Free Social Skills by Sara Alva

around his neck. “You’re
adorable,” she cooed.
    “Having
fun?” a voice interrupted.
    The
music wasn’t as loud in the kitchen, and Jared’s deep tone carried better
there.
    Connor
shifted toward him, some of his earlier annoyance returning in a rush. “You
left
,”
he said, pointing an accusatory finger.
    Jared
cocked his head and raised an eyebrow. “Yup, but it seems like you had a good
time despite yourself.”
    “Oh,
yeah,” the blonde piped in. “He sucks at beer pong.”
    “I
bet.” Jared laughed, reaching out to untangle her hands from Connor’s neck. He
propped her up against the kitchen counter, ignoring the pouting sound she made
at being so summarily dismissed. “C’mon, let’s go get you some fresh air.”
    “What
about her?” Connor asked as Jared maneuvered him away.
    “What,
she’s your new best friend now or something?”
    “She
said I was adorable,” he muttered defensively.
    Jared
leaned in close, as they’d reached the din of the main room, and chuckled into
Connor’s ear. “She’s not too far off at that.”

 
    The
fresh air did feel good as it hit Connor’s face, drying the drops of sweat that
had gathered on his brow from the drinking and the proximity to masses of other
people. He stood with his eyes closed for a moment, letting the wind rock him
back and forth.
    At
least, he thought it was the wind, until he opened his eyes and saw the world
seemed to be rocking as well.
    “Mmm,”
he mumbled, a tiny inkling of distress worming its way into what had otherwise
turned out to be one of his most successful social experiences. “Feel a little
dizzy.”
    “How
much did you drink?” Jared asked, bending down to peer at his face.
    “Not
sure…five more little cups of beer maybe?”
    “And
how much do you usually drink before you get drunk?”
    “Drink?
Drunk?” Connor repeated, then giggled, something that ordinarily mortified him.
Now it just had him giggling further.
    “Okay.”
Jared laughed, too. “I think we’d better call it a night.”

 
    They
started off for the dorms, and Connor was soon faced with a dilemma. Putting
one foot in front of the other wasn’t so simple a task with the dizziness
factored in. He really needed to watch his legs to ensure their placement…but
he didn’t have the self-control to maintain that focus. Not when he could be
admiring Jared instead.
    He
stumbled and was caught three times before Jared apparently lost his patience.
    “Dude,
this is going to take forever if you can’t stay on your feet. Come here.” He
scanned the empty streets, then squatted down and dragged Connor around behind
him. “Get on my back.”
    “What?
I can’t let you carry me. I’ll…be too heavy or something.”
    “I
can pretty much assure you that you won’t.” Jared snorted. “Now climb on
or we’ll never get back.”
    Reluctantly,
Connor threw his arms around Jared’s neck and hopped onto his back. Jared stood
with ease and began trotting down the road at a much faster pace than they’d
achieved earlier.
    It
was good to be off his feet, but each bouncing step jarred Connor’s skull and
added an up-and-down vertigo to the already-whirling scenery. Don’t throw up. Just please, don’t throw
up. He closed his eyes and rested his chin on Jared’s shoulder, hoping the
bad feelings would go away soon.
    “We’re
here.” Jared’s voice startled him back to full consciousness outside his dorm. “Gimme
your card.”
    Connor
slid off Jared’s back, sure he was headed for a puddle on the ground until
Jared grabbed him firmly around the waist. He smiled with only mild
embarrassment, the usual intensity of the feeling smothered by alcohol-drenched
senses.
    “Here.”
He fished out the card and handed it to Jared.
    Jared
passed it through the electronic lock and headed inside, dragging Connor in
behind him. “Jesus you’re a lightweight. Guess I shoulda figured that, though.”
    “I’m
not tha’little,” Connor slurred, his lip