Raise a Glass

It was a Friday night, stress peeled from the week, Dorm rooms buzzin', no one dared to speak. Texts flyin', invites lit like a wildfire's spark, A house on Cedar, where the stories leave a mark.

Bass thumps through walls, a heartbeat for the crowd, Laughter climbs, every voice a little too loud. Red cups lifted, toasts and cheers collide, Friends gather close, the night's still on the rise.

The lights flash blue, then green, a strobe parade, A perfect night, memories to be made. Hearts race, the room spins to the beat's sway, But every climb has its price to pay.

Raise a glass, let the music play, Dancing 'til tomorrow, forget today. But when the drinks pour fast, intentions stray, The night unfolds in a dangerous way.

Midnight strikes, and shots are lined in rows, Games turn bold, and liquid courage flows. Stories shared with wide grins and eyes bright, But whispers in corners start twisting the night.

He was the life, the jester with the wildest bet, Jumped from the porch, never worried he'd regret. Crowd cheers, but someone's yell cuts through, She stumbles, he laughs, and the room skews askew.

Phones out, recording every reckless spin, But the buzz grows sharp, something dark creeps in. Couples fight, voices turn to shattered glass, Someone's passed out cold, others struggle to pass.

2 A.M., the air thick with a tension missed, Siren echoes pierce, no one thought it'd end like this. The neighbors, long fed up, made the call, Blue lights flood, freezing all in a stumble or sprawl.

The crowd scatters, a few hold their breath,

Eyes wide as consequences press like death. He's on the lawn, eyes glazed, caught by fate, The host's face pale, caught under the weight.

She cries in a room, the night spun her too far, The jokes, the dares, the unwritten scar. Friends now sober, eyes locked in shared remorse, A night they thought was theirs, hijacked by its force.

Sunrise creeps, gold slicing through the mess, Echoes of the night trapped in each breathless guess. What started as release, just a spark for the bored, Left memories broken, nights best ignored.

Tales told later with smiles half drawn, "Remember when—" but the thrill is gone. Lessons unspoken, a warning deep and low, Parties flare wild, but it's control we forgo.

Raise a glass, let the stories lay, Dancing in the embers of yesterday. What's left are shards we piece in the day, The night unfolded, and we all had to pay.