"Christ," Jaxe mumbled, rubbing a hand over his eyes.

Then, he threw his hands up exasperatedly, zipping open his backpack for shot glasses. "Fine. But if the police asked who threw the first punch, I'm not taking the blame."

"I don't drink," Nate snarled, still holding Elise's hand tightly.

"Oh, yeah?" Emmyn tipped Nate's chin up, making him grimace and dodge his touch. "Bet you don't get pussy, either. Girls don't wanna fuck someone with more daddy issues than them."

"You know what?" Nate snarled, approaching him with a curled fist when Elise tugged him back.

"Stop!" Elise yelped, pulling him back. "Just let me do it! I can drink the challenge."

"Nah, nah, let him do it, Pumpkin," Emmyn snarled, heaving breaths. "Don't let him pussy out. Cmon, don't you wanna defend your girls honor?" His tilted his head at Nate in a belittling manner.

"I don't need to get inebriated to defend her honor," Nate snarled. "I'm not a child."

"Ah, a softy," Emmyn pretended a realization dawned on him, nodding. "That's why Pumpkin will like me better when I'm rough with her in bed."

Nate grunted loud and prowled at the guy, snatching his hoodie when Elise gripped his waist, pulling him.

"I said I'll do it!" Elise cried. "Stop, Nate!"

Nate grimaced at the man, letting go of his hoodie and stepping back. He wanted to fucking kill him. But if it would end all of this once and for all and get them to leave Elise alone, he would agree. Fighting him went against his character, he wasn't violent. He would rather them cap it off at three shots than dangerously do any more.

And clearly, Elise wasn't letting them leave until she drank something. Nate slowly backed away.

Jaxe had placed three shot glasses on the counter of the booth and began filling them up with a crimson, alcoholic drink. Nate's stomach churned in worry. Jaxe pushed forward the shots, his eyes flicking up between Emmyn and Elise.

"First one," He announced.

The blonde football douche and small ginger girl took them, eyeing each other. They both knocked them back, a shiver running down both their spine's at the strong level of alcohol they consumed. Elise slammed her shot back on the booth, glaring at Emmyn. He placed his back two.

"Shot two," Jaxe said, pouring the glasses up again. As soon as he finished, Elise took hers, knocking it back before Emmyn even started. His eyes widened.

"I think we can just end it here," Nate argued. His stomach was a boiling pot of anger but utmost worry for Elise.

"Last one," Jaxe said, narrowing his eyes at Elise.

"Cmon, I don't think the little babe can handle it," Emmyn cooed.

Jaxe tilted the bottle once more to fill the shot glasses, Nate's eyes filled with horror seeing the familiar crimson fill the glass. Jaxe set the bottle on the table, it clammering lightly. He pushed the shots forward.

"Last ones."

"Back out anytime, ginger," Emmyn smirked.

"You wish," She scrutinized him, swiping the drink off the counter and into her mouth. She tilted her head all the way back as Emmyn began his. Only, Nate could see Emmyn's drink moving much slower. He struggled swallowing, the alcohol burning his throat. Before he could even take four sips, Elise slammed her shot down.

"Holy shit!" Jaxe gasped in awe, his head snapping to Emmyn.

Emmyn lowered his glass slowly, reluctantly facing Elise.

"Whatever," He muttered.

"Now we know who really doesn't get pussy!" Elise yelled, and Nate was quickly dragging her away.

Elise giggled loudly through the crowd of people.

"Nate, wasn't that - hey, where are we going?"

"Elise, this was dangerous as fuck. I'm very, very upset with you," He growled.

"W-where are we going?" She whimpered, confused.

"To a bathroom. In case you get sick."

"Nooo, no I'm fine," She promised.

"Then to a hill, at the very least. You need to relax and take a breather."

When they approached a grassy hill, he gently brought her buzzing body down.

"Elise, please look at me," Nate urged, gripping softly at her chin. Her eyes were unbelievably glossy.

"This is wrong," He stated plainly. "You don't assert yourself by challenging much taller men who weigh a lot more than you to drinking contests. They're right, you could've had your stomach pumped and been in serious danger. I never want to seem controlling but this was way too far. Guys like that, insecure guys, they push, and they push, and they push to get a reaction out of innocent girls like you. I can't bare to see you possibly in danger. Please drink some water," He uncapped a water bottle, handing it to her.

