vacation

"Shots for everyone!" Violet shouted over the loud music, sitting down a tray full of 5 tiny glasses filled to the brim with tequila.  

Molly raised her eyebrows, shaking her head.  "No fucking way you'd be doing that if Gabe was here."

"Well he's not so drink up, bitch."  The clear substance spilled out as Violet raised the shot into the air.  "Here's to my two weeks sobriety, and to my hermano finishing his special in Arizona, and to Clo and Toby who keep making mushy looks at each other."  She wiggled her eyebrows at us then said, "cheers!"

I blushed deep red and peered over at a grinning Toby, who looked exceptionally handsome tonight.  I'm not sure why, he hadn't done anything special.  He wore the same backwards cap as the day we met, a tight black T-shirt and jeans, equipped with black vans that'd seen better days.  He was second to take a shot, playfully punching Violet and saying something I couldn't hear.  Toby seemed much more... fun?... than I'd ever seen him.  

Victor and I took our shots next, Molly declining the offer, so Violet drank hers instead.  There was still tension between them, since Molly accidentally ratted us out last night.  I knew she hadn't meant it, but Violet enjoyed being petty.  I had the feeling shit would hit the fan before the trip ended...

After the drinks, we followed Violet and Vic to the concert area, which was just next door to the bar.  Toby stayed close to Molly and me, guiding us through the mass of people and making sure neither of us got lost.  The bass vibrated the walls and my ear drums.  

"Don't let her get to you," Toby told our red-haired friend.  "Just enjoy it like old times."

Molly's lower lip was poked out in a pout, but he poked at her side, causing her to squirm and giggle.  It worked to loosen her up a bit.

Then Toby looked back at me, still smiling.  "You okay?"

I was so out of my element, but nodded and gave him a thumbs up.  Which he took as a cue to join the siblings who were already crowd surfing.  

At first, Molly and I stayed near the entrance, too afraid to get close to the chaos.  But after a few drinks, somehow Toby convinced me to join them.  I was lifted into the air and felt thousands of hands on my back, pushing me forward towards the band.  My eyes closed as I floated, a little dizzy from all the alcohol, thankful when I was placed on steady ground next to Violet.  She was pumped.

It was the final set, the band that Vic was friends with, when I really started getting into the scene.  The crowd shouted along with the songs, jumping with the beat, sweating all over me.  I joined, tempted to get in the mosh pit, but prohibited by Toby when Violet tried to drag me with her.  Everyone's energy flowed through my veins, and mixed with the alcohol and no limits, I was ready to get crazy.

Imagine my disappointment when the show was over.  I think the only half-sober person was Molly, and Vic was slightly coherent, but Toby, Violet, and me were trashed.  The band invited us to an after party, which made Molly groan that she wasn't going, but with 4 opposers I thought she would crack.  Usually she gave into the peer pressure... something was off, but I was too drunk to care.

"Bro, just let her go," Violet said to no one in particular.  "She's fuckin' lame anyway.  Party pooper, ha!"  And laughed way too hard.

"Be nice," Vic demanded, slapping her on the arm then squeezing Molly in a hug that she didn't really want.  "Mollypop, you can do whatever you want."

"I'm calling Gabe to take me back.  You guys can stay."  Then she pushed Victor away and went outside with the phone pressed to her ear.

"Let's get another drink!" I shrieked to prevent any awkward silence.  And I grabbed Violet's hand to drag her with me.

Everything passed in a blur until we were standing outside with Molly, and Izaak walked up.

"Bro, I thought you were calling Gabe??"  That was me talking.  

"Bro, did you just say bro?  You talkin' like me?"  Violet found a lot of humor in that, and we were almost literally rolling on the ground laughing

"Chloe, you've had enough for tonight.   Let's go."

"Whaaaaat??  I'm not goin'!  The party just started, Bro!"

Violet was dying of laughter next to me.  

Izaak sighed and shook his head, unamused at my drunken behavior.  "It's late and you're drunk.  You need to come with me."

"But I wanna go with everyone elseee!" 

"Yeah, Bro, chillax, I'll bring Clo home in one piece.  You trust me, don't ya?"

Without hesitation, he gave a firm, "No."  Then looked back at me.

"I don't have to go with you.  I followed your stupid rules for a month and now I'm freeeeeeeeeeee!"  If I hadn't been so drunk, I would've noticed the hurt in Izaak's eyes.  But instead, I went into another fit of giggles.

"Yeah, that bitch got Toby to take care of her now," Violet added for extra effect.

"And Vic," Molly added to soften the blow.  "She'll be fine, let her have the night.  It'll be a low key party."

I heard his loud sigh over my laughter, but he took Molly's word anyway.  How did she have such pull over him?

Turns out, Molly was right — It was hardly a party.  We went to a gigantic house on the ocean and. sat around with the band members and their girlfriends, smoking a blunt (which made me and Violet mourn Molly's absence together) and talking shit.  At some point, they showed us their studio.  Everything is really a blur because the alcohol + weed combo had me fucked up.  All I remember is that Toby was playing the drums.  He pushed his short sleeves up and I'd never noticed how toned his arms were until he started pounding the drumsticks down.  I was amazed at how effortlessly he played, finding my mind wandering again to what it'd be like to get spanked by him.  Maybe he wasn't as much of a softie as I'd assumed?

It was nearly 4am when we smushed in an Uber back to Gabe's house.  Toby's arm was around me and I liked it.  I snuggled up close to him, still in a daze.  

"Would you two just suck face already and get it over with?"  Leave it to Violet to ruin every moment.

I expected Toby to make some smartass comment back to her, but instead he leaned down and kissed me.  He tasted like cigarettes and cinnamon gum, and his hand slid down to touch my butt.  Violet was muttering something in the background as my hands also explored Toby's body, only interrupted momentarily when we arrived back at Gabe's.