The Plaza Grand Ballroom

Ashton paused a second and then nodded at her. "No problem." He headed back inside.

***

Seth grinned at Rose and got up, leaning down to kiss her cheek before bounding off to their table.

"Food's cold," Luke informed him, sounding pissed.

Seth frowned and looked for the twins, not seeing them there. With Jake gone, he felt kind of lonely. Sure, he had other friends at NYU but they'd all drifted and his best friend didn't go here.

Still, even if he didn't know these people too well, he wanted his dinner, damn it. He sat down and polished off his meal in record-time, exhausted as his body began crashing after its exertion.

Just then, Ashton returned and sat down next to Lola again. "Hey, if you're done, wanna dance? They're clearing the floor again and I feel like I've spent more time with Seth than I've given to you."

Luke gave Seth a funny look. Seth quirked an eyebrow, ignoring Ashton.

"What, Blondie?"

"You're the only person I know who can use a knife and fork that well and still eat like a pig," Luke informed him.

Seth smirked at him and got up after he was done. He decided, while Rose was preoccupied, that he'd get in a little post-dinner smoke. He hadn't had one to keep himself from disgusting her but he was drunk right now and it sounded really, really good.

He entered the bathroom off the banquet hall and was pulling out his pack of cigarettes as he walked. He glanced around and swore when he realized there was no window in this fancy place to let out smoke. Oh well. Seth rounded the bend to the sinks as he stuck a cigarette into his mouth, fumbling for his lighter.

Shit. He couldn't find it. He glanced up and froze momentarily. Connor was sitting on the furthest counter, smoking what was definitely not nicotine.

Seth paused for a second and then his need overcame him. "Got a light?"

Connor gave a cough and blinked, focusing on Seth and took a moment before realizing what he had said and his hand jumped out with his lighter. "Here, E.T." He laughed slightly and looked down at his phone buzzed again and jumped. "SHIT. what was that." he muttered and stared at his phone before realizing and read the text, not daring to text back. Even stoned him knew better then to text his mom when high. He had just told her he loved her anyways. so that was already question worthy. He shoved his phone back in his pocket and glanced at Seth before taking the last puff of his blunt and then put it out.

Seth grabbed the lighter and sat back on a counter near Connor, lighting up before handing back the lighter. He chose not to reply for a moment, coming down off his drunken high a little more as the nicotine eased his mind.

The buzz cleared some more. Seth threw Connor a disgruntled glance. "Seriously, dude? You're already loopy enough without the weed. You wanna end up like Rose's neon-sign roommate or what?"

"Sure sounds good to me. Oh and before I forget." Lola leaned over and gave Ashton a kiss on the cheek, "You're a good friend for watching after Seth, and making sure people are okay. I'm very lucky to have such a sweet guy take me to the dance."

Connor grunted and stared ahead of him. "Don't worry.."He paused, struggling with his words. "I'll be out of your hair soooon." He said in a sing-songy voice and ruffled at his own hair.

Ashton blinked, taken aback, and then just smiled and got up to lead Lola to the dance floor. He slipped his arms around her waist and then informed her, "Oh, by the way, I wasn't aware Jake kept bai-Seth-out-of-jail money in his room until I talked to him tonight."

Luke frowned and then nudged James. "You know what would be really awkward? If Ashlee still had a thing for Ashton."

He wondered where Ashlee was and craned his neck toward the entrance hall, spotting her dark head near the doors.

***

Seth pulled a face. "You wouldn't be in my hair bitch. My hair is designer goooold. No....what....what's higher than gold?" he demanded of Connor drunkenly.

"JESUS. NO. NO ... BEYONCE." Connor nodded firmly and stared ahead of him still, eyes dilated. "Dude, I gotta meet my Jesus later." He mused suddenly and glanced at his watch. "I gots some shit to get."

"Yeah?" Seth asked. "Jesus is one cool dude, yo. See that bad-ass beard?" He took a drag on his cigarette. "And uh....the elephant was sick...." He was somehow jumping from the Bible Jesus to Ke$ha's music video without realizing the transition. "I want robes. Long ones, with a cape."

"...You make as much sense as my limp dick right now." Connor stared at him with wide eyes. "..WAIT!...THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE EITHER!" He jumped off the counter and rammed into the close-by wall in front of them and winced, rubbing at his head. "Um. I should go." He nodded.

Lola laughed as she draped her arms around Ashton's neck, swaying with him.

"I know, I remember when the fund was two hundered. Good to know its grown since then." She snickered.

