Blue Money | Nick Robinson

Chapter Four: Bliss

We get to the park and everyone jumps from the car like they'd rather be here than anywhere else. Savannah starts doing cartwheels. Eileen and Blake are holding hands.

"Can we break out the drinks or what?" Lance rolls his eyes, once we all gather in a semi circle of cold breath and flowery perfume.

It's just light enough from the streetlights on the sidewalk and the moon so we can see. The park is about a football field of grass. I see swings and a jungle gym on the other side.

Layla sits on her knees and opens up the bag, Eileen goes straight for the whipped cream vodka. She opens it taking a long sip.

"Calm down, E," Blake grabs it from her and takes a drink while she scrowls at him, slightly playfully.

Layla has everything from flavoured vodka to whiskey. Nothing but hard stuff though, no beer or mike's hard lemonade.

Blake then passes the drink to me. I kind of want to get really drunk but at the same time I'm horrified at getting caught on the way back into Vale Amare.

Nick glances over me.

I take two long chugs of it, burning my throat but sweet in my mouth.

"Nice one, new girl," Blake pats my shoulder.

"Thanks pal," I cough. Jesus, that was a bad idea.

Nick reaches into Layla's bag and grabs the whiskey. We stand for a bit, passing drinks around. laughter making an appearance as one bottle is handed to another, cigarettes being lit and Savannah chewing on gummy bears, the package crinkles every so often. It smells like menthol and food dye and rose soap.

Blake sits on the ground next to Layla and they start rolling joints. It's cold and I pull down on the sleeves to Eileen's sweater.

"We need music," Savannah states, pulling her iphone out. She clicks around on it.

The whiskey ends up In my hands and I think what a horrible idea it would be to just take a chug of this. I'm good at doing horrible ideas. I almost choke on it and then pass it to Lance. Who hands the cigarette to me so I start smoking. Nick side eyes me.

I've never heard the song Savannah plays, it's a good addition to the already scuffles of heels on grass and gummy bear package crinkling sounds.

Layla lights a joint and it makes the rounds. Pretty soon I feel like a clock, the hands laughs and the song that thrums from Savannah's phone and we just pass and pass and pass.

Nick is between Elieen and Lance and i'm between Lance and Blake. I keep looking over at him sometimes he smiles other's he looks away like maybe I make him nervous.

I feel a sort of tingly sense of warm and comfort, head buzzing.

"I feel kind of weird," I state.

I've been drunk before and also high, just not at the same time.

"Oh, shit!" Lance says. "You're cross faded as fuck, this is hilarious."

"Lance," Savannah says, the almost empty bottle of vodka in her hands swaying. "Shut up, you're always talking, go put a dick in your mouth or you know something."

Layla laughs so loud I think someone might hear us but then I remember the rest of the world is sleeping and right now it's just us.

I feel like the inside of a fireplace but there's cold on my cheeks. My hands are tingly, my brain feels like static and I think the inside of my mouth tastes like lemons.