Firebug: Chapter 6 - The Party

To say Theo was anxious about going to Chris' party was a laughable understatement. He was utterly bricking it on the ride over, calculating the odds of surviving a leap from a moving car. Part of him was actually considering it; the numbers were in his favor, and his maths were never wrong. All that changed when he heard a deep sigh from his left.

"We don't have to do this, y'know," Roman pointed out for the umpteenth time, hands tightening on the wheel and his eyes never leaving the road. "It's not too late to back out. Just say the word, and I'll take you home."

Theo looked down at the hands trembling in his lap, clenching his fists to still them. Sixty-three percent of him agreed with Roman wholeheartedly. For one thing, his father would murder him outright if he had any inkling where Theo was headed this evening. For another, there was the Curse, ever looming in the back of his mind. The Curse alone was reason enough for Theo to run straight home and barricade himself in his bedroom for the rest of his natural life.

As bizarre as it was, the Curse was also the main reason he'd decided to go in the first place.

For a solid week, Theo's hands showed nary the tiniest tingle, and it was all thanks to Roman. The more time Theo spent with him, the less anxious he steadily became. He was even sleeping better. Theo was totally unable to explain what was happening, but whatever it was seemed to be working. Honestly, he almost felt... normal.

The party was meant to be a litmus test of sorts. If Theo could survive it without incident, maybe there was a chance - however miniscule - that he could actually be normal again. As long as Roman was there, anything felt possible for Theo.

"It's alright," he insisted, staring out the window with a deep exhale, "I want to do this. I've never been to a house party before. Who knows? Might actually be fun."

Roman snorted a laugh, shaking his head. "Theo Quill: party animal," he mused, "never thought I'd see the day. Alrighty then. You're the boss."

Five minutes later, Roman parked his rattletrap Jeep on the street outside Chris' parents' property. It was much larger than Theo anticipated, more of a manor than a house. Brightly colored lights flashed in every window, pulsing to the beat of the muffled rave music he could hear from the car. The front door was propped wide open, allowing the music and guests to spill out onto the front lawn. Some of the latter had found alternative ways to entertain themselves, chiefly by decorating the trees and shrubbery with toilet roll streamers.

"It's only fair to warn you that Chris is... not the most responsible host," Roman said, rubbing his neck nervously as they got out of the car. "He's got a reputation for partying hard, and a rap sheet as long as my arm to back it up. So... just stay frosty, okay?"

Theo nodded, although he wasn't entirely sure what Roman was talking about. The party had just started, and it already seemed well on its way off the rails. How much worse could it really get?

Roman helped carve a path into the house once they reached the front door. It was wall-to-wall people inside - quite literally - and a shocking number of the attendees were unfamiliar to Theo. Not only that, but they appeared quite a bit older; much closer to graduating college than secondary school. If the music was loud outside, it was deafening within. Theo couldn't hear himself think, already feeling his head ache and ears ring. He just kept his eyes forward and a firm grip on Roman's jacket, using the Student Body president as a living shield.

Theo could do this. Everything would be fine, so long as he stayed calm.

"Well, well, if it ain't our own beloved Commander in Chief!"

Chris sauntered over from a table heavily laden with drinks and moved directly into Roman's path, flashing that friendly yet unsettling grin of his. He didn't give them time to return the greeting before stuffing a red plastic cup into Roman's hand.

"Nice to see you, too, Cutes," he winked, handing another cup to Theo, "Drink up; there's plenty more where that came from!"

Roman glanced into his own cup dubiously, frowning as he gave it an experimental sniff. "Please don't tell me this is what I think it is," he said bluntly, "You know damn well we're all underage, Fletcher!"

Chris blew through his lips, shrugging off the comment. "Relax, will ya?! You really gonna bust my balls over a few kegs of suds?! It's not even hard liquor! Don't be such a narc, Durant!"

Theo studied the foamy brown liquid in his cup, recognizing the yeasty scent of it immediately. Before Roman could stop him, he tilted the cup to his lips, downing it all in one go. It wasn't his first beer, but it was certainly the worst; flat, warm, and as flavorful as cardboard left out in the rain.

"Theo!!" Roman blurted, wide-eyed with shock, "What the hell are you doing?!"

"I've had ale before," Theo explained, "It's perfectly legal back home."

"Well it's not legal here," Roman argued.

"Lay off, Mr. Mom," Chris scoffed, already swapping Theo's empty cup for a full one, "He said he can handle it! Go ahead, Cutes; have a blast!"

"No; Roman's quite right," Theo conceded, giving it back quickly, "If I'm going to live in this country, then I must respect its laws. The taste isn't to my liking anyway."

