Parties in movies and tv shows had always seemed exaggerated until this moment. It wasn’t as crazy as some movies, there wasn’t toilet paper hanging off of tree branches, cars driven up on lawns, or guys laying pantless on the ground outside. There was however, thumping music that the trio could hear before they even opened any of the car doors and a handful of people hanging out and chatting just outside the front door. There were more cars than Stardust would have expected to see, the town wasn’t all that big and he’d not thought there would be that many teenagers here. Even if some of them were college age it still seemed like more than he would have expected.
“She usually invites some of the teams from other schools and sometimes the summer camp counsellors. A lot of people are coming in their own cars though, to show off, instead of carpooling. i bet a lot of them get left here overnight.” Cori piped up as they climbed out of the car, reading Stardust’s thought before he had a chance to ask about it. “They place is pretty huge and I tend to hang out outside, so that I can hear whoever I’m with.”
“That’s because you are boring. I however am going to go grab a drink and going to dance.” Petunia rolled her eyes at Cori before she grinned at Stardust. “And you are totally welcome to come dance with me if you want.”
“Thanks, maybe later.” It was a nice offer. He wasn’t sure if she was making it just because he was there or if she was actually trying to be friendly but either way it was nice.
“Have fun boys!” She gave her friend Cori a half hug before she ran off towards the house ahead of the pair.
“Look for Begonia to tell her you’re here!” Cori called after his friend who just gave a half wave to show that she’d even heard what he’d said to her. He just shook his head a little at the response before he turned to his date, holding out a hand. “Begonia is her older sister. She usually pops by to play babysitter for the parties. Ready to go in?”
“Yeah.” Stardust confirmed his reply by placing his hand in Cori’s, ignoring the tingle of electricity that ran from fingertips to heart. He couldn’t however, keep it from bringing a smile to his face. He let his friend guide him into the house, sticking close to keep the crowd from separating them. They paused inside long enough to grab two cans of pop, moving again once those were in free hands. The journey stopped outside, on the large deck that overlooked a huge backyard peppered with a few small groups of teens here and there. If he’d thought his dad’s view was gorgeous this one was a masterpiece. It had the trees and forest along its edge but it also had a pool that was clearly closed off to guests and a trampoline.
The pair just settled on the deck, grabbing an edge where they could stick their legs through railings and let them dangle. Despite the loud music and conversations it wasn’t as bad as Stardust had anticipated. Most of the parties he’d attended back home had either been low key and barely more than a handful of people or far too many teenagers crammed into one small room, drinking way more than anyone should. Maybe it was just because he was with Cori and could drown the rest of the party out but it was actually kind of nice to be here. He didn’t even mind all that much when their conversation was interrupted every so often by people who knew the older teen and wanted to say hi.
The best interruption however, was when the girl who’d been working at the convenience store came by with freezies for the pair of them, a cherry one for Stardust and a grape for Cori. She was apparently Begonia, Petunia’s older sister who only stopped by for a moment before she went off in search of her younger sibling. It wasn't really hot enough that they needed them to cool down but the ice and sugar was a nice combination and both teens were grateful for it. They were the bigger kind, so by the time they both got to the bottom of them it was mostly just plastic filled with syrupy water. Stardust loved when they got like that, he would do everything he could to suck as much of it up as he could.
“You’re really cute.” The statement from Cori startled the peach haired teen badly enough that it made him inhale some of his treasured treat the wrong way. After his little coughing fit let him go he glanced over, greeted by the sweetest smile Stardust had ever seen.
“No? I just like freezie juice.” He fumbled for a good second or two, trying to come up with an excuse for it but there was none. He really was just a sugar junkie.
“Me too. That’s not the only reason you’re cute.” Cori didn’t seem to want to drop the subject, at least not without restating his point. He didn’t linger on it long enough for his date to protest again, moving on with a grin. “Lemme see your tongue? I bet it’s super red.”
That was something Stardust could do. He remembered plenty of summers with friends, buying different candies just to see how much colour they would leave behind on tongues. They also had liked to test different combinations of candies, though most of the time that just lead to weird combinations of brown that looked kind of gross with a belly full of candy. It wasn’t hard to get carried away with that sort of thing until they made themselves sick over it all. Still it was fun, even when they were queasy and sugar high. The familiar action made him giggle a little before obliging. He stuck out his tongue, showing off the food colouring’s handiwork.
