Be warned: this is not my usual stuff. Maybe I'm being over-pretentious, but I'm just letting you guys know.
Anywho, this drabble is the result of an author having a little too much fun with her characters.
I hereby grin evilly.
Party
Music blared through the Brownstone, threatening to burst Jay's eardrums as he pushed through the walls of teenagers that crowded the Brownstone.
A girl with heavily applied makeup and uncomfortably tight clothing bumped into him, sloshing her bottle down her top. "Oi!" She slurred. "Watch it."
He stepped around her, hurrying into the packed lounge room, scanning over the heads for a familiar one. All he could see were drunk, partying faces – none of which he knew. Great.
"I am going to KILL Neil!" He exclaimed, making his way through the crowds to the stairs.
He found Herry there, a little too close to a perky blonde girl with more cleavage than dignity. Apologising to the girl quickly, he grabbed his brawny friend's arm and dragged him upstairs.
"Jeez Jay, do you mind? Jess was about to give me her number!"
"Herry, I don't care about some girl you were hitting on. I need to find Neil – and kill him!"
"Good luck with that. Half of New Olympia's in here."
He let go of Herry, watching the bigger teen stumble back downstairs after the blonde girl. That was just great. How was he supposed to find Neil is his favourite environment – a crowd he'd gathered to celebrate him.
A light bulb clicking on overhead; Jay grinned as the answer came to him. Neil would always be in the environment he loved best – the centre of attention.
"Think, Jay, think." He murmured, speculating where the biggest crowd would be gathered. The lounge room wasn't that big, the kitchen was like a broom cupboard, the bedroom hall wasn't big either – and he didn't even want to check who was in the bedrooms – and the bathrooms were tiny. That left...
... the rooftop!
He dashed up the stairs, pushing through the crowds. Gradually, the facing peering at him with mild interest started to get familiar – kids from school, classmates, people he'd seen in the library.
He spied Archie and Atlanta sitting in the corner before the stairs to the rooftop terrace. Not bothering to avert his eyes – the two had been caught sucking face more than once in the corners of the Brownstone – he ran over, pulling them apart quickly.
"Guys, have you see Neil?"
Archie's eyes were glassy; Atlanta wasn't much better. "Mhhm... urgh... J-aaay..." Archie protested as he dragged the purple haired teen to his feet.
"Archie," he pronounced slowly. "Have. You. Seen. Neil?"
"Yeah," Archie grinned lopsidedly, swaying on his feet. "Neil's quite a good guy. Good... teammate. Always really, really fu-unny."
Jay groaned, helping Archie sit back down. "Thanks guys. Really helpful."
Immediately, the young descendant recaptured Atlanta's lips. Jay rolled his eyes. "Enough with the tonsil hockey!"
Atlanta looked up at him for a moment, as if noticing his presence for the first time. "What? I'm... I'm a hockey player." She hiccupped. "I play... hockey."
He strode away, mumbling under his breath. "Fat load of good they are. Where in Hades is Neil?"
Upstairs, the rooftop was transformed. He'd never seen so many people gathered in the place before – it was a wonder that so many people had heard about the party.
Just a small get-together, he'd been assured, nothing major. Just a few friends. Not a big thing. Relax Jay, it will be fine.
"It will be fine," he muttered. "Once I kill Neil."
A hand grabbed his. He spun around to be face to face with – Odie! And a non-drunk Odie at that! He beamed at his friend, thanking every god he could think of that his most sensible and intelligent friend still had the capacity to help him.
"Odie!" He yelled over the music. "Have you seen Neil?"
Odie started, panic flashing in his eyes. "Uh, Jay. Perhaps... maybe now's not a good time to find Neil..."
"Now is a GREAT time to find Neil!" He bellowed, his patience evaporating swiftly. "Now tell me where he is!"
Odie sighed in defeat. "Fine. Don't say I didn't warn you. He's in his room."
Jay raced back to the stairs and thundered past Archie and Atlanta. "Get a room, you two!" He called over his shoulder before turning the corner.
Neil's door was locked when he pushed it. Cracking his fingers with a grim smile on his face, he barged it open, ready to pulverise the idiot blonde inside.
Just a small group of friends, Neil had assured him. Just a small party for my birthday. That's all I want Jay, promise.