Roman visibly relaxed, nodding his approval. "We'll take a few cokes instead... preferably still in the can."

"Fine," Chris shrugged, "There's plenty in the fridge. Help yourself."

Roman headed off to grab their drinks immediately, seemingly just eager to be away from Chris. He didn't get far before Theo suddenly reached out and grabbed his sleeve, stopping him cold. Theo only realized what he'd done after the fact, instantly feeling silly for doing it. The look in Roman's eyes cast Theo no judgement, however.

"I'll be back in a sec," Roman promised, prying Theo's fingers off carefully. "Stay cool, okay? And, uh... don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Theo nodded stiffly, taking a deep, calming breath as he watched Roman push, shove, and squeeze his tall, lanky frame toward the kitchen. The moment Roman's back was turned, Chris draped an arm around Theo's neck. Before Theo even had time to process it, the blue-haired boy's lips were on his ear, nibbling it seductively.

"Party pooper," Chris muttered, tickling Theo's neck with his hot breath. "Just because he ain't got a life, he thinks he has to ruin everybody else's."

"Please don't do that," Theo stammered, wildly uncomfortable by their close physical contact, "Don't say such things about Roman, either. He's just a genuinely good bloke; everything he does shows how much he cares." Theo tried to pull away from Chris then, but Chris just gripped his shoulders tighter. Before he could try again, Chris grabbed Theo's chin, forcing their eyes to meet.

Theo's heart hammered behind his Adam's apple, aware that his hands were sweating more every second. Their faces were so alarmingly close, Theo feared Chris might try to kiss him. Thankfully, he didn't. Chris just seemed to enjoy exploiting the power of his position, knowing that Theo would be unable to stop him should he desire to.

"He's a wet blanket. You should ditch that loser; find somebody who knows how to treat you right."

Theo tore himself away from Chris as fast as he could, putting an end to the sick little game. Afterwards, he scurried behind the table so that Chris couldn't get that close again. "Y-You've got it all wrong," he insisted, "Roman was already in a relationship when we met! Besides, even if he were single, he'd never be interested in me! N-Not in that way!"

For an uncomfortably long time, Chris just stared at Theo. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes... They were colder than a Norwegian fjord in January. So utterly black, that they devoured every ounce of joy and laughter within a ten-meter radius.

Theo had never felt such rage directed at him. It was absolutely terrifying... and gone in an instant.

"I can see why Durant likes you so much, Cutes," Chris said, smiling again suddenly, "You're just as lame as he is. You do you, though."

He was still smiling as he ducked under the table and produced a can of fizzy drink. He even opened it for Theo before passing it over, showing that there were no hard feelings.

"Enjoy the party."

As Chris walked off, Theo frowned at the can in his grip. It didn't make any sense; why would Chris send Roman to the kitchen if he had fizzy drinks here? Deciding not to overthink it - and honestly relieved to be away from Chris - Theo drained the entire can in under a minute. He realized too late that he'd drank it much too fast, as the bubbles weren't playing well at all with the beer he'd already imbibed. His upset stomach mattered little, though, when he noticed the empty can glowing red hot under his fingertips. He chucked it in the bin before anyone else noticed, but his hands refused to stop tingling.

Roman was right: coming to the party was a stupid idea. As usual, he'd set his expectations far too high and had paid dearly for it. Frankly, Theo was furious with himself, and sick to his stomach with disappointment. He needed to find Roman and leave. Now. Before things got any worse.

While forcing his way to the kitchen, Theo staggered as his nausea suddenly became leagues worse. It hit him like a wave breaking upon a cliff, destroying his sense of balance completely. The music turned wonky and distorted, as did the sweaty, grinning faces swirling all around him. Suddenly, he wasn't entirely sure if he was going in the correct direction anymore. There were simply too many people... and his head...

Hang on: where was he going, anyway? He couldn't recall.

Theo struggled to keep his footing, shocked at how the floor bent and buckled under his trainers. It was as if someone had thrown a switch, changing it from solid wood to jelly in a heartbeat. He would've fallen over entirely, had an arm not shot out and grabbed his at the last second.

"Whoa: easy there," Someone shouted over the music. Their face was melted to mush, making it impossible for Theo to identify who it was. "You feelin' okay? You look a little green!"

Theo shook his head, blinking hard to clear his vision. "Roman?" he guessed, suddenly aware of how thick and clumsy his speech was. "Don't... f-feel well... atall... Need... lie-down..."

Theo's arm was guided around a pair shoulders, while another hand wrapped snugly around his waist. "Don't you worry, Cutes," someone said, "I'll take very good care of you tonight... I promise."