Jay-jay's POV
The music was blasting so loud that I couldn't hear what Percy was saying anymore. I just stared at him while he continued talking.
Was he really saying something?! His mouth was just moving.
"WHAT?" I asked him.
He leaned in closer and spoke again, but I still couldn't hear a thing. I shot him a glare. His mouth kept opening and closing, but no sound came out! Damn it!
"You idiot! I'm gonna kick you!" I threatened, and he just laughed loudly.
Of course, I could hear that just fine. This guy was so damn annoying. He enjoyed messing with people way too much.
"WOOOOOHHHHH!!" The crowd cheered loudly as the music dropped.
We were at Kingsground right now, in the disco area, not the underground. Percy had dragged me here, saying it was the best place to let out my frustrations.
We turned our attention to a man dressed in black who was approaching us. He was huge, and a gold chain necklace hung around his neck. A bouncer!
"You're being called upstairs." He pointed towards Tiger's office.
Percy and I exchanged looks before following him. Just like before, the only way up to Tiger's office was a staircase. When we entered, Tiger was standing by the large glass window, looking down at the crowd below.
Unlike downstairs, where the music was deafening, the office was completely silent.
"Boss." The bouncer spoke, and Tiger turned to face us.
Son of a grasshopper!
This guy really knew how to dress. He was wearing shorts decorated with sun and umbrella prints, a pair of Beachwalk flip-flops, and a faded tank top. He also had a round summer hat on.
The whole summer vibe was strong with this one!
"Jay-jay!" He greeted me enthusiastically, moving in for a hug.
I immediately backed away when I saw the forest growing under his arms—his armpit hair was so long and thick. Damn! He could at least trim it a little. It was downright disgusting.
"Why? Don't worry, I still smell good even if I don't shower." He said with a laugh.
Absolutely revolting!
"You haven't changed one bit, Tiger." Percy interjected, drawing Tiger's attention to him.
"Oh, you're one of Angelo's old boys..." Tiger said, squinting at him. "...What was your name again?"
I scratched my head. He was never good with names. Even back then, it took him forever to remember Aries' name.
"Percy." He answered irritably.
"Ahh, right… Perting!" Tiger said, laughing.
"Percy." He corrected again, but Tiger just kept laughing.
This guy was totally nuts! I turned my attention to the large glass window.
The people on the dance floor looked so happy. They were moving with the music, dancing as if they'd never get tired.
Lucky them… Lucky them for being able to have fun like that.
I was jealous. I wanted to be happy like them, too. I wanted to be happy without a single problem in my mind.
The place was so alive. Some were dancing on stage, some were making out in the corners, and others were dancing like no one else existed.
I wished I could be as happy as they were.
Because of everything that happened to me, I don't know if I can be happy like them. It feels like sadness, pain, and anger are consuming me now.
The people I considered family deceived me. The people at home lied to me. And most of all, the person I thought loved me only used me.
I don't know if I can still be happy after everything that's happened.
"...Why don't we chat for a while?" Tiger suggested, making me look at them. "...Bring out the most expensive liquor." He ordered the bouncer.
The bouncer immediately complied. He approached a cabinet and opened it. Inside, there was a vault. He pressed a few buttons, and a bottle with no label was revealed. Was that liquor?
I had no intention of sitting here and watching them. That was boring! I walked over to Percy.
"Can I go downstairs?" I asked while he was examining the bottle.
"You can... but you're not allowed to drink." Percy replied.
What the hell! Then what am I supposed to do there?!
"What do you mean 'not allowed'?!" Tiger asked indignantly. "...Let her drink. The liquor is on the house for you!"
I wanted to clap out of sheer joy. Damn! It's not every day you get free drinks, especially liquor. It's my lucky day!
Tiger made a hand signal to the bouncer, who immediately left. I left my things beside Percy and walked out, heading straight to the bar area.
With so many people, it felt like it took forever to reach my destination. I got bumped here and there, some people kept pushing, and now my arm hurt.
When I reached the bar, I sat on a stool. The bartender raised an eyebrow at me, eyeing my outfit. Right, I was still in my uniform.
"Costume." I told the bartender.
He just nodded, though it was obvious he didn't believe me. I noticed Tiger's bouncer whisper something to the bartender.
The bartender glanced at me before nodding and returning to his work. Now, I wasn't sure if I should ask for a drink. He might refuse to serve me because of my uniform.
