Dorm Room 210 [Original]

Dorm Room 210: Vodka Love

The red-head beside me sighs, but raises her shot glass. "I toast that we finish this year off with a bang! May we all have lots of sex in the days to come."

Classy.

I lean against Rachel. "Superman wants everyone to be happy, haaappppy! And if sex makes you happy, you do it. If food makes you happy, go. Eat the pizza and the basket of fruit-"

"I'm a lesbian."

We turn to Nicole, drink in the air for the toasting signal before Rachel and I can follow.

My mind goes silent despite the lyrics of a song singing from everyone's lips. Her confession blows me off guard, but just for a moment.

I point to her. "Are you happy? If you're happy, I'm happy, she's happy, they're all happy. Not once will it be okay if you aren't happy."

Rachel begins laughing, throwing an arm around Nicole with casualty. The room around spins. "Girl, tell me something I don't know. " She raises her hand in salute before sculling her own glass and plopping it on the bar bench near us. She then presses a kiss to Nicole's cheek. "Cheers to you! Now come on, let's dance already."

I jump in as Rachel holds Nicole's hand, curiosity evading my thoughts. "Have you seen any hot girls tonight? Do they make you happy?"

Nicole laughs, but it's short and edgy. "Three shots and you're gone."

I shake my head, but doing that leaves a heavy weight in the back of my scull. I frown instead.
"I can still your face." I point to Rachel. "I see your face." The shot glass remains in my hand, and I stare at it with amazement. "I need to drink it."

"This wasn't how I expected you guys to react," Nicole says, not moving despite everyone else doing so.

"We're your friends. You're still Nicole." Rachel pulls a five out and stuffs it in Nicole's bra. I wonder if Rachel's gay too. "Your drink is on me. I need to find your step-bro and give him his beer before he starts becoming a drama queen."

"Toooo laattee," I stutter before tipping my head back and sculling the shot down. A mix of chocolate milk and bitter lime went through my system, laced with that clear-as-day alcohol aftertaste. I lick my buzzing numb mouth.

A smirk makes its way through Nicole when I pass by her to lay the shot glass down. "You're totally getting drunk."

I shake my head. "I so am."

"If you're getting drunk, I'm joining you. Bitch or ditch, remember?" It's the same thing she said to me when we first met.

"I know how you don't take the latter lightly."

She winks, taking money from her bra, and all I can think about is how lucky she has enough space to store everything in there. My hands brush the top of my cleavage, running over my phone secured by the side of my bra. Damn B-cup.

Instead of shots, Nicole buys us a mixed drink. She doesn't say what's involved, but it's orange ombre makes the drink look colourful.

We cheers, and we drink. Instead of the bittersweet like the vodka shot or the milky lime one, the drink slides down with fruity smoothness leaving a minimal amount of aftertaste. My tongue tingles with fizz.

I motion the drink to Nicole. "You sure it's alcoholic?"

"You're not really supposed to taste it, but you'll feel it soon," she says, taking my hand to the dance-floor, spotting Jesse and Rachel dancing close in their own personal bubble, beer bottles at their sides.

"What's it called?" The music thrums into my feet, bass so loud I can barely hear myself.

Nicole does. "Vodka Love."

I laugh at the obscurity but take another sip as Nicole begins dancing in front of me, our free hands holding together. "Why is it called that?"

"What is?"

"The drink."

"It's like falling in love," she shouts, making a spinning turn. "It'll hit you unexpectedly, and then go whoop!" She laughs all of a sudden. "You ready to fall in love tonight?"

I stare at her. Then the drink. Then back at her again. "Am I drinking alcohol or a love potion?"

But Nicole, understanding and patient and gorgeous as she is, rolls her eyes. "It's the same thing. Stop worrying and just dance with me."

Like a sudden command, I follow her steps, drinking the sweet alcoholic beverage as I go. We swing our hips, and she twirls me in her arms, pretending that we are alone in a world full of mixers.

She smiles behind me, waving our hands up in the air. "Over here! We're here."

The world spins underneath my feet as I turn to face Noah and Raven approaching, bopping their heads to the rhythm of the song. When they come closer, Nicole raises her hand and turns underneath it in time for Raven to go behind her and move her side to side with him, sloshing her drink in the process.

Noah does those side-step feet movement as he raises his hands above him, like I've seen almost every guy do.

I stare at him I take a larger sip from my cup, wondering what he'll look like dancing with a Spider Man suit.

The distance between us closes in before I snap out of my head. Oh, his hand is near the butt.

Nemo would be so proud.

"I thought you said you weren't drinking." His voice penetrates through the full-toned music.

My lips brush his ear as his hand cups my elbow, bringing me closer. "Superman can hold his liquor so it's fiiiiiine. Wanna smell it?" He pulls a face as the cups lifts to his nose. I splutter out a laugh. "Don't be scared, the drink doesn't bite. But I know something that can."

I touch his lips with the brush of my fingers, feeling the softness bend under it. "I like when you talk, it lights up the sky."

He doesn't say anything, just thrums his fingers on my hips and move us side to side and smiles.

That's when it happens. My drink lowers between us and I stare in those dark eyes without a care. Any sense of embarrassment disappears as the sudden kick in my head turns on a light switch, making every sense of Noah come to life while blinding out the noise around me.

I've been hit with poison.

"You all right, sunshine?" His tongue moistens his lips.

I drink the rest of the liquor in my cup.

I shouldn't have drank the rest of the liquor in my cup.