Margaux tried her best to wiggle her way through the thick crowd to get the hell out of there but it was no use. She was being carried farther and farther away from the exit gate by the enormous wave of unknown faces.

“, the ?” Margaux winces as someone stepped on her foot, with a throbbing toe, she looks up to see the culprit

“Oh hey, Margaux with an x” it was Zachary but he wasn’t wearing that familiar Starbucks uniform, he wore something different, something that made him ‘Cooler? Noticeable? Or… more attractive?’ Margaux thought as she studies him from head to toe, he was wearing: a black shirt with a print on it that said ‘WANG’, a pair of not-so-baggy pants, a snapback, and a couple of jewelries or on him

“Zachary? But I thought you were working?” he was like a chameleon, he blended so much with the crowd, meanwhile there she stood looking like someone who sneaked out to join this party

"My shift just ended, are you okay?” He was pushed closer to her due to the crowd and she had to step back

“Yeah” but then she suddenly remembers the Starbucks cup on her hand

“Hey! You got my name wrong” she said, a little louder because he probably won’t hear her over this roaring music, leading him away from the crowd

“What? But I thought you said it was with an x?” he furrowed his brows as he follows her up until she turns to face him and leaned on the railings that were used as a barrier

“Yeah, it was M-A-R-G-A-U-X” she rolled her eyes at him as she tossed the cup at the side, not caring to where it went, besides the janitors would clean this whole mess tomorrow morning or maybe in the afternoon or until whenever this whole thing stops

"Oh, right” he smiled sheepishly at her as he leaned on the railings next to her, just observing the whole crowd jumping and getting wild, he wanted to immerse his self in the crowd. He needed that relaxation, that moment of freedom and expression

"Hey, let’s dance” he tried to convince her but she showed him her are-you-ing-serious face

“No way, it’s too suffocating but go ahead” she nudged him on his shoulder, trying to push him towards the crowd but she was too small and weak for him to even notice that she was nudging him

"You sure?” he looked down at her, well basically because he was ing tall and she could pass as a minion on despicable me if she ever try on wearing a jumper, and she looks up to him. She could barely see his face since it was already dark but his face was illuminated by the disco lights, it went red then yellow then blue then green, and he does somehow look good in it all.

"Yeah” No. She doesn’t want to be left alone, she doesn’t want him to go. Well, you know, something ty might happen to her if she’s all by herself, she thought, but she wasn’t his responsibility.

"See you around” he gave her a smile and then left, she watch him being swallowed by the crowd. She felt uneasy and uncomfortable, maybe she just needs someone to talk to and it doesn’t have to be him.

She spots her sister dancing on her far right, she went over and tried to convince her sister to go home with her.

"C’mon, this whole stuff is boring” Margaux grabbed her sister’s arm and tried to pull her but she just wouldn’t budge, because besides the fact that Beatrix was taller than her, she was also stronger.

"Quit being a killjoy, just have fun, loosen up a bit!” her sister shouted at her ear, as if she was deaf or something, but it was probably because Beatrix was drunk already, she could smell the alcohol radiating from her sister

“No, come on let’s go home Bea – “ before Margaux could finish, Beatrix handed her a bottle of alcohol and fled deeper in the crowd. Margaux stared at the bottle in her hand, she was hesitant to drink. Not because of some typical reason such as; her mom forbids her or she has a curfew to abide. Their mom lets them do everything they wanted ever since their dad left them, because it had always been their father that forbids them from doing everything, including their mom. Their family before was patriarchal and her mom got fed up from their controlling, jealous, cheating, selfish, (insert all typical negative adjective) father.

"Oh it” she chugs down the alcohol, allowing it to take over her system. Then she took another bottle as soon as she’s finished with the first. She never drinks outside their house and this was just her second time around and the memory of the first wasn’t memorable at all. She remembers sleeping in one of her friend’s tub looking like lady gaga went more cray cray plus she was soaked in her own puke (EW, grosssss!). She shudders at that horrible experience.

"Hey Margaux with an x!” She could hear her name from afar and it sounded so familiar to her, she whips her head around with a 20-20 hazy vision trying to locate that person.

"Zachary?” she squints her eyes at him as he approaches her

“Woah, I never knew you drink. And hey! I thought you find this suffocating” he was pressed close to her that she could smell the alcohol from his breath (or was it hers?), she couldn’t think straight anymore. She had finished her second drink and next thing she knows, she was already jumping with Zachary, they were both dancing to the rhythm just like the rest. Zachary watched her as she dance, he watched her up close since there was just like an inch or two space between them and Margaux doesn’t seem to notice. But he did, and he liked it. Ever since he laid eyes on her from the bleachers, he somewhat knew she was special, she just stood out from the rest. She was simple yet beautiful, her clothes were simple yet she was beautiful, she was beautiful from afar and so much more up close. He didn’t want this night to end, not now at this moment when he’s so close to her

"You’re so beautiful, Margaux” he told her, she looked up to him with sweat beading her forehead

“Creep” she laughs it off and he tagged along

"Hey Zachary” she called out

“Yeah?”

"I have a favor” she tiptoed and pulled his ear close to and whispered: ‘Stop being so cheesy, I might fall for a stranger’