Mind Games

I drive up to Glen's house, using the directions Miao gave me (he's walking apparently) and the noise. I park on the grass, seeing as how everyone else is doing it. As I walk in, two girls walk out, totally trashed. One of them pukes behind a bush. Ew.

I'm starting to get second thoughts about this, serious second thoughts. The music's loud, my heels hurt, I'm worried about the safety of my vehicle, and my own... Not to mention there's no room to go anywhere. But, I promised Miao I'd go, and that I'd meet him here. Somewhere.

I'm bumped and pushed around, and somehow find myself in a kitchen-dining area. I figure that while I'm here, I might as well grab a drink. It might make this more enjoyable. I take a solo cup and fill it with one of the unopened beer cans that litter the area. This place is an alcoholic's dream. Wine, Brandy, Tequila, Vodka, Beer. You name it, they probably have it. I take a sip and smile. I dunno, but this makes me feel kinda grown up, kinda young. It's been a while since I had a drink.

Okay, so, I'm a few cups in now and have not seen Miao anywhere. I'm getting a small buzz, and one of the girls helping Glen host comes in frantically and grabs all of the alcohol. Like, in a reckless bear hug.

"What's going on?" I ask her, and she jumps slightly when I talk.

"Oh! The- the Black Mambas are here! We need more alcohol!" She shouts before running off. Now, I don't know much, but I know that the Black Mambas are one of the gangs. And I'm trying to avoid the gangs. I abandon my cup and weave my way through the sea of people looking for a way out, or someplace quiet so I can sleep off this buzz and drive home. I do, eventually, find a door that leads away from the noise. I open it and find exactly who I wasn't looking for. Jacket. I close the doors and walk away, trying to act as if nothing happened, but a slightly disheveled Jacket comes following after me.

"Hey! Sweetheart!" He calls, and I speed up my pace, looking for somewhere to hide. I spot a row of rooms upstairs. I run up a flight of stairs, don the hall a little bit, and into a pitch dark room. I hear footsteps outside, and I scramble away from the door, not wanting to be found right away. I, however, am not the best at traversing in the dark, and trip over... Something, and that something clatters. Loudly.

Jacket opens the door, shining a light on my situation. I tripped over a floor lamp. A fucking floor lamp.

"Now, Sweetheart. I've been wanting answers for a while now. And I'm going to get them, one way or another. Now spill." He orders and I stand up, straightening myself out.

"No," I reply defiantly.

"It wasn't a suggestion, Sweetheart. Now explain." He continues, and I walk toward him.

"No." I walk right by him. Where is Miao? I need to find him and get the hell out of here. I think, taking out my phone to text him. My phone is suddenly ripped from my hands and dangled way above where I can reach. By the one and only Jacketsmirking his head off.

"You'll get it back after you explain." He states like he was punishing a child for bad behavior.

"I'm too sober to deal with this..." I sigh, rubbing my forehead.

"I can fix that, come have a few drinks with me." As much as I hate Jacket, I can't lose that phone.

"Fine. Let's drink." I agree, and Jacket walks past me, grabbing me by the hand and leading me back to his inner circle's hangout spot at this party.

I sit down on a couch across from him and realize that we're in a library, one of his gang members hands me a beer and I open it, taking a sip.

"I'm not saying anything to anyone other than you," I state, and he nods, his inner circle leaving for the party.

"Now, Sweetheart, you said you wouldn't get tangled up in gangs. Not again. Explain." He prompts, and I take another swig.

"I told you, no tragic backstory until you stop being a gangster. But, yeah, I got caught up with a gang a few years ago, and I quit. Forever. Swore not to even talk to low-tier members ever again. But, hey, here I am with a despicable human being, bartering for my phone." I respond and he scowls.

"Bartering? No, this is an easy transaction, you answer some questions, you get it back. Easy-peasy. So fess up." He's a lot calmer than he usually is, I wonder what happened?

"Listen, Jacket, that's one of few things your not going to get from me, ever. So how about I drink for it?" I reply, gulping down some more beer.

"Drink? Sweetheart, I like your style. Which game?"

It's been a while. I don't have much concept of time right now, but what I do now, is that I won. And I get my phone back. I try to go and take it from Jacket, but belly flop onto the coffee table instead. I do manage to get my phone, though, somehow. I click on Miao's face and leave a message.

"Hheeyyy... Meow! Can you *hic* save me? I'm, uh... Uh little drink righ' now, an'... I don' trust Jack'. But I won! I got my phone back, hooray..." I black out just about there.