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 Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2014 12:43 pm
Even though Bo had technically failed out of college last year (after spending time as a 3rd-time senior), the massively tall boy continued to live like he was a college kid. Not only did he still live in an apartment close to college with roommates who were still in college, but he still hung out on the green, still went to random classes for fun, still made a name for himself at every party he could. For all intents and purposes, he was a college student -- just without completing assignments or getting grades. That kind of pressure-free lifestyle was his preference.
His parents, however, were still unaware that he was not formally enrolled. Bo planned to ignore that until someone confronted him... and then run off and avoid it some more. It would all be okay; he was a master at dodging discomfort.
Tonight, for example, could have been a boring night developing photos at the Quik-N-Click where Bo was not-so-gainfully employed. Instead, the fiercely tan, fiercely blond 25-year-old was invited to a party a couple neighborhoods over at a house with a pool. Bo didn't care that it was still a little nippy in the air; he was prepared for his first Pool Party of 2014.
When he arrived, decked out in board shorts, a white t-shirt, and a pale blue hoody, the party had been a little dull. A couple text messages from Bo later? The size of the party had tripled, and people had spilled out into the backyard around the pool drawn by the addition of two kegs of beer. Music thumped out of the speakers, and a throng of Destiny City kids shook off the winter and danced alongside the plastic pool furniture and crushed solo cups.
Bo spotted an old friend of his (though, really, everyone was an old friend of his in his mind) and darted back inside the house to wrap up Angela in a fierce hug and join in on an impromptu group dance to the Cupid Shuffle.
Part-time job? Failed out of school? Barely affording bills?
WHO CARES! Life was good because fall and winter were over, spring had begun, and that meant summer was right around the corner. Victory.
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Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2014 12:56 pm
Ladon didn’t exactly do parties. Aside from a few birthday parties when he was in elementary school, he hadn’t made a lot of friends growing up, and had dropped out of college during his senior year. He never went to college, and his outward appearance tended to make people think he was, as they coined, “jailbait.” However, he was trying to get his feet wet socializing once again, and improving his civilian lifestyle a bit more. He realized that he couldn’t spend his days waiting at home for Billy to get done from work. Now that he had finished his highschool diploma online, he was at least on the same level as most people his age.
Somewhat.
Upon recently getting a clerical job at the police office, a few interns, a chatty pair by the name of Rachel and Dwayne, had invited him to a party hosted from a friend of a friend. The interns were nice, spoke often of their classes, and were kind to him without making him feel spoke down to for not holding an college education. It probably helped that the officers that came in went to an academy and had no college education either. It was a bit of a relief even if he felt lower on the education hierarchy.
Not to be detoured, he arrived as the party with the hint that it wouldn’t be all that big. It hadn’t, and he had found himself a drink, barely touching it, and tried to find one of the interns. Before he knew it, the party exploded, and it became harder and harder to find either of the interns who invited him.
A bit worried, he stepped away from the outside pool, past a few lawn chairs that a couple were making out it, and stepped back inside. While it was still cold out, a few people were dressed as if it was mid-summer, and he felt a bit overdressed in shorts, button-up polo and open, thin blue hoodie.
He felt uncomfortable around here, and debated how long he would have to stay after he said hi to his coworkers. Then again, he had gotten to courage to come in the first place. He should at least try to be friendly.
He looked around, looking for anything he could do other than wallflower next to a poster of various beer bottles with “College Education” written in bold font underneath.
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Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2014 1:11 pm
When the Cupid Shuffle ended, the room burst out into alcohol-and-sunshine fueled applause. Bo had grown bored near the end and wandered off toward a wall in search of wherever he had placed his beer. It was not uncommon for Bo to misplace multiple beers in a single night. He friends still teased him about the time he left a six-pack of mostly full beers all over the house, constantly going back to the fridge for a fresh one when he couldn't spot the old one.
There was a short boy in a hoodie much the same color as Bo's leaning against a wall. Next to him, on a small table, Bo spotted what he thought was his beer. Peeling through the crowd, he came to a stop in front of the other boy and said, "Oh, there you are!" Then, reaching past him to the table, he picked up a random beer and took a sip, germs be damned.
"And you are here too," he said again with a grin to Ladon. It was that Bo was ever consciously trying to flirt. It just sort of oozed out of him, regardless of gender, appearance, race, age, whatever. He flirted.