"FVCKING SHIT!" A man shouted from not too far away. "...STOP PLAYING HARD TO GET!"
"DON'T FVCKING TOUCH ME!" A woman yelled back.
I had no intention of looking to see who they were. I didn't want to get involved in any trouble. I didn't want to meddle in other people's problems only to end up getting hurt myself.
I've had enough.
"What do you want to drink?" The bartender asked.
I didn't know anything about liquor. The only one I knew was San Miguel Beer, but it looked like they didn't have that here. Their drinks looked expensive, and I didn't recognize any of them.
"T-the one you give to people with a broken heart?" I asked hesitantly.
The bartender shook his head with a smile at my response. How would I know what they served their customers? I had no clue about this place, let alone their liquor or what I was supposed to drink.
He took out a shot glass and poured some liquor into it. Then, he slid it toward me, still smiling.
Was this it? It was so small—what effect could this even have?
I looked at the other customers, and they were all holding the same type of glass. They drank it in one swift motion. I copied the way they held it and downed the shot quickly.
Shit! Ugh!
I swallowed it straight, and it felt like drinking fire. It burned down my throat and into my chest. I shut my eyes at the awful taste. Damn it!
A woman's loud laughter echoed nearby. I immediately turned to look. She was sitting right beside me.
"First time?" She asked.
I ignored her. I placed the shot glass on the counter, and the bartender immediately refilled it. I was about to take another shot when I stopped—because the woman beside me was laughing at me again.
She was still sitting right there, staring at me intensely. I was starting to get irritated. I shot her an annoyed look, hoping she'd take the hint and leave.
I'll punch you!
"What?" She asked innocently. "...Keep drinking, don't mind me."
I did as she said. I downed the shot in one go, and the burning sensation returned. The liquor felt like it was scorching my throat as it went down.
After placing the shot glass back on the counter, I looked at the woman beside me. She was still staring at me, smiling. It seemed like she had no intention of leaving.
"Do you need something?" I asked, slightly irritated.
She chuckled lightly. "You're just fun to watch while drinking."
Huh?
I raised an eyebrow. This one must have a serious screw loose. Maybe she was already drunk and decided to mess with me. I was about to open my mouth to tell her to leave when a man suddenly put his arm around her.
She immediately resisted and pushed the guy away forcefully. "What the fvck?!"
"She's playing hard to get again, bro!" said another guy, who seemed to be with the one who just grabbed her.
"Can you not?! Stay away from me!" my seatmate snapped in irritation.
The guy who put his arm around her just laughed. They continued talking, but it was clear they were disrespecting her.
I was getting annoyed at them because they were disturbing my drinking.
I turned back to the bartender and asked for another drink. I was about to take a shot when a hand suddenly draped over me.
Son of a—!
I quickly removed the hand that almost reached my chest. I turned around to glare at the bastard who did it.
It was the same guy who had put his arm around the woman beside me. He was now grinning widely.
"Feisty, huh..." said another guy behind him, laughing along.
I glanced at the woman beside me. She looked like she was about to cry while desperately trying to push away the men harassing her.
"Shit! You're a high school student?" the guy in front of me asked.
Oh no... I'm actually in elementary!
"From HVIS," another guy chimed in. "...I heard students from that school are loose."
My brows furrowed at what they said. Loose?! What did they mean by that?
Their grins widened. There were six of them—earlier, they were harassing the woman beside me, and now, they were targeting me.
"Can you guys just leave us alone?! Go away!" my seatmate snapped at them.
"Shut up, Savannah!" the guy in front of me barked before turning his attention back to me. "Are you alone? Want us to keep you company?"
I really didn't want to fight. I wasn't in the mood. My body already felt heavy from all my problems, but situations like this were just unavoidable.
Annoying.
"Really?" I asked innocently. "...You guys will keep me company?"
The jerks all smirked, and some even high-fived each other. They probably thought I was just another loose student from HVIS.
"Of course. Anywhere you want." The guy in front of me grinned.
I smiled back and gripped the shot glass in one hand.
"Even to heaven?"
They all laughed and exchanged glances before answering. "Why not? If that's what you want."
Perverts. Men are all the same...
I smiled at him again and prepared my hand. "Why don't you go first?"
Rest in pieces, you jerks!
