"What happened?" Malakai asked, standing up hastily.
"Lucas is fighting with someone", David replied in a tone that didn't sound so worrying.
"Who?" Malakai said, looking around to see if he could see them.
"A bouncer".
"Oh", Malakai's body relaxed,
"I'll be there in a minute", he said in a bored tone. He ended the call and put the phone in his pocket.
"Did Something happen?" Micheal asked, looking at him.
"Looks like my night is over. My friend is fighting with a bouncer", Malakai replied, fixing his clothes.
"What a shame".
"Is it their first time drinking?" Chloe questioned.
"Yep", Malakai replied.
"This was a good talk. We'll talk more later", Malakai said, shaking Micheal's hand.
"Yeah, you better have more stories", Micheal said, squeezing Malakai's hand while in the handshake. Malakai turned to walk away,
"We'll see what happens; maybe you'll hear about them before I tell you them".
"Get off me, man", Lucas said, squirming while being held by David.
"Let's go home, Lu. You've had enough", David said, trying to keep Lucas still.
"I think it's time for you to leave", the bouncer in front of them said.
"No, the night is still young, " Lucas said, lifting his arms and giggling.
It didn't take long for Malakai to find them. Walking towards the scene, he saw Benjamin and Ray standing to the side while a bouncer was in front of Lucas and David. Lucas tries to approach the bouncer, but David is holding him back. Malakai walked closer with his hands in his pockets,
"How'd this happen?" He asked Benjamin. Benjamin saw Malakai approaching them.
"Basically, Lu got really drunk while he was talking to a girl. Then I think he threw up on the girl cuz he was so drunk. Then he threw up some more", Benjamin explained.
"So now he's getting kicked out", Malakai pieced together.
"That's the plan, but he doesn't want to leave", Benjamin finished.
"Great. Where's Will?" Malakai said, turning his head.
"He passed out over there." Benjamin pointed to William lying on the floor next to some chairs.
"Don't tell me I have to carry him", Malakai said in a tired voice.
"Looks like it. Me and David are gonna have to carry Lu. You and Ray can handle Will".
"Argh", Malakai whined. Malakai looked over at Ray, who was smiling from ear to ear.
"You look like you had fun" " he said to Ray.
"Yeah, it's been fun", he replied happily.
"I'm not leavin. I'm not fucking leavin", Lucas said aggressively lashing out.
"We should help out", Benjamin said, stepping forward. Benjamin and Malakai walked towards them.
"Lu, you idiot, calm down", Malakai said, approaching him.
"How much did you drink to throw up two times? We've only been here for about an hour", Malakai said to Lucas. Malakai lost track of time himself. Lucas stopped lashing out,
"What can I say I'm a great drinker", Lucas smiled, forgetting the bouncer because of Malakai.
"Ben, grab him and help David take him outside." He then turned to the bouncer towering over him.
"I'm sorry bout my friend. We're leaving now", he apologised.
"BEN, DON'T TOUCH ME!" Lucas shouted, lashing out again.
"Sorry, Lu has to be done", Benjamin replied, helping David.
"Yo Ray, help me grab Will", he said, walking towards his unconscious body.
"Okay".
The two of them picked up his body and placed his arm around their shoulders, letting his feet drag across the floor, ruining what looked like a fresh pair of shoes—a price to pay for turning lifeless in a public place. Ben and David had a more challenging time containing this drunk six-foot animal.
"Lu, we've got some more drinks at home", David blatantly lied.
"Really! Let's go then. Better than this shit place", Lucas gullibly believed. He stopped resisting and walked towards the exit. Before he left, he turned around and raised his middle finger at the bouncer. Malakai and Ray dragged William past several people, getting judgemental looks everywhere. Something the group had kind of gotten accustomed to due to Malakai, but this time, it was because of different people. Eventually, they made it out of the club.
The six of them were now walking on campus at 12:02 PM. The campus was empty, with a few students roaming here and there.
"Lu was right, I can't lie. The night is still young", Malakai joked, looking up at the sky.
"It's past midnight; what do you mean?" David replied.
"Exactly, we still got like six hours before sunrise", Malakai said, still holding William up. Suddenly, the balance shifted to the right, nearly making Malakai fall. The two of them stumbled a bit.
"Ray, you good?" Malakai asked, looking at Ray.
"Yeah. I think I tripped over something. I'm a little dizzy. Maybe it was all the lights and loud music", Ray said, blinking rapidly.
Benjamin and David glanced at each other, knowing why he might be feeling dizzy.
