“Sh*t! You can not do that to me!! I thought someone found you and was trying to take off With you.” He’s gasping and holding his chest He doesn’t come further into the room but leans back against the doorframe letting his head thunk back on the wood frame while he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.
“We need a drink after all of that. And what do you mean ‘ found us’? Mina asks, folding her arms across her chest, trying and failing to look intimidating in her pink pajamas.
Wait..pajamas? When did she change into pajamas? I look down at myself. When did change? We were in jeans and tshirts when we did the ceremony, but that’s the last thing I remember. Everything else is hazy flashes of memory. 5
“I can grab you guys some water. I’ll be right back.” He says, breathing almost normal now.
“Oh, no. You misunderstood me. We need drinks, as in alcohol. Midget here has never had a drink and if we are going onto campus after the break, she needs to have some kind of knowledge and tolerance. We feel like garbage and can’t go anywhere, might as well start now. And you still didn’t answer my question. What did you mean ‘found us’?
“Not answering your question and as pissed as everyone will be, I agree with you. You both need a tolerance. We can’t keep bouncing between you two being ready for the challenge and being too young to handle things. You were sent here, might as well do it right. Let’s go.” He waves us out of the room. “I don’t have beer though, which is what you will get at most parties. I can’t stand the sh*t.”
“Did you know that we would be out for days? Is that how the brand ceremony usually is?” I try to change the topic, but still get us answers. He was scared for us and I don’t like the thought of that at all. He knows what the branding ceremony is and what will happen. There should have been no reason to worry. “Why don’t I remember changing my clothes? And how did we get upstairs?’ “That was mostly Gentry. You both managed to get yourselves upstairs, but just enough to fall into bed. She changed you both and tucked you in. That is a little more than my job description calls for.” He smiles back at us as we head downstairs. “As far as the time, no, no one is usually out that long. But you both are so young, that might be the reason. I mean, Mina just turned eighteen, and that’s when you’re supposed to start the training. And Midge you’re supposed to still be in school, just figuring out boys and make-up and other girly sh*t like that. You were probably a teenager when you were six.” He laughs at his own joke and I just roll my eyes.
He walks to the island and pulls out two of the stools. We both take a silent seat and watch as he pulls glasses out of the cabinet, along with an array of other things. It looks like he is going to set up a buffet, not just serve us a drink.
“First thing you need to know is that drinks come in various forms…”
He begins with shots, then moves to on-the-rocks and then mixed drinks. We get a whole lesson on alcohol types, how things are measured and poured properly, what drinks are common in college and what to look for and avoid. I am completely fascinated by the whole thing.
He only has whiskey on hand, but that does the trick and I can feel the effect of my brain being sluggishly slow and not matching up with what my body is trying to do. He didn’t give us more than a small sip of each type of pour, but since I have zero experience, my body and brain are doing whatever they want.
“Now, you both need something to eat before you throw up all over the kitchen.” He catches me as start to slide sideways, but can’t be bothered to right myself.
“I don’t like this at all. I can’t move my body, I just feel floppy.” I giggle and can feel my emotions bouncing all over the place. “Why would anyone choose this? It’s like torture.” I feel grumpy again.
Mina is next to me and she has been giggling the whole time. It started with my faces when we first started tasting the whisky. Then she just never really stopped.
“For control freaks like you to loosen up a bit. You don’t have a choice now, you have to ride the drunk train to get it out of your system. Woohoo! We need some music!” She pops up faster than anyone should be allowed right now and disappears somewhere, then I hear her pop music blaring from a corner of the living room.
“Nope, this is stupid and never happening again.” I drop my head onto my forearms on the island counter.
