i manage to find my way upstairs, there're less people but it doesn't change much. i study every face in the crowd, none of them look like him.

it's no use. he probably isn't here.

i go downstairs, disappointed.

i decide to get a breath of fresh air, all the smells are giving me a headache. i step outside into the backyard, it's a bit calmer out here.

there's a table where people are doing beer pong. i mistakenly walk by it,

"ay, you wanna play?" a guy says to me. i shake my head and mumble a small 'no thanks'. but i guess that wasn't good enough for them, as i hear one of the guys call out to me.

"whore!" followed by laughter from the other men.

i grimace and continue walking, before deciding to take a rest and clear my head. i slump against a fence, when i hear someone talk to me again.

it was the girl from school, who gave me that invitation.

"hey, how are you enjoying this party so far?" she asks with a smile.

i smile back, "it's cool."
maybe i was lying, but it really wasn't all too bad.

she smiles and turns around, i hear her giggle and whisper something to her friends, but i'm too tired to care. this was too much social interaction for one night.

i sigh, sitting down on the ground, my knees tucked into my chest. i glance around the backyard, nothing going on here.

although it's nice being alone, it's boring doing nothing. i should do some people-watching.

i get up from the ground, dusting myself off before heading back inside where it was ear splitting-ly loud. i look around and notice a snack table.

free food. yay.

i grab myself a diet coke and decide to just hang around in the kitchen for a while.

i stare down at my soda can, until i hear a small crash, or at least, something dropping. i turn my head to the direction of the sound.

someone had dropped their plate of snacks.

"oh, hey, let me help you."

without waiting for a response, i bend down and help them clean up.

"thanks." they mumble. the voice is oddly familiar.

i look them in the eye.

no, i look him in the eye.

it was him. i don't even realize i'm staring till he says something.

"you okay?" he says, getting his stuff together.

i catch myself, "uh, yeah, uhm."

the words leave my mouth before i even know it.

"am i dreaming?"

the boy looks stunned, and maybe even flustered. his eyes wide.

"what?"

"i mean, like-" okay greg, nows your chance. don't say anything weird. you wouldn't tell a stranger you've had dreams about them, would you?

"you look— i've seen you in my dreams before." goddamn it.

he stays speechless, his mouth slightly agape.

"oh, uh, okay.."

"i'm sorry, that was weird."

he chuckles, "yeah, a little."

i sigh, "uhm, what's your name?"

"cal." he says with a small smile, grinning a bit.

cal. i repeat the name in my head.
"it suits you."

he smiles again and chuckles softly. i think i'm falling.

"i'm gregory."

"nice to meet you." he has braces on the bottom row of his teeth, it's adorable, his smile is adorable- no, he's adorable.

he's perfect. i analyze him from head to toe, he's even better in real life.

"uhm," i begin to speak, but realize we're both still crouched down on the ground. "i think we should get up from the floor." i said with chuckle, helping him up.

"yeah." his voice was a bit soft, maybe he's shy?

we both got up from the ground, just smiling and staring at each other.

"i, uhm, think i should go. my friend's waiting for me." he mumbled.

and just like that he was gone.

i stayed silent, watching him go.

and then i stalked him, silently watching him until he left the party with his friend.

maybe i was becoming a bit obsessed, but why wouldn't i be? if you saw him, you would fall in love too.