"Maria, where are we going again?" I asked, fiddling with her radio.
"Alan's party, Avery. Jesus." My friend laughed. "Are you excited?"
"To see your hot brother? Yeah." I replied.
Maria smacked me. "I meant to let loose after you've been so busy lately, but that's cool too."
Maria was one of my closest friends. Her brother just happened to be Alan Ashby from Of Mice & Men. I, however, was a photographer for the American branch of Kerrang! magazine. I modeled on the side.
"You look cute today." She added. I looked down at the dress I was wearing and my straight blonde hair. "Really? I got ready really quickly. But thanks."
"You're still short though." She winked at me.
"Very original." I rolled my eyes. Being exactly five feet tall, I frequently was the victim of short jokes.
We got to Alan's house and I followed Maria inside. The place was booming; people with drinks were everywhere and the music was highly audible even from Maria's car.
"Maria!" Alan called when we walked in. "Hi, Avery."
"Hi, lovely. Now, what is the purpose of this shindig? What are we celebrating?" I asked.
Alan laughed. "Being alive, baby."
"I'm going to go talk to Jason." Maria waved, leaving me alone with Alan.
"So how have you been?" He asked.
"Great. I had my birthday last month; I went back home to Venice to celebrate." I grinned. "I'm as old as you now!"
"23 and beautiful. Tell me, how is Venice? Always wanted to go." He replied.
"I'm probably biased having grown up there. It's my favourite place in the whole world though." I sighed dreamily.
"Alan, my main." None other than Austin Carlile walked over, looking right at me. "Jesus, animals shouldn't be in the house!"
"Then why are you here?" I shot back.
Austin smirked at me. "To get laid."
"Gross." I rolled my eyes. "You're a pig."
"That girl by the drinks is fine as hell. Don't cockblock me again." Austin warned.
"I'll do my best." I turned back to Alan as Austin left.
"Couldn't you two at least try to be nice to each other?" Alan sighed.
"He started it!" I cried.
"I'll start something with you, Ave. " Vic Fuentes said, approaching with a drink in his hand.
"Yeah? You've been gone for a long time, darling. How has the tour life been?" I asked.
"Great, great. How's the photographer life?" He asked.
"Busy as hell. I haven't been out in ages." I sighed.
"Wasn't it just your birthday?" He asked.
"Yeah! I turned twenty three. I went home, just got back a week ago." I beamed.
"I love Italy. Almost as beautiful as you are." Vic replied.
"Drunk already? No way you'd be hitting on Avery when you're sober." Austin interjected himself into the conversation.
"I think Avery's the hottest girl at this party. Way hotter than that girl you were just with." Vic said, laughing as he put his arm around my waist.
"We all know Austin will put his dick into any girl who's got half a clue who he is." I rolled my eyes.
"Yeah, and you've got a whole clue so I guess that's good news for me." Austin replied.
"In your dreams!" I scoffed.
"All the time." He winked. "I'll see you losers later; that babe by the back door is calling my name."
"Are you two ever going to be civil to each other?" Vic asked.
"Civil isn't in his vocabulary." I replied. If only I knew.

Notes

hii new story yay c: xxx