Lukewarm water trickled down Kevin Jones' face, turning maroon from the brick dust that crusted his skin, when he heard the first rap on his door. Although he had rushed home from the Chevelle wreckage, there was only enough time for a quick bird bath. This entailed standing in the middle of his bathroom on the cheap, cold tiles that chilled his feet, while washing down the important areas with a soapy washcloth. Water dripped from his chin while he leaned over the sink basin, pausing as he waited to make sure he heard something.
The door rapped again with three knocks. Kevin leaned into the hallway. Soiled water trailed down to his bare chest as he looked at the clock painted blue and gold, and shaped like a stylized football helmet on his living room wall, emblazoned with New Haven's Mega-league team logo. The bath had given him a good forty-five minutes to prepare his apartment for the get-together that was supposed to start at ten. Whoever was at the door was frustratingly early.
The knocks came again with more impatience.
"Hold on!" Kevin shouted, then looked at himself in the mirror. His hair was a wet, sloppy mess, with dirt-laden sweat still falling from his face, mingling with the sink water.
"C'mon. Give me something so I can dry off, you prick," he muttered to the mirror, but the voice that readily spoke up when it came to derision did not respond, as usual. It worked on its own schedule, not on command. It only seemed to activate when he was at his lowest—to kick him when he was already down. Or when he dared for optimism. With no other choice, Kevin winced as he slid faded jeans over his damp leg. Hopping as he slid the other leg through, he wondered if it was Julianna waiting on the other side of the door.
At his day job at Blanchet Consumer Receivables—BCR for short—he had heard about Julianna even before seeing her. She was the fourth-floor beauty with creamy, smooth skin, and hourglass shaped hips that worked in the records department upstairs. She had all the male bill collectors talking, and the few females in his department jealous. Warren, his best and only real friend who he shared a squat desk with, had seen her before he did and was instantly smitten. He often said that the key to Julianna's extreme beauty was that you could place a thin comic book board right in the middle of her nose, and each side of her face would be identical to the other. She had that golden ratio—perfect symmetry.
When Julianna finally walked through his department doors as he ate lunch, Kevin did not need anyone to point her out, even though Warren tried to with several jabs of his elbow.
Another three raps hit his door—soft, but more rapid in speed.
"I'm coming!" Kevin yelled. Warren wouldn't have knocked; in fact, he probably would have just walked in as if he owned the place. Dry socks rolled over over damp feet, stumbling in his haste as he imagined Julianna standing outside, frustrated and ready to leave.
All that kinetic movement inside a bathroom that was still humid with steam made the sweat trickle down his face once more.
"Calm down," the voice said, almost like a true friend, then continued, "You will never look good to a woman like her."
"There it is," Kevin said as his chest warmed.
He let the power cascade over his body. A few swipes with hands warmed by his power did enough to smooth out the deep wrinkles in his jeans. A swish of cool mint mouthwash stung his throat that he then spat out into the sink with foaming white bubbles. Looking in the mirror, he ran a brush over his messy hair until it appeared decent.
Satisfied that he was at least presentable, Kevin spritzed on cologne that had sat unused for months on his counter, then walked through the lingering steam into the hallway. A blue strand crept from his left hand. Curling, it snaked its way passed a slightly opened door into his master bedroom and whisked from his bed the least wrinkled shirt he could find before he started his bath. Calling the strand back to him, Kevin hurriedly slipped on the t-shirt as he walked towards the front door with broad steps.
At the door, he noticed the cartoon character on his shirt and fanned the bottom out with his hands. "I wonder if she'll know who this is," he thought.
"You are too much of a nerd for someone wonderful like her." Kevin agreed.
With a deep breath, he counted to one then opened the door. The scent hit him first—pomegranate with a hint of citrus and lavender—but it wasn't the peony flower smell he was expecting. The woman standing in front of his door had large green eyes and wavy black hair that fell down to her shoulders. She wore a short gray shirt that stopped at her navel, above jeans that looked painted on. She stood several inches taller than him on black leather heels. She was pretty, but she wasn't Julianna.
"Hi?" Kevin said. He did not know her by name but thought he may have seen her around the office a few times.
The woman rolled her eyes when she caught sight of his shirt.
"Is Warren here?" she said flat, and with an attitude he didn't much care for.
"Uhm, no. He doesn't actually live here," Kevin leaned back and glanced inside at the clock on his wall again. "You're a little early, but you're welcome to come in and wait for him. I have some food—" He didn't even finish before the girl huffed, turned, and stormed away.
Even the tight apple bottom that sauntered down his concrete landing to the outdoor stairwell could not quell the flicker of anger he felt inside.
"Yeah, nice to meet you, too!" Kevin shouted, his voice dripping with disdain. "Asshole," he whispered as he slammed the door.
"Women do not like you," the voice reminded him, as it was apt to do.
Leaning against the door, a warm blast of air rushed through Kevin's nose as he tapped a tune with his fingers on his chest where his symbol would have been in costume and nodded in agreement. Not even one guest in, and he could already predict that the night would be a typical Fiasco evening. He was already regretting his decision to host the party at all, which was against his solitary nature. Yet, he was already in with both feet, and it was far too late to go back on co-workers who were most likely already preparing for the event. With all the negative things that could be said of Kevin Jones, breaking his word was not among them.
He surveyed the mess that was his apartment and sighed, "Might as well get this over with."
Using the power he collected from the rude girl's visit, Kevin sent out glowing blue lines from his hands. Using the tendrils, he set up a folding table in the dining room with various snacks, while the another cleaned out the computer desk in the den. Next, he used the lines to dust off the entertainment center and electronic equipment, and pick up crumbs of old, desiccated food that lived between the couch cushions. Shimmering blue hands scrubbed, dried, and put away dishes, while Kevin ran a chugging vacuum cleaner, leaving tan trails along the beige carpet. Afterward, a glowing hand dimmed the ceiling light fixture overhead in the living room, while he turned on two free-standing floor lamps, spindly like spider legs, which stood in the far corners of the room on either side of the room, both adding to the soft beige light.
In total, it took Kevin thirty-five minutes to set up his apartment, and nearly an hour after finishing the last task, his self-fulfilling prophecy of a disastrous gathering was well on its way to fruition. The party began with a trickle of guests arriving, followed by an awkward tension of no one wanting to mingle, as if they were all strangers that did not actually work together. The discomfort lasted until more guests arrived to crowd the interior of his apartment. Kevin lost count at twenty, but their proximity at least forced people to chatter. He first noticed the problem with the latest batch of arrivals. Most were strangers that must have invited themselves by word of mouth. Party tourists. Looking around, he was the foreigner in his own home.
As more tourists continued to occupy his apartment, Kevin decided to wait in the foyer and act as the party doorman. With every knock or doorbell ring, he greeted the new arrivals and let them in.
"Come on in, you guys," he said as a welcome. "Make yourselves at home. There are refreshments in the back."
But most guests never acknowledged his presence as the host, at most passing him a coat or jacket to put in the closet behind him. Instead, they greeted other visitors that they knew inside, wearing thin his carpet as they made their way like a herd toward the free beer and food. The air felt thick, and Kevin felt apprehensive about having so many strangers in his home. He leaned against the edge of the bi-fold closet door with his arms crossed over his chest and observed his patrons from a distance.
