how do teenagers drink so much, c

Jamie had never gone to a party before. Part of the reason he didn't have many friends probably had a lot to do with the fact that he didn't really make an effort to socialize. But he had Harper now, Harper who had seemed eager to go to this party and insisted Jamie come along. He wasn't going to get any sleep anyways.

He trails along after Harper the whole night, swallowing down the drinks he takes from disembodied hands that offer them. It gets harder to keep up - with Harper, with the conversation, with his thoughts - he stumbles after him and ends up with an arm around Harper to keep himself up.

"Mmm?" He narrows his eyes, trying to get them to focus when he hears his name. He has a solo cup in hand, and he shoves it to Harper's chest with a shake of his head. He's not sure if he wants a refill or to stop drinking or what.

@nan02

He almost wants to protest when he watches Harper setting his drink aside. But the part of his brain that still seems to be working, if not a little slowly, reminds Jamie that he held out the cup to Harper himself and he just lets his arm fall limp, fingers curling and uncurling, uneasy with their newly emptiness.

Jamie nods, slowly, fixing his gaze on Harper, still leaning onto him. "Can't forget it." He murmured.

@nan02

His stomach is churning, and Jamie's not sure if it's because he's going to throw up or if he's just getting butterflies remembering that kiss. It wasn't a very good kiss, and he figures Harper wants a redo.

Maybe he wants one too. Jamie doesn't realize he's licking his lips til he feels them sticky and tasting of alcohol.

He sort of gapes at Harper absently before nodding again. "Now?"

@nan02

Jamie doesn't know much about kissing, he's only done it a few times and none of them had been particularly romantic. Though, it would be a lie to say that kissing Harper hadn't been memorable nonetheless. Neither of them had brought it up since, but Jamie thought about it all the time.

It would be an even bigger lie to say he'd ever thought of doing it again. "Uhm," He finds his eyes moving of their own violation to Harper's lips, their shape that's already imprinted in his mind, how nice they would feel against his.

He swallows thickly, and his gaze is trailing down the curve of Harper's neck, finding fascination in his clavicle, his adam's apple, before he looks back up into his eyes.

He finds his body moving of its own violation before he can consider what he's doing, Jamie finds himself lurching forward to press his lips against Harper's.

@nan02

He kisses Harper with a drunken inhibition, a fervor, and a drunken clumsiness with just enough bumping noses and clicking teeth to remind Jamie he's a tipsy and inexperienced teenage boy with a fist bunched in the front of his best friend's shirt.

He pulls apart a little breathless and cross-eyed, leaning back to get a look at Harper, though he doesn't even meet his eyes for a second before he's looking down at his feet and the swaying ground beneath them.

@nan02

He feels like the ground isn't real, like it's moving beneath his feet, one of those swinging bridges on a playground. But Jamie always got pushed around on the playground and ended up with skinned knees and teary eyes.

Now, he feels giddy, and he feels hopeful. "Now?" Jamie says, again, meeting Harper's eyes a moment before his gaze flits away. He looks at Harper's lips and rubs his own together as if reminding himself of how they felt.

Everything sways, and he shuts his eyes, pressing a hand to the nearest piece of furniture to keep his balance. He keeps his eyes shut - people are murmuring and laughing around them, Jamie isn't even sure if they've noticed the two of them, though. He nods.

@nan02

"Um," His fingers curl against whatever is holding him up, and he feels his vision tunneling a bit. He doesn't open his eyes until he feels steadier on his feet, but when he does he meets Harper's gaze.

"Out." He nods towards the door. The direction he thinks the door is - he can barely tell through the crush of people. It doesn't matter where they go, he thinks he needs some fresh air anyways.

@nan02