Denny was back to drinking and dancing, Kim had helped him clean up the blood. Jared tossed the two boys out of the house party, telling them to get lost. Jared and Kim sat out front on the porch steps taking sips of a shared jungle juice cup. The twins were finally just about out of their supplies so they were about to party finally. Charlie and Quil pulled themselves out of the pool and laid on the grass, staring up at the string lights above them.
"I'm a drug addict Quil. Like I know I'm a drug addict. I have a horrible traumatic past that I have not worked through, like at all. I just buried it deep inside and pretend it's not a thing but it totally is. I'm bitter. I have no idea how to love correctly. I have no idea how to even date. I'm sorry that for some reason you have a fucked girl liking you and I'm sorry that for some reason you also like that fucked up girl," Charlie was numb and cold. Quils body heat was already drying his clothes though.
"I already knew you were an addict. Kim and Jared also knows. But we all like you, drugs or not," Quil was honest. They all did like her, they liked her spirit and her kindness. Plus, she was Quils imprint, on some sort of level they had to like her.
"I can get clean. I'll get clean. I'll go to the meetings and shit," Charlie was nervous, she didn't want to scare Quil off. Especially because he just watched her fight a guy and do coke all within ten minutes.
"I'll come with you to the meetings. I'll help with whatever I can if you want to do this," Quil was trying to be supportive. He remembered when Embrys mom sobered you years ago and how he went to every meeting with her, Embry said you had to be supportive no matter what and Quil was willing to do so.
"We can look for some tomorrow. See what fits you," Quil turned to look at her while Charlie still stare hazily at the lights.
"Record me saying it so I don't back out of it," Charlie got up and walked over the beer pong table where she left her bag at. She had her phone in it where Kim had Quils in her bag. She came back over and sat criss-crossed in front of him. Quil took the phone and opened up the camera before scrolling to video. He counted down from three then clicked the giant red button.
"I, Charlie Lopez, vow to look for meetings tomorrow with Quil Ateara so I can get clean and sober. But tonight, I party!" Charlie winked at Quil as he ended the video. She got up and held her hand out for him to grab, neither one could shake the kiss from the back of their mind. Charlie knew she wouldn't be able to do it sober so she did it when she could, in a pool with a bloody nose and coke in her system. They walked hand in hand through the crowded rooms to the kitchen. A few other vet majors would call and wave at Charlie as they made their way through. Charlie would wave and smile back. She was still wet but no one cared.
"Here, two new jungle juices," she grabbed two cups from Nick who was working the cooler still. Quil took one and drank it just as fast as Charlie was, he couldn't get drunk but he could give off the illusion. Mick walked by and slipped something into Charlie's hand, Quil could smell it. Weed. Which he suppose wasn't the worst of the drugs. She tucked the baggie into her back pocket as they weaved through the people again and out the front door.
"Oooo, Jared and Kim sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g," Charlie sung as she skipped down the front steps to sit beside Kim. She laid her head on the girls shoulder and sighed. Kim and Jared both laughed at the girls singing.
"Kim, you are going to be one of my best friends," Charlie was slurring a bit. Mainly because she chugged her jungle juice when she knew better. But if she was going to get sober tomorrow then she was going to go hard tonight.
"I can tell we'll be life long friends," Kim laughed and looked at Quil. They all knew they kissed in the pool, Jared couldn't be prouder of his pack brother. Sure, Jared was aware of Charlie's problems but he also knew that Quil would stand by her through hell and back.
"I love this song! Come dance with me!" Charlie jumped up and pulled Kim with her. DNA by BTS was blasting through the house. Denny was already on the dance floor with another guy dancing with each other. Charlie and Kim made their way over to them where they joined. Charlie and Kim did funny moves together which cracked them up as they went. Denny laughed despite his face being in pain from the punches. Jared and Quil stood on the wall with the people that were too high to move, watching the girls enjoy themselves. Finally by Halsey came on which made Charlie wave the boys over. She held her hand out for Quil to grab which of course he did. They closed the gap between each other and slowed dance to the song. Jared and Kim held each other close and swayed to the music, Kim was feeling lightly buzzed. Denny and the strange beautiful man he was dancing with before held each other and flowed to the music.
"I know I'm going to be a mess for the rest of my life Quil but I'm happy for now that you're looking at me like I'm the best thing in the world," Charlie whispered against his chest. He rubbed her lower back slowly to the rhythm of the song.
"You are the best thing in the world. Mess or not," Quil continues to hold her as the song ended and another one came on. They stayed like that for a long time, despite time passing on and people moving on. They stayed like that.