The apartment Kevin was able to afford on his meager salary was cheap, with thin floors and walls, but spacious in footage for its price tag. In the den to his left, a few guests had congregated in the small niche enjoying themselves huddled around his PC playing a dungeon role-playing game.
The real action was in the living room, where a musty heat had built up from the bodies even though the patio door that led to the balcony was open to let in the night air.
The large entertainment center—a weighty donation from his parents that they just wanted it out of their house—dominated the wall that closed off the kitchen. The radio station, 'WNHZ The Haven', droned through his relic of a component stereo system that was stacked in a nook in the faux wood, running through the top one hundred current pop hits. The music was low, but the bass still thumped from the speakers' proximity to the wall. Also inside the center was a thirty-inch television he had rescued after it sat outside the community trash bin for several days, most likely because of its large cathode-ray tube that jutted out its back. It was another relic from the past, but one that worked with his stereo system. The volume was muted on the TV, but the clear image on the screen played the coverage of his botched car chase with the Chevelle in a continuous loop, acting as a constant reminder of his latest failure.
"Hey," Kevin said over the music. "You guys don't want to watch something else? You know, maybe music videos, or some reality show? Or whatever you people like?" But no one answered.
Across from the entertainment center, beer bottles and cans swarmed his glass-top coffee table, sitting in little pools of condensation. A spooning couple hogged the beige recliner by the lamp to his right, rocking the chair to their own music as the girl sat on her boyfriend's lap and nuzzled against his neck, lost in their own world. Next to the couple, the couch was packed with a group of boys that he recognized from the accounting department, no doubt arguing over Mega Power level in numbers like they did at work.
Several of the fairer sex sat along the length of the couch's arm, effectively ignoring their conversation by watching the television instead. Red haired Jenni West, one of the rare females on his bill collector team, appeared to be the ringleader, dominating the middle seat. She had skin of porcelain to contrast the fire red hair cascading down her back and black shirt. Her pale legs crossed under a gray and black skirt. Three more girls formed a half-circle around her, holding their red plastic cups with both hands as they giggled and swooned whenever Talon's chiseled brown face appeared on the television.
"Such a show-off," Kevin thought when he glanced at the screen. Tired of seeing Talon's perfect smile, Kevin walked through the den, ducking under a silver and glass chandelier that hung far too low to get a view of the rest of the party.
A glut of his guests had crowded into the small kitchen nearly shoulder to shoulder, and he could imagine the smell their mass of bodies had conjured. Dirty liquid streaked his bland linoleum floor, stained with black, dirt shoe prints of various sizes and treads. The kitchen was a thoroughfare and opened into a ten-by-ten-foot dining room where his tendrils had set up the folding table to hold the pizza, chips, and finger foods that had to be littering the floor by now.
"It's like I can literally see my security deposit dwindling," Kevin muttered.
Standing in front of the kitchen opening, he looked to his left, hoping there was no one down the skinny hallway taking carnal advantage of his bedroom while he wasn't paying attention. There was no secure locking mechanism on the door, so there was no way to be sure unless he physically went to inspect himself, which wasn't desirable with all the strangers in his home. At the very least, he had secured his costume and moved the trunk into the closet under a wicker hamper filled with soiled clothes to keep people away.
Looking at the helmet clock, only forty minutes had passed since guests had started to materialize, and Warren had yet to arrive. Neither had Julianna.
"Whatever," Kevin thought, resigning to the fact that her agreement to attend was just lip service. "Who needs her here, anyway. Probably would have cause a riot based on this lot."
"Face reality, she does not like you. Not even as a friend." the voice whispered close to his ear.
Since it appeared as though Julianna wasn't going to show up to the party after all, Kevin couldn't help but agree, and he looked around at his guests. He breathed in deeply the stench their joint bodies. The inclination to send them all home and just drink the rest of the beer by himself ballooned inside as a practical option, until a gush of wind rushed up his back from the foyer area. He turned when the crowd let out a cheer of recognition. At the foyer, the door was swung open to welcome a familiar person standing in the entrance, arms spread out like Jesus, bathing in the cheers just like Talon would do.
"Okay, everyone, calm down, I'm here," Warren said as he picked up a case of beer with his right hand, and slid his phone back into his pocket with his left. The din and tone of the party increased several notches just with his friend's arrival.
Weaving his way through the crowd, a glasses-wearing, shaggy-haired, self-professed coding nerd from the IT department named Ethan Johns made his way to the landing. He was always hovering around Warren, like a pilot fish beneath a shark. He was a project of Warren's, as he tried to raise up Ethan's social status like the plot of a ninety's teen movie, but his friend had his work cut out for him to turn the frog into a prince. Ethan was tall, but unkempt, with a spare tire around the midsection that stretched his tucked in shirt.
Grinning, Ethan took the case of beer from Warren with both hands without being asked, as a small crowd formed to greet Kevin's friend. A smart grin etched Warren's face that extenuated his left dimple on his caramel skin as he shook hands and fist bumped the male party goers. The women who came up to greet him put their heads into his chest and wrapped their arms around his waist to pull him in for hugs. Jenni was the last in line of women, and her embrace lingered longer than the other girls, leaving behind strands of red hair on his shirt when they parted. Warren held her by the hips, nodding and smiling as they talked, before he finally noticed Kevin watching, and greeted him with a grin and hand wave.
Warren strolled towards him, his confident glide making him seem much taller than the other people around him. His hair was dark, short, and wavy with a dim sheen that was tapered on his forehead down to manicured sideburns that stopped sharply at the earlobe. The well-shaped hair only made his dark eyes shine brighter.
Kevin had never seen Warren dressed in anything less than business casual. He walked into the party wearing a white button-down shirt that tailored to his toned, lengthy frame. The sleeves were unbuttoned and pushed up his forearms, revealing a dark tattoo of Golgotha, with the three crosses spaced on a hill on his right arm, with Christ's prominent in the middle. Dark slacks complimented the shirt and were enhanced by black wing-tipped dress shoes.
"At least he left the sports coat," Kevin thought, suddenly feeling severely under dressed in his t-shirt that wrinkled at the collar.
The two friends met just at the edge of the foyer.
"Hey!" Warren exclaimed, shaking Kevin's hand with his right, while simultaneously pulling him in to wrap his left arm around his neck. Pulled in close, Kevin could smell his cologne, a secret mixture of Warren's own design.
The music thumped in the living room but was less so near the foyer where they stood, sounding more like low bass coming from a car. Sweat already glistened on Warren's brow as he pulled away and looked around.
"Well, this is more people than I expected. Glad word got out," he said, still grinning.
Kevin glanced about. "So, this is your fault?"
"Yeah. Why? Is that bad?" Warren laughed as he leaned back to open the foyer closet door and produced a dark gray sports coat that Kevin didn't even realize was there. Warren cinched the coat, around his waist, as he fiddled with its modern two-button design, ensuring a perfect fit. Kevin knew what sporting the coat meant for the night. To Warren, the coat was like a hunter covering himself in animal pelt. A target had been acquired—one that had been identified even before his arrival—and he needed his best hunting gear. Kevin had no idea who he had in mind, but knew it could have been any of the women who came to embrace him earlier. The way he and Jenni stared at each other looked promising, as well. Or he could have been after that rude girl who still had not returned. Either way, given the state of his dress, Warren could have his pick of them all.
