''I feel ethereal''

Both girls gave me weird looks before giggling uncontrollably.

Wow, we really are shitfaced drunk...

''Drunk Tina is my favorite Tina!'' Sasha spoke, her arm wrapped around Tara's shoulders.''And you, Tara, are just...another breed of human'' She laughed.

Tara burst into tearful, drunk laughter as she nodded along to everything that was said.

I need to pee.

''Where can I pee?'' I groaned, looking around.

''There's a public restroom on the other side of the road'' Aaron informed me, nodding his head in that direction. I struggled to get up off my butt and he immediately rushed to my side, helping me up. What a mannerly gentleman...

''God, my brother is such an ass-licker!'' Tara groaned at the sight, before covering her eyes.''At this point, I'm surprised he doesn't get laid every day''

''Maybe he just likes her!'' Sasha defended, failing at being quiet.

Tara snorted.''That guy only likes himself''

''Hey!'' Aaron slapped her on the arm, glaring down at her as she sprawled out on the sand. ''That's a lie, right there''

''Oh, yeah?'' Tara laughed, falling onto her back and sighing.''Then who do you like? Other than that golddigger you dated a few years ago''

Aaron visibly tensed at the mention of his ex. Yikes.

''Exactly!'' Tara snorted again.

''Tara, quit bullying your nice brother! Have a drink instead'' Sasha poured her some wine into a cup and handed it to her.''Maybe he can't tell you, because she's here'' She winked, nodding her head in my direction. That was not smooth at all, Sasha.

''Ew'' Tara wrinkled her nose at this, glancing at me.''That would traumatize me for the rest of my life''

''I guess I'll have to kill you then, to end your suffering'' Aaron shot back, a smug grin on his face.

Excuse me, what? Did I hear that correctly? No. I'm definitely hallucinating.

''Ohhhh!'' Sasha exclaimed, gushing at the two of us standing next to each other.

I blushed a deep red color, averting my eyes from all of them.

I just wanted to go pee.

''Alright, that was a joke!'' Aaron raised his hands in defense, making Tara let out a breath of relief.''TT is a very special friend of mine. Right, TT?'' He asked, smiling at me.

''Yeah, sure!'' I nodded, my eyes droopy. ''Umm, I need to pee. Still'' I pointed out, trying to find the direction of the public restrooms with my drunken eyes.

''I'll escort you'' Aaron wrapped an arm around my waist, chuckling at my intoxicated state.

I sighed, smiling up at him.

We crossed the road successfully. I only tripped over my own feet once. Maybe twice.

''I'll wait here for you'' Aaron told me as we made it to the public restroom entrance. I nodded as he let go of my waist.

''White''

I turned to look at Aaron, scrunching my eyebrows. When did he start calling me that?

''Over here'' The voice chuckled.

I turned to the side, spotting the voice's owner straight away. It was Austin. He sat on a sleek, black motorbike with an unfamiliar blonde on his lap. He smirked at me.

''And hello to you too, Kingsley'' He acknowledged Aaron.

Aaron gave him a single nod, his jaw ticking slightly.

''What a small world, eh?'' Austin grinned at us, a hint of intoxication in his eyes. I stared at the blonde, noticing how drop-dead gorgeous she was. I had never seen her before. And for some reason, I wished I never saw her.

''Yeah, small world'' I tried to appear sober.

He knew I wasn't.

''Drinking and driving?'' Aaron asked, eyeing the motorbike.

''What's it to you? Worried?'' Austin laughed, earning a flirtatious giggle from the blonde.

''No. Just thought nothing about you would surprise me anymore'' Aaron replied with a certain type of matureness in his tone all of a sudden.

''Well, you don't really know me that well'' Austin shrugged, squeezing the blonde's thigh on instinct. My eyes stayed there, emotionless.

''What about you, White? Awfully quiet there, aren't you?'' Austin pulled my attention back to him, knowing very well why I was quiet.

''I've got nothing to say to you'' I sighed, turning on my heel to go to the restroom.

''Of course not. But you certainly do a lot of talking with the goody-boys, huh? Oh, sorry. I meant the pothead and the cops son who secretly f-''

''Shut your mouth, Black'' Aaron cut him off, fuming.

''Oh, are you afraid of her finding out your dirty little secret? Would it ruin your little date?'' Austin cooed, pouting.

''Yeah, it would'' I beat Aaron to it, placing a fake smile on my face. ''We've been having a pretty good night so far. So, if you wouldn't mind, we'll get on with it...'' I hinted, taking Aaron's hand in mine and walking off to the restrooms together.

Just before entering, I glanced over my shoulder.

Austin was staring right at me, the blonde no longer on his lap. He was enraged, eyes wild like they were at the underground fight.

I blew him a kiss, smirking at my achievement.

Two can play this game, Black.

***

''I've heard you and T pee before, get on with it'' Aaron groaned, ushering me to a stall.

I stopped in my tracks, shaking my head violently.''No! Just keep an eye out, he'll leave soon!'' I peeked through the door, laying eyes on Austin. He was still there, patiently waiting for our appearance. It had been about 10 minutes, and I was about to pee myself.

