【Greek Mythology】Wings

Chapter 3 【Stay High】

There was a storm brewing somewhere in New York. Yet there were no tempests or rough winds, not a single drop descended from the dark bruised sky. Ice cold rain seemed to pound only against the heavy shoulders of Aleta, making it even harder for her to push through the multitude of people. It was mid winter but she felt a chill down to her bones. Tears streamed down her flustered cheeks and yet no one gave her a second glance or thought. Though it was expected in New York, it pained her to know that no one knew the storm she had to endure.

She sniffed as she walked into a drug store and went straight to the liquor section. She slowly knelt down and grabbed a six pack of soju. The box seemed so much heavier than it usually was; her arm socket was being pulled on the way to the register, she was probably just so exhausted emotionally and physically. The cashier gave her a smile as he rung her up, but she didn't even glance up from her wallet, pulling out crisp bills. She took the receipt and bag and walked out without exchanging a single word.

She wiped her nose with her sleeve as she walked down the streets. The made sharp turns and went out of her way to go on the quieter routes, taking even longer to get to her destination. She just wanted to be alone. When she turned the corner, she stared silently at the bright neon lights nearly blinding her. She pushed the glass door and was met with loud pulsing music and off pitch singing.

"Welcome to Sing Out Karaoke!" The manager said to her as she walked up the lit steps. She gave him a weak smile as she pulled out her wallet. "One room for 3 hours."

Wings

At time like these, Aleta knew nothing would placate her soul more than a heart wrenching ballad. She used the karaoke remote and put over ten ballads into the queue.

Aleta nearly shouted into the microphone. Her off pitch and slurred voice echoed throughout the empty room. There were two empty soju bottles on the table and one littered the floor. There was a puddle of alcohol near her jacket, but she didn't care.

She didn't care about anything. She could care less if someone was making fun of her horrid singing or is she was a public disturbance or that she wasn't drinking water alongside all of this alcohol. She felt numb, beyond words.

Aleta's throat constrained as she struggled to get the last verse out, the artist was accepting that her heart will one day be fixed again, and broke down crying before finishing the verse. She whimpered and messily wiped her nose with her sleeve.

"Screw him...I don't need him."

I need him more than anything.

She chugged the can before slamming it down on the tablet, leaving a few scratches normally she would've freaked but right now, she didn't give a damn.

Only forty minutes had passed before she was completely wasted. Dazed, she grabbed the karaoke remote and began to look through the songs on the Popular menu. "Who likes these songs? Who the hell is Kitty Peri? Gosh, these songs all suck." She complained into the microphone, something about hearing a voice made her feel comfortable. "Omigosh! This song is my JAM!" Her shriek bounced off the walls of the room. Moments later the piano intro to an old Disney classic.

She sucked in a bunch of air before singing, her voice slurred and mellow.

She stepped on the cushions with her bare feet and began to walk around the room. Her voice cracked into the microphone. She fell on the sofa cracking up.

Everything seemed so much funnier when she was wasted.

She exhaled, wincing from the pain of her stomach from laughing so hard. If only life was filled with laugh and giggles. She took another chug before continuing singing.