My Bubblegum King - Chapter 4: Chapter 4

"His name's Diego and when I found out, I might or might not have rambled out about Ice Age." I slowly confessed, using an eye to look at Ryder who was sitting beside me on the bench and Landon from my laptop screen.
Landon face palmed with both hands and Ryder was just looking at me with an incredulous look, like she can not believe what she just heard. "Oh my God Pax." Landon finally said, he had his usual teasing smile on.
"It wasn't that bad and cringy though, not like it sounds." I defended, looking at them hopefully and knowing if I'd run the other way when next I see Diego.
"How can't it be?" Ryder asked, "I'm having goosebumps just thinking about it. You rambled about Ice Age? How do you even remember that? Isn't that like some 1990 something year ago?"
"No," she was so exaggerating, "and how can you even forgot about it? Especially when he's name is fucking Diego? I couldn't help it."
Landon laughed, "it's not that bad really, it's adorable. I wish I can see this Diego, so I'd know how hot he is and how long it'll take."
"How long what would take?" I asked, eying him from the screen.
"You know," he moved his brows suggestively and when he saw neither Ryder nor I was getting it, he made an 'O' shape with his fingers on one hand and used the index finger of his other hand to through into the O shape. My eyes widened and I almost slammed shut my laptop.
"Landon!" I screamed, just as Ryder's face squeezed in disgust. "Ew!"
Landon burst out laughing and I glared, "it's not funny."
"Yeah, it's really not," Ryder agreed. "Paxton is taken," she grabbed my hand and lifted it pointing at the ring on my finger. "promise rings, see?"
Sebastian and I didn't call them promise rings but whatever.
"Promise rings?" Landon sighed, "forgive me Pax. He's fuckimg 200km away, are you really going to wait on that? Isn't college supposed to be a place to explore, get to know yourself better. That ring is more like a chain."
Ryder and I looked at each other and I looked back at the screen, "Landon, fuck you!" I was itching to drop the system and walk away but what good would that do?
"Okay, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so blunt but it's reality and this usually doesn't work. Not when there are guys like Diego walking around and being seatmates."
"I don't like Diego like that," I pointed out.
"Yeah, well you have to agree there's some attraction going on. It all starts with a crush." Landon said.
"Shut up, Sebastian and Paxton are forever nothing is coming in between that. Not college, not lions and definitely not explorations." Ryder looked at me and smiled. "It usually doesn't work out but this is the rare case where it does."
"Yeah," I agreed, feeling better and bolder after Ryder's talk. "And Sebastian is coming over next year, it isn't going to be long distance forever."
"Fine," Landon conceded, raising his hands in surrender.
"What? You don't believe it?" Her eyes flashed to me and back to the screen, "Wanna bet?" Ryder asked, narrowing her eyes at Lan.
"Oh God, not this again." I groaned. "I'm right here."
"200 bucks that Pax and Seb would still be together come Sophomore year?"
Landon looked at me, then Ryder. "Deal."
"You guys are unbelievable fuckers, you know that right?" I asked.
"Yep, we love you." Ryder said hugging me from the side. Landon and I fist bumped from the screen after he asked if we were good and I nodded.
"So what are you guys going to be up to after this?" Lan asked, tearing open a bag of crackers.
"We're going to go prepare for the Party," Ryder said excitedly, "is Sim coming?"
"I don't know, we haven't talked about it." I answered, I strangely wanted to attend this party despite the fact that I feel like being inside reading would be best for me. It was going to be my first college party and the party to signify the end of introductory week. I can't miss it.
*-*-*
"I didn't like highschool parties," Sim said he features squeezing up as we approached the large mansion that the mega party was being held at.
"I attended only a handful of those, can't really say where I stand," I said, folding my arms around me and accessing the building. It looked like a mansion straight out of the olden days movie scene, like the minor building of a castle. Brick walls and a red roof.
"Well, the handful that I attended, I can honestly say I loved them," Ryder said casting Sim and I a look. She had makeup on and I've rarely seen her with makeup so it was a bit weird looking at her face. It suited her though, I must admit. She looked hot and like what as highschoolers we usually imagined college girls to look like. "I feel like this is gonna be a lit party, like the best in our lives so far."
