This is it. My first venture the world of alcohol. First willing venture, anyway.
I've been around far too many drunk people for a lifetime. That's what life on the streets does to you. Either you drink, or you fight. Sometimes you do both, but that never ends well. I was clever enough to go along the route that did least damage to my liver. In hindsight, it was the best thing I could ever do. I saw the results of constantly finding a remedy at the bottom of a bottle of whiskey. And it wasn't pretty. My life wasn't either, but at least my organs are in fully functioning condition.
But that was on the streets. Drink was one of two ways to survive. Here in the real world, drink is a choice. You can go to these pubs and choose to have a quiet night with your friends or go completely out of control. It's totally up to you. Or, as tonight seems, is completely up to me.
“We don't have to do anything,” I hear Mark say into my ear. I can only just catch the words over the drone of drunkards around me. “It's possible to have a good time without drinking.”
“But everyone else is drinking.”
“We're not everyone else, are we?”
He's right. We're not like everyone else. This whole evening has pretty much highlighted that for me. And right now, that's not what I want. I want to be like everyone else.
“Have you even had a drink before?”
“No. Does that matter?”
“It's going to go right to your head, sweetheart. You'll be drunk off three drinks, tops.”
“But you'll be here to keep an eye on me, right?”
He smiles at me, wrapping his arm around me. I snuggle up closer almost on instinct. But partially because a large, whiskey stinking man just brushed past me and made my heart beat double time.
“I'll always be here,” he coos into my ear. “And I won't drink to make sure...”
“Hell. No.” Danny's voice chirps behind me, catching me off guard. “You're drinking, mate.”
“I've got to keep an eye on Alex...”
“This is your night, Mark! You and Alex deserve this one night of letting your hair down. Or...well, not in either of your cases actually...”
“But who's going to be looking after Alex?”
“We will. We're staying dry tonight. Like I said, this is your night. We'll make sure that you're not going to humiliate yourselves. Okay?”
I look up at Mark to see what he thinks of this decision. If he's okay with it, then so am I. Any decision he makes will be perfect with me. I trust him. I trust him to know what's best. And sure enough, he looks down at me. I see a hint of worry in his eyes, but then that smile wipes it all away.
“I guess we'll get you a drink then.”
Taking my hand, he leads me through the hoard of intoxicated idiots. I feel them brush against my arm, and I know I should be panicking. But my hand is in his. That means I'm safe. He'll save me if anything happens.
We get to the bar and I think I'm going to faint. Look at all those bottles! I mean, seriously. I only thought there was whiskey and beer. But no. Apparently there's cider, and wine, and sambucca and all kinds of other colourful things here. And those aren't even in the fridge! Jesus Christ, who knew getting drunk was so complicated? How on earth do you chose what to drink...
“Guinness and a Smirnoff Ice, mate.”
Hmm. Smirnoff Ice. Sounds exotic. Does it have little shards of frozen water floating about in it? Or was it concocted in the wilderness of Antarctica? Who knows! But I can't wait to see it.
