didn't take her long to notice something was wrong. She asked, "Are you okay?"

Matt shook his head and tried not to rock back and forth so much.

"Did something happen?" Her voice was so full of concern that Matt wasn't sure if it should be, if he even deserved it.

"Head...hurts...," he managed to say.

She touched his back. "I could ask Kyle for aspirin. He probably has some."

"That won't work...," he replied.

"Have you been drinking?"

Matt shook his head again. "Just water..."

"There must be something I can do for you."

He shook his head. "My medication...I didn't take it...and now he's back..."

"He? Who is he?"

Don't tell her here...

"Shut up," he muttered.

Becca eased her hand away from him and said, "Sorry."

"No, I wasn't talking to you," Matt assured her. Then he covered his face with his hands and growled his frustration out.

He suddenly felt tired. There was no fight in him for this. With a heavy sigh, he leaned back on the bench and stared up at the night sky. Becca remained seated and watched him.

"Why aren't you with your friends?" he asked her.

She stifled a wry chuckle. "They're not as fun when they're drunk. Plus, I noticed you never came back, so I went looking for you."

"Why?"

"Because I was worried. I knew you weren't comfortable here. From the moment I picked you up, you were never comfortable."

"That obvious, huh?"

"Not obvious. I know you well enough to figure it out."

"Do you?" he muttered a bit coldly. Becca paused after that comment.

"Matt," she started again, "what's wrong?"

He was hesitant to admit what was bothering him. A part of him felt it would ruin this night for her, or perhaps even their friendship. Becca has heard the rumors, but she never heard the stories from his own mouth.

"I forgot to take my antipsychotic meds before coming here," he began, "and now my head hurts and I can hear this voice in my head. Or maybe there's more and I can't tell the difference between a real person talking or nothing talking."

Becca nodded. "I...forgot you..."

"Had schizophrenia? Yeah, I still do."

"I'm sorry for asking. I know this is sensitive..."

"Don't apologize. You should know this, you're driving after all."

She laughed. "Being your driver doesn't make me a god."

"Well, there's no one else I can trust here."

"I'm glad you can trust me," she said.

He managed a smile. "I'm glad I have you to trust..."

The two of them shared another moment of silence, sitting on a bench that was seemingly all for them. No one else came around to chat up Becca. No one even passed by. It was as if everyone got the message that this moment should be just for them.

"Do you need me to take you home?" Becca asked.

"No," he answered right away.

She furrowed her brow. "But you need your meds."

"I don't want to ruin this night for you."

She beamed down at him. "Matt, you won't ruin anything. You and my friends are more important to me than having some cheap fun."

Even with that heartfelt statement (which made Matt's heart flutter), he still wasn't convinced he should leave. His head was spinning from his headache and the voice had stopped talking for now. He needed a distraction so he could spend more time with Becca.

"What's in that cup?" he asked.

"Oh, it's spiked punch. I don't know what's in it besides the punch, but—." She was interrupted by Matt grabbing the cup and downing whatever was left in it. As cool as he tried to be, he ended up tossing the cup and coughing like he had the plague.

"I was gonna say the alcohol is too strong," she added.

"Why do people drink this?!" he spat. She just shrugged.

He shook his head as he shuddered, then said, "I'll be back. I'm getting more."

"Matt—."

But he was already gone.

Five cups of strong spiked punch later, Matt was drunk and giggling like a toddler at just about anything. Becca sat beside him, often holding him up with her shoulder. As much as she knew she shouldn't, she couldn't help but be amused by Matt's ramblings.

"I mean, she started touching me first," he slurred. "How was I supposed to know she had a boyfriend and was a flirty drunk? What an asshole—hic—wish I knocked him in the face..."

"No, Matt, it's good that you didn't."

"Okay," he surrendered easily.

"How are you feeling now?"

Matt took another sip of his drink. "Better, I guess. My head doesn't hurt."

"Your hangover is going to be hell," she remarked.

He harrumphed and waved his hand forward. "Pssh, whatever. Hangover schmangover, haha!"

Becca chuckled and grabbed his cup. "I think that's enough juice for you."

"Whaaaaat? Nooooooo. Beccaaaaaa..."

"Yes." She pulled it out of his hand, ending his drinking streak.

"Ugh, okay. Only because you say so..."

Becca set the cup aside and said, "I should get you water."