"Well, yeah, it's a problem, Warren. I mean, look at how many people are here," Kevin swept his arm behind him. "Plus, most of them didn't bring their own beer like I asked, and I bet they've eaten all the food by now, too." He felt his stomach growl as he spoke, recalling that he had not eaten since before the chase with the Chevelle.
Warren tugged his stylishly unbuttoned sleeves through his jacket, seeming to grin harder from causing Kevin consternation. "I know you don't normally open yourself up like this, so I just wanted your party to be a success, man."
"Yeah," Kevin looked around and grimaced. "This has served as a good reminder to why I don't open myself up."
Warren chuckled while he dappled his forehead with a handkerchief from his coat pocket. A Casanova like himself always seemed prepared for any situation that put his appearance in peril.
"That bad, huh?" he replied.
With vigorous nods, Kevin pointed accusingly with his hands at the numerous guests that invaded his apartment.
Warren bit the side of his lip. "I can admit, this is more than I expected," he said, scanning the crowd. "Still, it's not liked I forced you to host."
"No, but you guilted me enough," Kevin replied. "You have the stereo, Kevin. You have the room because you have no furniture, Kevin. You're off that day, Kevin. You are right in the middle for everyone, so it's the perfect location, Kevin. Do it for the Mega team, you said."
"False!" Warren pointed his own accusing finger in front of his smile. "All I did was explain the reasons why it would be good for a guy like you to be known for hosting a good party around the office."
"A guy like me, huh?"
Warren's eyebrows curved downward at the top of his nose. "You know I didn't mean it like that," he said with a sigh. "What I'm saying, is that you need to open up a bit. You can't just hang with me for the rest of your life, like some life mate."
Kevin stiffened. "Now what does that mean?" he said. His eyes darted to Ethan behind Warren who looked away once he noticed that he was caught eavesdropping on their conversation.
Warren glanced to the left as he searched for the words. "What I mean is that you need to put yourself out there man. Get some tail for once," he finally said with a soft punch to the shoulder.
It felt as if everyone at the party had heard Warren's statement, and all eyes were fixed on their embarrassed host. "Gee, thanks, Warren," Kevin said in a high whisper. "Say that louder because I don't think they heard you on the balcony. You're really being a pal tonight."
"Man, I keep screwing this up," Warren said, putting a hand briefly on Kevin's shoulder as he laughed. "What I'm saying is that really, this party is for you. I mean, look how many women are here. You know how hard it is to get a turnout of females like this? Usually, these house parties end up being a hundred dudes showing off and fighting over the four or five women who happened to show up."
Kevin crossed his arms over his chest. "They came here for you, Warren."
"So?" he laughed. "Man up a bit! Be proactive. This is your house, so act like the king of the castle. You need to get your carrot wet to get that stick out of your ass and lighten up a bit."
Kevin cocked an eyebrow at his friend's colorful euphemism for sex. It was easy to hide being Fiasco from him given Warren proclivity for dating, but his best friend was neither blind nor stupid. He noticed that Kevin rarely spoke to women in or outside the office, and Warren seemed to always push him into trying more often.
Yet, that gene to conquer the opposite sex seemed to be mute inside. He was surely attracted to women in all their physical nuances, but the desire to navigate the landmines of emotion and drama that came with relationships was not something that Kevin found desirable. Not to mention that sleeping around was out of the question, since he was raised with different standards gleaned from the church. Being single was a comfortable bubble that he could retreat to, away from the chaos of being Fiasco. There was no conceivable reason to invite someone else in to potentially ruin the tranquility.
Before he could respond to the lewd advice, a sharp breeze raised the hair on his arms, and Kevin noticed that someone had left the door open behind Warren. "See, this is what I'm saying, Warren," he protested, pointing with his hand as he moved to close the door. "Leaving my door open. Running up my electric bill. I should have followed my instincts with this party."
"Wait, hold up Kevin," Warren said, pushing out his hand, but it was too late.
Kevin pushed the knob, but the door came to a stop with a sound of clinking glass. On the other side, he heard a mouse-like 'ouch' squeak through the opening. Looking down, he saw a slender knee, and below that, a brown leather high heel shoe that belonged to a woman. He was smacked in the face by a sweet, spicy flower scent that wasn't overpowering, but triggered pleasant remembrance as he opened the door again. Heat rushed to Kevin's face as Julianna shouldered her way in, carrying a brown paper grocery bag cradled with both arms that crinkled like newspaper as she slid inside.
"Hi," Julianna said. Even though she appeared a bit disheveled from climbing the set of stairs of his apartment, it was still as if a royal had graced his humble shack.
All available light seemed to glint off the light brown flecks in Julianna's almond shaped eyes, making them shine like stars. A smile spread on her pink lips that glimmered with a light sheen of gloss, making them appear wet. Kevin glanced over at Warren who stood behind him with one eyebrow raised and puckered lips that triggered both dimples on his lean face. Flustered, and finding himself with a lack of words, Kevin took a step back and let the door open fully. Julianna walked in angelically and bumped the door shut with her hip as Kevin's eyes followed her shapely curves.
"Hi, Julianna!" Ethan beamed. He waved a chubby palm, causing the case of beer to slip from his grasp. The way his face turned a beet red said that he probably had a crush on her. Looking around, Kevin thought that at least half the men at his party showed up hoping she would appear, sharing in Ethan's affection. Perhaps some of the women, too.
"Hi, Ethan! So glad you could make it," Julianna huffed, winded from the flights while burdened with the heavy looking bag in her thin arms. Ethan's face brightened with euphoria, indicating that his night was made just for being noticed by her.
That was why Ethan, and others like him held such admiration for her. Julianna looked at Ethan, and treated him the same she would anyone else, despite his low office popularity status. One of her gifts was making everyone feel equal, even the less attractive men, despite knowing that she was the queen that wore the tiara in most of their minds.
Moving next her, Warren said, "Sorry, but this is why I was late. Someone," he nodded over to Julianna, "wanted to follow me here. And she had to stop by the liquor store, too."
"My GPS doesn't work on my phone anymore," Julianna panted as she shimmied the bag back up to her forearms. "And who comes to a party empty handed? Don't blame me for having manners." Her beautiful eyes looked up at Warren who was several inches taller. "And you're welcome for that beer, by the way. Cheapskate."
Warren patted his pockets and pretended to check his coat jacket—knowing it was empty—then spread a pretty grin in an attempt to distract from his lack of having money to cover the beer.
"Oooh. Yeah," he whined in a soft, gentleman way with a snap of his finger for emphasis. Julianna rolled her eyes, making Kevin's mouth twitch in a brief smile. "Remind me to get you back later, okay?" Warren continued, suggestively licking his bottom lip.
Warren and Julianna exchanged glances—his with the best, sad puppy dog he could parody, and hers a beautiful faux rage. The standoff only lasted an instance before the two laughed together. Julianna bumped him with her shoulder, with a sly smirk. It was as if much was said when their eyes locked that only Warren and Julianna were privy to. Watching the two share an inside joke stoked the power inside Kevin.
"They talk outside of work," he thought. "They're actually friends." Further comprehension washed over him like ice poured down the back of his shirt. "No. They are more than friends. They came together."
All at once, he understood who Warren had targeted at the party.
"You never stood a chance," the voice whispered and melancholy washed over Kevin, knowing the voice was correct once again. The revelation of their relationship almost felt embarrassing, and nefarious images danced through his mind—images of she and him together, embracing, laughing between peck of lips, as his best friend got the girl once again.
