We can hear the thumping noise three streets away from the actual location. 

Neon lights repeatedly flashes out of windows of the large house, just bigger than Tiffany's. I can feel the vibration of the music from the limo; I am reluctant to enter the what I assume is a deafening atmosphere. Not even these thick, black tinted windows can cut it off.

I follow Baekhyun off the luxury seats and cringe at my vulnerable ears. I swallow and think of how I can survive the next six hours without going completely deaf. Baekhyun turns around and says something, but I cannot make out anything over the thundering music. 

"What?" I shout and Baekhyun blinks wildly, as if my shout actually reaches his ears. 

He moves towards me and I instinctively move backwards from the sudden short distance between us. Baekhyun rolls his eyes and grips my bare shoulders with his hands. He takes no notice of my wide eyes as his voice resonates into my ear. "Lee will be right here at two in the morning. So get us back here then." 

He pulls away and I look at him confused. "Who's Lee?" I half-shout, half-say. 

Baekhyun's hands disappear from my shoulders and point to my right. Ignoring the cold that is breezing onto where his hands just were on my shoulders, I follow the direction of his index finger to see the black car driving down the road and turning away. 

As I am about to turn my head to him and let him know I understand, Baekhyun's head is beside mine again. "And stop being so stiff." 

He moves back and seems to be amused at my bewildered expression before facing the partying house.

I take a second to glance at the other houses. There are roughly as big as Tiff's place, and I can see specks of light peeking in through curtains. I wonder how often a party is held at Baekhyun's friend's home and whether the neighbours think ill of it. Maybe they have their own party once in a while, and have roaring speakers keeping several streets awake. Whatever they think, I see not one's figure by a window, or a door, staring towards the party with an annoyed expression.

The what-is-coming-very-familiar-now tug brings me away from my thoughts and my legs carry me up some steps and towards a single, ordinary-looking black door. Without hesitation, Baekhyun opens the unlocked door and I am blasted with the full volume.

I've never had my earphones in with the music at full volume. It is always a bar higher than the middle. I do not know if describing the full volume of an iPhone device comes close to comparing with the invisible speakers of this household, but I can put it this way: I have never experienced a sound that is 'deafening' until now.

It is torture. And I am only standing in the doorway.

Baekhyun pulls me along and I reluctantly follow, my index fingers trying their best to squeeze my ears shut. I can feel a headache pounding in the back.

Heads turn and eyes travel Baekhyun's figure up and down. It isn't long before people - I'm guessing students from our school however, I can never be too sure with the amount of make-up and the variety of hairstyles - notice the black band connecting the popular boy and I together.

Usually, I would cringe whenever numerous of eyes lie on me - especially judgemental ones - however, at this party, I cannot find it in myself to give an ounce of care with the jumping music penetrating through my ears and shaking my insides out.

I wanted to shut my eyes and welcome the darkness but decide against it for fear of colliding with people. I result in squinting.

I feel myself breathing heavily as I stumble on my heels, my hands weakly grasping the air. They brush against something soft.

"Please. . ." I murmur to no one, "please."

The noise is overwhelming.

Just as I think I am about to collapse, warm hands grip my forearm and I find myself sitting on a plush couch. Slowly, I allow my eyes to widen a little. Laughing faces of the popular group surround me. I appear to be invisible to them though as all eyes are directed at Baekhyun's bored face. Drinks are passed to him. None are offered to me.

I look around, my eyes cascading over a crowd of bodies. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves in the heat of the atmosphere. Arms are s around waists and necks, hips sashaying along with the music, drinks in hand, the liquid swaying closely to the brim of the plastic opening. As my eyes scan the shortage of clothing every body occupied, there is one question vibrating in my head.

How can anyone withstand the volume of the music, let alone party along to it?

My headache is growing, and as I grind my teeth together, a solution circles into my thoughts.

I need ear muffs.

Just as I am about to let my head rest on the top of the couch, I catch sight of the small groups of girls, standing away from the dance floor, eyeing me specifically. They are whispering to each other while glaring at me.

I imagine what they are passing to each other.

Ew is that the nerd from our grade?

What is she doing here?!

More specifically, what is she doing sitting next to Baekhyun?!

I grumble and wait for them to strut over in their way-too-high heels and cause trouble.

I wait, and wait, but no such thing happens.

