Dreams Can Come True

42. Pizza night

As I took a sip of water, I felt a wave of nostalgia wash over me. A soft sigh escaped my lips as I reflected on how much I had wanted to study hotel management. In my mind's eye, I pictured myself as a confident and competent manager who treated everyone in a fair and just manner. I would be dedicated to creating a welcoming and professional environment, and I would do everything in my power to make the hotel a great success.
But in reality, my path had taken a different turn. I remembered the difficult times, the obstacles that blocked my way, and the financial constraints that stood in the way of my dreams. I hadn't been able to continue my studies as I had hoped. Instead, I had remained stuck in an unsatisfying job as a cleaner, where respect for staff was hard to come by.

The sound of Bill and Tom's voices seeped into the living room, abruptly pulling me out of my thoughts. My attention was drawn to the tired yet cheerful expression on their faces as they entered the room. "What a night," complained Tom, his voice tinged with fatigue.
Sitting next to me, Andreas burst into laughter. "I barely remember anything," he chuckled, his voice infused with a hint of irony.
Bill glanced at us briefly, a slight grin playing on his lips as he nodded at me. "I just ordered pizzas for us," he announced cheerfully. "Some food will do you good."
Tom complained again, his voice still sounding tired. "I'm not hungry, Bill. I don't think I can eat anything."
Bill shook his head, determined to convince his brother. "You'll see, you'll feel better with something in your stomach," he replied resolutely.
The doorbell rang, and Bill got up to answer it for the pizza delivery. The smell of fresh pizza soon filled the room, and I felt my stomach growl at the thought of food. It had been a while since I had eaten properly, and the idea of a hearty meal was tempting.
The four of us gathered around the coffee table, where the pizza boxes awaited us invitingly. As we indulged in the food, the conversations quickly resumed. Tom slowly began to perk up after a few bites of pizza, his mood slightly improved.

As we enjoyed our pizzas, Bill broke the conversation. "So, guys, how was last night actually? I mean, before you got too drunk," he asked with a slight grin.
Tom eagerly launched into his story, his eyes sparkling with excitement as he recounted the events of the previous night. "After I called Mom and made sure Elise wasn't kidnapped by David, I got a call from Andreas," Tom began his story. Leaning back in his chair, he took us on his journey through the night.
"We heard there was a new club opened in the city, and Tom thought it was a great idea to check it out," Andreas added, his voice filled with memories of the night before.
Tom nodded in agreement, his smile widening as he continued the story. "We ended up in the VIP area," he said proudly, as if he had just accomplished a great feat. "And best of all, we could drink whatever we wanted without having to pay for it." He beamed at the memory of the abundance of free drinks they had enjoyed.
Sitting next to him, Andreas added to the story. "We were inundated with offers from the girls in the club," he said with a slight grin. "But we politely declined them. It was just great to be there together, without being distracted by others."
Bill let out a sigh and shook his head, a slight grin on his face as he looked at Tom and Andreas. "Hence the massive hangover," he muttered, running a hand through his tousled hair.
Tom slapped his hand on his knee and shook his head, still laughing. "Yeah, that's an understatement," he added, with a slight groan from his chair. "I swear, I feel like I've been run over by a truck."
Andreas burst into laughter too, his hands on his stomach as he shook his head. "We did have some strong drinks," he said between his laughs. "But it was worth it!"
"And the fact that you stayed away from the girls, Tom, I find that hard to believe," Bill continued.
I couldn't help but nod as I brought the last piece of pizza to my mouth. Bill's comment about the girls made me chuckle. "I don't know, guys," I said, my voice slightly mocking. "I'm inclined to believe him. I think he just cuddled with his drink all night."
Tom and Andreas burst into laughter, looking at each other with a conspiratorial glance. It was clear that there was more to the story than just rejecting girls.
Tom looked up with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "Well, let's just say it was a wild night," he said with a mysterious smile.
Bill rolled his eyes as he placed his hands on the table. "Okay, guys, I don't need to know all the details," he said jokingly. "But let's just say it was an adventurous evening."