"Hey, where did you go, Kev?' He heard Warren ask.
Then all at once, the images subsided, and Kevin looked between Warren and Julianna. The two stared at him together, their faces strained as if they could see the pictures he had just imagined. The low thumping bass behind them that matched his beating heart seemed to only add to the awkward tension.
"Thanks for the beer. And the liquor," Kevin stumbled as he spoke to Julianna, trying not to catch her eyes. "Forgive me. Here, let me get that for you," he continued as he took the bag of liquor from her arms.
"Thank you," Julianna exhaled before playfully poking Warren in his ribs with her elbow for not offering first.
"They are adorable together."
The bag was packed so tight with content that he heard a tear in the paper when he grabbed it, jostling the bottles inside. Catching it before the bag could spill, Kevin gathered the package with both arms and pulled it close to his body. Looking inside, the bag was filled with mixing agents, juices, sodas, and various hard liquors, like flavored vodkas, whiskey's, rums, and tequila. Tucked in the corner was a large bottle of fireball that was mild enough for even the non-drinkers to enjoy without hacking. It was an eclectic mixture of drinks made to get people drunk fast while saving a dime.
"Here, take this," Kevin said to Ethan as he balanced the bag atop the case of beer he held. Ethan groaned from the extra weight, but Kevin paid it little mind seeing it as payment for eavesdropping earlier.
Free from the bag's burden, Julianna took off the small jean coat she wore, and folded it over her arm. Surveying the party, she pulled her purse strap that had fallen back over her shoulder. Then, those light-brown eyes set on him.
"Thank you for inviting me, Kevin," she said.
Her arms flinched as if she were beckoning for a hug, but pulled them back in just as quickly. Kevin did not rise to the bait, but replied with a curt nod instead. Given his awkwardness around people in general, not to mention that it was Julianna who he was still getting to know, he wasn't sure if he was supposed to give her a fist bump, grab her by the forearm for a handshake, or pull her in for a hug. He didn't even know what kind of hug he should give, in close or ass out.
Julianna must have noticed his apprehension. As she moved a lock of hair from the front of her eye and pulled it back over her left ear, her eyes narrowed to slits. She let the rest of her dark, straight hair frame her face and unfolded down to skinny shoulders that sparkled with a soft sheen. A sky-blue sundress set on her shoulders with thin spaghetti straps. It flowed like water over her generous breasts and curvy, tempting hips. The dress buttoned down the middle with small buttons that swirled with black and brown colors. The buttons went from a line down her chest, stopping halfway down her toned thighs. The dress was accentuated with brown leather heels about an inch in height that latched just above her ankle, raising her up to his eye level.
Noticing that he hadn't yet replied, Kevin finally said, "Oh no problem, Julianna. Glad you were able to find the place."
"You should thank me then!" Warren said. He moved between the two and guided the trio from the foyer to just outside the kitchen. Ethan lagged behind, pushing up his glasses as he struggled to keep the bottles inside the paper bag balanced on his case of beer.
Warren flicked his finger towards the kitchen. "Put that liquor in the dining room, Ethan, and could you do me a favor?"
"Sure, Warren, shoot," Ethan replied, his voice barely audible over the music that Kevin had noticed was louder.
"Can you make me a drink real quick? I would really appreciate it," Warren shouted to be heard.
Ethan smiled and nodded vigorously, nearly shaking off his glasses again. Before he left, Ethan glanced at the black-haired beauty and the red brightened on his puffy cheeks when she grinned at him. Then quickly, Ethan followed Warren's orders, lumbering into the kitchen with the case of beer and bag of liquor to fix that drink.
Warren then pointed with a limp hand to no one in particular in the dining room and shouted, "Hey! Someone clear off that table in there! Time to get wet!"
The crowd wooed and raised their cups, knowing that getting wet for Warren meant a binge session of the drinking game, Waterfall. The game made Warren a legend around the office. At every party, he would organize and host the parlor game, ensuring everyone would get drunk equally and generally have a good time. Yet, even with the frequency he hosted the game, no one seemed to tire of it. In fact, Warren's legend seemed to only grow with every iteration that he would spice up with his own unique rules. Kevin laughed to himself. Two minutes in and Warren already owned the party that he barely even felt noticed in.
"You only make others look better," the voice reminded.
Kevin stood before the opening of the kitchen. Julianna gave him a quick glance before squeezing Warren by the forearm. "I'm going to go talk to Jenni," she said.
"Oh, okay," Warren replied. Before she could go, he reached out and grabbed her by the hand, bringing it up to his chest as he looked at her deeply. "Hey, try to be back to make the first round, okay?"
Julianna nodded, snorting a laugh then walked away, Warren's hand lingering at the tip of her fingers before he finally let go.
Rubbing the center of his chest with callused knuckles, Kevin realized that he had held his breath while Warren and Julianna touched, bracing for a passionate hug or kiss before she left. As close as they were, he wouldn't put it past his friend to shove his latest prize right in his face. But then, part of him wondered why he even cared. He and Julianna were just friends after all.
"Let Warren have his party," he thought, "and the girl for that matter." He could just walk out to his favorite bar, eat a BBQ chicken pizza, and not come back until everyone was gone. There was little doubt anyone would even notice, and there was no reason to hang around to see Warren and Julianna act like a couple after the liquor had lowered their inhibitions either.
"Losers are skillful in the art of self-pity." Kevin accepted the rebuke.
Together, Warren and Kevin watched Julianna disappear, hips swaying and hair, still with a glowing sheen even in the darkened room, bouncing against her back as she walked. The crowd in the living room seemed to part for her, with the men admiring as she passed, and the women scrutinizing her from hair to toenail polish. Near the arm of the couch, she and Jenni squealed as if they had not seen each other in years. It appeared that Julianna had reserved the awkward hug for Jenni as the two embraced, leaning in cheek-to-cheek, as if not wanting to break the invisible egg between them.
As irritated as Kevin was with the thought of the two being together since Warren would only grow more insufferable, he realized that if he were a real friend, he would find a way to be happy for him. That is what a true Mega would do.
"Interesting." The voice said, then mocked, "You are setting yourself up for failure and heartbreak."
"Ooh wee," Warren moaned as he put his arm tight around Kevin's neck and bit his knuckle. "I know what you're thinking bro," Warren continued, "but you're wrong. She absolutely does stand a chance with a guy like me."
Then he laughed in Kevin's ear—the kind of self-satisfied laugh that suggested he was just kidding about being an overconfident prick. Kevin could almost feel the attraction his friend had for Julianna. It emanated from his pores like animal pheromones. Sensing that Julianna too probably held the same feelings as Warren, Kevin squirmed from beneath his friend's arm and pulled away.
"Hey!" Warren snickered, exaggerating the word with a high-pitched tone. He had his hands out wide and held a joker-like grin. "Look, I was just joking, so don't give me that condescending look you sometimes get. Anyway, I thought you'd be happy that I brought her here but you're really not acting grateful . I just legitimized your party with her."
Slender arms crossed over Kevin's chest. "I guess. I mean, I am glad you brought her here. Julianna's a friend, but I know what you're doing, Ren," Warren only let Kevin call him that nickname. "The jacket, the drinks? Don't pretend you brought her here for me."