Before he could reply, I threw the contents of my shot glass straight at his face. It landed perfectly, giving me the perfect opportunity to kick him in the chest.
"Shit!" they shouted.
The people around us immediately turned to look, though some didn't care and continued whatever they were doing.
Just keep dancing!
"O.M.G." Savannah, who was still beside me, gasped. "...That was freaking awesome."
"You asshole!" one of the guys yelled, about to charge at me, but the bouncer grabbed him.
"No causing trouble here!" the bouncer shouted before grabbing them one by one.
People went back to their business, so I returned to my seat. I looked at the shot glass in my hand. The drink was wasted.
"That was so badass!" Savannah squealed in excitement.
She was still here?!
"...Thank you for saving me. By the way, I'm Savannah Shane." She introduced herself and offered her hand.
I had no intention of paying her any attention, but just by looking at her, I could tell she wasn't going to leave me alone.
I reached out my hand to her.
"Jay-jay." I answered lifelessly.
I was about to ask for another drink, but this girl beside me was really getting in the way. She started rambling about those guys who harassed us earlier.
"...they were so annoying... Anyway, thank you again for saving me."
"I didn't save you," I said, cutting her off. "...I just made those jerks leave because they were a nuisance."
She just shrugged and started talking again. I didn't respond and simply stared at my shot glass.
The alcohol still had no effect on me, so I was still completely out of it. My chest still felt heavy from everything that had happened.
My heart was still shattered!
"Why are you so quiet?" Savannah asked—right in front of my face.
Like, right in front of my face.
I leaned back slightly, feeling awkward. She was starting to weird me out.
"N-nothing. I just want to drink more, but the bartender is busy." I replied.
She chuckled a little and tried to sneak a peek at the bartender, who was indeed busy—busy flirting with another customer.
"Can I ask you something?" she asked with a smile.
"You're already asking."
She laughed again. "What's your problem?"
I looked at her in confusion.
"...Well, obviously, you wouldn't be drinking like this if you didn't have a problem."
Obviously?! You're so annoying.
"That's none of your business." I muttered, but it seemed like she heard me anyway.
"It's okay, you can tell me. We're friends now—"
Whut?!
I immediately cut her off. "Friends? Since when?"
She laughed again. "Just now."
I was starting to get irritated. It was like she couldn't take the hint that I didn't want to talk and just wanted to drink.
What's your deal, girl?!
"...So, tell me, what's your problem? School? Family? Or... love life?"
I instinctively looked away at the last word. That was a bad word. Bad for my health.
She laughed again, even playfully slapping me.
Just a little more! And I'll punch you!
"You're heartbroken, aren't you?" she accused.
I was about to answer and shoo her away, but she suddenly snatched my shot glass and waved at the bartender.
"...You're drinking the wrong thing." she added.
When the bartender approached, she whispered something to him. He looked hesitant—his expression said it all. He even glanced at me before turning back to Savannah.
They talked for a bit longer before the bartender finally moved. He grabbed a bottle, poured alcohol into a glass, added a few more things, and shook it up.
Looks like they're mixing poison for me. After mixing everything, he poured it into a shot glass and placed it in front of me.
I looked at him, then at Savannah, who was just smiling at me.
"What is this?" I asked, slightly annoyed.
"That is 'Broken Hearted Medicine.' I personally discovered it." she boasted. "...And don't worry, you won't get drunk from it."
I pointed at the shot glass. "Then what's the point if it doesn't even get me drunk?"
She laughed again. "Just try it!"
Just to shut this girl up. This was the last one, and then I'd go find Percy and invite him somewhere else. My head was already starting to hurt from dealing with her.
I quickly downed the drink. One eye squeezed shut from the taste. It was sour, bitter, and had a minty kick. But unlike my previous drinks, this one didn't burn down my throat.
"Okay, I drank it—"
What the...Fudgie Barr!
I couldn't continue what I was about to say. Everything around me started moving in slow motion.
Literally, in slow motion!
I closed my eyes and pinched my temples. My head was aching—I wasn't sure if it was the alcohol kicking in.
"Savannah! What the hell did you make me drink?" I asked.
She didn't answer, so I opened my eyes. It felt like something coursed through my body. My senses awakened, and I suddenly felt so powerful.
Shit! It was like I had just downed ten cups of coffee. My heart was pounding.