“Oh man, so red.” Cori grinned. “What about me? Purple?”
The older teen stuck out his tongue, showing off not only the purple from the freezie but also from the small ball that announced the tongue piercing Cori had. It caught Stardust off guard a little, leaving him staring at it for a moment or two before the tongue retreated so its owner could use it to speak again.
“Is it purple?”
“Oh yeah, really purple. Sorry I just got distracted.” Stardust couldn’t really lie about it, it wasn’t like it wasn’t obvious that he’d been less than focused on the conversation for a minute there.
“By my mouth?” The grin that slowly spread across Cori’s face probably should have made the younger teen feel more embarrassed but it didn’t. Instead, it actually eased some of his worries. Cori wasn’t making him feel stupid about the lapse in judgement.
“By my thoughts. The universe. The meaning of life. You know how it is.” Stardust wasn’t going to give him the ego boost he was looking for, not in words at least. His smile however told his date that his assumption had been correct. “Everything is just so very vast.”
“You know what I think the meaning of life is?” That wasn’t the strain of conversation that Stardust had been expecting Cori to take away from what he said but it wasn’t unwelcome. What better place to contemplate the infinitely vast universe and its meaning than at a high school summer party.
“What do you think it is?”
“Taking risks. Taking chances. Not letting things pass you by just because it might be bite you in the ass. Doing things like this.” To accent the point he was making, Cori leaned over, both legs still stuck through railing posts as he pressed his lips to Stardust’s. It wasn’t the city teen’s first kiss, but it was their first kiss and it made his heart leap into his throat, flittering wildly. His eyelids fluttered closed, memorizing the moment. With his feet dangling like this, and his pulse racing it felt like he was floating. When Cori pulled away Stardust almost went with him, faltering as he opened his eyes to look at his date.
“I think that you might be right.” Stardust wasn’t really sure how he managed to make words work yet but he did. This was amazing. If he’d’ been asked before he left what he’d expected the summer away to hold for him, he would have never suggested romance yet here he was getting kissed by a very cute boy.
“Wanna take that risk again?” If Stardust had been on the fence at all about it, Cori’s grin alone would have changed his mind. As it was the city teen was still riding the high of the first kiss and he would have agreed to another in a heartbeat. His reply didn’t come in the form of words however, it came in the way he leaned forward, bringing his lips to meet Cori’s instead this time. The moment the connect was reformed it was just the two of them again, two happy, giggling teens sitting outside on a warm night, having a great time. They could spend the rest of the party there, chatting between kisses until it was time for everyone to go, that would make the evening absolutely perfect.
Their perfect evening wasn’t given a chance to last for as long as either teen would have liked, one of their many sweet kisses was interrupted by a possibly tipsy Petunia. Stardust didn’t know her well enough to know if her enthusiasm was from liquor or if it was just a regular part of her personality. She almost thrust herself in the middle of their kiss, wrapping arms around their shoulders and thrusting her fact far closer than comfort would have normally dictated. Luckily she pulled back after getting their attention, before Stardust had time to feel really uncomfortable with it, grinning like a cheshire cat at her friend.
“This looks cozy.”
“Petunia, if you interrupted us just to say that…” Cori didn't return her grin,not fully at least. That particular kiss might have lasted longer than the previous ones if it hadn’t been interrupted so rudely.
“Of course not. That would be lame.” She rolled her eyes and let go of them. “I came to tell you, they pulled out a ouija board. A really tacky one with like a glow in the dark um… arrow letter thingy but a ouija board nonetheless.”
“Planchette. And seriously? Those assholes.” There was a groan in Cori’s tone as he pushed himself up, getting to his feet. “I’m sorry Stardust, wait here, I’ll be right back?”
“Okay?” Stardust didn’t mind getting left here for a brief moment but he was confused. The change in his date’s body language was so stark and it made him wonder if this was really just an excuse to get away from the kissing. He hoped not, it had been going so well until then.
He wasn't left to sit alone however, Petunia didn't follow her friend. Instead she sat down next to her friend's date, watching him with a sloppy grin. He couldn't just sit in the silence between them. There was a question that couldn't keep itself quiet, even if it would get laughed at.
“Is he just trying to get away from me?”
“Cori? No.” At least Petunia didn't laugh, or rather, didn't add to her drunk giggling. “He really can't stand people using ouija boards when he's around.”
