Alexander doubted very much that he would.
Deciding to give his brother a slack for the night, he didn't complain as Jeffery sped through the street and blasted music loudly from his car. Vehicles honked and drivers yelled as Jeffery whizzed past, and only when he did run a red light, Alexander spoke up.
"You're going to get us in trouble," Alexander warned.
"Chill," Jeffery opened his center console and brought out a bottle of beer.
"Help me open this would you?" He handed it to Alexander. "I want to get pumped before I get there."
"You're not drinking and driving," Alexander warned, tossing the beer to the backseat.
Jeffery gave an audible sigh. "Listen, Alex, where we're going, it's going to be fun. Please do not shit on this event."
Alexander didn't reply to that. He had already mentally prepared himself to get a ride back home when he reached the venue because whatever "event" Jeffery was involved in was going to be bad news.
Jeffery took a sharp left down a noisy street. Turned out the noise was music playing from a house at the end of the road, the same house where Jeffery parked his car.
"Some friends came back home," Jeffery yelled to speak to Alexander. There were silhouettes of moving figures inside the house, but none outside it. "You'll love them. I told them you were coming along."
Alexander stepped out of the car at the same time Jeffery did. The music was now coursing through his veins and controlling the rhythm to the beat of his heart. How anyone could stand to be in such a place for even thirty minutes was beyond him. He could already feel the headache knocking as Jeffery stepped up to the door.
A lanky man with oversized clothing opened the door, and he and Jeffery yelled in greeting. Beyond the two friends, Alexander peered inside the house; there were more people than he had anticipated.
"Hey, Alex!" Jeffery called. "Meet Olly! An old friend, remember?"
Alexander had to really stare at Olly for the memory of him to come. The Olly that he knew was a posh kid who enjoyed teasing him whenever he came over to the house, always looking prim and proper. But the Olly in front of him looked like the ghost of his teenage self like a zombie had eaten all that primness from him.
"Nice to see you mate," Olly put out a bony hand for a shake. "It's been what? A decade? You've leveled up big time!"
Alexander took the hand. "Any chance the music could go down a notch? I would like to wake up with a proper functioning eardrum tomorrow, thank you."
Olly's eyes crinkled with mirth, his crow's feet narrowing his eyes. "Sure, sure! Hey! Ren! Turn the bloody music down! We've got royalty in the house! Don't want the Queen or whoever showing up at our doorstep!"
Some people just never change, Alexander thought. Ren miraculously heard the instructions over the music and it lowered down several notches. Several eyes were on both Jeffery and Alexander now as they moved into the house. At a table, intoxicants of several kinds were laid out, and people gathered, laughing with delirium.
"Not your scene," Olly said with a chuckle. "Let's get you a drink, shall we?"
Olly disappeared into the crowd. Jeffery bopped his head to the new music that began to play. People had long lost interest in the duo, but Alexander didn't miss the smile on his brother's face as a tall lady sashayed over with a drink in hand.
"Hey, Jeff!" She greeted and hugged him in a chirpy tone. "Long time no see!"
"Hey Cupcake," Jeffery kissed her cheek. "Why do I feel you've been avoiding me?"
"Oh silly," The cupcake lady's laugh was as high-pitched as her voice. She put her attention on Alexander. She wore pink hair, dyed or fake, Alexander could not tell. Her lips were pink as well, as so were her mini gown and heels.
"Who's the handsome guy?" She asked, taking a sip of her drink.
"Cupcake, meet my brother, Alex, Alex, Cupcake," Jeffery introduced them both.
"Alex," Cupcake purred. She pried herself off Jeffery and stood uncomfortably close to Alexander. "You're exquisite."
"Thank you…Cupcake," Alexander said. He looked around the room, the blue lighting, the small crowd of people, more sitting than dancing, and back at Cupcake licking her lips.
"How about you and I get out of here for a little chat?" Cupcake purred next to his ear, her hand caressing up his arm.
"Uh-uh," Jeffery backed away. "This one's sank her claws into you. I'll leave."
"Thank you," Alexander said and pulled her hand away. "I'm fine here."
"Hey, Alex!" Before Alex could see who called his name, a drink was thrust into his hand. "Enjoy!"
Alexander stared into his drink and took a sip of it. The liquid burned his tongue, and he decided he had had enough for that night. Jeffery was nowhere to be found, and Cupcake, or whatever her name was kept sticking her hands on him boldly now.
"I've got to go," he told her.
"Already?" She pouted. "And I was having fun getting to know you. How about I get Jeffery to convince you to stay?"
"Please get him," Alexander said. He'd tell his brother he couldn't bear a second more in that place. He should've known before he came over.
"Okay, I'll be back. And remember, you're mine," Cupcake flashed him a grin and hurried along.
Alexander felt like he was floating, and took more of the drink to help boost his sugar level. He hadn't eaten anything since noon because of work. When it kept burning like molten lava down his throat and he kept feeling light on his feet, he stopped drinking.
He needed to use the bathroom, so he walked toward the hall. He got worse with every step, and he felt hands holding him and he stumbled. What was happening?
"It's okay," the voice was distorted. "You just need to lay down."
Yes, just to rest his head. He followed whoever it was was holding him, and was thankful when he felt the mattress beneath him. Hands were rubbing at his top, but he was too lightheaded to worry about that.
He felt a breath next to his ear and what he thought to be a kiss. "Told you you were mine."