"Do you guys know this is a fraternity house?" Sim asked and I mentally cheered, I knew that I know something about this building but I couldn't figure out what it is I know. Sim just reminded me, it's a fraternity house, housing the most popular if not the only fraternity on campus. If it can even be called a fraternity.
"And fraternities hold a record of the greatest amount of mishaps on any campus?" Sim continued not tearing his eyes away from the building.
"You're saying we should go back?" Ryder asked raising a brow at Sim and I could silently hear the 'after all this?' that she didn't include.
"Not really, we should just know what we're going into."
I laughed, "come on guys this is even barely a fraternity home. It's just a house on campus where guys can stay to safely throw parties and have sex. Nothing dangerous."
"True," Ryder and Sim both said and I smiled, feeling like a Congress speaker.
"And it almost full even, why should we be the ones going back home?" I asked no one in particular.
"Let's fucking party."
The party turned out to be beyond my imagination. There were surplus drinks and even champagnes. Food of different kinds, snacks and fingerlings. There was a giant bowl of punch that was surely spiked and brave people were actually drinking out of. Machines on the floor and ceiling releasing white harmless smoke and fueling more life to the party. The lightening and DJ were exceptional and everyone was so jolly happy, it was infectious.
People we didn't know we're saying hi and one even dragged Sim away to go partake in a game. Ryder didn't want for anybody to drag us off and she did so herself, taking us to the dancefloor and slipping on her invisible dancing shoes.
"If you actually want to score someone, you shouldn't be dancing with me," I yelled close to her ears so she'd hear me with my hands on her waist, following her movements.
She looked at me and I could see the indecision and fear all over her face. "I want to but... What if..."
"Ry, that's not an option. No one in their right senses would not want you." I assured her, following it up with a smile. "You look so beautiful. The most beautiful girl around."
She giggled smacking my shoulder, "you're just saying that because I'm your best friend and you love me."
Over senior year, I grew a bit and now had almost a head over Ryder. I was still short but now taller than someone I knew, I wouldn't let her rest when it happened and she got tired of me but we still always laughed it off. "That's true but I'm not lying either."
With her hands over my shoulder, she craned her neck looking around, I don't know if for a particular person or just any random hot alone person. She gave up quickly, "nobody in sight."
"Ry," I started but she shushed me.
"Let's just dance together, okay? Tonight must not be the night and if I wander of, what are you going to do? I'm staying," She said, turning her back to me while dancing.
I shook my head at her excuses, she was just still scared but I knew she'd get over it, even though not tonight. And if she wanted to dance tonight, then we'd dance. I slipped on my dancing shoes too and completely upped Ryder's dancing movement.
"Woohoo," Ryder laughed, turning back to me. "That's what I'm talking about partner."
I grinned, replying her with more dance moves that she tried to keep up with. I knew our dancing was on fire, I'd have gotten better at it and so has she and other people apparently agreed with it because soon it wasn't just Ryder and I dancing anymore but two other girls and one guy had joined in.
A petite girl who had her ginger hair cut really low like a boy was grinding against me when I unconsciously turned and my eyes met with none other than Diego fucking Royal. I narrowed my eyes, what were the odds that among the hundreds of people here I just had to coincidentally meet eyes with him again, here.
"You okay, dude?" The girl asked, seeing as I've stopped moving, turning around and putting her hands up around me.
I looked down at her, holding her too. "Yeah, sorry." I didn't want to look back at him but I did and Diego raised whatever was in his hand at me, like he was inviting me over.
I looked away and tried to continue dancing like I didn't see him but then, my moves were sloppy and my eyes were darting around. He saw me see him, won't it be ride now if I just ignored him? We might get the wrong idea and I don't need an enemy now.
I leaned down to the red girl's hair, "hey, sorry but I have to go."
"Aw shit," she lets go of me and smirked at me. "If you're coming back, come back to me okay? We make a good team."
"Sure," I nodded at her, turning to see Ryder sandwiched between the other two people. I laughed, she looked like she was having a great time. I moved closer to her, trying to get her attention and trying not to disrupt the dancing. "Ry, I'm taking a break, want something?"
She smiled at me, "tired already?"
