Demons

After gaining Lucy’s approval after changing from three different outfits into a basic black dress, we were ready to go downstairs. Tina had pulled out all kinds of liquor from the cabinets, ranging from cider and beer to vodka and Jack. CC and Ashley were the first to arrive, as expected, and before long we were sat on the floor in the living room sipping our beers while Ashley headbanged to AC/DC in the background. Jinxx was the next to arrive with two bottles in hand followed by Jake. My body was practically exploding from being so starstruck, but it quickly dissipated as the atmosphere turned electric with the buzz that was running through everyone due to the alcohol. I had already had two beers and a shot of vodka, as requested by Lucy, and my head was slowly getting lighter.

By the time Andy finally showed up, my mind couldn’t quite register it through its alcohol-induced daze and the thumping music in the background. It was only when he reached to shake my hand that his presence occurred to me, and for a second I found myself breathless as I glanced up into his cerulean eyes.

“I’m Andy!” he shouted over the music as he shot me a smile. I was merely dumbfounded, nodding my head with wide eyes. Despite the buzz, my mind was able to register the fact that I was supposed to counter the introduction, and with only a minor slur, I was able to say: “Amelia.” He chuckled deeply at my slight intoxication, but before I had the time to blush, he had already moved on to bro-hug the others. A tap on my shoulder finally forced me to tear my gaze away from him, and I turned my head to find Lucy staring at me, gesturing to a pack of cigarettes in her hand. “Wanna come?” she asked, and I eagerly nodded at the thought of fresh air.

I sighed in content as the cool summer’s breeze swept across my heated features. Lucy lit a cigarette and handed it to me, obviously deeming me too buzzed to handle a lighter. “Thanks,” I mumbled before inhaling deeply and relishing in the slight burn in my throat. The music was only slightly muffled through the glass-door, and the sound of vigorous laughter caused my heart to leap in content. It had been so long since I had been with friends like this, surrounded by laughter and alcohol, and for a split second I found myself wondering whether leaving Nick was such a horrible decision. My train of thought, however, was broken when the door slid open and Andy stepped through, running a hand through his hair. “Mind if I join?” he asked, his voice resonating even deeper with the absence of noise. “Not at all,” Lucy replied casually, sending a discreet wink in my direction. For what reason, I didn’t know.

With practiced ease, Andy pulled out a cigarette and lit it between his lips before tilting his head and exhaling towards the sky. For a moment I found myself transfixed on the way his Adam’s apple protruded proudly, and the way his nose-ring glinted in the moonlight. He was absolutely gorgeous. I immediately looked away when he turned his head towards me. “Wanna get absolutely wasted tonight?” Lucy asked enthusiastically, tightening the grip on her can of cider to the point where small indents started forming. He chuckled before stubbing his cigarette. “Absolutely.”


“Shots, shots, shots!” everyone shouted excitedly as Tina and I stood next to each other with six shots in front of us each. My stomach started churning at the thought of the massive hangover I was destined to experience in the morning, but with resoluteness I pushed the thought away and focused on the challenge at hand. A few hours after we had walked back inside, everyone started challenging each other to drink. Everyone had had at least five shots and a few beers, and people were already rolling around on the floor laughing with one another. “Go!” Ashley yelled as he started the timer on his phone. The first shot burned like hell. So did the second one. The third one caused me to gag. The fourth one burned slightly less. And the fifth and sixth ones might as well have been water. “And we have a winner!” Ashley proclaimed with pride as he held up my hand, while I used the other one to wipe my mouth of the sticky liquid. “Time to go?” I asked with a slur while squinting my overly sensitive eyes at the harsh light from the ceiling. Tina laughed, but agreed to call a cab to take us downtown nonetheless.

When we arrived at a random bar, everyone immediately split up. CC and Tina went to the bar while Ashley headed straight towards a bunch of beautiful girls sat in a booth by the window. I rolled my eyes (to the best of my ability) with a smile. Jake and Jinxx went to the dance floor, and then it was just Lucy, Andy and I. Lucy was barely able to stand on her feet without swaying, and I wasn’t much better. “I wanna go back outside,” she whined before tugging me along, and I barely managed to grab Andy before we went stumbling through the door. “What did you do that for?” Andy asked through his intoxicated laughter. Without replying, Lucy immediately slid down to sit on the curb where she started rummaging through her purse with flailing hands, reemerging with her pack of cigarettes along with a lighter within seconds. “‘f course,” I chuckled, frowning when I realized how hard that was for me to say. It was as though my tongue had swollen to twice its size and I had no way of controlling my words. Without warning, Andy grabbed my arm and tugged me down to sit beside him, where he had joined Lucy.

My lack of balance caused me to practically fall into his lap, and I erupted into a fit of giggles that infected Lucy, who was barely able to hold her newly acquired cigarette. “Lemme get that for you,” Andy slurred slightly before lighting it for her and then one for himself. With my usual barrier of shyness completely eradicated due to the alcohol, I reached to grab the cigarette out of his hand. I took a long drag before handing it back to him, and as I did he shot me the most beautiful smile I had ever seen. “Man, I’m wasted,” Lucy sighed happily before leaning back to lie down completely. “Same,” Andy mumbled around his cigarette. My dazed mind suddenly realized that I was still thrown casually across his lap, but as soon as I felt his hands lazily running through my hair, I decided that I was fine just the way I was. Despite the sensation that I was practically falling off of the face of the Earth, the atmosphere was incredibly calming. The silence of the night was disturbed only slightly by the muffled music behind us, and the chilly breeze cooled my warm body.

It felt as though we had been there for hours, though in reality it was probably more like twenty minutes. Lucy leaving had for some reason completely missed my attention, and I was surprised to see that it was only the two of us left. Suddenly feeling a bit awkward without the presence of my best friend, I went to sit beside him instead, but Andy’s hand immediately went to push me down again. “No, stay.” His words surprised me, but I obviously had no objections. I only turned to sit up against his chest instead of across his lap, and felt the utmost comfort when I tilted my head back to rest against his shoulder. The smell of leather mixed with his cologne was more intoxicating than any kind of alcohol would ever be, and for a moment I closed my eyes and relished in it. All thoughts of Nick that had passed through my mind during the last 24 hours had come to a complete halt, and for the time being it was as though he had never existed.

Suddenly Andy’s arm encircled my waist and pulled me closer to his chest. A blush crept over my face as I realized that he could probably feel my heart race against my ribcage. When he finally stubbed his last cigarette, he leaned his head down to rest against my own. “Are you still drunk?” he murmured deeply, the vibrations of his voice sending chills down my spine. “A little bit,” I answered as I turned my head to face him. “Why?” A shy smile spread across his face, and I found myself marveling at his absolute beauty once more. “Because I want to do this.”
And then he kissed me. It wasn’t forceful or needy, and there wasn’t even a lot of pressure. He merely pressed his soft lips against my own in a chaste kiss, and yet my stomach clenched deliciously as my heart sped up. “Alright?” he asked as he pulled away slightly with his lips still hovering above my own. I could only nod at a complete loss for words before leaning up to capture his lips in yet another kiss.

Notes