In The Spotlight

Coiny- Sober Heart

About the time that Donut left was when it all devolved. Somebody figured out how to change the music and from there it went downhill.

GB brought some vodka from who knows where, prompting many more to bring their own liquor, and people got a lot more loosey goosey with social norms and how to appropriately talk to people. This was most apparent in GB herself who told pretty much everyone else in the room about how garbage they were as people. When she did it to me, I swear to god I've never seen anyone so enraged. But, TB came over and kissed her on the lips, which seemed to calm her down. Got to say, though, the amount of passion with which she kissed him back was enough that I felt like an intruder for looking. Unfortunately, I was too concerned for my personal health (and the health of the grown adults acting like toddlers due to the happy juice) to have all that much alcohol myself.

Great. Just Great. Some idiot put on that Apple Bottom Jeans song. I've never seen so many people try and fail to drop it like it's hot. I thought I was gonna be sick.

It was all going so well! Until it wasn't. At this point I thought I would just stop trying to have any control over the chaos.

Pin, who much to my dismay looked to be handling things way better than I was (as usual), came up to me and said, "This got a little out of hand." She was all smiley.

"A little?"

"Yeah..."

I rolled my eyes. "Let's talk outside, please."

She nodded reluctantly, and we made our way to the little hall right near the lobby. When the door clicked shut, the music went away, and with it went the safety net of being around a bunch of people. All that was left was the baseline thumping in my ears, and her piercing, today green, eyes.

"You and I both know this is getting way more than a little out of hand." She crossed her arms and even though I didn't want her to be angry with me, I continued. "I mean, the moment liquor was brought into the picture, this went to absolute shit!"

"What?" Her hands waved frantically. "Have you ever heard that a drunk mind speaks a sober heart? I know way more about these people than ever before!"

I rubbed at the bridge of my nose. "They'll all be so hungover tomorrow that they won't remember any of it! What was the point?"

"Our team has a leg up, now, don't they?"

"Why does that matter? I wanted to do something nice for everyone, and it's just ended up awful. So, can you, like, stop being so damn optimistic?" I was getting pretty intense, but I was just so mad.

"How is this my fault?" She was angry now, too.

I rolled my eyes. "I guess it's not, but you're not exactly making it better."

"Oh my god, you're really blaming this on me. I haven't done anything wrong! You can't deal with it, and that sucks for you, but do you have to just get mad at the closest thing that's breathing?"

"That's just like you to say. High and mighty as always." That was my fatal mistake.

Pin moved closer to me. Close enough that I could hear her every breath, could see every pigment in her contacts, could distinguish each pore on her face. "What is it?" She whispered with the vigor of a madwoman. "What is it that's so wrong with me, that you have to blame everything bad in your life on me?" How could she say that? I thought we were friends.

"I don't! I don't even know what you're talking about!" I turned my head away from her stare.

She shook her head and grabbed the collar of my shirt, readjusting me so I had to look at her. "Don't play dumb. Behind every friendly looking smile, every phone call, every word you speak in my direction is just hatred veiled with politeness. Don't act like you don't know what I mean. You have a problem with me. What I don't know, is why?"

Maybe she was right. Maybe I resented her. And I knew why too. I shoved myself away from her. "Because you're better than me! Because you're taller, and prettier, and better at commanding a room. Because people like you! Everything even remotely good that I've done here has just been me carrying out your ideas! It's shitty, I know! And you'd never do that, or whatever, and you're disgusted by the fact that I did, because I'm an awful person. Jesus Christ." Normally, when I get something off of my chest, it feels good. Like a release. But this time, each word coming out of my mouth felt like a disgusting, slimey monster that never was meant to emerge from its cave.

Her face didn't exactly soften, but the anger melted away. She was emotionless. "Wow. I thought you were a pretty cool person. Maybe one day we can be friends again." She turned toward the lobby and began walking.

"Wait, Pin! I'm sorry. Where are you going?"

She stopped and turned around one last time before she left for good. "Away. You can figure this shit out yourself. Grow the fuck up."

I went back into the stupid rager that I let happen, and turned the lights back on. Guess someone turned them off. I turned off the music.

A chorus of 'boo's came, and over them I shouted, "Party's over, people, we only booked this place until midnight, and we need time to clean up."

I sat in a folding chair as a bunch of drunken idiots filed out the double doors. Oddly enough, seeing TB and GB taking care of each other made me feel just pitiful. A tear must have fallen from my eye, but I didn't notice it until I tasted it on my tongue. I took in a deep breath, to try and compose myself, but once everyone left, I fell apart.

It was just me, myself, and I, alone in a huge, silent room, that only moments ago was filled with happy people. Drunk people, sure, but happy people nonetheless.

I cried, choked on my own tears, and I couldn't stop myself. I cried the entire time I was cleaning up the venue, I cried on the way back to the room, I cried sitting outside my room, hoping to stop soon so that I could actually go in.

I cried until I spotted Firey (presumably coming from his girlfriend's room), who nearly walked past me without noticing me, but unfortunately saw me just before he got past. "Coiny! I heard you threw one bomb ass party!" He got down on my level, and I guess he realized the blatantly obvious truth that I was sad. "Yo, do you want to get a drink or something?"

This finally broke the tears. I laughed. "I actually don't think you can comprehend how much I don't want that right now." I shook my head. "Or maybe ever again."

He seemed almost lost in thought. "Well, do you want to talk about it?"

"Maybe."

"I'm all ears, buddy."

I detailed our encounter, and with the story came more sobs from me, all while Firey patiently listened. Once I was finished talking, he took a deep breath.

I thought he was going to say something. I thought wrong. Instead, he wrapped me into a bear hug, which actually made me feel a lot better.

There's something about the morning after something bad happens. You feel kind of weak and hollow. Eve ate the apple, and now she pays the consequences.

At least Eve had Adam, and I have my best friend. I knew what I was going to do. It wouldn't be easy, but it would be worth it.

This never was high stakes before, but now I was raising them.

She wouldn't be better than me for much longer.

Not if I win this fucking thing.

(A/N: Dear god. I feel a little bit shit after writing that, but you know, it had to be written. I'm not sure if I'm actually not happy with how this chapter turned out, or if I'm just addicted to happy endings. Also, I literally still haven't decided how this story is going to end. Like I see the end vaguely, but I don't even know who's gonna win yet. Guess we're finding out together. Anyway, hope you enjoyed! Love you all, see ya Friday. <3 1360 words. Song for the day: 2085- AJR)