"I don't even know what you're talking about, dude," said Warren, sucking his bottom lip. His eyes had focused back like a panther on Julianna and Jenni, discrediting his statement.
When it came to women, Kevin followed the unwritten man code. If he could not get a certain female, then he would help the next guy do so if it was in his power. Warren, however, grew up in a different part of New Haven that did not follow the same rules. Competition was his code, especially when it came to the opposite sex, and he wanted them all—or more accurately, he wanted them all to want him. To his best friend it was survival of the fittest; let the best man win. Warren only ensured Julianna's presence at the party so everyone could witness his triumph.
"He is better than you in every way," the voice taunted again.
While they were talking, Ethan arrived, grinning as he handed Warren a drink in a plastic cup.
"I got your drink, Warren," he squeaked.
Warren sipped the drink, and his face soured as if he had swallowed a lemon.
"What the hell is this?" he stammered and coughed.
Ethan's face turned strawberry red.
"Tequila sunrise?" he replied sheepishly, looking between Kevin and his mentor.
Warren nearly spit the drink back up, but forced himself to swallow hard, orange spittle still on his lips.
"You wasted that liquor on this bullshit?" he asked, then shoved the cup in Kevin's chest, nearly spilling the contents onto his superhero t-shirt. His face was still twisted when he turned to Kevin and said, "Look, I need to get in there and make sure the game is set up properly, and that no more liquor gets wasted, apparently. I'll be back, and we'll finish this talk then."
Warren gave him a swift and strong one-armed hug, and before Kevin could reply, he left with Ethan. The two bickered over the ingredients of a tequila sunrise as they walked to the dining room edging through the crowd in the kitchen, once again leaving Kevin alone. Curious, he looked down at the orange liquid that still swirled below the rim and took a swallow of Warren's drink. Citrus flicked the taste buds in the back of his throat. It was far too sweet, even with ice, and tasted almost like orange flavored syrup. Yet, the tequila still burned like fire going down his throat.
Forcing down the drink and feeling awkward that he was standing out in the open all alone, he shouldered his way through the crowd in the kitchen.
"Excuse me," Kevin said below the voices speaking back and forth. The stench of sweat was worse than he expected, making his stomach lurch. Nearly slipping on linoleum wet with God knows what, he cleared the crowd and found a spot near the fold-out table in the dining room to get a decent view of the forthcoming game.
Whoever had listened to Warren's orders to set up the game had done a decent enough job. The food had been cleared, and plastic red cups filled with liquor shots and beer bottles still glistening with condensation dominated the center of the table. Warren had already set up stacks of cards in a circle and lined up some players, alternating between boy and girl, around the edge. He once told Kevin that this arrangement allowed for more interactions, and potential hookups once the booze kicked in, knowing that the sexual tension made the game more exciting.
Kevin had never played waterfall before, since he never attended office parties, but Warren had explained it to him so many times that he probably could be considered an expert. A player would grab a card from the circle and have to follow the rule associated with that number or face card. Warren would give the instructions of each card to the players before they were too drunk to remember. All the rules ended with variations on binge drinking, either alone or with someone else. Waterfall happened when someone chose an ace card, meaning the entire table was forced to drink one cup after another, only able to cease when the person before them did so. It went around the table like a waterfall.
Moving to the arched opening leading to the living room to give players more space, Kevin scooped ice from the chest at his feet to water down the tequila sunrise, then took another sip. It was still too thick and far too sweet. He could use the power to melt the cubes to water it down quicker, but then he would be left with a warm cup of watered-down liquor. Sighing, he resigned to let the ice melt on its own.
"You going to stand here all alone or are you going to play?" a soft voice said into his ear.
Kevin coughed from the tequila that burned his throat. Tears welled in his eyes. Seeing Julianna, he struggled to keep the anxiety off his face, lest he look weak. He wasn't surprised that she was the first to actually mingle with him all night. For some reason that still eluded his understanding, Julianna had persisted in their friendship, despite the cold shoulder Kevin gave her initially. Months after joining the company, she had worn him down with just pure sweetness and engagement. They even had quick conversations whenever she came into the office, a feat shared only with Jenni who sat right in front of the desk he occupied with Warren.
"She pities you," the voice said.
"Maybe later," Kevin replied, regaining his composure as the fire subsided in his throat. The walls of the den did well to smother the bass of the music, so he was able to keep a smart distance. "Going to let the guests get started first." He continued.
Julianna replied, "What a gracious host you are."
"Stop staring at her like a perv," Kevin thought while he chewed the side of his lip and buried his free hand in his pocket.
"I'm actually surprised you showed up," he said to her. "Thought you were always in the books. I was pretty sure you would flake on me."
"Flake?" she giggled. "How old are you?"
The heat returned to Kevin's cheeks, but Julianna did well to let it go.
"Well, normally I am studying. Finishing school as slowly as possible," she laughed again, somehow cuter than the last. He noticed the jacket she came with that was folded across her arm was gone, and Kevin chastised himself for not putting it away for her. Or at least asking to. His mother had taught him better than that and would surely chide him if she ever found out.
"But no, not tonight," Julianna continued. "I mean, my dad is a foreman," then she nodded over her shoulder at the Mega league clock on the wall.
Kevin followed her eyes to the ornament then pointed. "Oh, so you mean your dad got the contract to work on that new stadium?"
Julianna nodded. "Yup."
"Wow, given the size of that thing, it must be a massive contract," Kevin replied.
"Sure is," she agreed. He could see the joy and pride in her eyes swell from her father's accomplishment. "He said it was a Godsend. We weren't doing too great before then, since he refused to work for the Savoy's, and wouldn't build their tower. But he says he can retire based off this contract alone." Her smile widened. "So, once I heard about you celebrating New Haven getting the Mega league team, well, I felt it was a good time to put down the books and relax for once."
Kevin smiled inwardly because he knew what she admitted was only partially true. Julianna often came down to talk to Jenni West at work, as the two became fast friends. It was only a few weeks prior, while Jenni was busy arguing on a collection call, that he had casually mentioned the party Warren had talked him into hosting to celebrate the team. It never crossed his mind at the time to ask the fourth-floor beauty to come to his hovel, but he noticed that she lingered near Jenni's desk, picking at the dust on the ancient monitors, after he told her. Getting a nod from Warren, he could hardly get the invitation out of his mouth before Julianna blurted out an emphatic yes. Given her reaction, it made sense why she came to the party with Warren, since logic dictated that it had to be his handsome best friend that made her so excited to attend.
"Wow, that's awesome about your dad. Hey, congratulations." Kevin said and lifted his cup. "Here's to Mr. Jove, then." Julianna hailed from Catalonia lineage, and it took him several corrections to pronounce her last name properly with 'jova' instead of 'jove'.
A thin grin spread across Julianna's face as she wiggled the fingers on her empty hands. It took Kevin a moment to realized what she was trying to impart.
"Oh, that's right! You need a drink." Kevin exclaimed. He peered inside his cup, but the saccharine stench wafting from inside made his stomach jump. Looking back at the kitchen, he was about to get Julianna a drink of her own until Warren walked up, handing her a cup that smelled like mint as it passed.
Warren's nose wrinkled up when he noticed Kevin taking a sip of the sunrise.
"You're drinking that piss?" he asked.
Kevin glanced over his cup from Warren to Julianna and swallowed a mouthful of the syrupy content.
