DISCLAIMER- Mention of suicide
Charles P.O.V.
We entered the house where the party had already begun. The place was very crowded and being very honest, I have not had a lot of party experiences in my life. Back when I was in U.S, I never really went to clubs or parties. Though it may seem like I'm the kind of person who gets wasted every weekend, but I'M NOT.
I turned over to look at Ethan who seemed pretty relaxed. I wrapped my arm around his shoulder incase he felt uncomfortable due to the surroundings. Just when we reached the bar counter, I saw a guy and a girl coming towards us. Though the guy seemed awfully familiar. He was... Mason? NO, Mason had very long hair that he loved more than his life and would never cut. Carter? he does look like Carter. No, it can't be him as he had left the town almost at the same time as to when I did and he swore to never come back as his ex-girlfriend lived here because he couldn't get over her. Wait... No wayy that's Ethan best friend NICK?! Yes, that's him!! That smirk he's throwing, it has to be him. I remember that smirk from when we were 12 and his team won the basketball match by one point. I could never forget that expression. After guessing my guesses, I looked towards Ethan who seemed tensed?
Third-person P.O.V.
Charles was anything but okay right at that moment when Nick stood in front of him. To others it may not seem like a big deal, being ghosted by one of you friend, no... best friend, but to Ethan it meant a lot. Nick was all Ethan had after he lost his parents. All those nights he spent crying and Nick comforted him with a warm hug, was the only thing that got him going. Whenever he wanted to give up on everything, it was Nick who told him to trust in himself. Nick was like this therapist to Ethan because of whom he did not lose hope. The time when Ethan was almost going to take those pills and give his on life when Nick stopped him and asked him "What about your sister? Who will take care of her when you're gone?". Those were the only words that stopped him for ending the pain right there and then.
Ethan turned around to the opposite direction from where Nick was standing and started "Let's grab a drink?". It sounded more like a command than a suggestion or question to Charles but he just nodded seeing the condition Ethan seemed to be in. Face pale with no emotions. Charles had never seen Ethan like that except for when he lost his parents.
Ethan started walking towards the bar counter in the opposite direction. He turned 18 last summer which made it legal for him to drink. He sat down over one of the rotating chairs and poured himself a glass of Vodka, looking at Charles as if asking for what he wanted, who just got a beer. They sat there quietly with drinks in the hand of each one. Ethan gulped the shot down within a fraction of second and then ordered another one and then another and one more. Charles at one point got very concerned and advised him to stop. But did he? No.
Ethan's P.O.V.
Drink after drink, I just kept on drinking to bury my pain away. Looking at him wasn't easy. At all. I wanted to forget about all of this and run away. Away from him. I glanced towards his direction and he was still talking to her. They were standing too close. Too close to be friends. Too close to be just friends. I looked back at Charles and said "I'm going to the restroom. Be back in a few minutes". Charles offered to walk me to the bathroom considering my visibly drunk condition but I just denied. We were at a party and I didn't want him to be walking around with the guy who's sad and miserable, crying over his best friend avoiding him. I can't ruin his mood because mine is. He got me here to cheer me up and things just got so much worse. I didn't want him to hurt because I was hurting. I told him to dance or talk to other people by the time I get back. I pushed past a huge crowd of people but suddenly I started to feel dizzy. "Fuck, the drinks are doing their work" I cursed under my breath.
I tripped over some spilled liquid on the ground when suddenly felt some strength pulling me upwards, preventing me from falling down. I was in someone's arms. With the thought of being okay and feeing thankful for not ending up on the floor, I looked up to see who did the favour to save me and then our eyes met. Time stopped but my thoughts felt like they were running a thousand miles per second. 'Why isn't this day ending already?!!' was all I could think of.