Destiny

Chapter 16: Chill&Drink

After that well-deserved shower, she got dressed to go back to the hotel, she appreciated that the fans appreciated the "rebirth" of her character. She can't help thinking that Taker was right about changing her style, maybe he pretends to be tough but inside he wants the best for his co-workers who knows?

She leaves her locker room with her bag when Paul comes towards her with his bag. "You did a good job earlier Lini." Said Paul smiling, very happy with Lini's performance. "Thanks Paul, I'm exhausted." She said yawning.

"The ministry is going to have a drink in a bar later, would you like to join us?" he asked as he walked with her to the parking lot.

"I would like to, but I think it would be too much." She said thinking she wouldn't be welcome, she knows half the Ministry doesn't appreciate her presence here because she's a woman and they think she has nothing to do with them.

"Sweetheart, on the contrary show that you want to fit in. And between you and me, you blew us all away." reassured Paul. She smiled at his words.

"I will come." She tells him smiling.

~!~

Lini is about to go out, she has never set foot in a bar until tonight. She is dressed in a tank top and gray pants, white sneakers, she puts on her coat before leaving her room. She goes down the stairs and sees the whole ministry in front of the hotel door and goes to join them.

They go to a bar called "Chill&Drink", they walk to a large empty table in the corner before sitting down. Lini is sitting between Mideon and Taker, looking at the decor of the bar, frames of dancers on the walls, colored lights, the bar with people drinking their drinks, waiters. In one corner, there is a pool table occupied by a group of men. Lini noticed that the Ministries are regulars at this bar as a few waiters greet them. Fans? Lini wondered.

When they toasted together for the show tonight, which was great, especially they toasted for Lini who put on an outstanding show. She is very happy to finally be accepted by the group... Well... by almost everyone. Bradshaw still thinks she doesn't deserve her place here, he didn't even raise his glass for her but hey Lini doesn't care. Lini looks to his left, where Taker is seated, he looks calm, happy with the evening. Maybe I should let off steam a bit? Lini thought.

~!~

The evening at the bar goes very well, they chat, laugh, Lini spends a pleasant evening in the company of the Ministry. Bradshaw can't have fun, still annoyed that there's a woman in the group, doesn't understand why Taker is starting to get used to this useless girl. "Go have fun Brad! Stop being upset". said Mideon to his grumpy colleague; Bradshaw watches Lini laugh with Paul joking. Suddenly, he had an idea in his head, he smiled mischievously. Bradshaw looks at Mideon with a smile.

"We'll see if she's into alcohol. Hey Rookie!" Bradshaw yelled at Lini. She looks at him him sip her drink, wondering what he wanted.

"I challenge you: I want you to drink 10 glasses of pure whisky and if you can drink it all without falling under the table, I will no longer call you weak." Bradshaw shouted and the ministry cheered upon hearing the challenge, everyone seemed motivated that Lini had accepted. But Taker doesn't seem so happy.

"Brad, calm down or you'll have my punch on your face ." He said he didn't like that idea, he doesn't want that kind of challenge tonight especially not with Lini. She lowers her glass, looks at Bradshaw who ignores Taker's comment, wanting her to respond. It's a chance for her to show everyone that she is not a weak or that she doesn't just have a boring woman.

"I agree." She said with courage and determination.

Bradshaw smiled mischievously, very happy to have accepted the challenge. As soon as he goes to get glasses of whiskey, Taker looks at Lini, not understanding why she is playing in his game.

"What are you playing? What do you want to prove here?" Said Taker who seems very annoyed by this, he doesn't want her to embarrass herself. Lini looks at Taker not understanding why he suddenly forbids her to do things, he was the first to say such dirty things to Lini. She looked at Taker with an air of hatred and courage.

"To prove what I am not: a wimp." She said into Taker's cold green eyes. Taker lets go of Lini's arm as she looks at the waiter for booze in the shooters. Bradshaw steps in front of her, so sure that Lini will lose sight of the challenge that she is a weak woman and all she knows how to do is cook and clean.

"Come on, I'll bet, I bet $50 she loses." Bradshaw said putting the $50 bill on the table. "$50, she won!" shouted Mideon who also put down a ticket. "I bet it's disgusting to make a woman drink..." Paul said disgusted that Bradshaw would do this kind of challenge with a woman and also disgusted that Taker let him doing this. "$40 she loses!" Viscera said putting the ticket down with the rest of the bet as well as Farrooq.

Everyone is now looking at Taker who hasn't bet anything yet, Lini smiles at him with a smile of extreme self-confidence, she seems determined to shut everyone's mouths. Taker takes $100 from his wallet and deposits it with the rest of the bets.

"I bet she wins." Said Taker surprisingly throwing his bet on the table.

Everyone looks at him in shock, even Lini is surprised that he is betting she will win the challenge. He was the first to say she was weak because she was a woman and the gentleman turned around. Bradshaw hands the first shooter to Lini, she takes the glass in her hand, looks at Bradshaw who still has his little smile.

"SO ?" Bradshaw said thinking she was already going to give up when he saw the disgusted face of the rookie.

Lini swallows the glass, everyone applauds. With each glass she drank the guys applauded her but the more she drank, the more she showed that she had no weakness. The guys who had bet that she was going to lose began to doubt when she was down to her penultimate drink.

"So guys! won't you say anything more?! Bradshaw?!"

She yelled at Bradshaw when she saw him blaze when he realized he was wrong but still didn't give up hope he could still win, he had two shooters left to drink. Taker calmly drinks his glass but still annoyed by this game, very angry that Bradshaw proposed this game, he knew that Lini is not someone who will be stepped on and this looks like her first step in a bar. Everyone cheers when she takes another drink but begins to falter.

"Hang on honey!" Mideon shouted banging on the table encouraging Lini. She returned the 9th glass and applauded herself too, she unwittingly bumped into Taker who was going to drink his glass but had all soiled his shirt because of the liquid that had fallen from his glass. Lini raises her last glass, everyone applauds, she looks at Bradshaw.

"You're lost man!" She said smiling at Bradshaw.

She was about to drink her last drink when Taker's big hand takes the glass from Lini's hands, everyone boos Taker for that, Lini looks at him not understanding why he took it from his hands and tries to take it back but in vain.

"Party's over guys, let's go." Said Taker taking his coat, still Lini's shooter in his right hand.

"But let me... finish my last drink!" shouted Lini who was still standing, trying to get her drink out of Taker's hands. He looks at Lini and drinks the shooter instead of Lini, she is disgusted by this.

"Let's go now!" He says forcing Lini to come with him, she looks at Bradshaw and the Ministry who are getting up to leave.

"It doesn't matter, I won!"

She said proudly. She didn't vomit, she didn't fall, she didn't give up, she wasn't weak like all these guys think.