"Well, yeah. Not going to waste the liquor," he replied with a smack of his lips. "We're not all rich like you, Ren." Kevin tapped his pockets with his free hand, then snapped. "Oh yeah, that's right."
Julianna giggled with a back hand to her lips. Warren's eyebrows bounced up from the slight, and he tapped Kevin lightly on the chest with the bottom of his fist.
"We have more liquor, dude." Then, he clapped his hands loud enough to make Julianna flinch and nearly spill the contents of her cup. She giggled into her hand again when she saw that Kevin had noticed the faux pas. "On that note, are you two ready to play? I left spots at the table open for both of you."
Julianna's eyes flicked over at Kevin before she replied, "Uhm. I think I'm going to pass this round."
Warren mouthed the word what to her, eyes pleading, and Kevin stifled a laugh. From the expression on his friend's face, it was as if Julianna had spoken in some foreign language that he could not quite comprehend, and it was obvious that he was not used to being told no. Especially from a woman.
"Come on," Warren exhaled. He held Julianna's hand in his and bent his knees to look her in the eyes, licking his shapely lips. "Just one round to get your feet wet. We have to catch up to these people who have been here longer anyway. Live a little. It's not every day you get to celebrate hitting a lick."
Her head went back as she laughed, and her eyes looked up to the ceiling as she mulled over the decision. Jenni came from the balcony almost hopping up to Julianna, her natural red hair rebounding against her black shirt. With the high heels, Julianna was taller, so Jenni smiled up at her friend and tugged on her elbow. Her fair cheeks were already flushed from drinks, yet her skin still held a pale glow. If not for Julianna's massive presence, Kevin noted that Jenni surely would have been a candidate for the office queen with her fair features.
"Come on, Julie. Don't make me play this game by myself," Jenni said, pouting with her eyes. Julianna was being double-teamed and Kevin could already see her spirit to not play dissolving.
"Go ahead," Kevin encouraged her. She had taken enough pity on him by coming to the party and even checking up on him, so it was time for her to have the fun she was searching for. He was comfortable enough alone.
"You sure?" Julianna asked, as if her participation was up for debate. He appreciated the gesture of having a say, even if it was just that.
"Yeah, yeah. Go. I'll probably join you later," he replied with a wave of his hand.
Julianna's body relaxed. Warren winked in his direction and Kevin squinted in return. Julianna never looked back at him before she took her spot at the table next to Warren, who smiled triumphantly.
"Losers always defer to their betters," the voice chided.
He forced down the last of the sunrise, which was more tequila than any other mix at the bottom, but its fire was quenched by the power that held steady inside. One reason Kevin declined to play Waterfall was the fact that it took an exorbitant amount of binge drinking to overpower the energy within. Drunkenness could be achieved, but only with great effort and expenditure of capital. The power treated the alcohol like an attack to his system, a wound that needed to be burned away and then healed like the cut in his cheek. If he stood out at all instead of being easily ignored when he went out for the occasional drink, someone would notice him nursing one drink all night, or drinking so much that he was still impossibly sober.
Through a pair of shoulders, he could see Julianna straight ahead. She was to the left of Warren, and her face shined beneath the light from the wobbly ceiling fan. Warren leaned close into her ear, probably explaining the rules of each card that he had already told the others. Kevin waited to see her make a face, but Julianna only smiled, seemingly comfortable with his proximity to her neck.
Reaching down, he pulled two bottles of beer from a chest just inside the dining room that he stuffed into his pockets. The cool felt good against his legs as he kneaded his way through a mass of people standing in front of the balcony door.
"Excuse me," Kevin said, and elbowed his way through the musty people.
As he walked through the open balcony door, a whoop rang out from the dining room as the game had begun in earnest. Smoke hung outside as he passed a group of men and women smoking cigarettes, huddled together in the left corner. He found an empty spot on the opposite side of the balcony, away from the stench. Another whoop, and he could hear Warren's voice barking his rules to shape the experience. Fetching a beer from his pocket, Kevin twisted the top and took a short pull. The cold of the iron railing was a relief on his still sore back as he propped his elbows up and watched his guests get on without him. The people who were not playing Waterfall had peeled themselves away from the TV and computer. The clamor indoors grew louder as booze infused voices talked over one another. The music had been turned up several notches in response. Dancing had begun in the den, spreading quickly to the living room as others took up the beat, the floor creaking from the writhing bodies.
"Here's to you and Warren's party Kevin," he said as he raised his beer and drank again, swallowing several times to force down the cool liquid.
A soft breeze swept across Kevin's neck as he picked at the label on the bottle etching his Fiasco symbol in with his thumbnail, thinking over the Chevelle chase, and what he could have done differently had he thought ahead. Time passed as he went over various scenarios when a muted cheer reverberated through the dancing crowd coming from the dining room. Shadows of two raised arms bopped on the walls. The game must have ended, with someone crowned the winner. Warren liked to play the first round with a shortened deck just to get everyone used to the rules but, lost in thought, he hadn't realize so much time had passed. Kevin took another swig of beer when Julianna poked her head through the balcony door.
"There you are!" she said. Her face was tinted red, and her neck glistened with perspiration. A vexing lock of hair fell over her eye as she walked towards him on slightly unsteady legs, then leaned her forearms on the balcony beside him. Quickly, he pulped the label with a swipe of his thumb.
A pine scented breeze swirled on the balcony from the nearby trees.
"Oh my God, it feels so good out here," she said, waving her hand over her neck and face to aid the gentle wind. "That was intense."
Kevin turned around and leaned over on his forearms, as well.
"I tried to warn you," he teased.
"No, you didn't!" she exclaimed and pushed his arm. "He plays that game every time?"
"Every time." Kevin nodded his head, and with a mischievous grin, waved the spare bottle of beer he fished out of his pocket in front of her face.
"Oh God no," Julianna covered her mouth and laughed. "I'm probably going to throw up already. I might have had a bit too much since I was the last in the waterfall."
Kevin's head kicked back as he let out a sympathetic laugh. "Warren's plan working to perfection," he thought. "The last one always has to drink the most."
"Here, hold this one," he said as he gave his open bottle to Julianna. "Don't drink it though. I'm going to get you some water."
"Thanks," she replied with an eye-catching grin Kevin was sure only Warren had witnessed before. It was almost enough to make him not want to leave. But she needed the comfort of water more than he needed to pretend her smile meant anything more than just a smile.
Music pounded his ear drums and the bass thumped against his skin as Kevin made his way back to the kitchen, this time forcing his way through the crowd with his arms. Part of him wanted to call on the power to bulldoze them all away with his blue light. There was in a rush to get to the cooler where he had seen bottles of water and make his way back to the balcony. An internal clock ticked away as he ran into Warren just inside the dining room, going in the opposite direction.
"Hey!" Warren said with excitement. The music made it hard to hear him.
"Hey," Kevin sighed back. His friend's eyes were wide with a hint of pink, and he could tell he had reached the early stage of drunkenness.
"Man, you missed a good game!" Warren said. "People about to get jacked up in here. Hope you found a way to lock that bedroom door, if you know what I mean," Warren leaned in and tapped him with his elbow, still with that leering grin. Kevin noticed that he held a cup of pungent liquor in one hand, and a bottle of water in the other.
'"So, have you seen Julianna? She didn't look too good after the game. I thought I would bring her some water," Warren half shouted, turning his head to look around.
