chapter one: crappy school dances

☾ ☼ Owen Grey

Saturday, September 12th, 2017

SHE MUST HAVE THOUGHT I WAS BATSHIT INSANE.

The colorful lights, flashed, illuminating the gymnasium, and the large mass of bodies, lumped together, sticky and hot.

My cheeks were burning red- half from the humid air of the room, half from the awkward eye contact I kept making with Josie McBride. She must have thought I was some kind of freak, some tall, awkward, sweaty guy was gawking at her from across the dance floor, what else could be running through her mind?

Josie offered me an awkward smile, then leaned over to whisper something into her friends ear, now both of the girls were looking at me, fantastic.

I quickly avert my eyes, sipping on the sugary red punch. No one had spiked it yet, though I wished someone had, maybe I'd actually find the balls to talk to her, with the courage of alcohol.

"Maybe try....talking to her, instead of staring at her like some stalker creep,"Nelson suggests, placing a hand in his back pocket, loosening the blue tie around his neck, with his free hand, his dark hair was plastered to his head with sweat, and his cheeks were flushed, I imagined I looked fairly similar, except my sweaty body wasn't as attractive as his.

I picture myself, confidently walking up to Josie, I would smile down at her and she'd smile back, glancing at her friend, blushing. "May I have this dance?" I'd asks, reaching my hand out to ask for hers, and she'd place it in mine. "I'd thought you'd never ask." She'd reply, and just like that, she'd fall madly in love with me. Too bad only shit like that happens in your head, or in crappy romance movies. This was not a crappy romance movie, nor could I live my life inside my head, though sometimes, it felt like I already did.

I steal a glance at the girl once more, as she swayed to the beat of the music, her yellow dress rippling, like a golden wave. People shouldn't be allowed to be that pretty, it was almost criminal.

"Did you forget the last time I tried to talked to her, nearly pissed my pants."

"Yes, well....that was last year, things are different now,"He joked, nudging me lightly, causing the punch in my cup to swivel, almost falling to the floor, I toss it in the trash, no longer thirsty.

Nelson was certainly right about things being different, last school year, I was a walking horror show. Face full of oily, red zits, a shit hair cut, fifty pounds more, and braces. But with some sort of luck- my face cleared (for the most part), I grew my hair out, discovered what that exercise thing was, that so many people rave about, and got my braces off. I was no model, but certainly not the ugliest creature to attend Felton High.

"I'm too sober for this dance,"I mumble to Nelson, removing my tie from my throat as well, the musky heat of the gym becoming overwhelming.

If I was being honest, I wasn't quite sure what I was doing at a school dance in the first place, dancing in public wasn't really my thing, being surrounding by people from my school willingly, wasn't my thing, yet here I was, awkwardly standing by the punch table, sweating my ass off.

I glance over at Nelson who wears a devilish smirk on his face, reaching into his pantsuits pocket. A smile then grows on my face, when I see a silver flask in his hand.

"I think you'll need this more than me, bud,"He says to me sympathetically, placing a firm hand on my shoulder, as he nudges in the direction across from the crowded gym.

My eyes follow in the direction, I watch as Josie (the love of my life), sways to the slow and boring song, in the arms of Ian Turner. I can't help, but notice his arm gripping at her ass, as she giggles shooing his hand away.

I inwardly groan, taking the flask from Nelson's hand, not bothering to be discreet, as I guzzle some into my mouth, it travels through me like liquid fire, I let out a coughing tantrum, smacking at my chest.

"Take it easy, lightweight,"Nelson laughs, patting at my back like a concerned father.

I ignore him, scowling over at Josie and Ian. "What's she see in that ass hat, anyways?" I question, taking another smaller sip from the flask. I slip it into my pocket, when I see Mr. Charter's eyes scanning the gymnasium, looking for someone's night to ruin.

Nelson shrugs, picking up a plastic cup filling it with punch. I felt bad for Nelson, he was so much cooler than me, so much more attractive, and popular, but because I was his best friend, I held him back from his true potential, he could have any girl at this lame dance, but he was standing in a corner sulking with me. I didn't deserve him, we were on different parts of the food chain.

The slow song ends, in replacement with an upbeat pop song, I painfully watch as Josie begins grinding on Ian, he glances back at his jock friends, with a smirk, and they shoot him a thumbs up. What a douche.

I take another sip, then another, until my body begins to sway slightly. The feeling of the buzz instantly getting to me.

"Dude, you're shit faced, already?" Nelson says, prying the flask from my hand, I try to pull it back, but end up nearly falling. Nelson places a steadying hand on my arm, to stop me from collapsing.

"What gives him the right to touch her like that, she's a princess and should be treated with respect not like...like some....pillow,"I say louder than intended, my words slightly slurred.

A few people offer me glances, looking at me with disapproval.

"Remind me to never give you alcohol again,"Nelson says lowly, as he begins to blush, embarrassed at the staring people.

"I'm gonna talk to her," I state, turning to Nelson, a sudden wave of confidence coursing through me.

Nelson gives me a look of pure and utter fear. "Like...right now?" He asks, looking over to Josie, who now sat at a table with her friends.

"Yes, right now."

"Like, now, now?" he asks again, shifting from foot to foot, nervous.

"No, tomorrow,"I begin. "Yes now, you fucktard," I say before turning on my heels, in the direction of her table. Nelson tried following after me, but was swallowed by the mass of bodies on the dance floor.

I push passed bodies of sweaty, sticky people, nearly stumbling, with my hazy vision, I so needed to get better at handling my alcohol.

When I make it to Josie's table, her friends pause their conversation, looking up at me, a look of confusion and pity on their faces, Josie offers me a small smile, raising a brow.

"Owen?" She asks, confused. I meant to open my mouth to form a sentence, but lose my train of thought because, holy shit Josie McBride knows my name.

Hearing my name on her tongue felt familiar, like something I could hear all day, everyday. She made me love my name. What I'd give to hear her moaning it.

"What a freak," One of the girls from the table whispers, to another as they all gawk at me, Josie gives me a concerned look, knocking me back into reality. A realistic reality, where people like Josie date people like Ian.

"I just wanted to tell you, you look really great tonight,"I begin, but somehow that doesn't feel like enough, so like an idiot I ramble on. "Not...not just tonight, I mean you look great everyday, like you could literally where a trash bag and look good."

Shut up Owen.

Before Josie can respond, Ian comes over a huge devilish grin plastered on his, too handsome face.

"This guy bothering you, babe?" He asks, placing a hand on her shoulder, her smile goes away, as she looks up at him.

"No, he was just complimenting me,"She says, offering me a smile, a smile that makes me blush like an idiot.

Ian nods his head, exhaling a breath. "Okay, get lost freak,"He says shooing me away.

"Do you have to be such an asshole, all the time?" She says to him lowly.

His grin fades, as he looks down at her, I walk away before I can hear the rest, I wasn't trying to get my ass beat up by Ian, for flirting with his girl.

Nelson raises a brow as in to say, what the fuck was that about.

I shrug, "let's get the hell out of here, I'm starving."

Just as we were leaving, I glanced back and for a brief moment my eyes locked with hers, maybe it was the heat of the gym, maybe it was the dim lights, maybe it was the alcohol coursing through my veins, but I could have sworn she smiled at me, a genuine smile, I shoot a smile back, before I'm ushered out the gym by Nelson, exiting that hellhole.

🌙🌙🌙

First chapter yay! Hope you guys all enjoyed, thanks to everyone who supported this story hope you guys continue to read on, anywhore enjoy the rest of your day....or night

Also this story is told in multiple pov's so I hope you don't find that too frustrating 🤠

~ Kayla xoxo