"Shit, I can carry him on my back if you want", Malakai offered.
"No, I'm fine. The fresh air is helping", Ray replied, avoiding eye contact.
Looking forward, they saw Lucas skipping ahead.
"Hurry up, we gotta get to the drinks", Lucas said in a higher tone.
"This is why you don't drink Ray", Malakai said, looking at Lucas.
Ray couldn't look towards Malakai's direction; he knew it would show on his face that he'd already done the opposite of the advice he had just given him. Luckily, Malakai didn't look at Ray to see the stress on his face. David and Benjamin kept quiet, walking ahead with their hands in their pockets.
"LU! YOU'RE AN ALCOHOLIC!" Malakai shouted to Lucas as a joke, who was far ahead.
"I CAN'T BE AN ALCOHOLIC; I LOOK TOO GOOD", Lucas shouted back.
That was enough to gain a few laughs from the boys.
"At least he's got humour while drunk, " David said, smiling at the joke.
"Why am I laughing? I live with him; he's going to be annoying", Benjamin said, looking at his friends.
"Mally, why don't you put Will in my dorm, and I sleep in Wills's room? Put the two drunks in the same dorm", Benjamin tried to compromise.
Malakai gave a smile,
"Someone needs to look after them. Two drunks can't look after each other. I look after Will, you look after Lu".
"I'll remember this", Benjamin said, nodding his head.
"Remember what? They might die if they're alone", Malakai said, justifying his answer. His louder tone caused William to wake up.
"Uuuurggggh", William groaned.
"I feel sick", he croaked, barely opening his eyes.
"Don't worry, we're almost home", Ray said to William.
"Bro, how much did you drink?" Malakai questioned, looking at him.
"I don't know. I jus remember drinkin. An everthin blacked out. Now I'm here. Levitating".
"You're getting dragged. You're not levitating", Malakai told him.
"Shhh, shhh, I'm concentrating. It takes a lot of focus to do this", William said, closing his eyes.
"Given me another reason to not touch alcohol". Malakai mumbled to himself.
In the corridor, they were walking towards their dorms.
"DRINKS, DRINKS, DRINKS", Lucas chanted while jumping up and down.
"Shut up, people are sleeping", Benjamin said, chasing Lucas.
"I'm so happy my roommate isn't drunk", David said, looking at the mess Benjamin and Malakai had to handle.
"Ray, it's calm. I can carry him now", Malakai said.
"Okay." Ray removed Williams's arm around his shoulder. Now unsupported on his right side, William put all his weight on his right. Malakai felt himself tilting, so he also removed Williams's arm, letting William drop to the floor.
"Look, you made me lose concentration. I was in a flow state", William said, lying on the floor.
"That's crazy, bro. Can you stand up now?" Malakai said, unamused at the sight in front of him.
"I'm floating again", he replied with his eyes shut.
Further down the hall, Lucas was excitedly jumping up and down, waiting for the drinks which never existed.
"Be quiet, you're being too loud", Ray said with a finger over his lips.
Click! A door opened.
"Why are you so -"Tanisha stopped herself from finishing her sentence upon seeing the disgrace before her. William on the floor, and Lucas, with dirtied clothes jumping up and down. She looked to Malakai,
"What's going on?"
"We went to the club, and these two got drunk", he quickly summarised.
"And you, did you drink?" She looked at him up and down.
"I don't drink", he replied, shaking his head.
She looked over at the rest of them and sighed.
"I swear to god, can't all of you be normal for once. If you're loud again, I'll make you shut up".
"Where's Maria?" Ray asked, trying to look into the dorm.
"She's asleep. She was exhausted and went to bed at like eight", Tanisha replied.
"Oh, okay. That's cool", Ray awkwardly replied.
Malakai looked at William, still on the floor, and back at Tanisha.
"Tanisha, I'm sorry, it's the first time they've drank. Don't blame them", Malakai formally apologised.
Tanisha was surprised by the apology.
"Whatever, just don't be too loud", she replied, closing the door.
The other three watched on. Lucas managed to stay quiet while that conversation happened.
"Can we have drinks now?" he quietly pleaded like a child.
Benjamin silently opened his door and walked in; Lucas paced in. David also went into their dorm to make sure everything would be alright.
"Ray, can you help me get this idiot inside?" Malakai asked.
The two of them picked him up. Malakai opened his dorm room door, and they entered carrying William, who thought he had started flying this time. They reached the couch where they dropped him off. Malakai looked at his drunk friend lying on the couch, then mumbled to himself,
"These lots are never drinking alcohol again".