I frown as they continue to send me their glares and whisper amongst themselves. Why aren't they coming at me with their perfectly manicured nails? Why aren't they spitting chewed pieces of chips at my face? Are all the scenes I've read in books merely fibs?

I shake my head and glance away. They probably are waiting for me to separate myself from Baekhyun and his group. I wonder if they see the black band linking Baekhyun and I together. As if anyone would have the guts to sit next to the popular group when they aren't a part of it. Everyone must be wondering why the grade's nerd has suddenly popped up next to the boys.

Speaking of which, why haven't the boys thrown me weird looks and questioned my presence?

My eyebrows furrow in confusion as the 'kings' of the grade happily slap each other on the back and clink their beers together, showing no signs that they mind my presence. In fact, they never look in my direction. It seems that they are ignoring me.

Do they know about Baekhyun and I's harsh assignment? Have they seen the black band that the girls supposedly missed? Has someone already notified them?

My eyes catch the laughing figure of Luhan; he was at the basketball training and played on my side, unfortunately. I also spot Zelo sitting opposite me, staring at his half-filled glass. He isn't interacting with the others; instead he appears to be looking glum. I would've went around to tap him on the shoulder and ask him what's wrong but of course that would be impossible. The black band hindering me from moving far, and he's one of the kings, though everyone knows he's the quietest one.

The music changes style into an electronic vibration and everyone starts jumping. The strobe lights change into blue and green colours and whiz around the vast room. Zelo forgotten, I wince over and over again when the music ascends in hard drum-beats. My headache has already reached its maximum limit, and I don't think I've been here for very long. The plush lounge under me does not offer enough comfort.

I hate being here. I'm clearly not enjoying my time at this party, not to mention my very first one. I feel exposed in this dress I had liked a few hours ago, and my hair feels unwelcoming on my bare neck. I cannot believe I am forced into this PDH assignment that is ruining my weekend. I have done so well in all my tests yet fate does not allow me to relish in my achievements. If Baekhyun hadn't received such depressing results then I wouldn't have to experience this torture. 

My thoughts of despise are endless, and I swivel my eyes to glare at the boy next to me. He is chugging at his beer, and Sehun is the only one interacting with despite all the boys around the table.

Sehun?

My eyes widen as I openly stare at the boy with his hair flicked up, displaying his rich forehead. He is wearing a collared shirt - the colour I am unsure of from the darkness of the house - and he has one arm propped on the black table, his torso turned towards Baekhyun. His mouth is open and sentences seem to be flying out but they are completely inaudible to me. Baekhyun however, seems to hear every word as he nods his head here and there and gives Sehun side glances.

Though my scrutinisation and agape mouth is surely manifest, Sehun does not stop his talk with Baekhyun, and I cannot see his expression clearly enough whether he is peeved off at my presence. Out of habit, I clear my throat and turn away, grinding my teeth at the music. My head hurts too much to be thinking about Sehun.

Soon, my throat becomes parched and my lips are cracked. My head had been resting on the tall backrest of the couch, and I slowly lift it off, my head numb from the pain. As I scan my surroundings, I startle as I find our semi-circled seat half empty. Most of the boys are gone and only Zelo, Sehun, Baekhyun, two others and I are left. Concluding that the others have left to spend some time on the dance floor, I search the table for a cup of water. It does not occur to me that this party most likely does not supply a drop of water until my eyes hit the empty bottles of beer in front of me. I groan and tilt my head back onto the backrest.

I must have dozed off for a bit, which is astoundingly unbelievable with the pounding music, bright lights and a raw throat, when someone gently bumps into my shoulder repeatedly. Heaving my eyelids open, I look to my right to see Baekhyun leaning in towards me to make a final contact of his shoulder on mine, before he notices my tired gaze on him. I blink a few times as his mouth opens but his voice cannot penetrate the still-going-strong thunder from the speakers. I can however, smell the alcohol on his breath and the way his eyelids droop every few seconds, and his mouth moving slowly, one does not have to think twice to know this teenager is extremely intoxicated. 

My eyes scan the table to find empty space, and the back of my mind wonders where Sehun has trotted off to, and why he abandoned the both of us, before landing back on Baekhyun. I watch, slowly, and then in shock as his eyelids lower for the upteenth, and his head tilts back and forth before dropping straight onto my shoulder, without a movement after that.