THE PARTY WAS GOING well. Everyone was either dancing, drinking or laughing, though he had seen a few puke already despite it only being eleven. He lazily watched everything over the tip of his red cup, before downing the sharp liquid when Chase tapped his glass against his.

"Anyone you got your eye on, Mateo?" one of the new kids said.

Power really was the quickest way to get anything through their heads here in St Joseph. As soon as he had defeated them, all hint of rivalry seemed gone, instead replaced with intimidated, but admiring gazes. Mateo looked at the kid, whose name was Logan last he recalled, and amusedly raised his eyebrows.

"What?" he said.

"Well," Logan said, more nervous now Mateo had shifted all his attention to him," surely you must have your eye on one. I heard the stories."

"What stories?" Mateo said as he held up his cup and the girl next to him refilled it.

"Well, that you're a ladykiller," Logan said, his eyes wide in admiration," I heard no girl is able to resists your beastly charm and strength."

Chase choked.

"You heard right," Mateo smirked," so I decided to dial my beastly charm down for tonight, to spare those poor girls."

Logan just nodded solemnly, Chase bent over forwards, coughing, as he still tried to recover from the remark. The new kid looked at his friend with a puzzled expression and Mateo's smirk widened.

"Excuse him," Mateo said," Chase is just sad because he too fell prey to my handsome face."

"You wish you could get me, Martinez," Chase coughed.

"I'm not surprised," the girl beside him said as she poured more vodka in his cup," your handsome face has probably taken many victims."

Mateo grinned, flexing his bicep as the rest of his friends lauded him with joking praises.

"All hail our mighty leader," Chase said as he raised his cup.

Everyone downed their glass then, though Mateo stopped halfway through when he noticed a crimson dress. Even without the striking color he would've noticed her immediately, as he always noticed her, anytime, anywhere. His amused smile morphed into something more genuine as she walked his way, Penelope, Sahar and Jay by her side. Jay still seemed a bit cautious, but mostly he was just focused on Sahar. The girl had hooked her arm through his and was telling him a story, her giggles betraying her intoxicated state, and Jay listened quietly, something which was almost a smile on his lips.

Mateo's smile vanished and he looked at Chase, who hadn't noticed them yet. He had to keep his friend from seeing this for now, so he put a hand on his back and pushed him in the house.

"What are you doing?" Chase protested.

"Let's go play beerpong," Mateo said hastily.

"Oh, alright."

"Where are you going, Mateo?" the girl complained, but he was gone before she could say more.

Regret at not being able to say hello to Gabriela nibbled at him, but that could come later. Chase would have gotten hurt if he saw what had been happening outside. And aside from that...

The sight of Gabriela up close flashed through his head, his thumb on her soft lips, the distance between them so small he could have crossed it with just one move.

He almost blushed again, but he quickly pushed the thought out of his head. It had been Chase's courage in inviting Sahar that had driven him to be so reckless, but he had wisened up halfway through and pulled back before he would cross the border of no return. Hopefully Gabriela wouldn't ignore him, because that would honestly break him.

"Are you ready to lose?" Chase grinned as he walked towards the other end of the table.

In response Mateo chucked the ball at his head. A sling of curses left Chase's lips, each one more creative than the last, and then they started. A crowd gathered quickly, though Mateo paid them no mind. After two rounds, which had ended with them both having a win each, the buzz of alcohol was already in his veins.

"We should stop playing with vodka, dude," Chase drawled as he accidentally knocked over a cup, the white liquid glittering under the disco lights.

"I am doing fine," Mateo said with a lazy smirk, downing another glass as if to prove it.

"Hey," Chase said as he peered at something behind him," isn't that your girl?"

Mateo turned around so fast his head spun and he realized he probably had drunk way more than he had thought. It had been a mix of going hard for the biggest party of the year and nervosity about his actions with Gabriela. He was so close to just downing another glass for the heck of it when she noticed him and pointed at him.

"Mateo," she said," you better stay put right there."

Oh shit.

She was drunk as hell.

Chase frowned confusedly as Mateo watched her make her way over to him with wide eyes, her steps steady despite her high heels.

"Is there something wrong?" Chase asked.

"Yeah," Gabriela said once she reached him, jabbing her finger against his chest," is there something wrong, Mateo?"

Mateo just stared at her. It had been a year since the first and last time Gabriela had been drunk. They had both opened their first bottle of liquor on her sixteenth birthday, sitting in her room as they talked comfortably. Everything seemed fine, until she stopped talking at one point and just ran a hand through his dark locks, her voice dreamy as she told him how soft his hair was. He had been so startled he had bumped his head against her drawer and when she started telling him the most random thoughts with her usual clear face, he had decided to just tuck her into bed with an aspirin and water beside her. The next day she had had her first hangover and he had laughed, though the feeling of her fingers tangled in his hair still hadn't left his mind.

He had recognized the tone in her voice immediately, the one she had had as she had murmured something about the clouds to him, so close her breath danced on his cheek. But why was she drunk? After that one time Gabriela never had gone beyond tipsy, so why now?

"Did you lose, Chase?" Gabriela frowned as she looked at the few cups on Chase's side.

"Not yet," he said.

She noticed the ball on the table then, grabbing it and chucking it at his head as an angelic smile graced her face.

"Jesus!" Chase said as he put a hand on his sore forehead," you and Mateo are truly alike. You're both devils."

Gabriela laughed as she rolled her eyes at him, but Mateo didn't tear his gaze away from her. He slid his arm around her waist in case she needed to be steadied, a protective instinct coursing through him.

"Do you want some water?" he said softly.

"She's practically sober, dude," Chase said," I think she needs more alcohol instead."

"Great idea," Gabriela smiled as she took the cup Chase handed her.

Mateo grabbed it out of her hand before she could drink though, holding it high so she couldn't reach it.

"What are you talking about?" he said," she's drunk."

Chase frowned as Gabriela tried to stand on her tiptoes to reach the cup, one of her hands on his chest and the other reaching high as she leaned against him. The scent of her sweet, familiar perfume danced around him and he had to hold himself back a lot from giving the cup to her. She looked too cute like this after all, her eyebrows pulled in a frown and her lips in a pout.

"Are you joking, Martinez?" Chase said," who looks this clear-headed drunk?"

"She isn't clear-headed," Mateo said softly as he tucked a lock behind her ear.

It was unfair how beautiful she was.

"God," he murmured, almost a prayer for help, before he took her hand and guided her along to the staircase.

He had to get her away from the crowd. Perhaps he was being too protective, but a large part of him also didn't want anybody beside him to see her like this. So open, so vulnerable.

He rather this stayed a part known only to him, no matter how selfish it was.

"Where are you taking me?" she said, her voice sing-songy.

"To a place where you can sober up," he said as they walked across the second floor to the third staircase.

Nobody was on the third floor and he had the masterkey, so they would find privacy in one of the classrooms there. He was so far away with his thoughts that he almost bumped against her, not having noticed she had quickly put herself in front of him. His expression became questioning, but she just spread out her arms towards him.

"Carry me," she said, her eyes focused on his lips with a gaze which made him swallow.

Oh God, how would he ever survive this night?