Yeah, right. Neil was so dead.
Inside, Jay saw something that he definitely did not expect to encounter.
Neil had his arms around the girl, his lips locked onto hers in a passionate fury that Jay was sure – if he applied it in battle – could have knocked out any of Cronus's giants.
They hadn't noticed him throw open the door – they were too entwined in their embrace to notice anything. Jay was glad; he was frozen to the spot in sheer and utter disbelief. No, he though. No way. No way. There has to be some mistake.
Neil glanced over at him, finally noticing the third person in the room. "Jay, at last. I thought you were never going to arrive."
The girl smiled meekly. "Hi, Jay."
He swallowed, rooted to the spot. "Hi, Theresa."
Neil clapped his hands together. "Great, everyone's here! Tell me-" his voice dropped a little, so only Jay could hear him, "- is this a great party or what? Too many people? Too little people? I thought I'd just post it online like that kid from Australia. They reckon about five hundred people turned up to his party." Neil smiled wistfully, lost in thought. "I wonder if we'll beat that..."
"Neil," Jay said lowly, a warning. "I. Will. Kill. You."
The blonde snorted. "Relax Jay. I reckon you," he prodded the furious teen lightly, "need a drink."
Theresa took the opportunity to speak up. "No need to freak out, Jay. Just go with it."
She's using mind control, he realized, already succumbing to the psychic's gifts. I've got to fight-... urgh.
Neil grinned at the redhead. "Theresa, has anyone told you that you are fabulous? And I don't mean just with the mind control stuff." He winked at her, and turned back to Jay. "Now, Jay. How about a drink?"
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Jay woke up with what had to be the world's biggest hangover.
Not only was his head split in two – what else could explain the ache in every corner of his brain – he could not remember anything. But that might have just been due to the fact he couldn't feel his head past the terrible throbbing.
Gradually, the pain receded enough for him to open a slither of an eye. The effort drained him, but he fought to keep it open long enough to glance at the cream coloured ceiling.
Cream coloured ceiling? That was enough to jolt his memory a tweak. He didn't have cream ceiling...
With as much strength he could muster, he rolled onto his side, and this time, kept his eyes wide open.
Neil was sprawled on the bed, his mouth slightly askew, snoring. His hair was tousled and messy – not a good sign. His chest was exposed – bare. With a sinking feeling, Jay realised that he too had no shirt on... or pants for that matter.
Memory came flooding back to him. Neil pouring him a drink. Laughing. Music pumping. More drinking. The memories became more and more clouded. A new face, laughing and dancing. Two emerald eyes... and bright, orange hair.
He rolled onto his other side. Theresa, still fast asleep, lay on his other side, her orange hair messily falling over her shoulders. The sheets covered her, but he was positive that she, too, had not a shred of clothing on.
He felt his heartbeat accelerate. Oh Zeus. Oh Zeus. This cannot be happening.
He rolled over again, and came face to face with a now very wide awake Neil. The blonde's blue eyes twinkled mischievously, a 'I know something you don't and I'm not telling you' look spread across his face.
"Morning Jay," he said cheerily, stretching out. "Sleep well?"
Jay recoiled in horror, feeling a warm hand brush against his shoulder. Hair tickled the back of his neck. And skin – warm, smooth skin his back. His heart skipped a beat.
"Morning," Theresa whispered in his ear.
Neil surveyed the two – Jay, stock-still, petrified, and Theresa, her compassion filling her face. Man. This was great!
Neil grinned at the two, enjoying the levels of discomfort and unease in his bedroom. Leave them hanging, his one of his old managers had once told him. Better to leave your fans wondering and guessing rather than to have seen enough of you.
Nonchalantly, he placed a hand on top of Theresa's, letting his little finger just brush Jay's bare shoulder. "Jay," he murmured, winking. "Has anyone ever told you that you're fabulous? And I don't mean the all leader stuff."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Fabulous? I hope :)
I've always had this one in the back of my mind; a party boy Neil and well... Jay. I hope I've done it justice.
Anyway, this isn't the stuff I normally write, and I tried to keep it as T rated as possible... but, as the saying goes, 'don't like, don't read, don't review'. simple as pie.
More drabbles... whenever I feel like it :)