"No, stay," he begged and clung to her arm. She giggled at his childish manner. He went on, "I feel better having you with me. Maybe I wasn't comfortable before, but you're making this easier for me. Stay."

"Okay, I will."

Matt gaped at her for a moment, as if he didn't expect that answer, before cracking a goofy smile and giggling too.

Becca rolled her eyes. "You're so drunk."

"Good! I don't hear him anymore!" He raised his arms up and hollered, "He's not in my head! Bye-bye, you bastard! Bye-bye, haha!"

"Maybe you shouldn't be screaming."

He slumped against the bench again and said, "He's been doing all the screaming for me, always so damn loud. But not this time! I'm in control in here." He tapped a finger to his head with a smug expression.

There was a change of mood and Matt said more quietly, "It's been so long since I've heard him, I can't remember when. I was little when he first spoke to me. Like, one day this voice with an accent came out of nowhere, you know? My parents used to call him my 'imaginary friend'. He was. A friend, I mean. I think. I don't know what he was...is."

"Did he ever say anything bad to you?"

"Never," he replied. "Unlike other schizophrenia cases, mine never said anything negative. He's incredibly positive actually. But kids and adults started to hate me for my condition. I was home-schooled, so talking to him then was fine, but when I got into public school...not so much. I'd interrupt my classes, confuse people, pick fights I wasn't aware of. Thea fought the school not to put me in special needs classes. It had to stop. I had to shut him out..."

Becca frowned and murmured, "That's awful. They shouldn't have done that."

"It was bound to happen. But it wasn't my condition that made school hell; it was the aftermath. Kids still called me 'crazy-head' and bullied me. Even in middle school, they kept the taunts—'schizo' became the new and best. They never left me alone. Nothing slipped past anyone."

Becca cast her eyes down at the memory of those years. Rumor after rumor about the 'one-eyed' kid, about the 'schizo', about the crybaby with mommy and daddy issues, or 'lack of mommy and daddy issues' as she had heard once. All of these things came from people who didn't know Matt or couldn't understand his struggles. They had no right, and still have no right, to talk down on him. It pissed her off.

"I hate people like that," she hissed. "They think it's okay to belittle you just because you're a 'perfect' candidate for it. Making fun of you doesn't amount to anything in the end. It's stupid. And the fact that adults didn't seem to be knowledgeable about your condition is disappointing. My moms would've raised hell for you if they knew you were around. Mental conditions just don't get the care they deserve. I want to follow in Taya's footsteps, go into medical. Maybe someday I can do presentations at schools, really sink it into kids' heads that mental illness isn't something to laugh at. I wish someone would have done that for you. I...I'm sorry I wasn't the person to spread that message..."

Matt blinked at her in astonishment. "Why are you apologizing?"

"C'mon, Matt, even if you're drunk, you should know why," she said. "I never talked to you much after the first time we met. I barely talked to you in high school, too. I should have. You were known to be unapproachable, but I should've pushed past that. I should have been a friend to you."

"You are a friend...," he murmured.

"Yeah, now, but back then? I'm no better than anyone who picked on you."

"No!" Matt blurted, startling Becca. With a hard gaze, he stated, "You are not like those people! Don't ever say that! You are an amazing person—the best person! You wanna know why?"

A smile was starting to form on Becca's lips. "Why...?"

"Because! You...are...ssssssmmmmmmart! Very smart. And you're caring towards people, and creative, and head-strong, and you really like dogs."

"Haha, I do."

"That's amazing! On top of that, you're responsible, honest, humble, dedicated, and—and dedicated."

"You just said that."

"You're dedicated squared."

Becca let out a laugh, which made Matt feel even bubblier.

"And holding all of those amazing qualities together is your nice face. Your very nice face. Beautiful. I mean to say beautiful. All of you is very beautiful. You're so beautiful that you should be, like, a model. Oh my god, if you were, I'd buy all of the magazines you're on. I wouldn't care how much they'd cost. You're so beautiful, and—and—gaah, you're the best person. Everything about you is so awesome, and I like that. I really like that. I...I like you, Becca. You're sooooo cool. And I'm a chump. And I like you. I...pfft, I love you, Becca."

In his drunken stupor, he fell over and rested his head on Becca's lap. Becca gazed down at him with wide eyes as he murmured over and over again, "I love you, I love you, I loooooove youuuuuu..."