“Is he superstitious or something?” Now it was curiosity that prodded the question, not fear or uncertainty.
“Not really. It's just whenever they're used around him they always get Lily and that's hard on him.” There was a heavy pause, a long silence despite the party pulsing around them. Petunia’s face lost its humour, eyebrows furrowed as she struggled to make a decision about something. “Lily was his sister. She died ten years ago always answers the calls for ouija boards. Even if it's strangers. Plus she always spills Cori’s secrets and he hates that. She outted him.”
“She always shows up like what, she's a ghost?” It took a lot for Stardust to not snort the word, he didn't believe he was having this conversation.
“I dunno, ghost, spirit, guardian angel? She's always around him. She died, saving his life. He almost died too. Doesn't matter what she is, it's still rude for them to do when they know he hates it.” Petunia’s point was a good one. even if Stardust didn't agree with all of this ghost, ouija bullshit even he could see how it was rude and wrong for the group to be using one at a party Cori was invited to. Whether ghosts were real or not they were opening up wounds that didn't belong to them and then prying to Cori’s personal life while they were at it.
“Petunia. Your sister's looking for you to take you home. She's not waiting around for you to get more drunk.”
The sound of Cori’s voice startled them both, though it was only the tipsy girl who physically jumped she was so startled. She looked sheepish, it was likely impossible not to with how serious her friend's tone had been. There was no smile on Cori's lips, or laughter in his eyes as he sat down next to Petunia. It put her between the teens that had come together and Stardust feared their date was over. Cori didn't move to fill the gap when Petunia got up, looking as though she might be sick from either the drinking or the tension. She waved a wordless goodbye to Stardust, leaving him alone with this weighted moment.there was something he should say, something to help the situation but he didn't know what it was.
“So… she told you about Lily huh.” Cori spoke up after a few moments, eyes locked on the leafy canopy along the edges of the property. He seemed to be just as uncertain about what to say, voice almost inaudible with the wind trying to carry it away. “Guess you'll be wanting to get home.”
“Only if you want to go home.” Stardust’s heart aches in his chest, invisible fingers clutching the muscle with a grip that made him want to throw up. The lack of a reply to that just made everything worse, Cori’s expression was lost in thought as he just kept staring into the green pit of nature. “You know, I'm not judging you. The stuff with your sister? I've never lost anyone. I don't know what it's like so who am I to say how you should feel about her.”
“And what if I said they always bring out a ouija board when I'm at a party because they know she'll show up and give them info on their gossip targets and crushes?” Normally Stardust would laugh off ouija boards. A friend of his back home had brought one out at a party a few months back and it had been nothing more than an attempt to scare one another while asking the most ridiculous questions. His friend hadn't even been subtle about moving the planchette to the letters of his choice. Still, there was something serious about Cori’s question, the kind of serious that would be offended by a laugh or a joke. Unlike for his friends, this was real for Cori and the teens up this way.
“Who am I to say she isn't? I'm not really into all that paranatural crap but I'm also not an expert on how it's ‘not real’ or something.” Stardust could respect it if Cori’s beliefs were varied from his own. He just couldn't stand phoney ‘$4.99-a-minute’ psychics. “I'm a see it to believe it kind of person but I'm not going to think less of anyone who's different.”
He'd said too much and it had been all wrong. Cori was staring at him like he was speaking an alien language, describing some concept that didn't exist on earth. If only the deck would open up and swallow him whole, to save him from the embarrassment of having to ride home with Cori now. His father was always an option as well, he could call him to ask to get picked up but that would lead to questions about how the night had gone and clearly it was going not so well anymore.
“Really? Well thanks. I won’t go on about it, but that means a lot.” Cori smiled, softening his face once more. With just that look the grip on Stardust’s heart loosened, leaving him able to breathe easily. “And, maybe not home just yet? Maybe… some more kissing first?”
Stardust hadn’t realized yet just what was being suggested in that moment yet. He didn’t know that Cori’s sister Lily was far more vocal than just a piece of plastic moving across a wooden board, spelling out words letter by letter. She was with him in a far more mundane way, murmuring ideas and observations into her living brother’s ear. Of course, if Stardust had been told that while he sat out in the night air, feet dangling over the side of some stranger’s deck he would have laughed in such a way that Cori would have had no choice but to be offended. At least this way, with this first little tidbit of information the idea that there was more than the eye could see going on could start to take root.