Elise's eyes lowered guiltily as she all but took barely half a sip.

"I'm not mad. Please drink more, please," Nate gently promised, controlling his anger now. He tipped the water bottle slightly higher in her hands.

Elise reluctantly followed along, taking a slightly bigger sip.

"Good girl," Nate praised in relief, rubbing at his eyes in exhaustion.

Rustling of feet up on the hill caught Nate's attention as he looked up. To his surprise, Aurora stood. Elise looked up and gasped in happiness, long forgetting her water bottle.

"Aurora!" Elise softly said, attempting to clamber up when Nate quickly caught her knees to hold her down.

"Sup, kiddo?" Nate tiredly greeted her.

"You guys!" Aurora called in distress, waving around her CD tape. "Beck made me a CD!"

"Oh, cool," Nate noticed. Then he observed her distraught appearance. "Why does that make you look like your on the brink of a mental break down..?"

"Because!" Aurora threw her hands up and cried out. "Because he's perfect, because he's amazing, because...cotton candy house," She whimpered.

"Um?" Nate questioned.

"I like cotton candy!" Elise announced.

"Aurora," Nate redirected. "Why does that upset you?"

"Because!" She began pacing, emphatically throwing her hands up. "Because he's not with Peyton, and I could be with him in theory. In theory, we could be in a relationship, and I could play this CD, and I could be like, 'Oh, look at this CD my boyfriend got for me!' But in theory, this isn't theory, which is reality," Nate tried his best to follow her drunk ramble, which wasn't totally coherent. "Which, in this reality, I have a fake boyfriend, who isn't the boyfriend I want because I want Beck to be my boyfriend!"

"Ah," Nate concurred.

Aurora puffed out a long breath, tired after her ranting.

"Kid...I don't know what to tell you," Nate honestly said, sighing as he leaned back and scratched his head. "I'm sorry."

"I just...I just wish I could tell him how I feel. I wish my feelings didn't have to be discrete. We could be so sweet together," Aurora pouted. "Should I just tell him."

"That's up to you, I advise against it," Nate said.

Aurora grunted in aggrivation, palming her eyes with her hand. She rubbed her eyes, threw her arm up and shook her head.

"I just...I don't know. I'm gonna go find Hadley. And Beck."

"Okay, kiddo. Do you need me to walk you?"

"No, you've got Elise to take care of. Is she okay, by the way?"

"I'm okayy!" Elise promised, nodding.

Nate pursed his lips, looking directly at Aurora.

"I've got her," Nate promised, holding his arm around Elise.

Aurora nodded, sighing to herself. Conflicted feelings plundered her heart like a baseball bat to a glass window.

"Go get that pumpkin spice spooky dick, Aurora!" Elise yelled, making Nate and Aurora's eyes to widen.

Aurora started to make her way down the hill, meanwhile Nate lead Elise higher up, to be even more secluded area.

The alcohol had Elise tingling and heart racing.

"I want it rough, Nate," She drawled, her body weight wobbling.

"What?" His brow furrowed and he gasped as she tugged his arm, his body toppling over hers.

"Elise, shit!" He cursed, quickly lifting his weight off her fragile frame as she desperately tugged him back down. He easily escaped her grip

"Elise, I don't want to hurt you."

"I want you on top," She bat her eyelashes, holding his flannel collar to keep him hovering over her on the ground.

"Come on, you got too drunk," Nate gently said, not wanting to scold her. "You don't know what you're saying."

She giggled and squealed a shrill sound, throwing her arms up like a child making a snow angel.

"I wanna have fuuuunn..."

"You are having fun," Nate countered.

"I wanna have more funn with you..."

"I know, baby, I know," His face was punched with red and stomach pooled with embarrassment as the nickname slipped. "Fuck," He murmured on instnict.

Luckily Elise was too busy twisting around on the floor and giggling in her own amusement to notice. Nate lightly gripped her shoulders to lean them up.

"Nate..." Elise suddenly pouted.

"Hm," He answered, brushing away the hair that had messilly curtained around her face. He lightly peeled back pieces and tucked some behind her ear. She seemingly waited until he was done to talk. He propped himself on his elbow at the side of her, giving Elise his attention.

"Am I...pretty?" Elise pouted further.