I scratched an itch on my ear, "something like that. So?"
"Yeah, I could do with a drink."
"Okay, I'll be back." I looked at the two people she was dancing with trying to take mental images of their faces before I squeezed out of the dance floor. It's when a little air hits me that I realized I am a bit tired, sweaty and thirsty. I wondered where Sim was and if he was having a great time.
Diego was still where I last saw him and I walked straight to him. "Hey."
"Hello there, little Chris Brown." Diego said, smiling at me. He was chewing what I'm guessing is a gum and he still looked as good as he did the last time I saw him. He had a beanie on again and even in the neon lights, his cross earring was glinting.
"Ha," my hand found their way to my neck. "I'm no Chris Brown and if I am, I don't know if I'm to take offense at being called little."
Diego shrugged, "you said you're not so nothing to take offense on."
"Right," I looked up at him. "Smooth."
He chuckled, it's deep like his voice. "Nothing offense in little, trust me."
I nod, my throat yearning for the drink in his hands. "Do you happen to know where the kitchen is? I'm super thirsty."
"Sure, come on." He moved, avoiding people and leading us to what I think is the kitchen. The kitchen happens to be on the first floor of the building and we had to climb up the stairs which looked like a feat with all the crowded people on it, kissing and making out.
My mouth dropped seeing a couple sprawled out on the stairs, blocking the way and taking the make out to another level. The guy had his hand inside the girl's shirt already and I didn't have the courage to follow up her hand and see where it was disappearing to. Diego looked at me and wiggled a brow and my face immediately flames up red.
Damn it.
Diego put his hand behind me to lead the way with me in front of him like he's protecting me. I didn't mind it, to be honest I don't think I could climb up the stairs without a little help. "Excuse us, coming through."
The couple didn't even pause but they moved their legs a bit. I'm not even sure they were a couple, couples would have more respect for themselves. Diego sighed, looking like he was starting to get pissed off.
"Maybe we should just abandon the drinks," I looked at him behind me. "I'd survive."
He rolled his eyes, "which would you prefer; that I move them or we cross over?" I looked down at the couple, moving them might cause for a fight but he looked more than capable of holding one. "I could carry you over."
I blushed, "no way." Holding onto his hand for support, I cross over the couple and he does to and we continue like that going over the human piles until we were successfully upstairs. "Finally," I breathed in relief, laughing and letting go of his hand.
Diego shook his head at me, walking in front again. "You looked like you were going to puke?"
"Yeah, all the other parties I've been to haven't been this crowded and visual."
He pushed open a half open door and we entered into the giant kitchen. There were about three people here and they all exchanged greetings with Diego. He has his attention on me though, "Highschool parties?"
I nodded, looking around the kitchen. It's then it occurred to me that they were drinks downstairs and I just remembered that because compared to downstairs, the kitchen looked kind of off limits. And the two guys already in here looked like they lived here, the third person being a girlfriend or something to one.
"Well welcome to college parties then," Diego said, then opened the fully stocked fridge that had my jaw falling. "This one isn't even as wild."
"You've got to be kidding me?" I looked around but the other people weren't paying us any attention so I hopped up on the counter. "What's wild then?"
"Yes or no to alcohol?" He asked first, holding two drinks up.
"Yes." Was my reply and he smirks at me.
"Strong or not?"
I bit my lip thinking about it. Sim's to be our sober but I didn't even know where he was. "Um, not so strong?"
"You got it," he brought out two drinks to mix up and walked to bring the cups like he was familiar with the kitchen. "And by wild, I'm thinking no clothes and lots of pot?"
"Shit," I run my hand through my face.
He smirked, "not your scene?"
I shook my head, "nope but I might still attend. Or my best friend might make me still attend."
"The girl you were dancing with?" He asked and I nodded, although I danced with about three girls. "I was thinking girlfriend."
"Nope," I watched him shake the drinks. "I'm gay."
He didn't react anyway, except pursing his lips as if holding in a smirk or smile and nodding. "My bad."
"It's okay, people think that a lot with me and Ryder."
He handed me my drink, keeping his light green eyes on me. "To less misconceptions and wilder parties."
I smiled and hit my cup with his, "cheers."