Melissa and Ailah stumbled out onto the patio, giggling with each other. As soon as Ailah spotted Becca and Matt, she gasped and whispered (very loudly), "Mel, this is like one of those rom-com moments. After this, they're gonna, like, kiss."

"Gross," Melissa grumbled.

"I can hear you two," Becca spoke up.

"Oh crap, Mel, we're the friends who're intruding on the intimate moment for comedic effect. We should go!"

"Wait, are you guys actually going to kiss?" Melissa asked defensively.

"Shut up! We gotta go!" Ailah yammered and dragged her scowling friend away.

Becca chuckled quietly and shook her head. She didn't expect Matt to do much of anything as he had fallen into a half-conscious state, mumbling incoherent words. Gently, she placed her hand on his head and brushed his hair out of his eyes. She hoped he was actually feeling better. With a sigh, she said, "Getting you into the car's going to be interesting."

✥✥✥✥✥

Melissa and Ailah were a bit easier to deal with, but due to Matt being such a lightweight that he passed out, getting him into the car was a hassle. She got help from Melissa's cousin, Kyle, and another guy to put him in the back where he could sleep. Mel took the front and Ailah watched over their unconscious charge.

"Aw, look at him," Ailah cooed as she caressed his hair.

"Great, now the car's going to smell like cheap cologne and alcohol," Melissa murmured as she closed her eyes.

First to get dropped off was Ailah, since she was closer. With a pout, she said her goodbye to a sleeping Matt and stumbled to her house. Then, it was Melissa, who thanked Becca for the ride and eyed Matt with suspicion before leaving. Last came Matt, and Becca wished she had kept her friends for the help. She ended up going up to his apartment and knocking on the door for anyone who was home to help her. Fortunately for her, Thea was still awake at 1am. Unfortunately for Matt, Thea was still awake at 1am.

"Thanks for taking care of him," the older woman said.

"No problem. He had a good time before he got wasted," Becca jested.

"Oh, he should hold onto that feeling until tomorrow."

"Is he in trouble?"

Thea smirked mischievously. "I believe his first-timer hangover will be plenty of punishment."

Once they exchanged a few words, Becca was on her way back home with the residual feeling of fun still fresh in her mind. Meanwhile, in his room, Matt dreamed on in his drunken sleep, pulling an unconscious smile every now and then.

✥✥✥✥✥

The first thing Matt noticed was the explosive, crushing headache of his hangover. A pained groan left his lips as he held his head and rolled over. It took him a while, but he was able to remember what had happened last night. Party, beer pong, shouting, music, drinking, then blackness. He moaned in dismay knowing Thea wasn't going to let him live this down.

Unable to sleep anymore, he tossed and turned irritably. He barely even wanted to touch his head, let alone move any part of his face. The morning light coming from his window worsened it as soon as he opened his eyes just a peep. He wanted to close them straightaway and duck under his covers, but he noticed something...off.

Someone's back was facing him. Fair-toned skin. Bare, fair-toned skin. It looked like a man. Matt traced his eyes up to see a head of white hair, tussled in curls. White? Looking down, he noticed the mortifying cherry on top: this person was completely naked.

Matt held his breath instinctively. His heart was racing as well as his thoughts. What the hell happened last night?!, he screamed at himself, Who is he? Why is he in my bed? Why does he have no clothes?!

This was bad. Very bad. Matt immediately recalled what that flirty-drunk had told him. The hook-up. Was this it? There was no way. Thea would have noticed a completely random stranger enter her apartment and spend the night! Matt couldn't have been so sly as to sneak someone in while he was drunk. He couldn't have flirted with a random guy either. But that seems to be the case, by the evidence of said random guy naked in his bed, sleeping right next to him. Last night was Matt's first high school party and he ended up getting drunk off his ass and bringing someone home. Few people could ever hope, or regret, to experience this so quickly.

Matt needed a game plan. He needed to get up—quietly, find Thea, and explain himself. Then they could work together to get this guy out of the apartment (with clothes on, of course) and, they would forget about the whole thing and go get food somewhere.

The second Matt thought to sit up, the stranger thwarted him by turning over and huddling closer. On the inside, Matt was screaming.

And then it happened.

A yawn, a bit of wriggling, a sniffle. The stranger slowly opened his eyes and Matt's gaze fell onto vibrant amber irises that seemingly soaked in all light. The two shared a silent moment to recognize what was going on.

"Morning," the stranger greeted.

Matt screamed, out loud this time.