Liam stood in front of the bathroom mirror, tugging at the hem of his white t-shirt. The fabric stretched across his chest, plain and clean. He turned slightly, checking the fit. Not bad. Simple worked.
His phone buzzed on the counter.
~Kelvin: I'm outside
'Finally'
Liam grabbed the phone, typing back quickly.
~Liam: Give me two minutes
He left the bathroom and walked straight to his bedroom closet.
His fingers found the black hoodie hanging on the back of the door, the one with the zipper running straight down the front.
He pulled it on over the white shirt, leaving it unzipped.
The fabric was soft, worn in from months of use.
Another buzz.
~Kelvin: Clock's ticking, man
Liam grabbed his wallet and keys from the nightstand, shoved them in his pockets, then slung his worn backpack over one shoulder.
The thing was stuffed with textbooks and notebooks from earlier classes, heavy enough to pull at his shoulder. He adjusted the strap and headed for the door.
Outside, Kelvin's car sat at the curb, engine off.
The sleek black vehicle gleamed under the streetlight, polished to perfection like always. Kelvin sat in the driver's seat, phone in hand, scrolling through something.
Liam pulled the passenger door open with a metallic click and dropped into the seat, his backpack landing between his feet with a heavy thud.
Kelvin looked up from his phone, eyebrows raised.
He wore a fitted black button-up shirt, the top two buttons undone, showing off his collarbone.
His hair was styled, pushed back with gel, and he smelled like cologne, something sharp and expensive that immediately filled the car's interior.
Liam stared at him, taking in the whole look. The pressed shirt. The styled hair. The cologne that could probably be smelled from across a parking lot.
"Why are you dressed like you're going to a club?"
Kelvin's face broke into a wide grin, the kind that said he'd been waiting for this exact question.
He set his phone down in the cup holder and turned in his seat to face Liam fully.
"Because we are going to a party."
Liam blinked. "What?"
"A party." Kelvin said it slowly, enunciating each syllable like Liam might not understand English. "You. Me. Tonight. Music. Drinks. People having fun. You know, normal college stuff."
Liam's hand immediately shot to the door handle. His fingers wrapped around the metal, cool against his palm. "No. Absolutely not."
Click!.
The locks engaged with a sharp, definitive sound that echoed in the small space.
Liam pulled the handle. Nothing happened.
The door stayed firmly shut, the lock holding strong. He looked at Kelvin, who was still grinning like this was the funniest thing he'd seen all week, then tried the handle again. Still nothing.
"Kelvin." Liam's voice came out flat. "Open the door."
"Nope." Kelvin's grin somehow got wider.
Liam reached across his body with his left hand, stretching toward the lock button on the driver's side door.
His fingers were inches away when Kelvin's hand shot out and smacked his arm away with a light slap.
"Don't even think about it."
"Dude, I'm not going to a party." Liam tried for the lock button on his own door this time.
Click!.
Kelvin hit the master lock button before Liam's finger even made contact.
Liam tried again.
Click!
Kelvin locked it again.
Click. Click. Click. Click.
They went back and forth like that, Liam's finger jabbing at the button, Kelvin immediately locking it again from the driver's side controls.
The sound of the locks engaging and disengaging filled the car in a rapid rhythm, almost comical in its persistence.
After ten solid seconds of this, Liam finally gave up and slumped back in his seat, arms crossing over his chest. "This is kidnapping."
"This is friendship." Kelvin settled back into his seat, looking entirely too pleased with himself.
His hand rested on the steering wheel, but he didn't turn the key in the ignition yet. "And you're welcome, by the way."
"I didn't thank you."
"You will eventually."
Liam stared out the windshield at the quiet street ahead.
A few other cars were parked along the curb, windows dark. The streetlight above cast everything in an orange glow. "You know I'm not a party person."
"Yeah, I know." Kelvin's tone shifted slightly, losing some of its teasing edge. He turned in his seat to look at Liam properly, one arm draped over the steering wheel.
"You also weren't a group study person. But look at you now. You showed up to that, met new people, and didn't spontaneously combust."
Liam opened his mouth to argue, then stopped. He stared at the dashboard, at the little air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror.
'He's got a point.'
Kelvin kept going, his voice steady and surprisingly serious.
"Seriously, man. When was the last time you did something fun? And don't say 'hanging out with you,' because half the time we're together, we're just doing homework in a library that smells like old books and regret."
Liam didn't answer. He genuinely couldn't think of a good response.
