“Ok, Tom, do you want a drink?” she asked.
“Yes! More drink!” I shouted to another cheer from the group as I stumbled back and forth.
“Let’s get you sat down, shall we?” I felt Lee's hands around my waist, guiding me to one of the chairs.
“Now who’s boring?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.
He laughed as he steadied me into one of the seats and then shimmied in beside me.
“You’re really throwing them back,” he said, cradling a half-empty pint glass. He’d matched me drink for drink but seemed to be having an easier time remaining sober. “It’s nice to see you having fun.”
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” I replied.
“Since you’ve had fun or since we’ve had a drink together?”
I contemplated this for a moment. “Both,” I said, finally.
“I’ve missed it,” he said, giving me a longing look, then he jumped to his feet and pulled me from my chair. “Come on, the night’s not over yet.”
I could barely stand upright as he dragged me back to the centre of the bar and I had to hold on to his shoulder as we walked. The music seemed to have gotten louder and was booming through the old building as lights flashed around in time to the rhythm. It was all adding to my dizziness, though, and by the time we came to a stop I felt like I might throw up.
“She’s not taken her eyes off you since she got here,” Lee leaned in and shouted to me. I followed his gaze to Nia who gave me a flirty smile and a little wave from the bar and I quickly looked away again, embarrassed. “Should I tell her or do you want to?”
I saw her start to make her way over to us carrying two bottles and I spun around looking for somewhere to escape to avoid the inevitable awkward conversation, tumbling a little as I did.
“Steady there, brother,” Lee said, grabbing me as I fell into a table sending someone’s drink flying to the floor. He kept a hand around my shoulders to steady me, keeping me in Nia’s sights.
“Do you want to dance, Mr Ja- I mean, Tom?”
“I don’t dance,” were the words I was aiming for but most of the consonants seemed to have disappeared from my vocabulary so I shook a finger at her instead. Even if I’d wanted to, the room was spinning far too quickly for me to stay on my feet and move with any sort of rhythm.
“I’d love to dance,” Lee said, immediately noticing my discomfort and extending his hand to Nia. “If that’s ok?”
She looked unsure at first but then flashed a huge smile and tucked her arm into his. He was the perfect wingman, if wingmen were supposed to step in and take the girl you weren’t interested in off your hands.
“I’m going to go outside for some air,” I shouted over the beat.
“Do you want me to come with you?” he asked, but I shook my head at him and he gave me a nod as he moved off towards the dancefloor.
I wandered towards the exit, swaying from side to side as I weaved between the huddle of bodies drinking and dancing until I finally made it outside. The whole street felt like it was spinning and with the rush of fresh air, I leaned my hand against a lamppost and vomited onto the pavement causing some passers-by to jeer and start clapping.
The release helped the feeling of sickness in my stomach but did nothing for the dizziness and as I turned around to go back inside I walked straight into a large man who spilled his drink down my shirt.
“Watch it you daft twat,” he snapped as I drunkenly waved him off and swayed along the pavement. I brought my hands up to my chest and wiped myself down, catching sight of the ring I’d found earlier in the day sitting on my wedding finger. I’d completely forgotten I had it on and the lights from inside the bar were making it look as though the red stone in it was glowing.
“You’re not coming back in here, mate,” the doorman said as I staggered back towards the entrance. He was tall and burly and looked like someone you shouldn’t argue with, so of course, I did.
“I am,” I said, trying unsuccessfully to push past him. “My brother’s still in there.”
“I won’t tell you again,” he said, putting his hand on my chest. “You’ve had enough, now piss off.”
He crossed his arms and stood firm, blocking the doorway from me, but I ducked to the side and tried to sidestep him. With reflexes faster than my own he gripped me by the collar, dragging me several feet to the side of the building and pushing me down onto the ground in the deserted alley that ran alongside the church.
“If you come back again, I’m going to break your legs,” he shouted. He stared down at me for a moment, making sure I wasn’t going to try anything stupid, then disappeared back to the front of the building leaving me lying on the tarmac.
It took some effort but I managed to get myself to my feet. The whole world felt like it was spinning and I leaned my hands against the side of the church hoping that it would keep me upright. The ring caught my eye again and I glanced between it and the gold band on my right hand that had been a gift from my parents for my 21st birthday. It still looked like it was glowing, but this time there was no light in the alley that it could be reflecting. I felt almost mesmerised by it, as though I didn’t quite want to look away, and it felt like it was pulsing.
“Tom?” My brother shouted my name from around the corner and I pushed myself back from the wall to go to him. I fought the urge to be sick again as my eyes spun around in different directions but it was no use. The whole alleyway began to turn sideways.
No, not the alley. Me.
I was passing out.