SUMMER LOVE

XIII - Opening-ups, party girls and my big desire to get drunk

*Narrator*

Theodor and Amanda got to the restaurant a little late, not that they had done it on purpose; they just couldn't find their way through the massive number of stairs and elevators.

The room was packed with people of all kinds: what looked like successful entrepreneurs and other very important people.

*Amanda*

The restaurant was very chic and actually fancy. The chandeliers hanging from the ceiling made it look like a wedding scenario and the round tables were really amazing as well.

It wasn't hard for us to find our table, maybe because it was the biggest one in the room. It looked like no one else had struggled finding their way to the restaurant as we were the last ones to arrive. What we got as a payment: a killer look from Jack.

Theodor sat down and I sat in the opposite direction (the only empty seat). The monitors were in another table. A few uninteresting conversations flew from both sides of the table (yes, I know, it was a round table). Then Brianna started talking about something I'd rather she hadn't: school.

'I think I'm going to the Oxford University, next year. My dad wants me to and I can't lie, living in England would definitely not be a problem for me.' – She said.

'You're so lucky. I'd love to go to college!' – Charlotte admitted. Her happy smile turned into a sad one.

'What's wrong, Charlotte? You can't go because of your grades?' – Theodor asked.

'No. It's just that...' I'd already got it. She couldn't afford it. 'My parents have recently divorced. My mom is going through a though time and my dad is not helping. He's never at home and when he is, either he's drunk or he's complaining about our money situation. I can't take it anymore. That's one of the reasons I decided to come to the camp. I can't stand being around him.' After this opening-up, she burst into tears. Theodor, who was next to her, gently ran his hand through her hair, to calm her down. 'And I-... I can't not have good grades, I just can't. I feel like it is my duty to help him, but sometimes I feel so helpless.'

'Charlotte, you shouldn't really think about that... You know, our lives are not fairytales. My life is undoubtedly not a fairytale. But we can't let ourselves down.' I supported her. 'Listen... my life is a bunch of crap, right now. My grades are low as they have never been before. My mom is always bugging me because of that and my dad... well... let's just say he's not at his best. He has cancer.'

Theodor looked at me open-jawed. My tears were about to fall. But I couldn't. I couldn't cry.  I continued, my heart had taken my tongue and I couldn't stop talking.

'... and before I came to the camp, I broke up with my boyfriend. After 3 years with him, we broke up. And I felt like shit. So I stopped studying and the rest you know. This summer camp was supposed to be a punishment for me. But you know what? It has turned out to be the best thing ever, just because I've met you. And Theodor...' – I looked at him and he nodded, smiling. 'Remember, there's always a rainbow after the rain, or a little bit of sunshine shining through the clouds. And that's where the beauty of life is.' She smiled and wiped her eyes with her sleeves. And then she thanked me. 'One night, a person told me: there's beauty even in the simplest of things...'- He smiled again. 'So just please put a smile on your face and see what a wonderful life we all have.'

'Guys, I think we should celebrate our lives and celebrate the fact that we have the amazing opportunity of being here. Night out?' Of course, Brianna, the party girl. Everyone got up. Theodor had already asked Jack about this, so we did it: we went to the night. And let me tell you, what a hell of a night it was gonna be.

*Narrator*

Almost the entire group decided to go out (except for Carolynn, who needed to have a beauty sleep) and the city was the best place to do it. They were all more than 16 so it would be no problem. The first bar they went to was the 90's Bar.

*Amanda*

The first (and only) bar we decided to go to was this awkward kind of bar or disco. The signboard was very appealing and the queue outside was the longest of them all. Entering was not hard at all. We just had to show our ID cards.

There were about 200 people inside. The smoke made it hard to see where we were going and especially to breathe. Although we couldn't walk properly, we had to go hand in hand with each other to not leave anyone behind. It was packed with people. Most of them smoking and drinking. And that's what was scaring me.

'Theodor...' – I screamed, trying to catch his attention through the loud music. 'There's something I didn't tell you...'

'What?' – He shouted.

'I need to tell you something!'

'Can't listen, Mandy!'

'Just don't leave me alone!' – I ended up saying. There was definitely something he didn't know about me. I had quit smoking in the past but I still had problems with alcohol. That was one of the reasons my parents wanted me occupied during the summer. So that I wouldn't do anything crazy. Like drinking or smoking again.

And I was now in a small disco full of people smoking and drinking. Shit.

Theodor grabbed Charlotte's hand and went to the middle of the crowd. He was trying to cheer her up. I stayed in a table with Brianna (remember she was a party freak), Rachel, Jacob (who smoked more than 10 cigarettes a day) and Aaron. You probably know what happened next. 

*Theodor*

Charlotte was a little happier now. I decided to get some drinks for us to have fun. She's the coolest girl, she shouldn't be that sad.

I dragged myself through the massive crowd and finally managed to get to the bar-man.

'Two black vodkas, please!'

I waited for the drinks leaning against the counter. There was this nasty couple next to me who really just needed a bed to be pleased for the night. I started looking around and then caught Amanda's eye.

*Amanda*

Theodor is looking at me. What do I do? Ok, just smile and wave. Oh, I can't. I need a cigarette. No Amanda, you can't.

I was going through a though time by now. I could feel the big desire to smoke and drink burning my bloodstream. I was nervous, trying not to look at Jacob who was literally about to swallow his cigarette. 

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