Northern Lights

Chapter 6: Awakened By Reality

"Miley lets go I'm hungry!" Avery says from across the room as she tries to rush me. I ignore her and continue to do my makeup. "I'm going to starve if you don't hurry up." She continues. I look at her in the mirror and shake my head. "I'm almost done! Know us. We aren't going to just get food, so I rather look presentable." I tell her as I wave my eyeshadow brush in front of her face. She lets out a slight sigh, but she can't argue with me. After I finish my makeup we go down to my car and head to the restaurant. We go to a local cajun restaurant where I order myself a gumbo to eat. Avery must be hungry and feeling bougie, she ordered a whole ribeye. "So what's the plans for the day?" I ask before taking a bite of my gumbo. This gumbo is so good I wish I had a second stomach to keep eating it. The flavor is exquisite. "I figured we could just hang out for the day, you could invite the boys over later to go swim." Avery says before she takes a swig of her drink. "I can ask Mahdi what they are doing, I know they are at the casino today." I reply as I continue to engulf my gumbo. "I like Mahdi, he's a really cool person." Avery admits. I just give her a slight smile. "You seem to really like Rome." She continues. I roll my eyes before I whine, "yeah yeah yeah." I continue to eat my food hoping she will stop talking, so I don't have to admit what I feel. Of course she can't let me eat in peace. She has to ask, "Do you think you will be okay when he leaves? I mean you're already so attached to him. Do you really think you are doing what's best?" I wish she didn't bring this question up, because it's not something I want to consider or even think about right now. Why can't she just let me continue to be happy? "I don't know and I don't want to know right now." I rudely said to her, which brought a little tension.

When Avery and I finished eating, her brother asked if I could go take his high school senior pictures. I do photography sometimes, so of course I agreed. During the time of the photoshoot, I found a moment to invite Mahdi and Rome over later, thankfully they agreed. I spent close to two hours taking the pictures and they came out really good. Avery's family is very photogenic, so it's not hard to get good quality photos. It was so hot outside so I'm drenched in sweat when we get back to my apartment. "Ring Ring" my phone goes off next to me. I look at the screen and it's Mahdi calling me. "Hello!" I say as I answer the call. "Wassup Miley? Y'all ready to party?" Mahdi asks. I love how he is always so enthusiastic. I laugh and tell him, "You know I was born ready. When are you coming over?" I hope they don't say right now, because I need to shower before they get here. "In fifteen minutes. Rome is in the shower and after we will head your way." Mahdi says.

When Mahdi and Rome arrive, the energy in the room feels off. It feels like tension is in the air. Avery and Rome sit next to each other and have small talk. Mahdi stays in the kitchen with me to take jello shots. "Miley, when did you make these jello shots? They taste weak. Did you even put alcohol in them?" Mahdi ask while trying not to choke from laughing. I roll my eyes at him as I naturally would before saying, "Yes Mahdi I put vodka in them, I made them earlier in the day. I followed the recipe I found online." He shakes his head as he downs his second Jello shot. "Well, they are weak. They taste like they have no alcohol in them, just like a normal jello shot." I followed a recipe, maybe I should have added extra alcohol, but I never made these before so I didn't know how much it needed. When I take the jello shot the alcohol is very potent. I'm not sure what Mahdi was complaining about, I taste more vodka than jello flavoring. The mixture of the two tastes makes me want to gag. I feel like Mahdi either has no taste or he is messing with me. Rome refuses to try one when I offer it to him. "Just try one." I beg him. He shakes his head in disapproval and pushes his hand out to further his disapproval. I knew something was off with him, but I just don't know what it is. He continued his conversation with Avery as if I wasn't there.

"Miley, Avery, and Rome let's take shots of bacardi." Mahdi yells from across the room. Before any of us can answer, Mahdi brings 4 shots of bacardi our way. We each grab a glass without even arguing his gesture. Before I knew it one shot turned into four. I was feeling like I was on the urge to become drunk. "Let's go swimming!" I demand it. Surprisingly everyone agreed. Mahdi and Rome went into my room to change into their swimwear, while me and Avery already had ours on. After a couple minutes Mahdi comes out of my room and Rome is folding the clothes he previously had on. I go into my room and sit on the bed next to him, hoping I can figure out the tension. He barely speaks to me, so I just sit there. He takes a seat next to me and says, "What's wrong?" I wanted to tell him I was wondering the same thing, but my thoughts are not clear from the alcohol. "Nothing is wrong!" I tell him as I push him to the laying down position. I lean in and kiss him and his lips begin to take the lead, but something about them feels different. "Guys, come on. Save the kissing for later." Mahdi comes in the room and says.