The Big Boom [re-writing]

8:38 pm [updated]

Clear, beige liquid slushed into a glass cup, sparkling and scintillating. The street lights gave it a bright glittering effect, despite the unsanitary possibility of the cup, as Christopher held it out to me.

When I didn't budge, he said, "C'mon, Candice. To success!"

"You got these out of the compartment of Gary's truck."

"Sanitation doesn't matter if it ends up being a good hard liquor," He stated, holding the drink out to me again.

I smiled at his enthusiasm. "Okay -but only if you call Gary."

"So he can come and save you from me?"

"So he can come and tow his own truck that ran out of gas and stranded us in this lot," I pointed out, expanding my arms before us.

"Okay, okay. Just celebrate." He gave it to me and started typing away on his phone.

Tentatively, I took it in my hands and looked down at the liquid, wondering if I'd feel like how you'd felt before if I drank. How much could I drink before I saw Christopher the way you saw him –the way you saw him the first time? –the last time?

I downed a large gulp and felt it burn its way down my throat. Then I downed another –to stop thinking of you. And another –because I was finally having fun. And another and another.

And then Christopher said, "Hey, whoa. You're drinking like I'm forcing you with a gun to your head. Wanting to forget me already?"

I forced the glass away and smiled at him, dazed for a brief second before the drink settled as warmth in my stomach. "No. No, just the opposite actually."

He smiled back handsomely and drank straight from the bottle, having to clear his throat a couple times after, likely to ease the burn it'd given him from drinking it like it was water. We were thirsty from laughing too much earlier to care.

A group of people, dressed all promiscuous and fresh, spoke boisterously down one side of the parking lot, luring my attention. As my eyes wavered over them, passing Christopher, I saw an idea spark on top of him in excitement.

"We should follow them."

"Why?"

"Because listen –"

I picked up the gentle cadence at my feet. Thump, thump, thump.

"It sounds like a club." Before I could refuse, he added, "We could go check it out while Gary's hauling his ass here. I've always wanted to go to an underground club –plus, would you rather sit here all night with a strange guy waiting for another strange guy?"

"Technically, we're standing –"

"C'mon. Let's go," He said, making the bottle nearly miss the hood of the truck when he tugged me in the group's direction.

The line to the club, luckily not too long, was the size of my thumb by the time the thumping intensified, making my chest feel like it was vibrating. Streetlights dimmed down around the crevasse of the entrance, not to a creepy feel, but to a mysterious one. People entered speedily down the stairs of the dark entrance, grabbing their partners and snickering loudly over the music. When we were near the front of the line, I noticed that our outfits were nowhere near their flashy ones, skin-tights adorned with sequins and gems, jewelry and high-heels.

"We're not even dressed for this place," I stated.

He opened his mouth to respond but a deafening groan yanked our eyes to the guard. He was a rather slim guy with a height comparable to mine, his back towards us as he pinned a man against the brick wall in a chicken-arm twist. When I heard him speak, however, it was a female's voice.