I looked around, and everything suddenly seemed... more vibrant. The music blared in my ears, and for some reason, it was inviting me to dance.
"How does it feel?" Savannah asked with a grin.
I unknowingly grinned back. "Shit! This is exhilarating! Hahahaha..."
Even though nothing was particularly funny, I felt so happy. She ordered the same drink for herself, downed it, and suddenly stood up.
"Let's enjoy this night!" she shouted.
She grabbed my hand and pulled me into the crowd of dancing people. As we stopped, the music seemed to get even louder. I grinned at the sight of people dancing their hearts out.
I want that too!
Even though I had no idea what dance moves to do, I just started moving. I raised both hands in the air and let myself go.
"Woooooohhhhhh!!!" I yelled. "...Party animal!"
I heard some people near me laugh. We kept dancing—Savannah too. My blood was pumping, and it felt like this moment of dancing would never end.
Go! Go! Dance!
If I could always feel like this, life would be amazing. No problems at all—Wait, did I even have a problem?! No reason to escape—Was I even running away from anything?! And I forgot why I was drinking in the first place—Wait, why was I drinking again?!
Why does it feel like I'm forgetting something?! Hahahahaha...
"Savannah!" I called out to her as she kept swaying to the beat. "...Am I forgetting something?!"
She nodded. "You forgot to find yourself a date!"
A date?! That's it?! That's easy!
I scanned the crowd, looking for someone to pull over.
Then, I spotted a guy. He was handsome, and he looked dead serious... while staring—at me?
Target acquired!
He stood in the middle of the crowd, unmoving, just staring straight at me. I bit my lower lip.
I was about to walk toward him when Savannah suddenly put her arm around me. She must've noticed where I was looking.
"That one's a playboy," she whispered, laughing. "...His name is Keifer."
Fuck.
Everything came flooding back in an instant.
The reason I was here. The wound I was trying to heal. The words he said. The pain I was feeling.
I need this feeling to go away again!
I want that drink again! I need what I had earlier!
I forced my way back to the bar, searching for the bartender from before. He looked a bit surprised when he saw me.
"O-one more! Please!" I pleaded.
He shook his head. "Only one per person! That stuff has bad effects on the body!"
I felt like crying, though I couldn't understand why. I needed that drink. I wanted it.
"Come on... Please!"
"Miss! I really can't—"
"Just give it to her, bro!" Savannah cut in, apparently having followed me.
The bartender let out a deep sigh. He grabbed the same liquor, mixed it with other ingredients, and set it down in front of me.
I immediately downed it. Shit! Here it comes again!
"Let's go!" Savannah urged.
We went back to the center of the crowd and resumed dancing.
But this time, it felt even stronger than before. I was more awake. My heart was racing even faster.
I felt alone despite being surrounded by so many people. It was as if I was the only one dancing, even though countless elbows were bumping into me. I felt hot, even though the cold air brushed against my skin.
"WOOOOOHHHH!!!" I screamed. "...Disco! Disco! Good! Good!"
Savannah burst out laughing beside me as we kept dancing. I laughed too, for no reason at all. We probably looked like lunatics, laughing our hearts out in the middle of the crowd.
But honestly? We were just so happy. Pure, endless happiness.
I looked at a guy walking toward us. He was looking straight at me with a smile. His blue eyes sparkled under the lights.
"Hi!" I greeted him as he got closer.
"You look so happy!" he said.
"I'm just enjoying the night!" I replied and danced in front of him.
"Really?!"
There was a slight sarcasm in his tone, but I just smiled and nodded.
His smile suddenly disappeared, and his face turned serious. "Enjoy! Enjoy! Enough of that! I'm taking you home!" he said irritably.
What the hell?! Is this guy crazy?! Why did his mood suddenly change?!
"Why would I go with you?! I don't even know you!" I shot back.
Out of nowhere, he smacked me on the head. I grabbed the back of my head from the force of it. I think I got dizzy!
"There! Do you remember now?!" he asked in annoyance.
I felt like crying from how painful that was. I thought I was about to pass out. I glared at him, and when the lights hit his face—I remembered!
"P-Percy?!"
"See? My smack was effective!" he said smugly. "...Now, let's go!"
"I don't want to!"
"You're going home or you're going home?!"
Damn it! Damn this guy! I was having fun!