These next three chapters will be set on the same night, in the same place, and at the same time. There will be some overlap and foreshadowing.

The party pt.1: Carla's perspective.

(Btw this chapter was supposed to be part 2 but since I finished it first I wanted to post it. Enjoy!)

Carla sat down on the couch by the front door, putting on her shoes while her father paced to the left of her.

"Keys?"

"Yup."

"Phone?"

"Of course."

"Taser?"

Carla held up her black flashlight-looking taser and shocked the air twice with a smirk on her face. "Dad, I'll be fine."

Her dad let out a breathy laugh and shook his head. "I just want you to be safe. Are you sure you don't want me to drive you?"

Carla then stood up and grabbed her bag off the doorknob of the front door of the house. "It's only," Carla checked her phone. "9:00 pm and the house is 4 minutes away. Besides, you have work soon, so I can walk."

Her dad had a small frown on his face. He looked away, beginning to walk out of the living and leaving his daughter to go to the party and be the teenage girl she was growing into. Carla then put her arms around him before he could leave the room.

"Gracias, papá."

Water welled up in his eyes as he looked down at his daughter, tears threatening to drop, he looked down at his daughter. "You grew up so fast." Carla rolled her eyes playfully and pulled away. "Calm down, I'm just going to a party." she walked back to the door and grabbed hold of the knobs.

"I'll be home at 11, ok." she opened the door and quickly shut it. Her dad's smile momentarily tampered off. At the same time, he was about to walk back to his room the door to the apartment opened.

His daughter's head popped through the gap in the doorway. "I love you! Ok bye!" and as quickly as she came, she was gone."

Alejandro's smile returned as he whipped his eyes and walked back into his room.

An Arctic Monkeys song played as she walked inside the rented house. Two minutes in and she's already regretting this. Lily texted her and told Carla she, Billy, and Nugget would be there soon, but unfortunately 'soon' in Lily meant at least 30 minutes.

The Hispanic girl stood up off the couch she was parked on and made her way to the garage near the kitchen. She didn't know why but it felt important to go in there.

In the kitchen stood a few of her classmates outside of the group chatting and swaying to the music, as well as Diana and Jerome talking, Well not- you know what she means, by the kitchen island. She watched an uncomfortable Diana and a very drunk Jerome. Jerome was speaking loudly and signing very fast and incorrectly.

Carla watched on as Diana was constantly interrupted as the drunk boy physically grabbed her hands into a tight hold and spoke at her excitedly.

She couldn't quite hear what he was talking about and honestly, she didn't care.

Carla angrily stomped up to Jerome and took his hands off of the smaller girl. "Jerome, what the hell?!"

Jerome stumbled back from the girls. "Me what the hell??" he hiccuped and spoke louder. "You what the hell, we were just having a conversation!"

"You know damn well-" Diana lightly grabbed Carla's hands. She signed, 'It's fine Carla, go have fun.' the smaller girls smiled and looked back at Jerome with both irritation and sympathy for her crush.

Carla looked back and forth between the two and slowly walked away. It didn't feel right leaving her there but Jerome was ultimately harmless.

The drunken boy flipped her off a little too aggressively for her taste.

Well, at the very least if Jerome tried something, his decapitated head would make a very nice wall accessory for her room.

She quickly found the garage door and pushed it open.

"Sup dork."

Monty sat in the middle of the room toying with some wires and pieces of metal in his hands. He looked up, a small smile can be seen on his lips.

Wait, why was she looking at his lips?

"Hey, what are you doing here?" she shrugged and squatted down next to him, caring for her skirt not to ride up.

"Got bored waiting for Lily. You?"

He looked away from her. "Couldn't handle the loud noise" he chuckled lightly then added, "And watching Jerome fail to impress Diana."

Carla giggled, surprised at the sound that came out of her mouth. Carla and Monty were a weird pair, the two seemingly hated each other. But moments like this, when they were all alone, joking and laughing together...

It was nice. That's all she would say about that.

"Yeah, he's in there right now talking her ear off." Carla adjusted herself so she was sitting with her legs in front of her. "What are you making anyway?"

Monty looked away, embarrassed. "You know that project Danner assigned that's due this week?" he asked, uncharacteristically meek.