***

Ashlee had set her empty glass that she had been slowly drinking onto a table, she turned around and decided to head back into the dance.

James shrugged looking to Luke, "I don't know I guess." He wasn't sure whether or not Ashlee still had a thing for him.

Ashlee came and sat at the table a lot more calm and nodded at James and Luke.

Her food has gotten cold, but she really wasn't in the mood to eat anymore, instead she flicked her eyes on the dance floor and watched others dance. Her eyes focused on a certain brunet.

"The only time that would have been two hundred would be when Seth was too young to be sent to juvie," Ashton corrected Lola, oblivious to anyone else. "Hell, I'll bet he got kicked out of reform camp for being too much of a prick to reform! I can see kid Seth's diary now. 'Tenth birthday goal: get booted out of White House.'"

***

Luke watched Ashlee's face and then followed her gaze to...uh oh.

He groaned softly and then felt bad for her for having a douche of a date. Luke sighed and pushed back his chair, striding around the table to Ashlee. "Hey, Ash?" he interrupted her reverie. "Dance with me." Without waiting for her answer, he grabbed her hand and tugged her to her feet. He glanced around. "James, go entertain Rose. She looks like she's getting tipsy."

***

"Out the door you mean?" Seth asked Connor, smirking. "Or you gonna pull a dramatic Cookie Aid exit with the wall?"

"Uhhhh, kay." Connor rubbed at his head and slowly made his way for the door and then paused, staring at it. "Hey Seth? Sorry for what I said about Rose. I hope she keeps you happy, man." Connor nodded firmly before leaving the bathroom.

***

The bartender finally caught off Rosemary when she started making sexual advances on him. Rosemary pouted as she stood up and stumbled, gripping onto the bar quickly. "Whooaa, whoopsie!" She giggled, gripping onto it tightly.

"Wait a second, wait a second...." Seth slipped off the counter and wobbled as he followed Connor. "Yooo, hoold uuup, man, tha's no' cool! Yo just be insultin' mah gal to mah face? No' cool, dawg. An' all I' gets is a Hallmark greetin'?" he demanded drunkenly.

Lola giggled at the image of a ten year old Seth being thrown out of the White House, "I'm sure Seth would have done something like "Yo Bill! Mah hair is way shinier than yours." Lola said imitating Seth's voice.

Ashlee didn't get to say much before Luke pulled her out onto the dance floor, instead she just hugged him as they danced. Grateful that he was here.

James got up and went to the bar where he saw Rose seated having a drink.

He came up beside her but when he did he noticed her staggering around, like she had been drinking a bit too much.

"Hey you okay?" James asked grabbing her hand.

Connor throw up his arms, thinking quickly through the haze of pot. "Um. Um. She's coo'! She's got.. green eyes and big boobs, dude. You're lucky, yo. And um um..." Connor frowned, furrowing his brows as he tried to remember something from when they dated. "SHE'S A HORNY DRUNK. SO HAVE A GOODNIGHT." Connor nodded firmly. "She's coolio, yeah. and I'm sorry."

***

Rosemary staggered more before slumping against James slightly and blinked, looking up at him and inhaled sharply. "You have BLUE EYES too! Just like his! Only his is two different blues and prettier and he stares at me really cutely with them and.." She hiccuped and trailed off, closing her eyes.

"Whaaaa?" Seth wondered aloud, trailing in a hazy line after Connor down the hall to the banquet room.

He was still stuck on the "horny drunk" part. "Really?" he asked Connor. "Like..fo' real, horny? Like, handsy?"

***

Ashton had to laugh at that. Lola was cool to hang with. And probably the only girl who could handle Seth's bullshit for longer than an hour. "Someday, Seth will be ruling the States and everyone with blond hair would be magically promoted to government. I can see shampoo ads as Public Service Announcements. Power to the People is Power to the Hair," he mocked a chipper TV-commercial guy.

The song ended and moved to a faster track by Rihanna. Ashton pulled away from Lola to dance separately since slow-dancing wasn't really appropriate anymore.

"You're an idiot," Luke informed the top of Ashlee's head. "I liked that Ashton guy. I get why you had to stick with Connor for the formal but it's not too late, you know? You're always trying to set Ev and James up. Focus on yourself for once." He playfully ruffled the top of her head, messing it up.

"Like throw-herself-at-you-fuck-me horny." Connor nodded, and stopped in his steps.

