Across the Room

Ben was the first to walk in to Ashley's house. Already the house had a haze over it from all the smoking. The music was pulsating, and bodies were dancing, closer than imaginable. Chris walked in next, and Nic and Daniel followed close on his heels. Amazingly, through the sea of bodies, Ashley managed to find them.

"Ben! Johnsy! Chris!" she said, giving each of them a kiss on their cheeks. Then she turned to Nic. "Heya chicky, what's up?" Nic smiled. "Nothing much...great fiesta you got going here, Ash." she said, surveying the room. Ash beamed with pride. "I try." she said modestly. "Anyway, Nic, can I take you outside, where it's a bit quieter? I gotta talk to you for a minute." Nic turned to Daniel. "Can you manage not to spaz out for a minute while I talk to Ash outside?" Daniel nodded and she kissed his cheek. Ash grabbed Nic's hand and led her outside.

People were swimming fully clothed in the pool, but the noise level had definitely lessened. Nic looked at Ash. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Ash nodded and stepped over a couple making out on the patio. "I met this new girl today. She's awesome. Her name's Sarah. I'd love to show her around tomorrow, you know, get her aquainted with our loverly place, but mum called earlier saying that they were coming home early, so I gotta clean the place. I know that you and Dan were planning to go out, but could you do me a huge favour and.." Nic held up her hand and Ash silenced. "Sure thing, babe. But even better, let Chris and Ben do it? They wanted to come with me and Dan, but now they have something better to do." Ash smiled at Nic. "Ooh, you are a genius. Let's go back in." Ash and Nic made their way back into the party, and Nic started looking for Daniel.


Meanwhile, inside, the three guys were trying to get into the party. Chris was prowling around, checking out the females. He smiled at a blond before, across the room, he spied the most amazing girl he had ever seen. She was standing with another girl, laughing at something. The way her ginger curls bounced when she laughed made him smile. He briefly looked at the mirror on the wall, smiled and made his way over to the ginger curled girl.


Ben, however, wasn't having as much luck with the girls. His recent plight for a girlfriend hadn't been working very well. Sure, there were some girls that wanted to go out with him, but none of them appealed to him. Chris and Dan had told him that he was too picky, but he just wanted someone he could spend a lot of time with. He hadn't wanted to come to the party tonight, which was a rare occasion in Ben Gillies' life. Not wanting to come to a party...well, he had his reasons. It all summed up to basicially one thing though: his lack of girl. He wanted to take a girl to the party, dance with her for a while, then escape into any random room and have their own one-on-one party. But he had come to the party with much persuasion from Chris and Daniel, and the hope that he would meet someone at the party. So far, however, he was regretting his decision.

"Ow!" he stopped and looked down into the most amazing green eyes he had ever seen. "You kinda walked on my hand there." the lying down girl said. "Sorry." he said. He frowned and sat down beside her. "Why are you all alone at a party on the floor?" he asked her. She sat up and looked at him. "I might ask you the same question. Except you were walking." she smiled warmly. She had one of those infectious smiles and he found himself smiling back at this girl, despite his crummy mood. He frowned again. "You don't look familiar. Are you one of Ash's Swansea friends?" She shook her head. "Nah, I just moved to Merewether. I'm Sarah." she extended her hand and he shook it. "I'm Ben." She nodded. "I'll try to remember that. So many new people within the last few days." He frowned. "What? I can't hear you." Someone had just turned up the stereo and it was virtually impossible to be heard. She stretched over his body and whispered into his ear, "Let's go outside!" He nodded and stood up. He took her hand and pulled her up, and they squeezed through the swarm of sweaty flesh to the back door.


Daniel looked around the room, attempting to find a place to sit and wait for Nic. Prodigy was blaring over the speakers and, against his will, he found himself being drawn to the dance floor. Daniel wasn't the biggest fan of the rave type scene, but it was a party, Nic was outside, and there wasn't anywhere to sit, so he figured if you couldn't beat them, join them. He started out moving somewhat awkwardly, but as he loosened up he found his body moving in time with the music. He was lost in the beat of Prodigy.

