Teach Me Something // LH44

Chapter Twenty-Seven

"I need tequila and I need it in an IV," I declare the moment I locate my friends standing around a table in the sun on the terrace. They're all laughing with drinks in their hands and in the absence of any tequila for me to consume, I pluck the martini glass from Liam's hands and throw back the contents before I can even begin to consider what I'm drinking. I regret it the moment I do, the burning in the back of my throat is not delightful at all and definitely not the taste I was hoping for. While hoping to wash away the nasty taste of whatever was in that drink, I aimed for Jenny's drink next, downing it in one but finding that it was not at all what I needed. "Your drinks are disgusting... why on earth would you order them?" I complain as I screw up my face in disgust, slamming Jenny's drink down on the table as I look next to Lucas but he's smart enough to hold his beer an arm's length away from me.

"Someone get this girl some tequila," Liam says with a frown, carefully taking his glass out of my hand and I hear the rest murmur in agreement. I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand and spin on my heel, quickly finding a waiter and making my order before turning to the table once more, running my hand through my hair. "So it was a good tour of the garage then?"

"It was a good tour of the computer closet..." I mumble, my head in my hands as I groan and semi-collapse onto the table, my head in my hands. "What am I doing?" I whine, feeling a couple of hands stroke comfortingly on my back. "Seriously, what is he doing to me?" I cry out, tipping my head up and pouting at Lilly who seems on the verge of laughter. Liam's hand pats me lightly on the head before he encourages me to stand up just in time to receive the tray of seven tequila shots I'd just ordered. "Okay, time to go," I tell them all, picking up a lime, raising my shot glass and watching them all stare at me, only Lucas picks up his shot without any hesitation.

"Gigi, we love you but it is noon... there is still a lot of the day to go. Tequila is a bad idea," Chris says, his arm around Lilly as everyone watches me like I'm a walking car crash. It's a good description and it's definitely the look in their eyes... it's kind of how I feel.

"Well, I have seven shots of tequila here so, either I drink all of these shots by myself or you help me. Which is it?" I ask them, analysing their glances at one another as they're frozen. I lock eyes with Jenny, raising my eyebrows as I reach out for another shot and watch as it snaps her out of her daze.

"Everyone take your shot and you take it now," she commands, quickly dispersing them out and batting away the complaints with a short sharp nod towards me. "Take your shots - are we making a toast? It feels like we should make a toast?" Those words are directed towards me and I nod, raising my shot glass to the sky, waiting until the others follow suit.

"Thank you for coming this weekend. If you hadn't I don't think I'd be breathing which I think is also indicative of my entire adult life. So this is to those who have been there from the start, helping me through the lows and who I promise will always be by my side in my highs. I love you and I thank you for being here because let's face it - I'd be lost without you!" I tell them, grinning and putting the closet, the kiss and the black and silver car that was running beneath us at that moment to the back of my mind. "Tequila!"

"Tequila!" Most of the others mumble with different degrees of happiness and enthusiasm. Lucas as always is on my side and responds with equal vigour but I can't help but catch Lilly's hesitation. She raises her glass and mumbles the words before lifting the shot to her lips and lowering it when the rest of us did but without taking a single drop of the liquid. Her eyes moved to look at Chris who was sharing that look with her. My eyes try to locate her original drink on the table and when I do I see the lemon at the top of her tall glass, bubbles indicating that it's carbonated but probably not including alcohol.

My mouth drops open when I have a thought as to what it might mean and I look back at Lilly, seeing that she recognises the look on my face. I make sure not to say anything but I can't help the grin as it grows while she exchanges another look with Chris before they both look up smiling. I'm practically fizzing with excitement while the two other couples with us are looking between the three of us for an explanation.