Sea-colored eyes appraised the other boy. There was something familiar about him. Had they met? Bo thought he had met most people. "Have we met before? You look familiar. Were you at Hanna's thing last week? Or maybe the bonfire at the beach?" He paused for a moment. "Or maybe you come to the Quik-N-Click? I develop photos there."
Without another thought, Bo leaned into the wall next to him. "I'm Bo. How do you know the hosts?" It was a lot of questions. Bo had been drinking and was feeling particularly friendly. Plus, as his mission was unofficially to spread joy, some part of his brain had registered that this other boy might be in need of some sunshine.
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Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2014 6:44 pm
He went tense when a complete strange addressed him and he scrambled to remember who this person even was. Had Rachel or Dwayne ever invited any of their friends to him, or had any ever showed up outside of work when everyone was leaving the building? He couldn’t remember a single instance that happened, and tried to then consider the horrible possibility that this might be someone from Meadowview High before he dropped out. Maybe someone from class he gave a pencil too and they were coming back now to return it and ask why he became a pathetic highschool dropout and what he was doing?
Nervously he rose his hand to say hello, only to see the blonde reach for a cup beside him. Feeling ridiculous and embarrassed, he took a sip as if to excuse him even opening his mouth to say a half-formed hello. Beer was weird. It tasted like it had gone bad, but it was cold and he felt his throat go dry in times like this. At least he felt some relief that he didn’t know him.
He looked over, pretty sure that cup did not belong to him. Hadn’t some red-head with a tube-top placed it there?
Just when he was sure he was backed to being ignored, which wasn’t so bad since it allowed the comfort of not talking, he was addressed and he went tense again. In placed like this, he felt out of place, and he felt that everyone else who fit in as easily as this blonde appeared would notice like a raccoon trying to blend in with a group of dogs. Would he had to prove he didn’t just barge in or would they ask him to leave? Would they turn the music and accuse him as being some freeloader for beer? And without his friends here, no one would be able to defend that he had an invite.
“Ah, I don’t think we’ve meet before. I don’t take too many pictures. My b-“ He took a sip of his cup to stop himself from saying boyfriend in mixed company. “My roommate has a digital camera.” If they were college kids, maybe lying that he had a roommate would make them think he fit in. Billy was sorta his roommate. They shared a room – among other things.
‘I was never to those parties.” And the fact this guy had been to several in such a short amount of time said something. This was the sort of guy everyone wanted to be. He knew people. He was invited places. He was relaxed in places like this.
He fit in.
It wasn't any wonder either. The boy was tan, confident, friendly, with shimmering bright hair that Ladon was pretty sure had to come from a bottle. It was that unnatural. Then there was the fact he was clearly toned.
“I’m Ladon.” He said, offering his hand for a handshake. “I know Rachel Derbish and Dwayne Holstein. We work together.” He wondered if those two were held in high regards. “I mean, they invited me here. I hope that’s okay. I can go if this is like a private thing.” From the amount of people here, it clearly wasn’t, but what did he know about college social gatherings. Maybe they were all in the same “house” or “frat” or “guild” or whatever they were. He only had movies to go on really, and those movies weren’t really his cup of tea.
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Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2014 8:19 pm
Bo bit the edge of the solo cup between his teeth so that he could reach out to shake Ladon's hand. There was a smear of pink lipgloss on the rim, but he didn't seem to notice or care. "It's not a private thing. Su casa es su casa. We're one big family and all that," Bo said, though his voice was muffled by the cup in his mouth. He took it out at last. "I recognize some of these faces, but I'm not good with names. I came with Lana." The name of the girl he came with was Laura, not that Ladon would know. Bo wasn't lying about his forgetfulness.
Almost as an afterthought, he added: "I'm Bo."
Downing the last of his beer, he placed the cup back on the cupboard. "Let's get another drink," he said, and then, in the same breath continued, "So your roommate has a digital? Do you know what kind? I gotta say, digital cameras are convenient, but there is something really organic about Polaroids. Like, you see something that is really, like, captivating, and you snap a picture, and then it is in your hands. That kind of immediacy is awesome." Bo had begun walking, turning back to smile at Ladon. He seemed to be assuming that the other boy would follow.
"If you come by Quik-N-Click, I can show him some cool shots and probably develop some stuff for free."
Bo gave away photos on the regular. This was not good for business, but he hadn't been fired yet.
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