Seth's eyes widened. Even though some logical part of his head screamed at him that this was all wrong, he was still somewhat attracted to the idea of a Rose who would go further than a chaste kiss on the mouth.

"Dude, she's like, cold, like, I can't even kiss her," he confided to Connor. "All by her terms. What's a guy to do, yo?"

"Go for it." Connor shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I heard from the dude who, uh, deflowered her, that she's a riot. And she knows she like that when drunk," He paused to reach up and rub at his head, feeling his high starting to come down already. " So obviously she's looking for some action. Go help with that man!"

Ashlee looked up at Luke and poked him in the chest, "Hey don't ruin my hair." She told him looking up at him and laughing.

***

James rolled his eyes holding onto Rose. What was it with him getting with all the overdramatic girls tonight??

"Uhh hey you been doing a little drinking there Rose?" James asked trying to remain patient.

***

Lola threw her hands up into the air, and did a little twirl as she danced with Ashton.

"So can see it, and his first order of business. "All dah blond bitches report to ma office for legal debreifing." Lola winked at Ashton and started laughing again as she moved in closer to dance with him.

"She'd hate me," Seth complained woefully. He blinked at Connor. "But I'm da shit, yo, no gurl ignores all o' dis." He pointed at himself and in a burst of confidence, strode past Connor and over to where ROse should be.

The bar. Where she wasn't...

Seth's eyes narrowed at the asshole holding his Rose. Anger flooded through him. "Yo," he said to Connor. "That bitch, pretty boy, got mah gurl! I'mma kick his ass!"

He took off his tux jacket and flung it at Connor. "HOLD MAH COAT! DARKO, I'MMA MAKE YO BRUTUS ASS PAY, BITCH! GIT YO' PAWS OFF O' MAH GURL!" Seth lunged for James and tackled him away from Rose.

Ashton had opened his mouth to reply to Lola when he heard a familiar obnoxious yell. His headache returned. Seth-alarm. "Oh no..."

Luke's mouth fell open and he pointed behind Ashlee at the airborne Seth. "Um..."

Connor blinked and stared at the scene before looking down at the jacket in his hands and stumbled over to the table they were all suppose to be at before putting down the jacket in a seat and stumbled away, and out of the building, silently wishing Seth his best.

Rosemary screamed in shock and fear, falling back into her seat and almost fell over with it but caught herself on the bar again, eyes wide as she stared at the scene.

James didn't have much time to react because one second he's keeping Rose from falling to the ground, and the next he's on the ground with Seth on top of him yelling like Snoop Dogg, "DUDE WHAT THE FUCK!?" James yelled shoving Seth off of him, he seriously should have left when Evelyn did!

Ashlee's jaw dropped when she saw this and she looked up at Luke, "Umm... what the hell!?"


Lola saw Seth fly through the air and land on James, she could feel her Seth headache returning too. She huffed and looked up at Ashton, "Come on lets go, before the idiot gets himself kicked out for good." She decided that hell if Ashton was going to take care of this alone.

Seth grabbed James by his shirt-collar, nearly ripping it off in his fury. He positioned himself on James with his knees pinning the brunet's arms down. Even though Seth's vision was hazy, he could see James well enough.

"DIDN'T YO MOTHA TEACH YOU NOTTA STEAL, PUNK-ASS?" he roared in James' face. "SAY GOODBYE TO YOUR VISION, BRO, 'CAUSE WHEN I'M DON WITCHU THEY'LL PUT YO FACE IN BEFORE PICTURES ON FUNGAL MEDICINE ADS!"

Ashton pulled a face at Lola in agreement and began weaving his way through the crowd around Seth and James. Interestingly, the girls in the audience were now looking kind of awed and shooting envious glances at Rose, apparently jealous of her ability to snag two pretty boys.

"Holy shit," Luke muttered, beginning to push his way through the curious onlookers over to James. "Damn your stupid love potion, Ashlee!"

Ashlee gapped but then shortly followed after Luke to where the fight was breaking out! Stupid Seth, he couldn't just go be drunk in a bathroom somewhere?!

James was in mood to fight with Seth's drunk ass, "HEY! YOUR GIRL WAS DRUNK! I WAS JUST TRYING TO HELP HER!" He shouted back to Seth, trying again to push him off the top of him! What the hell?! This night couldn't get any worse.

Lola had pushed her way through James/Seth fan girls, well more like shoved them out of the way so that they could get there and stop the madness before Seth got himself thrown out for good.

"Seth! What the hell! Get off of him!" Lola hissed at him, stupid idiot!