28

"Are you sure about this?"

Groaning dramatically for what seemed like the 50th time this night, I twist my body towards my tense boyfriend. He and I sat in front of a huge house, though not as big as Aethers. Music was blasting, flashing lights were reflecting out the windows, and we had arrived at the peak of the party.

"How many times do I have to tell you, it's just a party! You go to them all the time, what makes this one so different?"

"I don't know Alex. I just have... a feeling."

Squinting slightly, I grimace at the hard look on Aether's face. Sighing again, I take his warm hands into my own, slowly tracing the curves and veins on the back of his hand. I gave his hand a quick squeeze, leaning over to plant a kiss on his cheek.

"We said we'd stay together, didn't we? Us sticking together will make you a little more at ease, won't it?"

Aether opened his mouth to protest, but quickly shut his jaw and thoughtfully considered my words. In the end, he moaned in defeat as I cheered and shot out of the car, bouncing on the spot as I waited for Aether to exit the car.

Grumbling silently to himself, Aether hooked an arm around me as we walked through and into the house, the music and lights getting 100 times more brain chattering. I took in a deep breath, the scent of weed, alcohol, and sex stinging my nostrils. Aether had loosened up a fraction, the body still ridged and arm tight around me, but his face was less tense than a few minutes ago. Many people I recognised, and equally as many I did not recognise. I playfully hook my own arm around Aether as I steered us to the black marble island, where a concerning amount of alcohol was scattered over it. I swiped the half-empty bottle of vodka off the table and drank, immediately gagging. I gingerly wiped my mouth with my sleeve as I grinned at Aether, who looked annoyed, but I could see he was containing a smile. Before I could point out his amusement to my suffering, I spotted a head of dirty blonde, and my mouth went dry.

"Shit. You were right."

"What, what's wrong? Is there someone you- Oh. Oh shit. Is that Lindsay? Should we go?"

My teeth clamp tight, staring at the girl who was currently kissing up to a random guy after spotting his designer watch. Pathetic coming from a girl whose goal in life was to put her father in debt with how much she spent. Dragging Aether to the other side of the room, I stuck us into a hallway and cursed quietly, checking to see if she noticed us too and followed. When I confirmed the area was Lindsay-free, I breathed out freely, clutching onto Aether's shirt.

"Alex, are you okay? I knew this was a bad idea, we should just leave."

"No. We can't, not yet." I snapped. Aether was taken aback, just as I was at my sudden outburst.

"I'm sorry, it's- she always ruined everything for me, but this is not something I'll let her take from me. I wanted to come here and relax, I don't give a shit about her, not if it's going to get in the way of everything." As much as I knew Aether did not want to stay, he did anyway. I was grateful, placing a wet kiss on his lips before attaching them to the vodka bottle. Aether glared with jealousy towards the bottle, rolling his eyes when I teased him lightly. It didn't take long to find Gwen and Eternity, both perched outside in the garden littered with more red cups than plants. I don't know how long it had been, or how much I had drank, but at one point I blacked out, only to snap back into reality when I almost fell flat on my ass and realised Aether was nowhere to be found. I checked every room, some people half-naked and boned, some empty, but no sign of Aether. I was panicking now, Eternity tried to comfort me as she and Gwen helped find him, but there was no luck. I began spiraling into a whirlpool of guilt, I had basically forced him to come with me, and now he disappeared. Soon his pictures would be plastered around and he would be on the news, filed as missing.

"Alex? I finally found you."

Wildly spinning around, Aether stood close, looking dishevelled and disturbed.

"Aether? Aether! Where were you? Oh my god, I've been waiting for ages! Do you know how many people I walked in on having sex-"

"Alex, let's go."

Jerking back, I was surprised at Aether's cold cut off. He looked angry about something, but I didn't know what. Too afraid to ask and get him even more upset, I obediently followed him wordlessly out of the house and back to his car.

"Are you okay?"

Aether flinched when I spoke, looking over at me like he was scared I would do something.

"Oh, yeah, it's nothing important..."

"You can tell me, I won't be mad, I just want to help-"

"Alex seriously it's fine. You don't need to help, I can handle it."

Aethers grip was tight on the steering wheel, moving quickly to start the car and drive off, speed increasing at an alarming rate,

"It's okay, calm down, I know you're upset but you don't need to drive so fast-"

"Fuck off, i'm not upset, and if I was, it wouldn't be any of your business!"

My heart felt like it stopped, I had never heard Aether yell like that before, and it scared me. Immediately I knew I was right and that there was something wrong, but I didn't think anything of it, mostly because I knew he would eventually come around and tell me, and because I did not want him to be more aggravated then he already was. Aether looked guilty of his own anger, trying to apologise, but I couldn't bring myself to accept it. As soon as the car slowed down enough I launched myself out of the car, only spinning around to tell Aether to go home.

"I thought we agreed I was staying over tonight?"

I bent my head low and spoke straight, refusing to look him in the eye,

"I don't want you around if you're going to act like a moody bastard."

His confusion turned to anger, upset I was annoyed at him.

"I said I was sorry, I didn't mean it!" His comment only made me want to walk away even more, so I ended the conversation as best as I could, without adding more fuel to the raging fire,

"You need time to clear your head, no matter how many time you say it, I don't believe you're okay. I lov- care about you a lot okay?" I backed up from the window a bit, heart pounding in my ears when I almost slipped up and said i love you in the worst moment. I muttered a goodbye as I jumped up the small stairs and into the building, looking back just once to see Aether with his head presses on the steering wheel. Dread washed over me up until I hit the bed, too tired and stressed to shower or even change, I fell into a deep sleep, the low purr of Chubs the last I remember before plunging into darkness.