“Come on, man, you know the sound is going all the way into the neighbors’ apartments. We don't wanna get kicked out of this place.”
“Shit, Emerson, you're sounding like such an old man these days. Lighten up, brah! What the hell happened to the E-dawg I used to know?”
“Dude, look, I'm not saying the music isn't awesome. It is! You're banging on the decks, man, but you just gotta watch that volume. Remember, the previous neighbors already laid a few complaints about us and we got that written warning from management. They could kick us out. And seriously, if someone called the cops and they came here and found all the booze we've got in this place? You haven't forgotten that we're both under twenty-one, right? Come on, man, let's not take risks like that, alright? Let's just keep the volume down to a level where they won't bitch about us.”
Chris rolled his eyes. “Yes, Dad,” he replied.
I shook my head. It seemed like it was getting harder and harder to get through to Chris.
“You can at least get yourself a beer, man,” he said. “Stop taking everything so seriously.”
“Alright, alright,” I replied, and I headed into the kitchen to grab a beer. I needed it after the week I’d had. I grabbed one from the fridge, popped the top, and then sucked back a mouthful of the cool, refreshing liquid. I felt better as soon as I did. I walked out into the living room and flopped down onto the sofa. “So, what's the plan for the evening?” I asked Chris as I sipped on my beer.
“Melissa and her friends are coming over for some drinks later. I hope you're ready to get your party boots on, bro!”
I groaned. “Aw no, dude. I gotta study tonight, I can't do that.”
Chris folded his arms across his chest. “You gotta study tonight? Jesus, Emerson, it's Friday night, for Christ's sake! Friday night! No way dude, no way. I'm not letting you sit in your room and read books all night like a nerd. Hell no!”
“Dude, come on. I'm trying to--”
“Trying to what? Nope! No way!”
At that moment, the doorbell rang. He grinned and hurried over to open it.
“There's no way you're gonna get away with studying now!” he said. “These bitches will never let you get away with that.”
“Alright, alright,” I sighed. “But seriously, only like two or three drinks. That's it. I mean it.”
The door burst open and Melissa and her bevy of friends came in, giggling. I shook my head. It really was the last thing I needed. Still, with everyone there and the music going, it was impossible to study and hard to resist. I sighed, sipped on my beer, and mentally prepared myself for the night to come.
***
Four hours later, Nicky Minaj's “Anaconda” was playing in the club, and Melissa was doing her best to get all over me, grinding against me on the dance floor like it was nobody's business. I was pretty drunk, and the lights were starting to blur around me.
Still, I didn't want anything t
o do with Melissa, as hard as she was trying to have something to do with me. I simply turned around and stumbled off the dance floor, leaving her to grind it out on her own. I'd had enough, and I’d had way more to drink than intended. It was time to get out of there and get back home. If I drank enough water and ate a big meal before sleeping, there was a chance that I wouldn't feel too terrible when I woke up and I might be able to actually get some stuff done.
I started toward the exit when I felt a hand on my shoulder.
“Hey! Emerson, what are you doing?”
Melissa. Jeez, I just couldn't get away from her.
“I'm going home.”
“Okay, I'll get my bag and tell—”
“No, I mean, I'm going home. By myself. Alone.”
She stared at me with an icy gaze for a few moments; I'd never been so blunt with her before and it was clear she was pretty upset about it. I didn't really care, though; if that's what it took to get her to leave me alone, I was okay with it.
“You know, you can be a real fucking jerk sometimes, Emerson,” she said coldly.
“Sorry,” I mumbled and shrugged my shoulders. “I’m gonna go now.”
She turned around and stormed off and, although I felt a bit bad, I mostly felt relieved. I grabbed two bottles of water from the bar and headed out of the club to hail a cab.