On The Run: Part Two

Chapter Ten - "Incomplete"

“Chloe, quit stalling. I want to be really drunk within the next twenty minutes,” Kayla said, passing me another shot.

And so it continued, about four more times, at which point we were out of lime wedges and just reaching lightheaded.

“Let’s make this interesting,” Lexie suggested, “spin the bottle.”

“What are we, twelve?” Trey replied, “Besides, I don’t want to kiss any of you.”

“Fine. ‘I never’, then,” she said.

“Now, we’re fifteen,” Kayla said.

I chuckled, “I wanna play.”

“That makes sense, you’re like fourteen,” Ricky joked.

“Hey!” I exclaimed.

“I never it is, then,” Lexie said, filling our glasses, “Babe, more wedges please?” she said to Ricky.

“We can’t leave Fitch out,” I said, getting up abruptly and regretting it instantly. My mind tumbled in a sea of lime and vodka for a couple of seconds as I blinked rapidly to regain my sight, “Ooh. Not good.”

“I’ll get him,” Trey said, pushing me back into my seat.

Fitch joined us a couple of minutes later, perching on the stool in between Lexie and I.

“Hey,” I murmured, raising my hand to touch his face.

He smiled and kissed my forehead, shifting his stool even closer, “Is my baby drunk?” he whispered.

“Getting there. Join me, would you?” I said, passing him two full glasses, which he threw back swiftly, contorting his face in distaste and grabbing a lime wedge.

“Okay, I’ll start,” Kayla began, “And since I can’t drink, Chloe’s going to do my shots.”

Fitch scoffed next to me, “No.”

I raised a brow and he shook his head.

“Oh, come on,” Kayla groaned.

“No. Of course not. You stick to wedges, Kay,” he replied, and I pushed the plate over.

“Spoilsport,” Kayla muttered and then started, “I never . . . I’ve never had sex in an elevator.”

I snorted and Kayla glared at me.

“Okay. We forgot rules. Nothing too excessive,” Fitch said. He stopped short when Trey, Ricky and Lexie slowly threw back their shots.

“I did not need to know that,” Kayla said, disgustedly.

“You chose it,” I muttered.

“My turn. I’ve never been on a plane,” Ricky said.

The problem with this game was that I’d have to think, reflect and remember. Everything.

That first plane ride with Annie, to surprise Harold in San Antonio on his business trip, when I was six. I could barely sit still all through the eight or ten hours that she’d had to keep me strapped in for the majority of the flight.

Trey, Lexie and I took a shot each.

Fitch stared at me curiously, as if he had the sudden realization that he really didn’t know very much about me. I shrugged, “I was six,” I said simply as if that was enough of an explanation.

“I’m bored already,” Trey said, dropping his head onto the table.

“Me too,” I admitted, taking a shot anyway. The numbness was seeping in.