The Ripple Effect

3

The game was well underway and I had started to sober up.

The basketball team was considerably messy by now and I had sunk most of their cups. Maisy had gone missing and I was three cups away from slaughtering these naive boys and getting out of my mind drunk.

The shadow person crept to the front of my mind and as I looked over, they had been replaced by two girls making out around a crowd of boys. My brow creased, maybe the shadow person wasn't interested in the game after all.

I glanced back to the corner, rolled my eyes at the sight and brought myself back to the matter present at hand.

What started out as a friendly game, had now turned into a 40 minute battle.

It was me vs the basketball team.

A rather large crowd had gathered to watch the game and most of them were cheering for me. I shouldn't be surprised, everyone loves an underdog story, right?

I looked up around the room while my opponent was lining his shot up. Faces I recognized from school surrounded me, smiling, drinking and soaking up the competitive atmosphere. I was unsure if they were actually supporting me, or the idea that the basketball team was finally getting a long coming ego lesson.

Either way, I didn't mind. All I wanted was some alcohol, and I sure as hell was going to get it.

I heard a ball bounce off the table and hit my arm, I chuckled at his miserable attempt. Squinting slightly, I lined up the shot and threw the tiny ball with just enough force behind it to sink into one of their cups. The crowd simultaneously drew back a breath and held as the ball rolled around the rim and cheered as it plopped into the cup. 

My smile grew and people were congratulating me, but the battle wasn't over yet.

While being smothered in congratulations my opponent had landed the ball in my cup.
This slightly worried me, I was only just getting back to my sober self and I knew this drink would take me back into tipsy land. 

I didn't let this show on my face as I replied in my most sarcastic voice,
"Well, it's about time you guys finally tried catching up."
The crowd laughed, they had sunk three of mine while I had only two cups left to win my alcohol.

I downed the beer and tried to stall for as long as possible in order to get my bearings back. I grabbed the ball and threw it, I must have been more sober than I felt because the ball landed straight into their cup. 

One down, one to go. 

The boys had their turn and I heard people snickering about their ball handling skills in the crowd as they missed, again.
The beer had settled now and my head wasn't spinning as much as I took my last shot. 

Aiming with one eye shut, I slightly cocked my head to the side, aimed, and made the ball carve it's way through the air towards the final cup with a flick of my wrist. I sent a silent prayer and hoped that this would get in, I was over the constant yelling and music vibrating in my ears.

I closed my eyes as the ball began its decent and relied on the crowd to tell me how I went.
There were gasps of anticipation and soon after cheers erupted all around me. I opened my eyes to find that i was being consumed by new found supporters, smiling at my victory I had somehow escaped the deathly tight hugs and marched over to the basketball team.

"Nice game boys, I will collect my alcohol now." 

They were for the most part very polite, however Mark didn't look at me again, I guess beating his team took a greater toll on his lady killing ego than I had originally thought.

They handed over a bottle of vodka, a six pack of beers and 2 bottles of Jack Daniels, it was worth the wait.

With my newfound alcohol I walked around for Maisy to find her in her element, the middle of the dance floor. She had apparently no troubles acquiring more alcohol and I didn't need to be holding her hair back later tonight, so I left her to work off whatever extra she had drank.

Deciding to get some air, I walked out of the house, past the immaculate garden and entertaining area, I came across a quiet corner which was relatively dark.
I could still make out the outlines of people and the music was still loud, but it was good enough for me.

I sat down in the grass, opened up a beer and began to think.

But thinking was not what I wanted to do right now, not here and not tonight. There was too much pain if I started thinking.
At this, I came to the conclusion that the only thing that will block it all out is alcohol.

I quickly downed the beer I had opened and began on the vodka.
The familiar burn flushed around my mouth and down my throat, I needed this.

I lit a cigarette and exhaled smoke rings, I could always nail them when I was alone. When no one else was watching of course.

Or so I thought.

A rather deep voice sounded out from behind me, making me choke on the smoke and spill my drink.

"You must have a pretty big death wish, first you take on the basketball team in beer pong, then gulping vodka as if it were water, and now you're smoking?"

The stranger let out a breathtakingly solemn chuckle.
"A gun would be quicker, you know."

***
I'll try not to do many authors notes because I really hate it when there are long ones at the end of chapters. (And lets face it- no one reads them anyway)
feel free to comment/critic/give me advice. 
It's my first story so I'm pretty nervous about it.
Hope you're enjoying so far xx