Stepping into the apartment, you took in the simplicity of it. The walls were painted gray with sharp, white trim. The couch was a forest green, the lounging chairs black, and the coffee table was made of glass with sturdy, wooden legs.

Photographs of nature kept the walls from remaining bare and the whole space smelled like fresh pine. This was probably the cleanest living space for men that you had ever seen, but you weren't complaining.

"Welcome to the abode!" Jean announced and flopped down onto one of the lounging chairs, kicking the recliner back.

"I'm gonna shower," Connie threw his car keys onto the kitchen countertop and walked down a hallway, disappearing into the second door on the left.

"Are you thirsty?" Marco asked as he opened the fridge and pulled out a water, but you shook your head no.

"Have anything harder than that?" You asked and Marco hesitated before looking at Jean.

"She's had a rough night Marco, give her the good stuff. Plus, she's our guest," Jean shrugged and Marco walked over the cabinet beneath the sink, opening it to reveal at least 12 bottles full of liquor.

"Pick your poison," he gestured and you walked over, crouching down to get a view. Your eyes landed on the tequila bottle. You grabbed it.

"Whoa!" Marco's eyebrows shot up and he snapped his gaze to Jean. "We got a tequila girl on our hands," he finished and Jean sprang to his feet, wanting to see this.

You set the bottle down onto the counter and stared at it, wondering if you should even open it. Sure you've had stuff here and there, but nothing as hard as straight tequila. Your eyes diverted away from the bottle as Jean slammed a shot glass down in front of you, a playful smirk on his lips as he leaned against the counter. Marco was scurrying around in the fridge, probably trying to find something to eat.

You unscrewed the tequila cap and poured the clear poison into the shot glass, your hand slightly shaking. With a deep breath you downed the whole shot, blocking out the sound of Jean yelling no. You knew it was an instant mistake as you felt your chest burn. Your hand pounded your sternum as you immediately started coughing, your eyes tearing up.

"Holy shit! No way you just did that!" Jean shouted in disbelief as his hand pulled the liquor bottle away from you.

"You should've waited for the lime!" Marco laughed, holding the green fruit in his hand.

"Pussies drink tequila with a lime," you sputtered out and Jean's whole expression changed as he let out a long sigh.

"You've never had tequila, have you?"

There was a long pause.

"...No"

"Well, this was gonna be for you. It just makes the experience...a little more tolerable," Marco smiled as he placed the lime on the table as he went to grab a glass, filling it with water and handing it to you.

"Hey, I'm impressed, even more impressed you were able to keep it down," Jean nudged you and you laughed, taking a sip of the water and hoping to wash out the tequila taste.

The three of you talked in the kitchen for a while as the boys continued to talk about different shots they've tried. Jean ended up putting the tequila bottle away and grabbed a bottle of vodka instead. Marco went to the fridge and found some cranberry juice and they made a new drink for you to have.

"Here, this should be better," you took a sip of it and licked your lips. It wasn't that bad and you couldn't taste the alcohol at all.

As you, Jean, and Marco all had some drinks, you turned on a movie. You sat between Jean and Marco, your head resting on Jean's shoulder and your legs laying atop of Marco's lap.

You were watching some comedy when you had the urge to go to the bathroom. How long did it take for Connie to washup? It'd been ages since he'd gone in there and you were wondering what he could even be doing.

You sat up, flinging your legs off of Marco's lap and jumped up, heading down the hallway Connie went down earlier and knocked on the door that had music playing from it.

"One minute!" he hollered and you bit your lip with impatience, tempted to knock again.

"Connie takes forever, we probably should've told you," Jean called from the other room and you rolled your eyes. This was getting to be a nuisance.

"Connie, hurry up!" You groaned and placed your hand on the doorknob, eager to twist it open.

"You know, patience is a virtue," the door flung open and you were stuck getting a full on front view of Connie's lean body, a towel wrapped around his waist. You felt your cheeks flush with heat as you realized you were checking him out. It was so obvious that he let out a snort.

"Hey, my eyes are up here, babe," he joked and brought your chin up to view those honey-golden eyes, your whole face flished now in embarrassment. So what, he had a nice body, but staring? Awkward...

Connie's smirk faded yet again, but this time he didn't move away. It looked like he was searching your eyes—digging, trying to find something there. You just didn't know what.

"Connie?"

"Yeah?"

"I need to go."

"Oh, uh, right," he stood up straight again, scratching the back of his head as he moved to the side, letting you into the bathroom.

When you shut the door, you pushed your back up against it, letting your head thump on the wood, closing your eyes and taking a breath. You placed a hand over your beating chest, so sure your heart was going to explode.

I don't even like you you thought so why do I feel like this?

Connie had become someone you had no interest in getting to know and now he was a boy that had made you feel things you hadn't felt in years. You barely knew him, yet here you were, thinking about him when your mind wasn't preoccupied with other things.