"Exactly." Kelvin's hand tapped against the steering wheel in a slow rhythm.
"Look, what happened with your mom was awful. I'm not trying to downplay that. But she's fine now. You've been carrying around all that stress like a backpack full of bricks since you got back."
He gestured at the actual backpack sitting at Liam's feet. "Actually, you literally carry a backpack full of books, might as well be bricks."
Liam looked at him, really looked at him. Kelvin's expression was genuine, the usual cocky grin replaced with something softer.
"So yeah," Kelvin continued, "I'm trying to drag you to a party. You're going to drink, you're going to relax, and you're going to have a good time. That's the plan."
'Okay, officially creeped out. How long did he practice this little speech?'
Liam leaned his head back against the seat, staring at the car's ceiling. The fabric was pristine, not a stain or tear anywhere.
"This is weird," Liam muttered. "You're being, like, thoughtful."
"Don't get used to it." Kelvin's smirk returned, just a little.
"I'm still going to clown you the entire way there. But first, you actually have to agree to go. So what's it gonna be? You in or you're in?"
'He didn't even give me a chance to say no.'
Liam sat there in silence, the decision was simple.
Part of him wanted to bolt.
The idea of a party, loud music, crowds of people he didn't know, forced small talk, made his skin crawl. But another part of him really wanted to go.
"Who's party is this anyway?" Liam asked.
"Some dude named Drew."
Liam frowned. "Some dude? You don't even know him?"
"Not personally, no." Kelvin shrugged. "But that's half the fun. Meeting new people. Trying new things. You know, basic human interaction."
"Then how the hell did you get invited?"
"John invited me." Kelvin said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Who's John?"
"From the study group. Blonde hair, kind of tall, laughs at literally everything. You've met him."
Liam tried to picture it. Blonde hair. Tall. Laughs a lot. Maybe? The faces from the study group all kind of blurred together in his memory. "I think so. Not sure."
"Well, he invited me, and I thought, Hey, you know who needs to get out more?... Liam. So here we are." Kelvin gestured between them.
"Think of it like a first date. Except less romantic and more about me saving you from becoming a hermit."
Liam couldn't help the small laugh that escaped. "A first date?"
"Yeah. And don't you dare say I don't take you out enough."
"Okay, fair."
"Exactly. So stop acting like I'm some bad friend dragging you into danger. I'm a great friend dragging you into a slightly uncomfortable but ultimately beneficial social situation."
Kelvin's grin was back in full force now. "Besides, you've been different lately."
Liam's head turned sharply. "What do you mean?"
"I mean you're changing," Kelvin said simply.
"In a good way. You were actually excited about study group today, you were checking out Miss Kelly like every other guy in class, and you agreed to come to a party, something you'd never do before, no matter how good my speech was. You're becoming the guy I always wanted you to be, and I want to keep that momentum going."
The words hit harder than Liam expected. He stared at Kelvin, processing.
'Is that really how he sees me?'
Kelvin leaned back in his seat, one hand still on the wheel. "So yeah. That's why I want you to come."
The silence stretched between them. Liam looked down at his backpack, then back up at Kelvin.
"Alright," Liam said slowly. "Fine. I'll go."
"Hell yes!" Kelvin's fist shot up in celebration. "See? I knew you'd come around."
"But," Liam added quickly, "if this party sucks, we're leaving early."
"Deal." Kelvin stuck out his hand.
Liam shook it, a small smile tugging at his lips despite himself.
"Oh, and one more thing," Kelvin said casually as he finally turned the key in the ignition. The engine roared to life, smooth and powerful. "I heard Tasha's going to be there."
Liam's entire body went rigid. His head snapped toward Kelvin so fast he almost gave himself whiplash. "You're lying."
"I'm not." Kelvin raised one hand off the wheel, like he was swearing an oath. "Kira told me. She said everyone from the study group got invited. And since Tasha's part of that group…" He trailed off, letting the implication hang in the air.
Liam's mind started racing. 'Tasha. At the party. That's my chance to explain.'
"You're seriously not lying?"
"Why would I lie about that?" Kelvin laughed as he shifted the car into drive.
'Right. What does he get out of lying to me?'
Liam leaned back in his seat, his mind already working through scenarios. What would he say? How would he approach her? Would she even listen?
"Alright," Liam said, more to himself than to Kelvin. "Let's do this."
"That's what I like to hear."
"Shut up."
"Never." Kelvin cranked the music up, bass vibrating through the car as they pulled away from the curb.