Seth surveyed the aftermath.

Cups, boxes of pizza, and passed-out party-goers littered the kitchen and adjoining dining room as Seth made his way through the house. He could hear the TV playing in the living room and poked his head in there. The L-shaped couch that dominated the room held a pile of sleeping bodies. Some movie Seth had never seen was on. He snatched up the remote and turned it off, then walked out onto the balcony. Only one person slept out here, an African-American kid sprawled out on one of the wicker chairs on the patio, his hand still somehow clutching his cup against the force of gravity.

Seth leaned over the railing and breathed in the air of the cool summer morning. Thick wreaths of mist rose off the lake as the sun struck it from the east and worked its warmth down through the cold surface, obscuring the view of the ancient forests across the water. He looked down to the dock where he had ventured last night. The words of the girl echoed in his mind and he shook his head, trying not to think about it. She'd nailed his feelings square on.

Seth licked his lips. He needed water, especially with the tournament coming up in just a week now. He kicked himself mentally. He hadn't told Madeline yet. He hoped she'd be able to make it. He would tell her when she woke up.

Seth made his way to the kitchen, ignoring the absolute mess that he knew they'd be lucky if half a dozen people stayed to help clean up, and poured himself a glass of water. He left the faucet on and drank greedily, finishing the glass in one go before filling it up and chugging again.

"Damn."

Seth ignored the voice from behind him and filled a third glass before he turned the faucet off and turned around.

A short girl with raven hair styled in a pixie cut stood a few feet away, leaning with one elbow on the counter. The top of her head was barely at Seth's chin, and two eyes the color of cold honey--both intense and mellow at the same time--bored into him. The darkness of her eyes and hair only served to contrast with her skin. She looked like Seth imagined someone from Alaska might look after a long winter. Seth struggled to not notice--he felt guilty as soon as he did--but she had the type of body that would make people snap their necks as she walked past.

"You done there?"

Seth nodded and stepped aside as she imitated his ritual, also throwing back her first glass of water in one long slurp before filling it again. She looked over at him as the second glass filled up. "I didn't see you last night. What's your name?"

"Seth."

"You don't look like you belong in this scene."

"Not a partier."

"You go to Northwest Prep or something?"

"Hardly."

She took a sip of her water. "Well, I'm sober, so I should be heading back. It's a bit of a drive to the city."

"Not going to help clean up?"

She looked around and smirked. "I didn't order this pizza. I threw away my cup. Maybe get him to help." She pointed at a kid dressed in ripped jeans and an oversized purple hoodie, covered in discarded cups and using a pizza box as a pillow on the floor. He snored and shifted in his sleep.

"Yeah, that's the plan." Seth looked around and cursed. "They did so much damage."

"I know it's rough going to your first party, but that's usually how it goes."

Seth narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, ha. Ha. What's your name?"

The girl finished her glass and set it in the sink. "You've got to earn that one, Seth." She gave him a mischievous grin, then turned and walked away. He heard the front door open and close a few seconds later. Seth leaned back against the counter and drained his third glass, finally beginning to feel hydrated. Coffee would be good. He opened up the pantry and started looking for grounds.

***

Seth stood out on the dock, looking over the water to the thick forest of pine trees in the east, holding a black coffee mug in his hand. The forest went on for miles and miles before it turned to plains, then foothills, then the mountains of their state. He smiled, remembering all the good times he and friends had had in that stretch of wilderness, even before meeting Madeline and having the lake house to come to. The water lapped at the dock, a peaceful noise he had missed through the beat of the music last night.

Seth scratched his messy blond hair, then took a sip of the coffee, the earthy taste and aroma chasing away the last cobwebs of sleep.

"Hey, penguin."

Two arms looped around his stomach from behind and a head rested on his back. "Hey. You about ready to start chasing people out of here?"

"Just about." She kept leaning against him. The silence stretched.

"Hey, you know, I have a tournament next weekend."

"You do?" There was hesitancy in her voice.

"Yeah, Grand Island. We were just getting together when it happened last year. You remember me telling you about it. About how I was so close to taking first until-"

She kissed his shoulder and sighed. "Auditions are that day."

"Fuck." Seth also sighed. He turned around and placed a hand on her hip. "What are you auditioning for?"

"It's for the Shakespeare play. It's Macbeth- The Scottish Play, you're not supposed to say the name, it's bad luck." She made a little half-smile.

"Well, I'm not going to start fighting until three in the afternoon, probably. When are auditions?"

"Four, Seth."

Seth hung his head. "Alright."

"Have someone take videos for me," she said. "I'd come, but I've been wanting to be in this play since they did it freshman year and I didn't make the cast."

"Yeah," said Seth. "I do this tournament every year. It's fine. Seriously, it's fine. You go to your auditions." He kissed her forehead and hugged her with his free arm.

As he held her close, Seth thought over and over again how this wasn't just any tournament, how this wasn't just something he did every year, how there was actually something at stake with this one. But like last year, he would go alone aside from his teammates.

He hoped it wouldn't be like last year.