His heart sunk.

"Of course."

"But like...reaaally pretty? Or just like...one time thing, Elise is in a dress, woah now she looks suuuuper hot."

Nate cackled and closed his eyes. He slowly shook his head.

"Elise, you're a very pretty girl. Always. I promise."

She grinned cheekily at him.

"Hmmm...then don't you want me?"

"Not right now, darling. I'm sorry."

He went to sit up when Elise gripped his wrist.

"Waaaait!" She whined. "Kiss me, kiss me, kiss me," She incessantly begged.

"Elise," Nate lightly scolded, beginning to lose patience. "I can't. Not with you like this. You can't consent under the influence."

And suddenly, tears clouded her eyes, Elise looked overwhelmed. Nate felt thrown for a loop and whiplash from her sudden mood change. His heart clenched at her forlorn face. A whimper left her lips.

Nate tsked. "Come on, come on," He mumbled, taking her small frame and grunting softly to lift it.

He placed the whimpering girl on his lap and got to rubbing her back with one hand and coasted over her soft hair with the other.

"Why you crying, hm?" He asked, kissing the top of her head. "Hm?" He softly let a falling tear of hers catch on the back of his pointer finger before he wiped it away.

"I dunnooo," She dragged out, sniffling. She lay her head on his shoulder.

"Feeling overwhelmed, hm?" Nate asked, rocking her at a soothing pace. Little sobs wracked Elise's chest.

"I just...I just feel bad," She blubbered, sniffling. "Y-you wanted to enjoy this night, y-you never go out. I ruined it by making you take care of me. Making you look after me over your shoulder the whole time."

"Now wait a second," Nate stopped her, tilting her chin up. He searched her face with sympathetic eyes.

"Elise, don't you realize how much you take care of me on a day to day basis?"

She blinked dumbfoundedly at Nate, her emerald eyes shining. The crease of her brow crinkled just slightly.

"Don't you realize just how much you take care of everyone every day? You clean everyone's every belongings, help prepare baths - not only that, but you conversate with people. You ask how people are doing, and check in on their mental state. No one else in this estate does that. Everyone else is cold, and detached. Meanwhile -without so much as a 'thank you', or note of appreciation from the people you serve- you are uncharacteristically nurturing, and reasurring, and kind- Do you realize how far that goes in a place like Arlan's estate?"

Elise's lip wobbled as it jut out.

"Elise, you are only nineteen," A few tears slipped from her green eyes, and a heaviness sank into Nate's chest seeing it. He could tell how tired she was. "You are a young girl, and you have a lot of responsibility and stress for your age. You have grown up so quickly by being so selfless and jeprodizing your youth to protect your father. You are robbed of what you're life is supposed to look like, it's supposed to look like nights like these. You deserve it, for taking care of me every night. It's okay if I have to take care of you for just one."

"Nate," She whimpered.

"Yes?" He sighed, carressing the side of her face with a gentle finger.

She turned her head to the side, closing her eyes. Nate tucked a castaway raspberry strand behind Elise's ear.

"Do you like me?" She sleepily asked.

He peered down at her figure - a curled up body and fan of red hair in his lap. His eyes shimmered with curiosity.

"I don't know," He admitted in a quiet rasp. He soothingly ran his fingers through the lustrous, silky strands of her crimson hair. "Can we talk about this some other time? I'd really like to get to know sober Elise."

She nodded once, sighing softly.

"Nate," Her little drowsy voice asked.

"Hm?" He stroked the top of her hair.

She was quiet for a few moments, he wondered if she'd fell asleep.

"Do you like yourself?" Her little voice piped up.

His hand froze on the top of her head, as his lips tugged slightly into a frown. No, he didn't. Why would she ask something like that? He didn't deem himself worthy of a beautiful, giggling entrancing woman like Elise. His answer was that of a sad one, one that reflected his self esteem problems. He didn't think she wanted to know the answer.

"I don't know," He said vaguely.

"What do you mean?" She whispered.

"Shh," Nate insisted, petting her head. "Relax for me, okay? Try to close your eyes."

"I wish you saw yourself the way I saw you..." Was the last thing she whispered before her voice trailed off. She fell asleep cozied up on in his lap on the hill.

