A Midsummer Weekend (The Extended Version)

6. Aftermath of the Afterparty

"I don't know him well enough to be in love with him yet, but point taken", I admitted.

By the time we got to the party dusk was falling, the crisp cool autumn air made the two of us huddle together as we both blamed the other for not looking at the weather before packing cotton shirts and flimsy trousers.

"Wow!", we both said in unison, when we entered the foyer of the convention center.

Instead of the dull grey and white walls punctuated only with welcome signs and some scientific jargon, the walls were now adorned with glittery streamers while the multicolored strobe lights bathe the place in hues of blue, red and yellow. In the middle of the foyer several dozens of our fellow students were dancing to the blaring music, their bodies mingling in a way that if my Nano had seen it the music would have been drowned out by her cries of Astaghfirullah.

Long tables lined the sides of the foyer, and were filled with all sorts of hors d'oeuvre laid out on gigantic platters. A quick survey of the labels in front of them told me that there wasn't much we could eat that was halal, other than some raw veggies with a dip.

"I don't think I am allowed to be at this kind of a party", I whispered to Ameerah.

"Farah, loosen up a little. You'll probably never come to Berlin again. Come on. I am thirsty", Ameerah grabbed my hand again and led me to the corner table where someone was handing out drinks, including to my surprise, champagne and beer. This was a student event, and most of us were below 21 years of age.

"How come there is alcohol here?", I whispered to Ameerah.

"Who knows, guess its a European thing. Let's just have some juice", she whispered back just as our turn in line came.

"Could we have that fruit punch please?", Ameerah pointed to a bowl with orange liquid in which chunks of fruit were floating around.

But one sip of the fruit punch had me questioning my friend again, "Doesn't it taste weird?"

"Yaar everything European tastes weird to you. Just drink it, its fine"

I did drink it because the cool liquid soothe my dry throat, but Ameerah liked it enough to go back for a second and then a third.

"Oh there you are", I heard a familiar voice that now was slightly slurred, and a blonde haired, blue eyed man appeared in front of me, "Gosh, you're beautiful. How about I show you a good time tonight?"

Before I could say anything, Ameerah stepped in front of me, almost tripping over herself, but still manage to growl, "Leave her alone. She's taken"

"So?", Finn winked at me over her shoulder, "What happens in Berlin, stays in Berlin"

"Uh, no thank you", I said quickly, and ran out of there as fast as my suddenly uncoordinated legs could carry me.

Thankfully Ameerah followed behind, whistling loudly, "Look at you...beautiful young lady. Men are just dropping all over you"

"Ameerah, shut up", I looked at her doubling over with laughter, when a realization dawned on me, "I think we're both drunk a little"

"Oh totally, the air had alcohol in it", she giggled.

"It was the punch, silly", I found myself laughing too, "But...but, how do we un-drunk ourselves now?"

She pulled her phone out but it immediately slipped from her hand, and the already broken screen lay shattered on the cobblestoned pathway in front of us.

"Oops", she covered her face, "Yeh tou ab asal mein mar gaya hai" (Now this is dead for real)

My head was spinning, and panic was setting in, yet I somehow managed to get out my phone and google the best way to sober up quickly.