As Lucas and Kane stepped out of the car, the distant hum of conversation and the thudding bass grew louder, spilling out from the house like a living thing. The air was thick with the mingling scents of alcohol, smoke, and the faint, cloying sweetness of perfume. It was a heady mix that seemed to settle into Lucas's skin, making the night feel even more electric.
As they approached the front door, it swung open, revealing a group of seniors huddled together, laughing loudly over some inside joke that died as soon as they noticed Kane. Their laughter faltered, replaced by wariness. Kane was well-known, after all—his presence had a way of commanding attention wherever he went, and if it didn't, he'd make sure by the end of the night that his name was known to all.
"Looks like Misfit pulled out all the stops," Kane murmured to Lucas, a smirk playing on his lips as he observed the scene before them. "Guess he figured since we're graduating in two months, he might as well throw one last big bash before we're all scattered to the wind."
Lucas glanced around, taking in the sight. Inside, the house was a maze of bodies and noise. The living room, which normally boasted a cozy arrangement of leather couches and old armchairs, had been turned into a makeshift dance floor. The furniture was pushed against the walls, creating an open space where students swayed and moved to the pounding beat of the music. Colored lights flashed overhead, spinning in time with the rhythm, casting a surreal glow on the scene.
The crowd was mostly seniors—faces familiar but distant—though the majority were strangers to him. Some leaned against the walls, nursing red cups filled with cheap beer, while others were more animated, caught up in the euphoria of the moment—laughing, dancing, and shouting over the music.
As they stepped into the house, a figure stumbled into view—Misfit, his wide grin plastered on his face, eyes glassy and bright. He was clearly drunk, swaying slightly as he made his way toward them. Lucas couldn't help but notice the sling hanging loosely at Misfit's side, a reminder of the last time they had crossed paths. Lucas had broken Misfit's hand, but it seemed the alcohol had dulled his memory.
"Hey! Look who it is! The dynamic duo!" Misfit slurred, his voice loud enough to cut through the thumping music.
Kane grinned, keeping it casual. "What's up, Misfit? Party's wild, huh?"
"Wild? It's a freakin' circus!" Misfit laughed loudly, almost spilling his drink as he gestured around the room. "You guys gotta try this!"
Lucas raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. "What are you on about?"
Misfit leaned in closer, his breath reeking of alcohol, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "You know... the good stuff! Come on, live a little!"
Kane chuckled, his tone playful but laced with a hint of mockery. "You're not setting a great example, man."
"Who needs examples? Tonight, we're legends!" Misfit declared, waving a hand dismissively.
"Legends or cautionary tales?" Lucas smirked, the memory of breaking Misfit's hand just weeks ago flashing briefly in his mind. He kept it to himself, letting Misfit enjoy his blissful ignorance.
"Why not both?" Misfit grinned, unbothered.
"Come on, follow me to the good stuff. I promise, Lucas will love it."
Kane's eyes narrowed dangerously at Misfit's request. "Lucas isn't interested," he said flatly not even bothering to look at Lucas who was already going to refuse.
Misfit rolled his eyes. "Suit yourself." He glanced back at Lucas with a wink before turning to Kane. "But you, my friend, you should join me. Let's see what you're really made of."
Kane looked at Lucas for a brief second, and Lucas merely shrugged, nonchalant. "Go ahead, Kane. Have fun."
With that, Misfit led Kane away, weaving through the crowd toward a back room, leaving Lucas standing alone in the thrumming heat of the party. Lucas watched them go, the smirk never leaving his face.
The music continued to pulse through the walls, vibrating the floor beneath Lucas's feet. He stood there for a moment, letting the energy of the party wash over him, before deciding to move further into the house. The throng of bodies seemed to part instinctively for him as he made his way through, their gazes sliding over him and Lucas felt disgusted at all the eyes roaming his body, that was concealed by the hoodie.