Carla looked at him with confusion before what he was saying hit her like a basketball to the face. "Monty... you didn't." she softly laughed in disbelief at the look of embarrassment on his face.

"A lot has been going on ok!" he joked and laughed with her. He stared back at the clump of wires in his hand. Carla noticed took the wires out of his hands, hers lightly brushing against each other. "Let me help,"

The two sat in comfortable silence, working together on the overdue assignment. Carla occasionally speaks up to help Monty out.

"Do you think tape would be enough for the electricity to connect?"

"How did you make it into the smart classes again?"

"I'd guess my irresistible charm and wit." Monty flashed her a quick smirk.

Carla laughed and, seemingly, unconsciously moved closer so their legs were almost touching.

"Charm?" she looked over at him, "I've called you many things, I don't think charming is one of them."

Monty must've noticed how close they were because he leaned in, impossibly close. So close in fact that their noses were almost touching.

"Oh please." he tried to sound confident but failed when his eyes flicked over to her lips. Monty didn't- couldn't look away from her lips. Carla didn't seem to mind though since he was doing the same thing.

They both closed their eyes and leaned in.

And just as their lips brushed-

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The teens quickly pulled away, refusing to look each other in the eyes.

Carla quietly swore in Spanish under her breath while Monty stared daggers into the loud banging on the door. That was until he heard a small weep from the other side of the door.

"Um T, something happened." Jerome sniffed on the other side, a rap song playing muffled in the background.

Monty quickly stood up and walked to the door. Before turning the doorknob though he turned to Carla, who was still looking away embarrassed.

"You look really beautiful tonight, Carla," he said with a small smile before turning the knob and walking back out into the party to help his best friend.

The door shut with a small click. Carla loudly sighed and flopped down on the cold and dirty garage floor. "I am such an idiot." she groaned.

After a few long minutes, Carla emerged from the garage, looking around for any sight of Diana, or Lily. Hell, maybe even Jerome or Cindy. But she saw no one.

She sigh once more and walked to the counter where cheap alcohol and red-solo cups lay. A half-empty crate of beer sits by her feet. She picks up a cup and pours some vodka, she takes a sip and cringes at the bitter taste in her mouth.

Walking back to the couch she sees a freshman girl making out with a senior boy Carla knows was held back at least twice now on the same spot Carla was previously sitting.

She grimaced and walked to a nearby wall and parked herself there.

It was around the time she was getting bored and was about to call it a night when she heard a small, feminine, chuckle from next to her.

"Yeah Devon likes 'em' young, I swear I saw him trying to flirt with one of the middle schoolers touring last week." Carla looked over to her right and saw a girl, a junior she thinks, staring at her. Carla laughs.

The junior reached her hand out toward Carla. "Tara,"

"Carla." she shook Tara's hand. "How old are you? I've never seen you around."

"Eh, my friend heard some Sophomores talking about this and decided to come. I'm honestly surprised a few Freshmen were able to pull this off." she took a sip of the mysterious lucid in her cup, the lipstick she was wearing smeared on the cup but somehow her lips were still flawlessly colored red.

Wait, why was she looking at her lips?

"I'll tell them you said that, my friends are the ones who put this together." the irony of calling Monty a friend was not lost on her, considering the two almost (did technically?) kissed, like, five minutes ago.

"You're a freshman?! I thought for sure you were at least a sophomore!" Tara gasped dramatically. Carla laughed again and moved a strand of hair out of her face and behind her ear.

"Now I feel like a hypocrite for calling out Devon, I came over here to flirt with you."

Carla immediately stopped laughing and looked over at Tara with wide eyes and a blush on her face.

Tara seemed to notice it.

"Oh, do I still have a chance?"

Carla, never one to turn down a challenge, raised her eyebrows and leaned in closer. "I don't know, do you?"

The two stood there making conversation about anything under the sun. They got along nicely, the banter between them seemed natural.

Unbeknownst to them Cindy and Buggs were close by.

[Mixed Drinks™]

Great Value Heather Chandler: (Attachment 1 Photo)

Great Value Heather Chandler: Monty come to get ur girl

Buggs Bunny: She's over here flirting with Tara Tucker AT UR PARTY!!!

Jerome looked at his phone with wide eyes, the sting of alcohol still burning them.

"Um, Monty." Monty looked up from the bathroom sink. "You should probably check your phone."

:)