You groaned and held your face in your hands.

"Fuck."

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Your eyelids started to grow heavy as your head rested upon Jean's shoulder. His rythmic laughter at the movie settling you to sleep. It wasn't long before you closed your eyes, the laughter of Marco and Jean disappearing into the background.

Your head dropped and you snapped your eyes open. You looked around in a daze, trying to remember where in God's name you were. You finally remembered and groggily sat up, realizing you were still on the couch and that everyone else had gone to bed. You sat in the silence and thought about the party, trying to process everything that happened.

You heard some shuffling from the hallway and watched Connie walk into the room. He stopped and stared at you before smiling slightly.

"Wow. You've never looked better." He spoke flatly and you immediately tried to fix your hair, suddenly feeling a spike of dislike towards him that you'd been missing.

"You know, you could at least be nice to me," you replied and sat up a little straighter, fixing the blanket.

"Oh come on, I'm just joking," he leaned against the wall and you gave him a hard glare, watching his lips curve into a stupid, smug, smirk. You hated that he was awake because now all he was going to do was just annoy you, but you decided to look past that for just a moment.

"You know, I never said thank you. For the party. I don't know how you found me, but, I'm glad you did. So thanks," you spoke quietly, fidgeting with a loose string on the blanket, trying hard to avoid his gaze.

"Hey," he spoke up and you remained staring at the blanket.

"Y/N."

This time you looked up at him and you could see his face soften as he realized the tears falling down your cheeks. It was scary what happened, and without Connie there...you didn't even want to think about it.

"Sorry, I don't even know why I'm crying."

"Well first of all, it's because something scary happened to you so you're trying to process it. Second of all, never apologize for crying. And third of all...you're never hard to find." You let out a laugh at that, dismissing the way he'd just made your heart leap. You dropped your gaze back to the blanket and heard him walk across the floor, feeling his body settle down onto the couch next to you.

He was silent for a moment before admitting, "I'm sorry, Y/N. I should've stayed with you. It was your first party and I'm sorry that had to be your experience. I should've stayed."

Your heart tore at his apology and you shook your head, swallowing the lump forming in your throat. "Connie, no, it wasn't your fault. Don't beat yourself up about this," you assured him and looked back up to face him, seeing how much he was battling himself.

"Listen, I am okay because of you," and you were okay and you would be okay. You hoped he wouldn't continue to beat himself up about this.

"I should be the one comforting you," he half-heartedly laughed as he leaned into the couch cushions, staring straight ahead before turning back to look at you.

"I promise, if we ever go to a party again, you won't get left alone like that," and he leaned forward, holding out his pinky to you. You furrowed your brows in questioning and he rolled his eyes.

"You know what a pinky promise is, right?"

"Of course I do," and you lightly shoved him, smiling a bit before linking your pinkies. And there it was again, the same wing-flapping feeling you'd felt a while ago for him. But you ignored it, refusing to see the softness in his gaze when you let your hands drop.

"Okay...well, I'd like to sleep now."

"Right. Sleep. I know you need your beauty rest. I can see how much of a requirement it is."

"You are such an ass!" You smacked him lightly and he laughed as he stood up. You looked up at him towering over you and you hated it.

"I'm the ass?" He pointed to himself, a devious look on his face. You wondered what he was thinking in that pretty little head of his.

"I recall you not saying thank you to my compliment in your dorm the other night." Your jaw dropped. What an ass. So he did remember, and all this time you thought he didn't.

"Connie Springer you have got to decide if you love me or if you hate me." You narrowed your gaze, feeling your heart speed up as you leaned into the tug it felt.

"And what if I've already decided?" He raised a brow. Oh Connie Springer, two could play at this game.

"Is this why you're flirting with me?" You stared back, waiting for an honest answer from this man who made you want to pull all of your hair out. He was frustrating, and so annoyingly attractive that you didn't know what to think anymore.

"And who says I haven't been?" He smirked and you were stunned into silence, feeling played with. You weren't sure what to think, or do. You felt your breathing grow deep as you tried to figure out his game here.

"Now that's just mean," you crossed your arms and you saw a flash of something in his gaze, like misunderstanding. His smirk dropped and he took a step back, leaving more space between you two.

"Look, I think we should try to be friends," he sounded serious, but you were still a little skeptical. Something inside of you was telling you to believe him, so you decided you'd give it a chance. Maybe through being friends you could figure out these stupid feelings and hopefully bench them for good.

"I agree," you nodded your head and stood up, facing him. You extended your pinky and said, "I promise that I'll give being friends a chance."

Connie smiled at this and he linked his pinky with yours. Every time he touched you...it terrified you. You hated this electrical feeling that buzzed everywhere. You hated being so near him. You hated how he was smiling and looking at you.

"Deal."

And the friendship began.