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I KNEW I asked for it, but when Takoda went back to minding his business, it felt like everyone else did, too.
An hour later, numerous champagne glasses glittered beneath the strobing lights, laughter seemed to be pulsating through the floors, and the music had changed from fun and danceable to steamy and intimate, encouraging some pretty seductive moves from people on the dancefloor.
I couldn't count the number of times I shifted in my seat, or the number of times I let myself wonder why I let Coco drag me here. I was uncomfortable, I was sweating, I wasn't having fun, and I honestly wanted nothing more than to leave. Everyone had secluded themselves in groups I wasn't included in, and maybe I wasn't making enough of an effort to be noticed, but it still hurt. A simple, "Hey, Cleo, what do you think about wearing Spandex to a weekend club?" would've been nice.
On the other side of the table, Takoda and Robin kept whispering into each other's ears. Next to me, Coco kept occasionally tossing back shots with her arm linked through Natalie's. But I remained in my corner of the booth, my phone my only company. I'd opened Instagram ten times already.
Reaching forward, I pulled a bottle out of the ice bucket that had been generously dropped off about twenty minutes ago and poured myself another glass. I said I wasn't drinking tonight, but as time crawled by, it got harder to just sit here and do nothing. And the bottles were right there, staring at me like old, familiar friends.
Wine fizzed its way down my throat as I downed the entire glass in one go, and Coco looked at me, like she'd done the last six or so times. I got the message. You shouldn't be drinking this much. I know I do it, but you should slow down.
Sorry, Coco. This was my version of fun.
Normally, I'd be looking out for her, but I just felt too exhausted to even think about taking care of anyone right now. Not even myself.
I returned my attention to the dancefloor as the song changed to yet another steamy one, and this one was familiar. I'd heard it in several Reels and TikToks. The bass thrummed and thrummed until I could feel my body vibrating with it, and it took me a second too long to realize that I was already past tipsy.
I poured myself yet another glass.
"Hey," Coco said suddenly, raising her voice above the music and placing a hand over mine. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes seemed more alert than I thought they should've been. "Are you okay?"
I rolled my eyes playfully, managing to make myself slightly dizzy, and tipped the bottle towards my glass. "I'm fine."
"You're drinking way too much."
"So are you," I shouted back.
"Well, that's different. I'm sitting here as your older sister, so I can't let you keep on doing this."
I raised the glass in my shaky hand with a watery smile and said, "Well, I might as well have this one, right?"
She didn't respond, and I took her silence as a yes, throwing my head and the wine back. Once the fizziness died from my throat, I brought the glass down a little too harshly, and it thunked against the wood, drawing my "friends'" attention. Robin seemed to be surprised when she looked at me for the first time in an hour and a half, and maybe it was because of the alcohol in my system, but I didn't care this time.