He walked into the kitchen, where the counters were littered with empty bottles and the remnants of a hastily assembled buffet. The smell of stale beer mixed with the pungent aroma of greasy snacks, but Lucas didn't care about any of it.
Lucas glanced around the kitchen, unimpressed by the chaotic mess left behind by the partygoers. The room was empty, a brief moment of respite from the noise and chaos of the house. He let out a small breath, walking over to the counter, where his eyes landed on a wine bottle, half-hidden behind a stack of red plastic cups.
Curiosity piqued, he picked up the bottle, noticing it was still sealed, though the label was cheap and faded. It seemed out of place among the other discarded drinks. Lucas shrugged off any lingering hesitation and uncorked it. The scent that wafted out wasn't exactly pleasant, but it was alcohol, and right now, he didn't care.
He took a swig, the cheap wine burning slightly as it went down. It wasn't the finest, but it would do. As he swallowed, he felt a slight shiver run through him, a mix of the alcohol and the residual thrill from earlier. He leaned back against the counter, staring out at nothing in particular, lost in thought.
The sound of footsteps approaching didn't immediately draw his attention, but when he heard a faint hiccup followed by a stumbling crash, he glanced up. Leo appeared in the doorway, swaying slightly as he tried to navigate the room. His usually well-groomed appearance was disheveled—his shirt untucked, hair tousled, and his eyes glazed with intoxication.
Leo caught sight of Lucas and broke into a sloppy grin. "Lucas! There you are, man!" His voice was too loud, too eager, as if they were long-lost friends.
Lucas's expression remained impassive as he took another sip of the wine, watching Leo's unsteady progress. "Leo," he acknowledged, his tone flat, devoid of any real interest.
Leo laughed, a little too loudly, as he stumbled toward the counter. "I've been looking all over for you. This place is insane, right? Everyone's just... just wild tonight."
Lucas arched an eyebrow, finding Leo's drunken enthusiasm irritating. "I noticed," he replied dryly, taking another drink. The taste was growing more bearable with each sip, or maybe he was just getting used to it.
Leo leaned heavily against the counter beside him, swaying slightly as he tried to focus on Lucas's face. "You should have come with us earlier. Misfit found this... this stash, man. It's crazy! I don't even know what half of it was, but it was—" He stopped, suddenly noticing the bottle in Lucas's hand. "Hey, where'd you get that?"
Lucas glanced at the bottle, then back at Leo. "Found it. Why? You want some?"
Leo's eyes lit up as he reached for the bottle, but Lucas pulled it back just out of his reach, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. Leo frowned, his drunken mind struggling to process the situation.
"Come on, man, don't be like that," Leo whined, his voice slurred. "Sharing is caring, right?"
Lucas tilted his head slightly, considering the request. Then, with a nonchalant shrug, he handed the bottle to Leo, who eagerly grabbed it and took a swig. He made a face as the taste hit him, but he didn't stop drinking. Lucas watched with mild amusement as Leo downed more of the wine.
"Not bad, right?" Lucas said, his tone laced with sarcasm.
Leo wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, handing the bottle back to Lucas. "Could be worse," he muttered, before bursting into a fit of giggles, as if he'd just told the funniest joke in the world.
Lucas rolled his eyes, taking another drink. "You're a mess."
Leo's laughter died down, and he looked at Lucas with a sudden seriousness that was almost comical in his intoxicated state.
He began to speak, his voice softer, almost thoughtful, "I've always been a little jealous of you."
Lucas took the bottle from Leo, not particularly interested at a drunks ramblings ,but still curious enough to listen. He took a long drink, letting the wine linger on his tongue before swallowing. "Hmm," was all he offered in response, his gaze fixed somewhere beyond Leo, as if the conversation wasn't worth his full attention.
Leo sighed heavily, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "It's just... you always seem .... like nothing ever bothers you. People notice you, respect you, but it's like you don't even care. You're just... there, doing your own thing. Meanwhile, I'm stuck trying to be something, trying to matter to people."
