Yael | Ongoing

Chapter 13: Strike Three!

Sharon
10:20 PM

"Charlie!! Get over here. Sam's getting folded," I called out to Charlie over the shouts and screams of everyone as Maxwell made yet another cup. He hadn't missed so far and it wasn't looking too good for Sam. He had three cups left on his side. Maxwell had five.

He also didn't look like he would be able to hold himself upright much longer.

"Here, hold my water," Charlie said as he got closer to me. I watched him glance over to Maxwell, seeing Tinuade behind him and to his right side. He handed his water bottle over to me and I took a sip, honestly eager to see how the game would end. If I was a betting kind of girl, which I was, I wouldn't bet on Sam winning. Max had a few beers in him but didn't show it in any way. It was almost like he couldn't get drunk. He was as alert as someone who'd just finished a few minutes of cardio.

Sam stood with ball in hand, swaying gently to one side and then to the other. He was still conscious (which, considering how everything concluded, was nothing short of a miracle) and still very much in the game. He shook his head from side to side to make sure he was still awake and threw the ball. It bounced on the table toward one of the cups, bounced off of the rim and down the side of the island. Sounds of disappointment rang across the room in waves as the ball was passed back to Maxwell.

He smiled and flicked the ball again like he had done the first time and the ball struck the table, spinning in the air toward the cup and hit the rim before landing in the cup. Sam took the ball out with one hand and picked the cup carefully with the other hand, careful not to spill it. If he did spill it, it would just be refilled again and again.

He held the cup and raised it up, as if giving a toast before downing its contents. He threw it to one side and tried to get himself.

"He looks like he'll be out like a light if he has one more cup. Half even." Charlie uttered.

"I foresaw this moment," I said, not removing my eyes from Sam. If he was going to fall, I wanted to make sure he didn't hit the ground.

"Yeah, you did. Which makes me feel you were waiting for this to happen," Charlie voiced.

"Maybe," I said.

"You know you're crazy, right? Sam's gone and gotten himself a crazy girl," he said with a smile, closing his eyes and shaking his head.

"We're the best, honestly," I replied, taking another gulp from the bottle and smiling. "We give wonderful massages."

Sam had taken another shot and missed again. He wasn't looking too good either. Max looked like he could play the game three more times and be completely fine. Sam was down to one cup. Max still had five before him. Max bounced the ball on the table and it landed in the last cup in front of Sam. Sam took the ball out and drank from it. And the crowd went wild. They. Lost. It. It was one of the craziest things I had ever seen. A simple beer pong game looked like we were in an underground fighting ring where you either win or you're dead.

I trodded over to Sam's side and shook him gently.

"Hey, you good?" I asked.

"Flrrrsmmchnn," he replied. His eyes were shut.

"I'll take that as an inebriated yes," I said and moved him away from the island.

"Let me have a look at you," Charlie said, stepping up to both of us and taking Sam's face in his hands. "He's taken a beating but he'll live."

Then he retched.

"We may need to find a bathroom," I stated.

"Upstairs to the first floor, down the hall, last room on the right." Charlie directed.

"Thanks," I said. "Okay, Mister, up you go. Need to get you comfy for your bathroom break."

I picked Sam up, walked passed Charlie and Tinu and led him up the stairs toward the bathroom as the next round of beer pong began in earnest behind us.