The Good Old Days

July 3rd, 1993 (Double Sweet Sixteen)

"Marissa, hurry up!" Melissa whined from outside the bathroom, "We're gonna be late for our own Sweet Sixteen at this rate!"

After about another minute or two, the door finally opened and Melissa's twin sister Marissa stepped out.

"You don't need to yell..." Marissa said with her ears pinned down.

"Well, I was ready an hour ago," Melissa huffed, "Mom and Dad are waiting downstairs."

The twins walked down the steps, both wearing matching dresses that their mother had bought for them. Mel thought the look suited Marissa much more than herself, but at this point she just wanted to leave.

"You two ready?" Their dad, Marcellus asked, "Things should be just about set up at the union hall. Your brothers are over there helping."

"I've been ready," Melissa said, already halfway out the door, "Let's move it!"

It wasn't a far drive to the hall, maybe about fifteen minutes from their house. There were a few others already there, mostly family members and some friends that had been helping set everything up. The Collins family was already there, and George was with them too.

"Heyyy!" Melissa said excitedly as she ran up to Cathy and hugged her, "Tonight's gonna be so fun!"

"Oh yeah," Cathy giggled, but then lowered her voice, "And I got something that's gonna help with that."

Mel gave her an inquisitive smirk, but Cathy just winked at her.

It wasn't much longer until guests really started arriving, which mostly consisted of Melissa's friends, their family, and their own extended family members. Marissa's boyfriend, Gunther Graben, also had shown up by now.

Dinner was served buffet style to the guests. Just about everyone was at their tables now enjoying their meals.

"Pssst!" Cathy said, sitting next to Mel at their special table, which was reserved just for the two birthday girls and their closest friends. Cathy motioned her eyes downward to her bag.

Mel looked down, seeing a bottle of vodka sticking out. Melissa giggled, but then turned back to her food, trying not to draw attention. Once dinner was done, they headed back to partying. Cathy had gathered the group into the coat room, no one was using it this time of year so she knew they'd be tucked away from the others at the event. There she pulled out the vodka bottle that she snuck in. She eyed all her friends and watched their faces.

"I got more in here too," she said, breaking the seal on the bottle.

She put her lips to the nozzle and tipped the bottle back, taking what was about the equivalent of two shots before holding the bottle out to Daisy.

"Uh, I'll pass..." Daisy said.

Cathy then held it to Adam, who hesitantly took the bottle from her. He sniffed the top of it, then slowly took a sip, nearly gagging as the vodka stung the back of his throat. This was nothing like in the movies, he thought.

"Baby," Melissa said with an eye roll as she snatched the bottle from him.

"Heehee, yeah you go party princess!" Cathy said.

"Whew! That'll wake you up!" Melissa hollered "Here, Jed."

Melissa, Cathy, Jed, and George all took turns passing the bottle to each other, and it wasn't too long before the bottle was a little more than half gone, and all four of them were showing signs of impairment.

"O-okay guys..." Cathy said, "Let's go back out to the party, gotta be time for cake soon, hehehe..."

Melissa poured some Vodka into the cups they were each carrying and stuffed the bottle back into Cathy's bag before walking back out, giggling amongst themselves. Not paying attention, Melissa bumped into her sister.