wearing a sweater when I left the house.” I’d told my parents I’d been invited to a two-day conference, with dinner late at night and meetings very early in the morning. With a free hotel room, why would I risk coming home in the wee hours? They agreed. Another thread intricately strung in the web of lies.
I took a bottle of vodka out of my bag, and after a quick glance of Amy’s small kitchen, set it on the counter next to a stack of dirty dishes . “I need Red Bull,” I said to myself. I opened the fridge and there it was. Jackpot.
“You’re ‘vodka and Red Bulling’ tonight?” Eleanor said. “That’s intense dude.”
“No it’s not. I need the vodka to get a buzz, and I need the Red Bull because I’m exhausted! ” I cracked open the can of Red Bull and shook my head. “You know what I did today? I woke up at nine a.m, and spent half the day helping my mom wash every floor in the house!” I paused. “Wow, that sounds lame, doesn’t it?”
“It does ,” said Eleanor.
“Well who else is gonna help her with my sister gone? ” I was mixing the drink now and adding more vodka than I’d originally planned. “My mom has two bad knees so I’m not just gonna ditch her. Not yet anyway…”
“All that matters for right now is NOW,” said Eleanor firmly. “So just focus on tonight and how we’re gonna get smashed!”
“Ohhh no,” I said . “I drink two of these before we go, switch to water by midnight, and then I coast!”
“Since when do you stop drinking at midnight?”
“Since I threw up in New York like a loser. I can’t drink like I used to.” I sighed. “I think I ’m getting too old for this.”
“Well you don’t look too old.”
I smiled. “Thanks . I hope these Indian genes keep working for a few years longer. In the meantime, sitting in cafés and writing seems more exhilarating than going to clubs. What have I become?!” I grabbed my drink and joined her on the couch.
“ You’ve become…the person you were always meant to become.” She smiled. “Cheers.”
We clinked our glasses and I took a long sip.
A minute later Amy leapt out of her room. “Tada!”
She spun around to show us her gold halter top, tight black skirt and red heels. Her short brown hair was straightened to perfection.
“Are you trying to get laid tonight?” I said.
She ignored me, and in a high-heel wobble made her way to the kitchen. “Oooh...vodka.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “I have a feeling tonight’s gonna be...interesting.”
***
The music was loud in this hybrid of a bar and night club. The rickety wooden floors, tables and high chairs reminded me of a casual bar, but the packed dance floor beyond screamed “make out like no one’s watching.”
I bobbed my head to the music as I sipped from a bottle of water. I’d stayed true to my “no drinking after midnight” plan, but two rounds of shots five minutes before the cut-off were making my stomach rumble.
Eleanor and Amy returned from the bar with more dr inks. They were pretty hammered already, but white girls could drink like tanks so I wasn’t worried.
“See those guys over there?” said Eleanor.
I looked over to see three guy s about our age, standing around a nearby table. One had a supermodel’s face and a spectacular head of dark wavy hair, though his large upper body made me think he’d gone too crazy doing bench presses. His other two friends were…alright. I could see that my wingman task for the night was upon me, so I nodded and clapped my hands.
“L et me guess El, you want the guy who looks like a model.”
She flipped her hair to one side. “I don’t WANT anyone…they want me.”
She makes it look so easy.
Amy and I followed E leanor to a table that was next to our targeted guys. We pretended they weren’t even there and started talking. Eleanor was facing the guys which was the money-shot move, while Amy and I laughed loudly for no reason, as we faked like we were having
I took a bottle of vodka out of my bag, and after a quick glance of Amy’s small kitchen, set it on the counter next to a stack of dirty dishes . “I need Red Bull,” I said to myself. I opened the fridge and there it was. Jackpot.
“You’re ‘vodka and Red Bulling’ tonight?” Eleanor said. “That’s intense dude.”
“No it’s not. I need the vodka to get a buzz, and I need the Red Bull because I’m exhausted! ” I cracked open the can of Red Bull and shook my head. “You know what I did today? I woke up at nine a.m, and spent half the day helping my mom wash every floor in the house!” I paused. “Wow, that sounds lame, doesn’t it?”
“It does ,” said Eleanor.
“Well who else is gonna help her with my sister gone? ” I was mixing the drink now and adding more vodka than I’d originally planned. “My mom has two bad knees so I’m not just gonna ditch her. Not yet anyway…”
“All that matters for right now is NOW,” said Eleanor firmly. “So just focus on tonight and how we’re gonna get smashed!”
“Ohhh no,” I said . “I drink two of these before we go, switch to water by midnight, and then I coast!”
“Since when do you stop drinking at midnight?”
“Since I threw up in New York like a loser. I can’t drink like I used to.” I sighed. “I think I ’m getting too old for this.”
“Well you don’t look too old.”
I smiled. “Thanks . I hope these Indian genes keep working for a few years longer. In the meantime, sitting in cafés and writing seems more exhilarating than going to clubs. What have I become?!” I grabbed my drink and joined her on the couch.
“ You’ve become…the person you were always meant to become.” She smiled. “Cheers.”
We clinked our glasses and I took a long sip.
A minute later Amy leapt out of her room. “Tada!”
She spun around to show us her gold halter top, tight black skirt and red heels. Her short brown hair was straightened to perfection.
“Are you trying to get laid tonight?” I said.
She ignored me, and in a high-heel wobble made her way to the kitchen. “Oooh...vodka.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “I have a feeling tonight’s gonna be...interesting.”
***
The music was loud in this hybrid of a bar and night club. The rickety wooden floors, tables and high chairs reminded me of a casual bar, but the packed dance floor beyond screamed “make out like no one’s watching.”
I bobbed my head to the music as I sipped from a bottle of water. I’d stayed true to my “no drinking after midnight” plan, but two rounds of shots five minutes before the cut-off were making my stomach rumble.
Eleanor and Amy returned from the bar with more dr inks. They were pretty hammered already, but white girls could drink like tanks so I wasn’t worried.
“See those guys over there?” said Eleanor.
I looked over to see three guy s about our age, standing around a nearby table. One had a supermodel’s face and a spectacular head of dark wavy hair, though his large upper body made me think he’d gone too crazy doing bench presses. His other two friends were…alright. I could see that my wingman task for the night was upon me, so I nodded and clapped my hands.
“L et me guess El, you want the guy who looks like a model.”
She flipped her hair to one side. “I don’t WANT anyone…they want me.”
She makes it look so easy.
Amy and I followed E leanor to a table that was next to our targeted guys. We pretended they weren’t even there and started talking. Eleanor was facing the guys which was the money-shot move, while Amy and I laughed loudly for no reason, as we faked like we were having
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