Lucas didn't respond immediately. He just leaned back against the counter, taking another swig from the bottle. The alcohol was beginning to settle in, loosening his usual restraint. He gave Leo a sideways glance, a slight smirk playing on his lips. "Maybe you're trying too hard," he said simply, his tone as indifferent as ever.
Leo clenched his jaw, frustration flashing in his eyes. "Easy for you to say. You don't have to try. Everything just falls into place for you." His voice took on a bitter edge as he continued, the alcohol fueling his emotions. "And then there's Kane..."
At the mention of Kane, Lucas just glimpsed at Leo . He took another drink, feigning disinterest. "What about him?"
Leo looked down, his fists clenching at his sides. "We've been friends since we were kids,did he tell you that? Kane and I... we were close. He was like a brother to me. But then you showed up, and everything changed. He's different when he's with you, more reckless, well more reckless than he usually is.....also... distant. It's like I don't even know him anymore."
Lucas hummed again, a noncommittal sound that made Leo's anger flare. "People change," Lucas said, his voice calm, almost mocking. "Maybe you just couldn't keep up."
Leo's eyes flashed with anger, and he took a step closer, his voice trembling with emotion. "It's not just that! You... you've taken him away from me! You don't even care about him the way I do! You're just... using him, playing with him like he's some kind of toy."
Lucas finally looked directly at Leo, his eyes cold, piercing through the haze of alcohol. "You're drunk, Leo," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "And you're talking nonsense."
Leo's hands were shaking now, his knuckles white as he struggled to keep his composure. "You don't get it, do you? Kane and I... we've been through everything together. And now... now he's just slipping away because of you."
Lucas's smirk widened slightly, a glint of something cruel in his eyes. "Sounds like your problem, not mine." he taunted, the wine giving him a slight edge. "Maybe Kane got tired of you. Maybe he wanted someone who wasn't so... clingy.All of this could be the reason ,but you won't know if you don't ask.Dont come by me with your hormonal issues."
Leo's face twisted in pain and anger. "You're a real bastard, you know that?" His voice cracked, the hurt in his eyes unmistakable. "You don't deserve him."
Lucas just shrugged, unbothered by Leo's words. He took another drink from the bottle, emptying it before setting it down on the counter with a loud clink. "Maybe not," he said, his voice dripping with indifference. "But that doesn't change the fact that he's with me now, does it?"
Leo looked like he wanted to punch Lucas, his hands shaking with barely restrained rage. But instead, he just stood there, his chest heaving as he tried to calm himself down. "You're going to ruin him," he whispered, more to himself than to Lucas. "You're going to destroy everything."
Lucas stepped closer, his smirk fading into something darker, more sinister. "You're right," he whispered, leaning in so that only Leo could hear, "but that would only happen if he crosses a line."
Leo's eyes widened. He stumbled back ,his gut telling him to move at the dark turn Lucas voice had taken.
Lucas watched him, his expression unreadable. He felt a small thrill at the power he held over Leo, the way he could twist the knife with just a few words. But at the same time, he was growing bored of this conversation. Leo's pain, his jealousy—it was all too predictable, too easy.
"Go home, Leo," Lucas said finally, his voice flat, dismissive. "Before you do something you'll regret."
He leaned back against the counter, a faint smile playing on his lips. Leo's hesitation quickly turned to fury as Lucas dismissed him. He stopped in his tracks, his back rigid with tension. His eyes blazed with a mix of anger and hurt.
"You think you can just brush me off like that?" Leo growled, stepping forward with renewed aggression. His voice was shaking, no longer just with sadness but with a fury that had been bubbling beneath the surface all night. "You think you're special?"
Lucas barely had time to respond before Leo was in his face, his breath hot with the scent of alcohol and bitterness. Leo's hand shot out, grabbing Lucas by the collar of his hoodie, pulling him in close, his face inches away. "You don't get to just walk all over people, Lucas."
