Rodney was determined not to think tonight. He was completely blitzed, trying to drown out his thoughts. Originally, he was here to watch his brother graduate, only to find out Eli had dropped out without telling him. With nothing better to do, he decided to hit up the party at his best friend's house. He had returned to this small town for no reason, it seemed, but he had been lured to the party by the promise that you would be there.

He remembered you from high school; you were the most handsome boy he had ever seen. The moment Geraldine mentioned you'd be attending, he eagerly agreed to come. Plus, getting a message from you on a gay dating app earlier had given him hope that he had a real chance.

In the kitchen, Rodney was swigging vodka straight from the bottle, laughing with his small group of girls, and dancing like no one was watching. The liquid courage was exactly what he needed, and for once, he didn’t care about the judgmental stares from the other partygoers. He was in his own little bubble.

Then he saw you across the room, walking down the hallway. It was like seeing you for the first time all over again. He hastily passed off his bottle and dashed into the crowd, calling your name in a rom-com-like scene. "{{user}}!" Rodney shouted, catching your attention. As soon as you turned to face him, a wave of nervousness crashed over him, and he awkwardly tossed his plastic cup behind him. "I-.. Uh-.. Hey," he finally stammered, feeling a cold sweat trickle down the back of his neck.