''He won't leave'' Aaron shook his head.

''He will!'' I argued.

''After what you just said to him? Nope. Not a chance'' He shook his head, laughing lightly. ''I know I wouldn't leave. I would wait there to kick the guy's ass. And then, I'd leave''

''You have a point'' I pursed my lips into a thin line, thinking about it.

''So just go pee, before you pee right here'' He rolled his eyes at me.

I know, I'm being ridiculous.

''Ugh!'' I groaned, glancing at the stall. ''Fine. But put your hands over your ears''

''If you say so'' Aaron shook his head at me, amused.

''Do it!'' I demanded.

He placed his hands over his ears, laughing at me.

***

''I don't want to come out'' I whined, peeking outside again. He was still there. If another fight happens...I'll freak out again.

''It'll be fine, let's go!'' Aaron groaned, tired of my stupidity.''The girls are out there on the beach, drunk. We have to go check on them''

He's right.

We've been here for 30 minutes.

Before I had the chance to agree, he dragged me outside. I yelped, feeling winded from the sudden movement. The wine in my system was not okay with that...

''Was it good?'' Austin clenched his jaw, staring right into my eyes. The blonde was gone as if she was never here. I scrunched my eyebrows, in drunken confusion.

''Yes, it was amazing. Fireworks and the whole thing. But now we have to go! Bye, Blacky! '' Aaron faked a girl's voice before rolling his eyes. I stifled a laughed and he started dragging me alongside him, nearing the road.

''Not so fast'' Austin spoke up.

''What?'' Aaron stopped in his tracks, turning to look at him again. 

''I know you didn't do anything'' Austin said simply. ''But I might just do something with your little Brookey-Brooke'' He winked, right before hopping on his motorbike and speeding off with a wild grin on his face

''Who's Brooke?'' I asked, looking up at Aaron.

''No one'' He said with a ticking jaw.

Yeah, right...

We crossed the road in silence, without a single trip-up from me this time. The whole situation with Austin definitely sobered me up a little.

''Jesus, did you two fuck in there or something? You took forever'' Sasha greeted us with an unamused raise of her eyebrows. She was now also sprawled out on the sand, just like Tara was beside her. They are definitely wasted.

''Ew!'' Tara gagged, shaking her head at the thought.

''True, ew! The public restrooms by the beach? That's nasty, guys. Even for me'' Sasha wrinkled her nose in distaste with a slight shudder.

''We ran into Austin'' Aaron muttered an explanation as he gathered our things off the sand. He placed everything into random beach bags we took, a frown on his tanned face.''Now let's get you three to TT's house. It's getting late'' He added, not waiting for their response. His mood changed drastically, to say the least. 

''What?!'' Tara sprung up, visibly getting dizzy from the sudden movement.

''Where the hell did you see him? On the toilet?'' Sasha asked at the same time, dumbfounded.

''He was with some blonde girl. On a motorbike, not a toilet'' I shrugged, pretending to be uninterested.

''Oh nooo!'' Tara frowned, clearly shitfaced-drunk. Her expression was unreadable, a pair of droopy eyes and messy lips. Her hair was all over her face, sand on the back of her head. That's gonna be a pain in the shower...

''I'll beat him up'' Sasha groaned, struggling to get up.

''Please do'' Aaron mumbled under his breath.

***

''Aaron, leave'' I huffed, staring into the toilet.

I had just emptied all of the wine in my system and Aaron held my hair through the whole thing. Not the perfect date Austin thought we were having, that's for sure.

''No. I'm fine right here'' Aaron chuckled.

''I'm gonna die'' I sighed, feeling another wave of nausea come along.

''No, you'll just feel like shit tomorrow'' He made a point.

''True'' I nodded, right before gagging with nothing to throw up. Man, why do I even drink? This sucks donkey balls.

''Have you eaten today?'' He asked randomly.

Oh no.

''Yes, why?'' I asked casually, letting myself sit down on the cold tiled floor.

He leaned back against the wall, eyeing me.''All you threw up was wine'' He said.

''Were you staring at my vomit?'' I laughed it off, slowly getting up off the floor to flush the toilet.

He didn't laugh.

''I'm serious''

I flushed the toilet, facing away from him.''Relax, A. I did eat'' I shrugged, turning to face him again.

He had a stern look on his face, not buying it at all.''Is this because of him?'' He asked boldly.

I gasped, shocked he would be so blunt.''What? Stop that, A. I eat, okay? I just didn't eat before the beach. The last time I ate was lunchtime, I promise'' I lied.

''You promise?'' He raised his eyebrow.

I nodded.

''So if I order a pizza right now...you'll have a slice or two, or more?'' He asked, knowing Tara's old tricks and assuming I had the same ones.

''Sure'' I nodded. No, not ''sure''. I'm going to freak the heck out!

''Okay, let's go then'' He called me out of the bathroom, already standing in the hallway.

''Let me brush my teeth first'' I chuckled, playing it off well. Or so I thought.

''I'll go order then'' He said and disappeared down the stairs.

What the hell do I do now?