Even though Warren was several inches taller, Kevin moved in front of him to add the top of his head into his field of vision. Looking around as well, he saw in the distance that his den was fairly packed with people. With the dim light and bobbing heads dancing in the shadows, it was hard to make out the various faces in the small alcove.
"I think I saw her over there," Kevin said, leaning in to be heard, and pointed in the direction of the den.
"Cool." Warren's head kicked up in a nod, flashed him a grin, and threw up the peace sign with two of the fingers that held his drink.
"I'll take that, though," Kevin said and snatched the water bottle from Warren's hand, and walked away before he could protest.
On his way back towards the balcony, he wondered why he was even trying to match Warren's competitiveness. In the end, Julianna proved that she could be a decent enough friend. But he knew once she and Warren started dating, the affiliation between them would be altered forever. He had seen it before with other women who had come and gone at work that eventually dated Warren. He would no longer be her friend; he would slowly morph into being her boyfriend's friend. Most women had only pretended to associate with him just as a bridge to get to Warren, and it was easier for the women to make that transition. Being one step removed would dilute whatever relationship he and Julianna had cultivated. Something inside him wanted for her to be his friend alone for a few more hours.
"You were born to lose," the voice recalled.
A chill had kicked up on the balcony, signaling the end of summer The skin on Kevin's hands and cheeks felt damp as he moved to the corner he left Julianna, and the air smelled pregnant with rain.
"Hey! I thought you weren't going to drink that?" Kevin said.
In the corner of the balcony, Julianna was hunched over. Her long, dark hair covered her face and hands as she stealthily took a drink from the beer he had left in her possession. Hearing Kevin's voice, her head turned and looked at him like a puppy caught stealing food in the kitchen. Then, she burst out laughing, wiping spilled beer from her mouth with the back of her hand. Shaking his head, Kevin twisted the water bottle open and took his beer back in an exchange of drinks.
"Here, lightweight. You're going to be passed out by midnight at this pace," he said, but part of him was impressed. School was almost all Julianna ever talked about, and it seemed to consume all her time, so it was good to see her actually having fun. A mission had presented itself, and he knew he had to ensure she could enjoy the time off for as long as possible, while also staying safe. It would be his last act and gift for her while they were still truly friends.
"You're a lifesaver," she replied.
The dew from the bottle smeared against her skin as she rubbed it over her forehead, then swallowed a quarter of the content. She turned to look out into his parking lot. It was a Friday, so most of the cars were gone from the spaces. Mist played in the streetlights. In the distance, past the opposite row of apartments, moonlight hung over the trees and gave them a pale, hazy blue glow. Kevin joined her looking at the scene, their elbows nearly touching on the rail.
"It's actually pretty nice out here," she said.
"Well, it's dark. You can't see the needles and trash right now."
"It's not that bad," Julianna giggled and bumped him with her shoulder. "But you're doing good out here, Kevin. You have your own place, while I still live with my parents."
"Yeah, well, you're still in school, so it makes sense. My dad said it was either school or leave," Kevin replied. "So, I left."
"Well, you should be proud. Not a lot of people our age could cover a place without having any roommates."
"This place is a shithole in the asscrack part of town, built by obvious drunks, so it's affordable," Kevin snickered. "Plus, I need my privacy."
He almost wanted to her tell her why was living among people who looked the other direction. But the voice sneered, "Fiasco is a joke. You better not dare."
"Quit talking like that. I like it out here. It feels peaceful," Julianna declared.
Julianna was right in the fact that his neighborhood was indeed somewhat well-maintained given its more insidious nature. As New Haven's prosperity grew, Longreach had been renovated to include cheap, affordable housing, but the city was foolish enough to let poor people like himself move in. Now Longreach was like a beauty queen infected with cancer on the inside. Crime had become so prevalent, that most of his Fiasco business came from patrolling just a few square miles away. But at least the scenery was pleasant when you were being mugged.
"I have to admit, you might be right though," Julianna added. "It's shocking that I've never been to this part of town before, and I've been in New Haven all my life."
"Well, that's because you're smart," Kevin lowered his head down to the railing, resting it atop his fingers. "Who the hell would want to hang out here?"
"Warren does. Obviously. You might as well put him on the lease with how much time he spends here," she laughed. "I wouldn't have minded coming here before now, to tell you the truth. I could have cooked something and watched some movies. Who knows? Just to get away from the books every so often."
"Well, you're weird," Kevin took a drink, tipping his beer over the rail. "A persistent weirdo who likes to bring me leftovers and hang at my desk."
The voice said, "She pities your pathetic existence."
Standing upright, Kevin gave her back the beer she had stolen a drink from earlier, while he took the spare. "To your dad's contract." The two finally toasted with a clink of their bottles.
A breeze swirled the mist in the streetlights and floated the flowery scent of Julianna's hair. They stood in silence, and somehow, he wasn't uncomfortable like he normally would be. The gentle wind kicked up again, ruffling the bottom of her sun dress, forcing out a shiver. Crossing her arms over her chest to rub bare shoulders, Julianna moved closer until their shoulders touched. Noticing the warmth against his arm, Kevin looked over to her bright, brown eyes. The lock of hair that had been bugging her all night had fallen out of place again, fluttering in the breeze., and slowly his hand went to fix it.
"Do not dare touch her," the voice chastised.
Kevin paused, feeling as if he had been yelled at by his father.
The tan light shined in Julianna's eyes that never wavered, as if waiting for him to make that move before she saw that he wasn't, and tucked the errant hair back over her ear. Her pink lips puckered into a smirk before she turned and looked back at the forest.
"Why are you so warm?" she asked.
"I don't know. Must be the beer?" Kevin replied.
"A few beers make you that warm?' she replied with a chuckle, grinding her arm into his. "And you call me the lightweight."
Ensuring Julianna wasn't looking as she kept her eyes forward, Kevin closed his eyes and concentrated on the warmth of her skin touching his. The comfort of her touch sent a chill of happiness down his spine, enough to quell the well of power he kept inside, lowering his body temperature. Just in case it returned against his will, he leaned away from Julianna, breaking contact to ensure that there was space between them again.
"You cannot drown me," the voice said in a low growl. "You are just another loser without me."
"You're such an asshole," Kevin muttered.
"Who is?" Julianna asked.
Before he could answer, a pair of elbows pushed them further apart. "Hey, guys," Warren beamed. "It took me a minute to find you." It was his turn to squint at Kevin for the wild goose chase he had sent him on. Then he turned to Julianna, who had parted to let him in, and flashed that winning smile. "We're getting another round of Waterfall going. You ready to play?"
"Not me," she said, putting her hand up with a grin. "I think I need to coast from here on out."
"I'll play," Kevin said to Warren's back.
Julianna leaned her head out over the balcony to see him, jaw slacken. Warren turned around with nearly the same expression. His eyes narrowed as he studied Kevin's face trying to ascertain why he suddenly was game to play. Then, he nodded slowly.
"Okay," Warren said, rubbing his hands and licking his lips with anticipation. "Okay, game on. Let's go."
Julianna walked in first, and Warren followed, head tilted down and hot on her heels. As he passed, a woman in the smoking group shared her cigarette when he leaned his head over. She held it out in a flirty manner between two fingers, and Warren took several pulls to get enough nicotine in his system before he followed Julianna inside. White odorous smelling smoke curled and trailed behind him. As Kevin followed, he noticed that the woman who had shared her cigarette had her eyes fixated on Warren, as if waiting for a thank you that would not come. The disappointment he saw within her pained expression fueled his own emotions and power, which made it easier to carry out what he had planned.
