Sounds Fake, but Okay | ✓

s e v e n t e e n

    "You're not gonna keep drinking, right?" Jae frowned.

    "Okay! I'm good." Catalina slapped her cheeks and turned to Jae. "They're just some cups."

    "Who would win?" Daniel asked. "Catalina, a highly educated young woman who is hard working and has great accuracy, or, some cuppy bois?"

    Catalina slapped Daniel's arm.

    "Some cuppy bois!" Iris giggled, leaning back on Jae.

    Catalina didn't even want to say a single thing before she faced the cups, ones that Madeline was pouring with a bottle of rum. "Let's get this over with!"

    "That's the spirit, baby doll!" Madeline gave her a high five and settled between the lines of cups. She'd lost to Iris but considered herself sober enough to judge the game.

    Catalina lost again but this time she could barely stand still. "Guess I'll die!" She swiped the solo cup and raised it to her lipstick-faded lips.

    Everyone lurched towards Catalina.

    The cup was plucked from her hands. "I think you've had enough," Iris purred, drinking as she strutted around the island. She tipped the cup skyward, drained the last drops of rum, and slammed the cup down into the granite counter.

    Iris shuddered. "So bitter," she groaned, and took a swing of a nearby cooler.

    Catalina dragged Madeline, Daniel to the dance floor while Jae and Iris stayed behind to talk. Catalina spotted them again crossing the living room to head outside but her thoughts of apprehension vanished as she danced away the night.

———•———

    "Jae! Jae! Jae!" Daniel called. He peered out from the porch. He finally found Jae and Iris sitting on the grass while Iris took a smoke. He strolled towards them. "Yo, Jae. Maddie and I are gonna head to the car since it's two now. Yeah? Can you get Cat?"

    Jae shoved his lighter back in his pocket as he groaned. "Where is she?" He already uncrossed his legs and began getting up from the floor.

    "Dancing with some guy. Maddie is puking right now, so I'm tending to her. Just collect the kid." It seemed Daniel was the least drunk, but he was still swaying every now and again.

    Jae helped Iris up from the ground.

    "I'll see you two off while I wait for my brother. So I'll wait by the door because there is no way I'm getting into that sweaty hell hole." Surprisingly, or not, Iris spoke fluently.

    Jae nodded and the three of them headed back to the house. The music was significantly lower compared to when they first came in. Softer rap played through the speakers, actually allowing people to hear each other. Jae sighed before he entered the crowd and pushed through, looking for Catalina. When he found her, she was in the corner of the room and, as Daniel described, she was dancing with someone. He gathered his courage and walked up to her.

    "Cat." He took her hand and pulled her towards him.

    "Jae!" She turned to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, hanging from him. "I haven't seen you in ages!"

    Jae ignored the glare that the guy gave him. He liked the her attention but knew it wasn't real. "It's time to go." He gently unwound her arms from his neck and took her hands in his.

    Catalina pouted. "What about Iris?"

    "What about her?"

    "Aren't you two going home together?"