He even has his fishnet fingerless gloves today, showing off his chipped black nail polish. But what really catches my attention is the black choker he’s wearing, something I’ve only seen once or twice.
It sits snug against his throat, and for some reason, I can't stop staring at it.
Only when I realize I've gone completely silent do I notice everyone else has turned to look at me. A second later, their attention shifts to Colten.
Colten ignores them, his gaze stuck on me.
His expression is…intense. A shiver goes down my back. That’s when I realize he’s also wearing some makeup. Black eyeliner is smudged around his eyes, making his green eyes pop.
“Want a drink?” Raquel asks Colten, too drunk to notice the tension. She’s already pouring one, happily humming in drunk ignorant bliss.
Colten finally tears his gaze away from me to look at Raquel. He hesitates for a second before he nods and takes the offered cup of gross punch.
A spark of relief fills my chest. He’s not just here to yell at me, he’s actually joining the party! This is a good sign.
Colten immediately drains the entire cup, not even pausing to breathe.
My mouth drops open.
Maybe…maybe it’s not such a good sign.
Colten always sips his drinks. I’m the reckless idiot, not him.
“Want another?” Raquel asks, her hand already out.
“Please.” Colten easily passes the now empty cup back to her. A line of sweat drags down my neck. Some of the others start talking again, like everything is normal.
This is weird, right? My stomach feels like it’s twisted up in knots, but everyone else is acting like it’s fine.
Raquel hands him the cup back, which is so full it sloshes over a little with her unsteady hand.
Colten’s gaze flickers over me before he drains that one as well.
Nico whistles. “Damn, man. Thirsty?”
Colten narrows his eyes at Nico, which causes the underclassman to hide behind me. It’s an entirely valid reaction when one of Colten’s glares is directed at you.
Colten narrows his eyes even harder at Nico, and then shoots me a glare for some reason??
He hands the empty cup back to Raquel, yet again.
Raquel happily goes to fill it up, but I step in this time, blocking her ladle from the shimmery brownish liquid swirling in the punchbowl.
“I think he’s good,” I tell Raquel, who gives me a rather judgmental look for someone so drunk.
“I can drink what I want,” Colten says, still glaring at me.
“Oh my goodness, Patrick, let your boyfriend live a little,” Raquel tells me as she bats my hand away with the sticky ladle. The back of my hand gets sticky from the sugary alcohol, ew.
“We’re not dating,” I tell her as I try to snatch the cup from her, but she keeps just slapping my hand with the ladle.
For a drunk person, she sure has great reflexes. I can feel Colten staring a hole in the back of my head, but I keep my gaze strictly on that damn cup.
“Wha—but you’re obviously in love with him,” Raquel says, pointing the ladle at me before pulling it back to smack my hand away from the cup with a particularly hard slap. “That’s why I dumped my chocolate milk all over you when I broke up with you, remember?”
Ahh, that’s right! It was chocolate milk and ruined one of my favorite shirts. But also—what?
I try to grab the cup again, but she smacks my hand with each attempt.
