Voices • Jack Avery

24 • Tipsy

Alex's Point of View

"Shots!" London yelled beside me as we entered the club. I giggled at her as the pounding music filled my ears. I felt the beat in my veins as we walked through the crowd of people.

Most people would hate the loud bass or the waves of people pushing against them, but not me. Anything that got new out of my own head was a welcome relief - that included alcohol.

"Fine by me" I said as I followed her to the bar. Christina had already dragged Corbyn out to the dance floor and Jackson had gone after a pretty girl he had seen, leaving London, Jack, Daniel, Zach, Jonah and I alone at the bar.

"How did you find this place?" Daniel yelled over the music, looking towards me. I owned two shots before I answered him.

"Dave, the security guard who let us in, is an old family friend. He knew my parents when they used to come out here before they had me" I explained, ordering a cocktail.

He nodded in understanding before turning around to talk to Jonah. "I'm so glad you suggested this. I didn't realise how much I needed it" London said in my ear as we drank our drinks. I could already feel a slight buzz as my mind became slightly light-headed.

"Please, I always know she I need to get hammered" I retorted while laughing. She shot me a questioning look but quickly brushed it off when I smiled back at her.

The truth is, I didn't suggest going out as a celebration - that was just a cover up. Right now, I needed an escape from reality. Usually performing or writing would be my escape, but we had no shows coming up soon and I was currently in one of my worst writer's block in a while.

That left only one option: getting so drunk I can barely remember anything. That is why I'm currently on my third drink after having four shots.

However, I had a high alcohol tolerance. Most people would be so drunk they could barely walk right now, but I was still partly sober; my mind was buzzing but I understood what was going on around me.

I had already lost London in the crowd and I'm pretty sure Zach went to talk to a girl that was most likely too old for him. Daniel and Jonah were with Jack and I at the bar, but they mysteriously disappeared after Jack said something to them that I couldn't hear.

"How many have you had?" Jack asked. I jumped slightly, not realising he was as close to me as he was. "I don't really know, but I can still stand so clearly not enough" I giggled, taking another shot.

Jack looked at me, slightly concerned, but I brushed it off. I didn't need him asking questions and finding out why I was really here. "Do you want to slow down a bit?" he asked carefully. I could tell he was worried but he didn't need to be; I was fine.

I smirked up at him, an idea forming in my mind. "Okay. I'll slow down on one condition. You have to dance with me" I stated confidently. I figured there was no way Jack would want to dance, meaning I could keep drinking.

He hesitated slightly, but he nodded anyway. I stared up at him in shock. It annoyed my slightly that, even with heels, I was shorter than him - he wasn't even that tall for a guy.

"Did you just agree to dance with me?" I asked, unsure if I was halcinating from the alcohol pumping through my veins.

Jack smiled brightly at me and took my hand in his. Instead of answering me this time, he dragged me in the direction of the dance floor. I followed along behind him, leaving my drink behind at the bar.

I was still stunned that he had agreed; I knew he was good at dancing from when we played Just Dance, but he seemed like the type of person who would be embarrassed to dance in public.

I'll admit my idea didn't quite go to plan, but getting to dance with Jack was just as good as getting wasted at the bar - maybe even better.

As we pushed through groups of people, London caught my eye. She was about to wave me over when she saw whose hand I was holding. She stopped in her tracks and raised her eyebrows at me, smirking. I rolled my eyes and grinned at her before Jack pulled me away again.

Once we had finally found an empty spot on the dance floor - as empty as you cam get - I stood and looked at Jack expectantly. "What?" he asked, eyebrows raised. I scoffed at him and shook my head. "Are you going to dance or what?" I asked.

When he didn't make a move to do anything, I sighed and felt the music flow through me, moving to the beat. Once I began to dance around Jack, laughing up at him, he began to cave in. Eventually, he sighed and began dancing with me.

I giggled at him as we each did whatever our bodies felt like doing. As soon as Jack began Fortnite dancing, I lost it. I broke out into a fit of laughter, no longer able to dance.

Jack began laughing as well and both of us were now clutching our stomachs in a crowd full of dancing people. This was much better than just drinking alone at the bar.

Once I had eventually recovered from laughing, I looked into Jack's dark brown eyes. I dony know if it was the adrenaline or the alcohol, but something made me me put my arms around his neck and start dancing again.

Jack hesitated slightly, but quickly put his hands on my hips as we began dancing in sync. We were so close that I could feel his breath on my skin as our noses brushed against each other.

I don't know exactly how long we had been dancing like that for but I was definitely blaming this on the alcohol in our systems. Who even knew if we'd remember this in the morning?

Either way, I was living in the moment, and it was one of the first times in a long time that I had completely escaped my own thoughts.