The Quiet One

Seven

At 7:58 on Friday Kimberly arrived at Jared's house with a two liter of Pepsi.

"Aye, you're early," he smiled.

Kimberly laughed. "Yeah, a whole two minutes."

"Come on in," he said directing her through the doorway.

"Why thank you, kind sir," she teased.

After coming inside, she held up her bottle of Pepsi. "Where can I put this?"

He shrugged, "In the fridge I guess, but I don't think we're going to need it."

"Why?" Asked Kimberly, confused.

"Open up the fridge and see," he grinned.

Still confused, she just followed his directions and opened the fridge, only to find a six pack of beer. She felt the color leaving her face, remembering the results of drinking last time. She did like it, but what she hated was letting down Noah and lying to her mom. "Um," she said shyly, "I'll probably just stick with Pepsi tonight."

"What, you're going to make me drink alone?" Questioned Jared, somewhat offended.

"No, it's just, I shouldn't," she tried to explain. "I don't think it'd be right. I mean I had to lie to my mom last time I came home drunk and disappointed Noah. Not to mention I have to drive home tonight. I can't afford a DUI."

"Who cares about Noah? I don't see him here, do you?" He said, making her feel stupid, manipulating her. "Come on, loosen up, enjoy yourself. Remember how fun that was at the party? How fun you were at the party?"

Her conscious became quieter and quieter, slowing dying with every time she gave into the wrong thing. "Well, maybe just a little."

He smiled, "Yeah, that's what I'm talking about!" He opened the fridge and pulled out and cracked open two cans. One for him, one for her.

"I really can't have too much, though," she reminded both him and herself before taking her first sip.

He chugged down a quarter of his drink. "You have as much as you want."

After a while, she found herself drinking, and finally drunk. They hardly had a discussion and never even ate the subs or chips she came for. Finally, it was eleven o'clock, and Kimberly had to leave. She stumbled and squinted her eyes at the blurry street lights. She wasn't sure if she could drive. "Maybe I should call my mom," she suggested to Jared.

"No, don't!" He insisted. "You'll get in trouble, and so will I. We'll never be able to do this again."

Maybe she didn't need to do this again. But she did want to. She obeyed his advice and got in her car and struggled to put her keys in the ignition. Finally, she did and started her car. She could feel her pedals, but her view of everything was blurred. She almost thought she needed prescription glasses to help her. She could barely tell where she was at on the road, so she tailgated the car in front of her for some sort of guidance. What an idiot I am. She thought.

Slowly, but surely, and by grace, she finally made it home, even safely. She was fortunate that her mom was in her room sleeping, so she could go to her bed unnoticed and sleep off the alcohol. Man, am I dumb. She thought after arriving in her bed. I never should've driven like that. I can't believe I made it home. After mentally beating herself and hoping she wouldn't be too hung over tomorrow, and definitely not for her six o'clock date, she went to sleep.