"Here." a small brunette girl tapped his shoulder. He turned to see what she wanted. "Open your hand." she said. He gave her a strange look but did as told. She pulled a small box out from her jean pocket. Opening it delicately, Daniel became impatient. "What are you giving me?" he said, trying to peer into the box. "Something to make the music sound better...last longer...". She pulled a small aquamarine tab out of the box and carefully placed it on his hand. He stared at the tab, wondering what to do with it. He looked at the girl, curiously. "Well, are you going to take it?" she asked impatiently. He nodded and stared at the small gel tab on his hand. Before he could say anything, she turned back around and was lost to the music again. He stared at the tab, wondering if he should do it. He wasn't a heavy drug user, just the occasional joint here and there. However, Nic didn't think he should do it because of his voice. He had been keeping true to his promise to her of laying off the weed, but recently he had been fiending.

He stared at his hand again. The gel tab looked so appealing. The color was so calming, matching what he had heard about its effects. Somewhere, he thought he heard Nic's voice, and his head whirled around. She wouldn't want him doing this. But then again, he wouldn't be fiending if it weren't for her... "What the hell?" he said softly, put the tab on his tongue, and continued to dance.


Kayt stared around the room, bored off her arse. Chris had, yet again, cancelled for the night. This time his excuse had been that he needed to go over to Ben's to practice. But when she had called Ben's house, no male was to be found. Only person home had been Kristy. She sighed and figured she might as well do something about her boredom. Kayt stretched and hopped off her bed and walked to the table to her phone. Picking up the receiver, she picked speed dial 7, not sure who it would get her. She changed them so often she was never sure.

"'ello?" a welcoming voice answered. Kayt smiled. Lauren. Lauren never left the house. Surely she'd be able to come over. "Hey Laur, it's Kayt. Whatcha up to?" "Well, Kayt, I'm actually about to head out..." Kayt's spirits sunk...how could Lauren, homebound Lauren, Lauren who left her house for school and nothing else, be heading out? "Oh.." Kayt said, not bothering to hide her disappointment. Lauren sensed Kayt's unhappiness and attempted to fix it, "Well, Kayt, actually I'm going to a party at a year 12's house..." Kayt's mouth dropped in amazement. Lauren, on top of being a homebound girl, was a year 11. That was like inviting an one-legged man to an arse-kicking contest..it just never worked out. How Lauren managed to get that invite fazed Kayt. "Oh really?" she said a bit surprised. "Yeah, this girl in my Creative Writing class invited me while we were peer editing. She said to bring anyone I wanted. So you wanna go with me?" Kayt smiled. "Wow, I don't know how to thank you Lauren! I'll drive. Pick you up in 15, k?" Lauren agreed and they hung up. Kayt hummed happily as she went to the bathroom to get ready. She'd show Chris for ditching her. She'd have a great time...and try not to miss him too much at the same time.


Sarah looked around the enormous yard. "Ash has the awesomest place." Ben nodded, somewhat distracted by something. She immediately sensed he was spacey. She sat on the stump they had come to. "What's on your mind?" she said as Ben sat down on the cool grass. He shook his head. "Nothing much. Just thinking." Sarah nodded and looked up. "Wow...the stars are so amazing. Couldn't see much in Sydney with all the lights." Ben glanced at her. "Sydney?" She nodded, still looking up. "That's where I used to live." Ben smiled. "It's wonderful there." She looked at him and her face lit up. "Definitely wonderful! The city is so alive and everyone's just so fun to be with and life was just great..." she sighed. Ben laughed. "I know, Merewether's not that thrilling. But some of us are okay." Sarah smiled at him. "I get that sense. Hey, what are you doing tomorrow?" Ben shook his head. "Nothing as far as I know...why?" She smiled and grabbed his arm, hooking it on to hers and starting to walk back inside. "Because you're going to show me that some of you Mereweather people are okay. Now let's go back inside...I think I hear Crystal Method. You like them?" He laughed as they walked. "Sarah, I think we'll hit it off pretty well."

*continue*

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