Luke took them to a club outside the hotel they were staying at. According to him, this is where peasants go. Well, not exactly the peasant, more of, the broke college students who were on school break just like them.
The crowd was rowdy, and there weren't many choices of drinks. Jess likes the band that was playing and the local beer. She was on her nth bottle, she was already feeling tipsy as she surveyed the crowd, where Luke was having the time of his life.
She was thinking that this kind of party only looks fun on social media. In reality, it was nothing but a sea of drunk college students.
But it didn't stop her from enjoying her drinks and dancing where she was standing. Away from the crowd for she couldn't imagine those bodies reeking with alcohol, sweat, and what else touching her. She shuddered with the thought.
"Go easy on the beer, Jess."
She glanced at Ellise, who just like her, chose to stay away from the crowd. The two of them were standing near the stage where the band was playing a cover of a Linkin Park song.
"It's okay. You will be our voice of reason tonight." she softly chuckled. She could already feel the alcohol in her system.
"What is this voice of reason?"
"It's what Luke and I agreed on whenever we drink." She saw the confusion on her face, "Well, it's just the person who was less drunk was the voice of reason -- and would be the one who would make the decision."
"So, tonight since the two of you were both drinking and I'm not, by default I'm the voice of reason?"
"Yes ma'am." She slurred her answer. Nodding and swaying at the same time.
"As your voice of reason, I'd say you should get easy on alcohol."
She clicked her tongue on her, "Just like I thought. You're a no fun voice of reason."
"That would deviate the idea of being the voice of reason if you want me to be fun."
Being aware that she would never win her over when it came to being a wise ass, she scoffed, put down her beer, and exchanged it for some bottled water.
"What time is your flight?"
Ellise glanced at her watch, "Hmm, I still have four hours."
"What? Shouldn't you go to the airport now? The airport is about an hour drive from here."
"Now, you are the voice of reason." she teased her, "It's okay. Someone gonna pick me up."
"Oh, okay." she returned her eyes to the cluster of bodies in front of them. Luke was swallowed in the sea of bodies where most of them were missing pieces of clothing. She chuckled for clothes being taken off were not only with men but also with women. She could see now why this kind of party could be something interesting.
Being intoxicated with half-naked strangers on an island far away from home is a sure way to have fun indeed. And these people are seeking this kind of fun. A summer love affair. Fleeting. Can be easily forgotten.
'Easily forgotten.' Her mood turned sullen with the thought. She picked up the bottle of beer she had already abandoned. Drunk the cheap alcohol in a futile attempt to forget what had happened earlier between her and Noah.
The bitterness of the alcohol made her grimace. A while ago she could drink it smoothly as it was cold, but now that it was no longer chilled, the after taste of the alcohol was too much for her. It made her gag.
"I need a toilet," she said, tapping Ellise's shoulder.
Seeing her pale face, with her hand covering her mouth, Ellise pulled her away from the crowd to the line of palm trees a few meters away from the party.
"Here, puke." she pushed her behind a coconut tree. " It's much better than a toilet at a party like this." She said, turning around to give her some privacy as she throws up.
She didn't need any convincing from her for she was already bending forward with the disgusting bile gushing from her mouth. She was hugging the coconut tree for her dear life. 'I will never drink again.' a part of her brain was saying the biggest lie she always tells herself whenever she gets drunk.
She leaned on the tree, wiping the bead of sweat on her forehead. It is the first time that she vomited because of alcohol. Her experience with alcohol was, enjoying it, do something stupid then fall on her face and sleep.
Never like this. She bent forward once again for she felt another rush of bitter bile that was about to come out… but it was nothing. It was just air and the most disgusting taste that she ever tasted in her mouth.
"Here, gargle some water."
She eagerly grabbed the bottled water that Ellise handed her. "That beer was a fucking poison," she said, panting and hugging the coconut tree.
"You can curse that beer again tomorrow morning with your hangover." she chuckled. "Are you done? As your voice of reason, I'd say, let's head back to our room and it would be best if you take a shower and some aspirin before going to bed."
"How about Luke?" she said, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
"I already sent him a message. He said he would head home too."
She held Ellise arm's because when she straightened up she felt the ground under her feet sway, and her vision was blurry that all the trees looked double!
"I'm going to die," she groaned.
"Delayed your time of death for I can't carry your dead body back to the hotel." She dialed the number of their hotel concierge to ask for the hotel to pick them up. The hotel was far from where they are.
"Should I call Noah to pick us?"
She asked to test how drunk Jess was and was shocked when she grabbed her face and said, "If I die, just bury my body somewhere but don't ever call Noah. He's a meanie!"