"Tsubaki, I'm really not sure about this," I said uneasily. The huge imposing mansion loomed over us, half lit in the twilight by pulsating lights from inside.
Loud music blasted through the open door and windows, accompanied by flashing, colored lights. Cars were parked all along the street, mostly empty. Although, there was some movement in a few vehicles that I had no desire to investigate. People were still streaming in through the double front doors. This was a wild party. The kind where nothing good ever, ever happened.
"Come on Maka!" Tsubaki insisted, grabbing my hand and dragging me down the walkway. "Loosen up a little, seriously."
With a long suffering sigh, I followed her into the heart of the chaotic swirl of sound, color and light.
"Hey guys!" Elisabeth shouted over the thumping base. "Glad you could make it! You'll have the time of your lives, I promise! Drug-free, beer and wine is in the kitchen, and the music's everywhere. Oh, and the bedrooms are upstairs just in case you get too wasted, or you meet a guy you're hot for." She winked.
"Uh, thanks, Elisabeth," I said, looking daggers at Tsubaki. No alcohol, huh?
"Oh, call me Liz, Maka!" she grinned, and Tsubaki towed me away.
"Alright Maka, I'll meet you outside at midnight!" she said happily. "If one of us doesn't show, we'll check inside, and if the other is unconscious or sleeping or something, we'll go ahead and leave."
"But I can't—" I started, but Tsubaki had already vanished into the gyrating crowd. "—drive."
I was old enough to have my driver's license, but I had to bring a parent or guardian figure with me, and as my mama was out traveling the world, that left my obnoxious, overbearing, slutty papa. Unfortunately, papa never expressed much interest in my learning to drive, so on top of him being a man whore who wouldn't drive me to the DMV, he'd never taught me the first thing about driving. And I didn't really want to take him out in public anyway. So, at seventeen, I still couldn't drive. Tsubaki was my ride home, so if anything happened to her, I was pretty much screwed. Nevertheless, I may as well enjoy myself before it all went to hell.
I weaved through the crowd, trying to avoid the worst of the vulgar actions. Still, someone managed to get a hand up the short skirt Tsubaki got me, and got slammed into the wall in reward.
"Pig," I spat.
A low, amused chuckle caught my attention, and I looked around. The laugh had come from a tall leaning against the wall, with tanned skin and a lean but cut build. He had a lazy stature, but even slouching, he was taller than me by at least half a foot. His hair was shaggy and looked windswept, and such a pale blonde that it was bright white. But his normality took a dive there. His eyes were wide, a shocking shade of burgundy red, and his teeth, just visible in the way he smirked, were sharp and serrated. I raised my eyebrows at the way his red eyes—contacts, surely—traveled leisurely down my body. Inwardly I wished Tsubaki had picked a dress that wasn't so short, so low cut, or so clingy. I felt like a two-bit hooker. But hell if I was going to let some random guy know that he was making me uncomfortable.
"See something you like?" I challenged.
His eyes lifted to meet mine, and his smirk widened into a full-on grin.
"A lot."
I couldn't help the heat that crept into my cheeks. He laughed again, then held out a hand.
"I'm Soul. Soul Evans."
I gave him a bemused look, but shook the hand he offered. Who named their kid Soul?
"Maka Albarn."
"Cool," he grinned, shoving his hands back in his pockets and plopping down in a nearby chair. "Sounds foreign."
"Yeah," I shrugged. "My mama's Japanese."
"Cool," he repeated. He waved a hand at the wild scene around us. "So, are you liking the party?"
I tried to hide my grimace and shrugged. Apparently that amused him; he let out great peals of laughter.
"Who dragged you here?" he said when the laughter subsided.
This time I made no attempt to conceal my scowl.
"My friend Tsubaki."
"Why didn't you tell her you didn't want to come?" he wondered.
"I did!" I fumed. "But she insisted that this would be good for me. As if getting publicly groped by strangers and getting wasted in some random person's house is considered good."
He frowned and leaned forward slightly.
"If she knew you didn't want to come, then why did she bring you?"
I sighed.
"She's big on trying to fit in and be one in the crowd. She thinks going to a senior party means…well, I don't really know. She thinks this'll help her fit in I guess, and me too."
He cocked his head to the side, reminiscent of a curious puppy.
"And you don't?"
I shrugged again, and sat in a chair beside him.
"I don't really care." I paused to stretch. "I am who I am, and if someone else doesn't like that, that just sucks for them, doesn't it? Never been all that concerned with fitting in."
He considered that for a moment, then gave me what appeared to be a sincere smile.
"That's pretty cool."
I smiled.
"Thanks. I'm glad someone thinks so. Tsubaki thinks I'm ridiculous."
"I've met Tsubaki before," he said thoughtfully. "She never struck me as an overly superficial type."
"Oh, she's not," I answered. "But she had kind of a rough start, and she just wants to feel like she belongs somewhere. She's really sweet, but she doesn't always know what's really best for her."
"Hm…sounds a lot like 'Star," he said, voice contemplative. "Of course, he doesn't try to fit in; he tries to stand out. I can see why he'd dig a girl like Tsubaki."
I blinked, momentarily lost for words.
"BlackStar…likes…Tsubaki?" I gasped. Soul grinned and nodded.
"Yeah. I think he was planning on finding her tonight to tell her."
"But—but he—he…" I spluttered.
Soul's eyes flashed, and the friendliness turned to something colder.
"Rumors are what ruin people's lives. Don't believe all the shit you've heard, Albarn. BlackStar, whether you believe it or not, has not slept around the entire school."
I stared at him, amazed.
"So he hasn't…you know…"
Soul shook his head.
"…Sorry," I mumbled.
He gave a half-smile.
"Can't help what you've heard, can you? But 'Star really isn't like that. He's actually pretty cool, if a bit crazy. One of my best friends, that kid is."
I smiled softly.
"That's pretty cool."
He frowned.
"What is?"
"How you stood up for your friend," I responded. "I don't know. I just don't see it all that often. Especially in high school."
He snorted. "Yeah, well, high school's either the four best years of a person's life, or the worst. Or, in 'Star's case, the seven best years."
I giggled.
"So, are you liking the party?" I asked.
He shrugged.
"Eh, not really my scene either. I'm only here to watch people make fools of themselves."
I laughed again, then cut off abruptly. What was I doing? I was sitting in a chair right beside some guy I'd just met, at an insane party, talking like we were old friends. Unbidden, my mama's parting words came back to me, and I stood up abruptly.
"Well, see you," I said mechanically.
Soul looked surprised by my sudden switch in demeanor, his scarlet eyes widening slightly.
"Uh, yeah, I guess. See ya," he answered slowly. I turned and squeezed through the throng, feeling his unusual eyes boring holes in the back of my head long after other people must have blocked me from sight.
The night couldn't pass soon enough.
