The Unexpected Encounter (An Eminem Fan Fiction)

Chapter 64: Bad Influence

It was around seven right now. It was hours after we all finished eating dinner.

Dinner had been beyond delicious. I ate my absolute heart out. Dessert afterward was the best thing in the world as well, it being entirely scrumptious. I ate until I couldn't anymore. I was such a fatty. But everyone did as well, enjoying it all as much as I. I was so glad for it. Now, with our stomach's settled, we were about to begin what we'd been waiting for.

Currently, we were all gathered around the glass table in the living room; "we" including Nathan, Ashley, Marshall, Hailie, Alaina, baby Liam, and me. Whitney and Audri went upstairs to go see a movie or do something of the sort on their own. We had alcohol, including the vodka I brought from earlier, and bottles of wine and beer scattered across the table. It was time for the adults to drink and become rowdy and obnoxious, probably. I was still nervous, since this was going to be my first.

With shot glasses aligned on the table, Nate went ahead and poured vodka into each individual glass, moving down the row to fill them up. "Who's up?" Nate asked everyone once finished with the pouring.

"I'm good," Marshall was the first to say, letting us know he was fine with the can of Mountain Dew in his hand. Not that he would drink anyway; it wasn't his "cup of tea." Especially after staying sober for so long all this time.

Ashley then went to speak. "I'm alright with my wine," she said, sloshing the glass of white wine in her hand. "Since I'm sure I'll have to drive us back," she mentioned, referring to her, Nate, and the children.

Alaina added in. "Hailie and I carpooled. Plus, I'll have to drop Whitney off at Aunt's after. I'll just stick with mine, too," Alaina said, leaning in to take a small sip of the red wine in her hand. "Guess it's just you three. Knock yourselves out."

We all nodded to them, understanding. Nathan, Hailie, and I made a reach for the shot glasses. I was holding mine, heart pounding, as I sloshed my own glass of alcohol around. This was it. Goodbye, sanity.

"Relax, Sal, you look too nervous," Hailie was saying reassuringly to me.

I smiled at her, knowing I was overworrying myself. "Alright," I inhaled. "Let's do this."

"Ready?" Nate looked at both of us. We nodded at him. "Cheers!"

We clung our glasses together then took the shots, me pouring the entire glass of vodka down my throat. It burned going down, the sharp, bitter, strong taste of it especially getting to me as I swallowed the whole. My eyes almost watered. It tasted a little like rubbing alcohol, even. We slammed our shot glasses down on the table as the two went to make another grab at more, going for a second round. I was still grimacing at the first, not over the taste. I hurriedly made a grab, however, following them. I didn't want to slow them down and appear to be a wimp.

"Bottoms up!" Hailie called, her and Nate immediately taking the action.

I joined with them. It was harder downing it the second time, for sure.

They had already set their glasses down and made reach for another, going for one more round. By now, I felt flushed in the face, everything racing. I couldn't go for another.

"One more! Come on, Sal," Nate was saying.

"I can't. I'm done," I said to them, finished. Two was more than enough for me.

"Suit yourself," Nate said to me, then spoke to Hailie, right before they downed yet another. I leaned back in the sofa, setting my hand on my forehead.

"You okay?" Marshall looked to me, a little worried.

"Yeah, I just got hot all of a sudden." It lifted after a few seconds, me breathing calmly. I felt better, as if I just turned warm and fuzzy all over instead. I spoke more. "I don't think I can ever get used to taste of alcohol. That was a little much for me."