***

Aurora's Point Of View

'Song playing: Hearts on Fire by Passenger'

"Alright, you need some water," Hadley laughed, pulling Beck and I. Once I had found the two, we had all drank a little and played some more games. Now we strolled in the crisp November air.

"I'm not that drunk," I slurred, giggling over myself while the open beer in my hand sloshed onto the floor and my shoes. I gasped, looking down to see the puddle on the floor.

"Say the alphabet," Hadley narrowed her eyes, halting me. My feet skid a bit as I stared wide-eyed at my best friend. My head cocked in confusion at her.

"The numbers or the letters one?"

Hadley mentally face palmed.

"Yeah, she's wasted. Can you," She turned to Beck and paused, seeing him snorting laughing while making the giraffe stuffie dance. "And you're both fucking gone. How am I crossed and still more here on Earth than you both?" Hadley shook her head. "I'm gonna get you some waters, don't move, or I'll call animal control," Hadley warned.

I giggled and sat next to Beck on the ground.

"Did you hear that?" Beck asked, turning the giraffe to face him as he warned the inanimate object. "She's gonna call animal control!" He wiggled the giraffe stuffie while making a scared noise.

I peeled in giggles, and a sea of yellow lights caught my attention, looking up. Everyone was tying a small piece of paper to lanterns. The beautiful and warm yellow glow took over the fair, capturing my eyes wistfully.

"Woah...what's everyone doing?" I ponded, standing up now. Beck followed, making sure to steady my wobbling figure.

"Oh yeah, kinda forgot about that, seeing as I'm a little tipsy," He laughed.

I snickered softly, gazing at the stammering, tall ginger beside me.

"It's the Lantern Wish, it commemorates the ending of the night. You take a piece of paper and lantern, tie it, and throw it to the sky. It's what you wish for the rest of the semester."

"But...what if I have more than one wish? I have lots of wishes I need to come true."

He grinned in amusement and beckoned me with his hand.

"Cmon, let's find out," He opened his palm for my hand.

Biting my lip in excitement, I took his hand. We wandered, not too far, until we reached the lantern station. Beck requested two, and handed me mine as I gasped at it, gazing wistfully. It glowed so warmly in my hands, like a giant star. I was in awe. Beck took my other free hand to lead us back.

We strolled to our original spot so Hadley would be able to find us, the gorgeous, glowing, circular lanterns dangling in both our hands. Everyone around us chatted as they wrote their own wishes, throwing their lanterns off and up into the sky.

I craned my head up and watched the glowing yellow orbs float up to the sky, a sea of large yellow spotlights casted a warm glow on the night. I wondered what my wish should be. Should it be something upscale, like, get me out of my kidnappers life forever? Or something simpler, like, give me less douche bag professors going forward? I'm looking at you, Professor Haldrin...

I had many goals for myself, I could still identify that even in my drunken state. I wanted a new life, to start over and be a normal young adult. I wanted to be adopted by Alice and Denver, spend birthdays and Christmas's and normal Sunday breakfasts with them. I wanted to brush Dacie's hair in the morning, and have my own room to study in. I hoped I would be a successful veteranarian one day and care for sick animals. Maybe I'd even convince the whole world to become vegetarian.

"Beck," I suddenly realized, glancing up at him. "We forgot paper and pens. We can't write down our wishes."

"You know what, fuck that," The lantern dropped from his hands. He clutched the sides of my face, and kissed me.

Shock thunderstruck my core. A three month long tension shattered.

There was no dullness in question, his need was vivid and bright. His salacious tongue to my mouth was a quick stroking bow to a violin, eagerly playing a symphony of desire. Craving. Need. His tongue bent and drew musical notes in my mouth, the sound was eloquent, introspective, brilliant, austere, sensually dark, sustaining. I was in fucking awe.

I had never known you could taste music.

The lanterns alit the sky around us, floating in a romantic constellation as our mouths wrapped around each other like ribbons of satin and lust.

My body was fire-lit, magma, I was a volcano humanized. Sugared tastes of cotton candy and bitter rum filled my mouth his, it hypnotized me. Surrealism clouded my mind; It was like a plate from the Earth which we stood lifted and descended us two floating into the air; Two mouths metamorphasized in one, our body's floating in the endlessly stretching vault of purple midnight sky, the stars watching in awe, the incandescent moon our stage light as our lips performed.