The heat returned once he entered the dining room. The game table seemed to be the only thing still somewhat clean in the apartment. Opened bags of chips, cold chicken wings, and leftover buffalo chicken dip with coagulated cheese at the top meant to soak up the alcohol were strategically arranged along its length. Waterfall was already laid out, with the card deck separated in piles and arranged strategically in a circle around the food. The shot cups had been replaced while Warren was gone, and spare red and green plastic cups full of beer were placed where there was room, in case more beer was needed by some sudden rule change.
Warren leaned in and looked at the participants around the table that were only men at the time.
"The game moves counter clock-wise, and remember that wooden leg boys," he said as he chose the first card and held it to his chest. "Ladies, make your choice."
The women wooed as they filed in between the men. Kevin took Julianna's previous spot next to Warren, forcing him one spot down. He made sure not to stand anywhere near Jenni West. The first advice Warren ever told him about the game was to never stand next to a true red head in a drinking game. A body filled the empty space between them. To his left, Arial, a pint-sized, chubby brunette with pouty lips and dark rimmed glasses, squeezed in-between them quiet as a mouse. Jenni was on Warren's left again, her face gleaming as she brought four bottles of beers trapped between the web of her fingers. Warren laughed when he leaned over, and she whispered something into his ear while pushing the bottles onto the table. The game quickly filled up with players while observers ringed around them. Julianna stood behind Arial, still able to watch the game over her head.
Warren raised a hand, and the drone in the dining room died down until only the thump of the music was heard as they waited the reveal of his card. He flipped his wrist. Random voices in the room murmured, "Seven of diamonds." It was almost phrased as a question as the alcohol had clouded the rules in their minds. It wasn't until Kevin raised both arms to the sky that a wave of realization spread around the table, and hands shot up with shouts and giggles. There was one, however, who raised his hand last.
"Got 'em! Drink, Marcus!" Kevin yelled, pointing to the man at the opposite end of the table.
A chant went up from the players and crowd alike as they encouraged Marcus to drink.
"You're an asshole, Kevin!" Marcus said. With a resigned grin, he pulled his thick dreads behind his back, and took a long pull from his beer bottle, then slammed it down on the table to cheers and congratulations.
Arial chose next and pulled a five of spades that she showed to the rest of the players.
"Never have I ever," she said, not needing any reminder about the rules. She glanced over her shoulder at Julianna and pushed her glasses up her nose. "Kissed a girl."
Julianna brought her beer bottle before her as if it would ward off the flirtatious minx. Her eyes were wide, and she looked over at Kevin who gave her a shrug, his mouth tight, and eyes red as he stifled a laugh. The game went silent for what felt like minutes, until Jenni raised her glass and said, "Well, shit. Here's to ya boys!" then took a long drink of her beer.
The participants at the game glanced at each other.
"Hell yeah!" a male voice in the crowd rang out. The men in the room let out a cheer in response, as if their soon-to-be Mega team had scored a touchdown. They too had to drink since the rule stipulated that anyone who did the opposite of the declaration had to drink, which made the fact that the pretty girl with the fiery red hair was drinking along with them all the more enticing.
"Holy shit," Warren mouthed to Kevin, then took a long, hard pull, smiling down at Jenni from his beer.
The laughter increased when others noticed that poor, long-suffering, red faced Ethan did not take a drink. Marcus reached over the table, nearly spilling a basket of pretzels and mussed his brown hair.
"Awe, poor baby," purred Yuna. She was a thin, cute Asian with short black hair who worked in some department Kevin had trouble remembering. She moved around the table. The noise in the dining room swelled when she grabbed Ethan's shirt into her tiny fist and pulled him down. Being short, Yuna still had to stand on her tip toes to reach his head, giving him a full kiss on the lips. Kevin could see the whites of Ethan's eyes, but he did not pull away. Instead, he used his long arms to lift Yuna up into him by the small of her back.
"There we go! There we go!" Warren said, jabbing his finger at his protégé. The game had escalated just as he designed, and it was only the first round.
After several seconds, Ethan let Yuna down and the two parted with a rousing clamor. Yuna wiped his bottom lip with her thumb and a smile before walking back to her spot at the table. His face an apple red, the mentee reveled in his first female kiss, bathing in the praise from the men and women alike. They pushed and pulled him back and forth, mussing his hair and further wrinkling his clothes. Now Ethan could take his drink.
Taking advantage of the sudden distraction, Kevin stretched out his index and middle fingers on the edge of the table. Thin, blue tendrils moved out from his fingertips, nearly invisible against the dark tablecloth. Quickly, before anyone could notice, he let the lines of energy lift the edge of the cards in the pile closest to him ever so slightly, one by one, until he found the suit that he wanted. The tendril pulled out the edge of the card from the pile, just enough for him to reach over the table and appear to pull it from the top of the pile.
Yuna's kiss with Ethan had clearly made the revelers forget that it was his turn to choose next.
Kevin held the card to the center of his chest.
"I got my card," he said, loud enough so that the noise of Ethan's celebration died down. He lifted up the card to show the others.
"Eight picks mate! Eight picks mate!" Jenni said bouncing and clutching the cloth of Warren's sports coat, almost singing the words.
"For my mate, I choose," Kevin looked over and watched Warren's face wane. "Warren."
Choosing a mate meant that whenever Kevin had to drink, so did Warren. Not only did he have to drink along, but he would be forced to continue drinking during that round until Kevin was done. This was his plan when he decided to join the game that round. Whenever it was his turn to drink, his power would burn the alcohol down, and when it was time for Waterfall, he would take full advantage of the spare beer bottles around him.
It made sense to play the game that way to get Warren drunk and out of his way, for a little while at least. He was not ready to concede his time with Julianna. At least for that night. He was not ready to lose her when she and Warren would become a couple, and planned to use his power to keep that round going long enough to leave Warren flat on his face.
Kevin cocked his head towards his one true friend, raised his bottle, and then the two shared a drink. The clatter from the guests rose like a crescendo as he took long, deep swallows. Beer dribbled from Warren's chin onto his crisp, white button-up shirt, his pink eyes watering as he tried to keep pace and save face. With his head dipped backward, Kevin tongued out the last drop of beer, admired the empty bottle, then sat it down gently on the table, leaning in on both hands. His eyes bore through Warren who breathed deeply and wiped the dribble from his mouth before putting down his own bottle.
"Okay, then," Kevin looked his friend in his pink eyes, and coolly said, "Let's continue the game."
The game went on, with that round of Waterfall lasting well over an hour until all the participants were full of spirits by the end.
As the night went on, Kevin kept his private word to Julianna and played the dutiful friend that only wanted to see her have a good night out. He kept her well hydrated, alternating between drinks and water, even as she sweated out alcohol with bouts of dancing. He even held her hair back as she leaned over the toilet bowl during a false alarm that had cleared out the bathroom, her back comically curling like a worm during her dry heaves. Surely, he knew that his actions had solidified his friendzone status, but there was some satisfaction in being there for her—something he wasn't capable of doing for most other people, even as Fiasco.
"You are very selfish," the voice told him, and Kevin agreed as he held her long, soft black hair.
******