Lucas's calm demeanor finally broke, his eyes narrowing into cold, lethal slits. "Get out of my face, Leo," he hissed, his voice low and dangerous. The alcohol had made Lucas slightly more volatile, but his warning was clear. However, Leo, blinded by anger and resentment, didn't heed the warning. Instead, he tightened his grip, his knuckles whitening as he held onto Lucas's collar.
"You're not so tough now, are you?" Leo spat, his voice dripping with venom.
Before Leo could even realize what was happening, Lucas's hand shot out, snatching the empty wine bottle off the counter. With a swift, brutal motion, Lucas smashed the bottle against the side of Leo's head. The glass shattered with a sharp, sickening crack, and Leo's eyes widened in shock as the force of the blow sent him staggering back. Blood began to trickle down the side of his face, mingling with shards of glass as he clutched at his head.
Leo crumpled to the floor, dazed and disoriented, his anger extinguished in an instant. The room seemed to spin around him, the thumping bass of the music now a distant, disorienting echo in his ears.
Lucas remained standing, his breath steady, his expression completely devoid of remorse. He looked down at Leo with cold indifference, the remnants of the shattered bottle still clutched in his hand. "I warned you," he said, his voice eerily calm as he tossed the broken bottle aside, letting it clatter to the floor.
For a moment, the kitchen was silent, save for the distant hum of the party. Lucas watched as Leo struggled to sit up, blood dripping onto the tiled floor. Leo's once fiery gaze was now dulled by shock and pain, his anger reduced to a mere whimper of what it once was.
A slow smile appeared on his face as he crouched down in front of Leo, who was now on his knees, clutching his head with one hand while the other tried to stem the flow of blood seeping through his fingers. The sound of the party in the distance seemed muffled and distant, an almost surreal contrast to the violence that had just unfolded in the kitchen.
"Look at you," Lucas said, his voice low and almost childlike, filled with a disturbing innocence that only amplified the sinister edge of his words. His eyes glinted with a mix of satisfaction and something darker as he watched the blood trickle down from Leo's head. "I really did warn you ,why does no one take my threats seriously?"
He reached out a finger, moving it slowly across the crimson streak on Leo's forehead. The blood was warm and sticky against his skin. Lucas's gaze remained fixed on the red smear as he brought his finger to his mouth. With deliberate slowness, he licked the blood off his fingertip, his eyes fluttering closed for a moment as he savored the metallic taste.
Leo's eyes widened in horror, the full weight of his situation crashing down on him. The terror was palpable, and his breath came in shallow, ragged gasps. He tried to back away from Lucas, but his limbs felt heavy and unresponsive, his body betraying his desperate desire to flee.
"Please," Leo whispered, his voice barely audible over the thumping bass of the music. "Don't—"
Lucas's smile widened further, his eyes cold and unfeeling. He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a threatening whisper. "Oh, I'm just getting started," he said. "If you think this is bad, just wait until I hear that you've told anyone about this."
Leo's face contorted with fear as he struggled to comprehend the threat. Lucas's tone was casual, almost amused, but the menace behind his words was unmistakable. "I'll make sure your little secret stays buried with you," Lucas continued, his voice as smooth and chilling as ice. "So unless you want to find out what happens next, I suggest you keep quiet."
Lucas's gaze was unrelenting, as if daring Leo to defy him. Leo's eyes darted around the room, his mind racing, but the sheer terror kept him frozen in place.
Lucas stood up, his expression shifting to one of casual indifference as he looked down at Leo, who remained cowering on the floor. "Now, I think you've had enough excitement for one night," Lucas said dismissively. "Why don't you go find somewhere to lie low until the party's over? I wouldn't want you to get in the way of everyone having a good time.That would be quite rude of you"
Without waiting for a response, Lucas turned on his heel and walked towards the doo
rway, leaving Leo behind. The night's excitement had lost its appeal, and Lucas's thoughts were already drifting to other pleasures waiting for him.